บท 625: Chapter 625: Arranging Everything Clearly for You
The three elite cultists, their acting skills quite impressive, far surpassed the Pope's. After all, they had undergone special training.
"So strong."
Ke Lan was highly perceptive, possessing an innate sense for powerful individuals.
The three before her were undeniably strong. What puzzled her was how such formidable figures could exist among bandits. With their strength, they could easily attain high positions in other empires, enjoying the benefits of power. There was absolutely no need for them to become bandits.
The three cultists, disguised as bandits – two warriors and one mage – formed a perfect combination. They refrained from making any provocative remarks about the girls' gender, lest they offend the Cardinal and face dire consequences.
They exchanged glances, deciding to speak less and act more, aiming to thoroughly assess their opponents' strength.
Suddenly, the battle erupted.
Ke Lan and her companions were caught off guard. They had never encountered such a situation before. Without a word exchanged, the opponents launched their attack, a stark contrast to the bandits they had faced in the past.
Despite this, Ke Lan showed no fear. She believed in facing battles head-on, never showing fear, even in the face of terrifying foes.
The three elite cultists, however, had much to consider. They couldn't afford to be careless, constantly reminding themselves of the Cardinal's instructions.
After a long while…
"Your strength is quite lacking. With such meager skills, you dare to cause trouble in our territory? Hmph, how presumptuous."
Hearing the bandits' taunts, Ke Lan's expression grew serious. She hadn't expected these bandits to be so powerful. Despite her immense strength, she couldn't gain any advantage, constantly being suppressed.
Even with four of them and a giant dragon, they couldn't defeat the three opponents. It wasn't that the opponents were overwhelmingly stronger, but their experience was vastly superior. It felt as if every thought Ke Lan had was anticipated and countered.
This feeling was oppressive and frustrating.
"Little girl, your strength is not bad, quite powerful, but your technique is utterly pathetic. Swordsmanship isn't about randomly swinging your sword. Didn't your instructor teach you that focusing your power on a single point unleashes greater force?" The elite cultist fighting Ke Lan wielded an ordinary long sword, constantly attacking and forcing her to defend.
"A bigger sword doesn't necessarily mean greater power. Finding a sword that suits you is what truly matters." Ke Lan gritted her teeth, her face grim. She had to admit, her opponent was incredibly strong, their swordsmanship exquisite. Every attack she thought was flawless was easily neutralized.
Even her instructor had praised her swordsmanship, claiming few could withstand it. Now, it seemed her instructor had been exaggerating.
However, one thing puzzled Ke Lan... why was this bandit so talkative? And what he said seemed to make sense, almost like he was instructing her.
No… that couldn't be right. It was just an illusion.
But upon closer thought, it did seem to hold some truth.
"Yes, that's right. I wouldn't want my opponent to fight me without even understanding the basics of applying force in swordsmanship. That would be truly disappointing."
The cultists weren't having an easy time either. Sparring and instructing simultaneously was a difficult task.
Observing from afar, the Cardinal nodded in satisfaction. This was the way to nurture them – providing guidance during actual combat, allowing them to gain enlightenment under pressure. This was far more effective than ordinary instruction.
Not only Ke Lan, but Tia and the others also received this special treatment.
After a while…
"Go…" Taking advantage of a repelled attack, Ke Lan focused her power, pushing back her opponent before shouting to her companions. The giant dragon flapped its wings and took flight. They seized the opportunity, leaping onto the dragon's back and escaping.
A smile touched the corners of the elite cultists' mouths. Suddenly, a thought struck them. If the girls retreated, realizing they were outmatched, and decided not to return, all their previous efforts would be in vain.
Thinking of this, the elite cultist shouted, "Run! Tomorrow, that village will be destroyed, leaving no survivors!"
"Hahaha…" The classic villainous laughter followed, meant to instill fear and pressure.
"I've seen many other races living peacefully in the city, never captured. Why are you Snow Foxes being sold as slaves?" Lin Fan inquired.
Li Se replied, "We Snow Foxes live in the forests near the snowy mountains, living in harmony with nature. We never participate in outside conflicts. The main reason is that we lack the protection of a strong individual. If we had a powerful protector, this wouldn't happen."
"What you've said reminds me of a phrase: survival of the fittest," Lin Fan said slowly.
The Snow Fox girls were comparable in beauty to elves, but the elves were a large race with powerful protectors, preventing their enslavement. The Snow Foxes lacked such protection, making their enslavement a common occurrence. To escape this predicament, they needed a powerful figure.
But… powerful figures weren't easy to come by.
"Thank you for saving us," Li Se said.
Lin Fan replied, "You're welcome. Anyone would have done the same."
Several days later, at the bandit stronghold…
Ke Lan, panting, looked at the figure before her, a rare smile gracing her face. She had defeated him. Initially, as he had predicted, they had intended to flee upon encountering such a formidable opponent.
However… his final words compelled them to stay. The villagers needed their protection.
They gained experience and learned battle techniques through combat.
Finally, victory was theirs.
"Impressive. I didn't expect your strength to improve so rapidly in such a short time. But don't celebrate too soon. This isn't over. You'll pay for interfering with the great and supreme being's plans."
As the words faded, the three elite cultists struggled to their feet. Using some sort of scroll, they vanished in a cloud of white mist.
"They escaped," Tia said.
Ke Lan replied, "They are very strong. It would have been difficult to capture them. This is probably the best outcome."
"Are they really bandits? With their skills, it's a waste to be bandits," Olivia exclaimed. She had learned much during the battles, gaining invaluable experience.
Tia agreed, "Me too. That bandit mage was incredibly strong. I felt like I was fighting my instructor. His mastery of magic was dazzling. Luckily, I'm quite skilled myself, otherwise I would have been in trouble."
"However, such battles are truly exhilarating."
Ke Lan said, "Let's check if the villagers' money is still there. If we find it, we can return it to them."
They headed towards the bandit hall where the Cardinal had left clues for them. These clues would mark the beginning of their journey. Four young people and a young dragon – their adventure had just begun.
In the distance…
The Cardinal said, "You performed well."
"Thank you for your praise, Cardinal. Their strength is remarkable. To reach such a level at their age, they are truly geniuses. However, their combat experience is still lacking compared to ours. We had to hold back to let them win, otherwise it would have taken longer and might have aroused their suspicion."
"Indeed, the girl with the greatsword possesses incredible strength."
"The mage girl is a bit weak. Her control over magic is still theoretical, lacking practical combat experience and application."
The three elite cultists offered their assessments. They had no choice but to feign defeat. Otherwise, this stage of the plan would have been prolonged indefinitely.
The Cardinal said, "I've observed your actions. After this is over, I will report your contributions to the Pope."
"Thank you, Cardinal." Smiles of satisfaction appeared on their faces.
"Your task isn't over yet. This trial will continue for a while. I expect you to continue your efforts," the Cardinal said.
The Pope had entrusted him with this important task, and he was determined to succeed.
Though he had some minor doubts about why the Pope was so interested in these four girls and their development, he knew it was best to focus on his duties and avoid unnecessary questions.
Meanwhile…
"Look, there's a letter. It says they are gathering young girls for a sacrifice. This is just one of their branches. It seems we've stumbled upon something big," Olivia said gravely, holding the letter.
Ke Lan took the letter and read it carefully. "Since we've encountered this, we can't ignore it."
"I agree," Tia said.
Sylph added, "This must be a sacrifice to an evil god. Using the lives of young girls… it has to be an evil god. Ke Lan, we can't stand idly by. But with our current abilities, can we really stop this?"
Ke Lan said, "Don't worry. Things haven't reached the worst point yet. We'll follow the clues and see what's happening. If we can't handle it, we can seek help from others."
"According to the letter, their gathering place is in West Sand Town, not far from here. We'll go there first to assess the situation. If possible, we'll rescue the girls."
Driven by their strong sense of justice, they couldn't ignore such a situation.
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