章 42: Convincing Lucy
Chapter 42 – Convincing Lucy
"You want to join?" Lucy narrowed her eyes. "But do you have what it takes? You can't even protect yourself back in the hall, yet you want to enter a much more dangerous place."
Hearing her cold voice, Jhin let out a shameless smile. "That's back then because I don't have you. But aren't you here now? I'm sure that you can protect me."
Since he has such a backer, Jhin decided to use it to the fullest. Although it might sound out of character, but it's not like he has the choice. If he wanted to improve, to become stronger, he must cling to every opportunity he meets. He doesn't want to feel helpless again!
When Lucy heard his reply, she clicked her tongue and waved her hand. Suddenly, four magic circles appeared behind Jhin, each on his limbs. Then, fire chains sprouted from it and wrapped Jhin's feet and hands.
"I…" Jhin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. With a pitiful expression, he asked, "What do you mean by this?"
"If you can't convince within a minute, I'll leave you here wrapped by these chains." Lucy said.
Feeling the burning chains binding him, Jhin could only let out a defeated sigh. "Actually, my strength was sealed… And the only way to regain it was to kill creatures as offering to the seal. If I want to regain my peak, the only way for me to do that is to kill. Not like I can kill anyone in the shelter… Thus, the raid to the underground base was a great opportunity to me."
Jhin explained. Although it was a make-up story, a mixture of truth and lies, Jhin tailored it to make it sounds convincing.
"Can you help me?" he begged. Despite only a day having passed since his experience from the shrine, Jhin had already met two situations that made him helpless. He doesn't want to experience it again! And the only way to do that was to have the strength.
"Don't worry, I have a summoning artifact."
Seeing that Lucy was silent, Jhin waved his hand and summoned two cloaked ink soldiers.
Lucy looked at the ink soldiers and inspected for a while before finally opening her mouth. "Command them to attack me at full strength."
"What for?" Jhin froze. Then the scene from last night appeared in his mind. He glanced at the now empty table. He could recall the scene of the tied corpse on it. He couldn't help but thought, 'Is she a secret masochist?'
"Don't waste my time, hurry up!" she said while pointing her finger at the space in front of her. "Let them attack this fire shield."
A column of flame materialized at her fingertip. It formed a rough outline of a shield.
Nodding in realization, Jhin quickly commanded the two summons to attack the shield at full strength.
Boom!
The two ink soldiers sent their fists on her shield. But, instead of destroying the shield, the ink soldiers bounced back. They were thrown backwards while the shield only trembled a little.
"Fine! Unsummon them and follow me!" Lucy said as she turned around, walking towards the door.
The door opened, causing the wind to enter the house. Lucy's black cape fluttered, and her sweet fragrance drifted with the wind.
Jhin subconsciously touched his nose as he mutters, "She's so cool!" Then without further ado, he unsummoned the ink soldiers and followed Lucy.
…
Ashen grey clouds covered the sky while the sun continuously cascades its scalding heat.
After walking for a short while, the base of the towering black tower finally revealed on Jhin's eyes.
Surprisingly, hundreds of soldiers were assembled near the entrance of the base. All of which were covered with silver armors.
Jhin counted and realized that thirty rows made up the group. With each row having ten members. Noticeably, the first row has shield-wielding soldiers followed by spearmen, then shield soldiers, then spearmen. The pattern continues until the eleventh row, of which the soldiers were now wielding swords followed by hammers, then swords, axes, and other weapons. On the 29th and 30th row however, the rows had staff-wielding soldiers.
In front of the assembled army were four people emitting sharp auras. Jhin knew all of them: The golden-haired Battalion Commander Serg, the middle-aged Captain Rafael, the bow-wielding Captain Mon, and the staff-wielding silver-haired captain who harmed Aria.
Jhin's gaze couldn't help but alternate between Lucy's cape and the silver-haired man's cape. Both of their cape has a bone staff insignia.
'Could it be that they are both captains in the Magician Hall? But why is it that the commander gives Lucy special treatment?' Jhin thought. As the incident on the Archery happened to fast, Jhin hadn't seen such detail. He couldn't help but move closer to Lucy, he lifted his hand and was about to tug her cape to ask when a soldier suddenly shouted.
"Captain Lucy is here!"
Instantly, the attention of everyone in the field focused on them.
Jhin's hand who was only inches from her cape froze. He could feel the intense stare of the hundreds of soldiers. And among them, was the obvious hostile gaze of the silver-haired captain.
Before Jhin could react, a streak of light traveled from the distance. In just three breathes, the light appeared in front of him and Lucy, condensing the form of the handsome Commander Serg. Behind him was the three captains.
"How did it go?" Serg asked.
Lucy calmly took out the orb from her pocket and passed it to the commander. Serg instantly sent his soul sense inside the orb. Slowly, Aria's experience in the past few days started appearing inside his head.
It took him a minute to finish his scan. With a grim expression, Serg passed the orb to the captains behind him and said, "Analyze it closely. Afterwards we'll have a short meeting."
Then, his gaze turned towards Jhin where he frowned and said, "Leave!"
"Eh?" Jhin woke up from his daze, he looked at Serg before subconsciously pointing at himself. He was astonished by their speed earlier. Being able to travel dozens of meters in just a few seconds.
However, Serg didn't replied. Instead, he waved his hand, sending an invisible wave of light towards Jhin.
Swish!
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