Capítulo 104: Chapter 104: Betrayal in the Face of Battle! The Attack of the Deep Sea Dragon
"Mr. Merlin? Mr. Merlin! The break is over; we must rotate!"
The voice of a young mage calling out snapped Tils-Merlin from his reverie.
"…Ah, you all go ahead; I'll tidy up and be right there."
As the others complied and departed, Merlin carefully tucked the painting of his family back into his pocket and, while pretending to organize his belongings, discreetly cast a spell with his wand.
[Mirror Doppelganger]!
With a soft bubbling sound, the water beside him surged, coalescing into a duplicate of "Merlin"!
Watching the doppelganger quickly swim away, Merlin's eyes flickered.
Since the Storm Kingdom had eternally adhered to the rule of nobility, he would not hesitate to take extraordinary measures to protect his family…
...
A moment later, at Peaceful Island,
Nalan Xia was roused from her sleep by a knock on the door, her brows knitting slightly.
"Storm Kingdom mages?"
A sense of foreboding washed over her as she hurriedly donned her attire and exited.
Upon arriving at the port, she found Huyan Gui and several warriors of the Divine Kingdom gathered around a man clad in a white robe adorned with blue patterns.
He appeared to be in his fifties, with a calm demeanor, reminiscent of a teacher from the Academy of the Divine Gift.
"Esteemed Leader Xia, I am Tils-Merlin, a mage from the Storm Royal Court."
Merlin had evidently exchanged a few words with Huyan Gui; upon the arrival of the higher authority, he inclined respectfully.
"While I would love to embellish my credentials to enhance your kingdom's initial impression of me, time is pressing. I implore you to expedite your preparations.
In no more than an hour, this island will be subjected to a ferocious assault; please ensure the most stringent defensive measures are in place!"
Nalan Xia exchanged glances with Huyan Gui.
In contrast to the previously subdued seventh prince, the mage Lan Nong, and the witch Meg, this Tils-Merlin exhibited a distinctly different behavior.
This was outright betrayal!
Huyan Gui questioned skeptically, "Mage Merlin, given your actions, it seems you believe the Storm Kingdom's fate is sealed. What forces remain to come here?
The Divine Kingdom's army breached the capital's defenses last night; it's uncertain if the remaining troops can endure until dawn, let alone have the capacity to strike Peaceful Island?"
As he spoke, Huyan Gui gestured towards a few aluminum-clad ships patrolling in the distance, where the waters were calm, suggesting no signs of enemy vessels.
Merlin had anticipated his words would not be readily accepted; he explained steadily,
"Your kingdom is formidable; the Storm Royal Family knows that a frontal assault would lead to defeat. Thus, after ceding control of Windward Harbor to you, His Majesty the King and Chief Mage Belmo devised a targeted plan.
Their objective lies in the depths of the sea!
Soon, the magic array beneath the water will be completed, awakening the deep sea dragon that slumbers in the cavernous depths, lured by the spells of Mr. Belmo, to attack this very island where you stand!
The threat extends even to your homeland!"
A deep sea dragon?
For those from the Clan World, the concept of a "dragon" was entirely foreign, and they had little reaction to the revelation.
However, Nalan Xia detected an undercurrent of dread in Merlin's mention of the deep sea dragon and asked, "How much do you know about this dragon? What is its level of strength?"
"In my youth, the deep sea dragon had already fallen into slumber, so I have never witnessed it firsthand…"
Merlin glanced at the seemingly tranquil sea surface, speaking softly:
"Yet the legends of its might are well-known; even Mr. Belmo regards it as the Storm Kingdom's greatest asset, which speaks volumes about its legendary power!"
Huyan Gui pressed further, "How does it compare to your own Storm Knights?"
"With all due respect, the two are not comparable."
Merlin shook his head, "Sir Nicholas Gaiji is indeed powerful, yet he remains at the platinum level and has not reached the legendary tier."
As he spoke, waves of distortion rippled across Merlin's skin, and his expression shifted dramatically:
"…There is little time left for your preparations! The magic array beneath the sea is entering its final activation phase; you must regard the threat of the deep sea dragon with utmost seriousness, for it will be the greatest obstacle to your conquest of the Storm Kingdom!"
As the words left his lips, Merlin's body suddenly disintegrated into a puddle of water, cascading to the ground.
This sight unnerved Huyan Gui, who cursed inwardly at the peculiar nature of mages—they always possessed the most inexplicable of abilities…
He turned to Nalan Xia, "Should we trust this fellow?"
"Better to believe in it than dismiss it."
Nalan Xia commanded sternly: "Gather all residents of Peaceful Island and enter the highest state of alert! Dispatch swift ships to the elven settlements and Windward Harbor to inform Gurumi and Huyan Longzhu to come to our aid!"
Pausing briefly, she added, "The threats we face include not just the deep sea dragon, but also the chief court mage…
This may be the most perilous battle the Divine Kingdom has encountered in its expansion efforts! Everyone must be prepared for a bloody struggle!"
...
Thanks to the warning from Mage Merlin, Peaceful Island was illuminated as the darkness of night enveloped it, and the fully armed warriors of the Divine Kingdom began to establish layers of defensive formations.
Rows of heavy crossbows were brought forward, bundles of crossbow bolts neatly arranged and ready for immediate fire!
Shortly after they took their positions, a mournful horn sounded from the patrolling aluminum ships in the distance.
An enemy attack was indeed upon them!
Nalan Xia and Huyan Gui stood shoulder to shoulder, their expressions grave.
Among the six founders of the City of Divine Gift, they were the only two without divine weapons, having not participated in that so-called "World's Greatest Combat Competition."
Nalan Xia herself was not a skilled combatant, currently at the third stage of body refinement, while Huyan Gui, although at the fourth stage, carried a somewhat inferior weapon, rendering his combat capabilities lesser than those of Nalan Huazi and Zuo Qiu Yue.
However, only the two of them remained to defend Peaceful Island; beyond them lay the Clan World, a vast expanse of open territory, and they had to hold the line!
Suddenly, a massive wave surged from the far-off sea surface, as an enormous shadow unfurled its wings!
"Roar—"
A terrifying roar resonated, imbued with an unfathomable fury and wrath!
"The deep sea dragon…"
Nalan Xia's heart sank.
Even from afar, gazing upon that colossal form against the night sky, one could sense the overwhelming destructive power it harbored!
Mage Merlin had not spoken falsely; that creature possessed legendary strength capable of shaking the foundations of the Divine Kingdom!
"Prepare the heavy crossbows!"
Huyan Gui, feeling a dryness in his throat, forced himself to maintain composure as he raised his right hand.
Upon seeing this, the warriors of the Divine Kingdom suppressed their trepidation, positioning their crossbow bolts and adjusting the mechanisms to aim at the looming shadow.
At the same time, Belmo, with his radiant wings, hovering beside the deep sea dragon, noticed the stirrings on Peaceful Island.
The poised readiness exhibited there bore no semblance of panic befitting a sudden ambush.
His expression darkened; someone had leaked crucial information!
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