Ch. 821: Chapter 821-830

Chapter 821 Bom Bom Bakugan!

"Your Highness, it will be best if we distance ourselves from the Half-Elf for the time being," the Saint who was left to protect Aur said. "It is too dangerous here."

"No," Aur replied in a determined tone. "I am not going anywhere. If you really care for me, then you will do everything in your power to protect Lux. The Crystal Palace needs him alive."

"But, your Highness…"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"… Understood."

The Saint gritted his teeth as he extended his senses, covering a wide area around Aur and Lux.

If any attacks that came from the Saints were to enter it, he would immediately move to protect the red-headed teenager, as well as the Dragon Prince, even if he had to put his life on the line to make it happen.

"This sure is a high-level battle we have here, Lux."

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Barca. I am left with no choice but to once again ask for your help."

The Vice-Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan, Barca, who was clad in Legendary Equipment from head to toe, appeared beside Lux.

He was an Empyrean-Ranked Alpha Monster, and with the equipment he currently wore, he was capable of facing off against a Saint without worry.

The Half-Elf only summoned Barca because he was the only one among the Blackrock Clan who had a chance of surviving the attacks of a Saint.

Although he needed a lot of help, he didn't summon those who were unable to fight a battle of such magnitude. He didn't want to be responsible for such needless sacrifice.

"Eiko, prepare to use our Plan B," Lux said. "Wait for my signal to use it."

"Un!" Eiko nodded. "Bom Bom get ready!"

Eiko's Named Creature, Bom Bom, was a living cannon that could move.

Currently, the cannon was stationed on top of Lux's Guild Headquarters, ready to fire at any of the Saints that its Master wished to attack.

Loud explosions reverberated across the skies as the floating island continued to move toward the East, in an attempt to distance itself from the battle.

However, doing so was not simple.

Even with Lux's reinforcements, the combat-ready personnel on his side that could fight against Saints only numbered around thirteen.

They were facing twenty-two Saints, who came ready to fight.

After several minutes of duking it out with each other, the Saints of the Divine Army decided to unleash attacks on the floating island itself, with the intention to make it fall from the sky.

Fortunately, these attacks were blocked by Vera, Gaap, Maximilian, and Lady Faustina, who were capable of defending a large area.

Dragons and Dragon Borns were inherently stronger than Humans, and this fact proved itself on the battlefield.

Piccoro and Lady Faustina were capable of dealing with two to three Saints at a time, making the High King of Lunaria and the Oracle of the Divine Army frown.

"Is it really worth it to antagonize the Divine Army for the sake of a Heretic?" the Oracle of the Divine Army asked Piccoro after blocking one of the giant black fireballs that were hurled in her direction.

"You're asking the wrong question, girlie," Piccoro snorted as he unleashed a barrage of black fireballs that forced the Oracle to distance herself from the angry Dragon Born.

"The question you should be asking yourself is whether it is worth it to antagonize the Crystal Palace for trying to kill someone who had sought our protection. You and your stupid organization are courting death!"

The Oracle of Light spread her hands wide, and several runic letters appeared around her, creating a barrier of light that held back the black flames that were fired in her direction.

"We are fighting for the sake of the world!" the Oracle of the Divine Army insisted. "What we do is for the good of all!"

"Save your bullsh*t for your stupid believers, stupid girl," Piccoro replied. "I wasn't born yesterday, Low Lander. You and your organization don't dictate what's right or wrong. You're just a group of fanatics who want to bring the world of Elysium under your thumb.

"But guess what? The other Supremes aren't as dumb as the Saints who decided to lick your boots and joined your cause. If your cause is truly right and just, then you wouldn't be targeting the person whom even Heaven acknowledges as a Progenitor."

The Oracle of Light scoffed as several swords of light circled around her.

"This time, the Heavens have made a mistake," the Oracle stated. "And it is up to us to rid this world of that mistake."

"This is why I hate Low Landers." Piccoro sneered as he also created dark flaming swords around him. "All of you are just a different breed of Monkey. It doesn't matter how you dress or how you present yourself. In the end, Monkeys are Monkeys, weak and stupid. And so far, you are one of the ugliest Monkeys I have seen in my lifetime."

"Shut up, Reptile." The Oracle sneered back. "I eat lizards like you for lunch."I think you should take a look at

After exchanging barbed words, the Oracle and the Dragon Born unleashed their attacks at the same time, causing powerful explosions and bright flashes of light that could be seen from miles away.

While this battle was being waged in the sky, Lux noticed that eight Yellow Dots that had the same rank as Saints were headed in their direction.

Perhaps, sensing the high-level battle that was happening above their heads, the Saints of the Various Kingdoms, who were within the vicinity of the battleground, decided to investigate what was happening.

Right now, the battle is currently at a stalemate.

Any outside interference could tip the scales either way, which was something that made Lux feel anxious.

Perhaps sensing that similarly ranked individuals were approaching them, the Divine Army of Light, as well as the Saints that were protecting the Floating Island, all backed away for the time being as they assessed the current situation.

"Who are you people, and why are you creating a ruckus in someone else's backyard?" One of the Saints that had arrived on the battlefield asked.

"We are the Divine Army of Light, and we have come to kill a Heretic," the Oracle of Light replied. "I would appreciate it if you could lend us a hand in apprehending our target. You will be greatly rewarded by our organization once we complete our mission."

"The Divine Army of Light?" The Saint that had asked the question earlier looked at the beautiful Oracle from head to foot before giving a smile. "Since a beauty from the Divine Army had asked for assistance, it is only natural that we extend our help. Am I right, gentlemen?"

The other Saints, who had also arrived at the scene, were very eager to form a connection with the Divine Army, whose influence had spread far and wide within the center of Elysium.

"Hahaha! You dogs are so eager to have your own kingdoms wiped out from the face of the world?" Piccoro laughed. "I didn't know that the Saints of the Reika Kingdom, Jumon Dynasty, and Spada Empire were so eager to die. Have you forgotten who I am?"

The Saints who had arrived earlier didn't look properly at who the members of the Divine Army of Light were fighting.

Now that they had seen that the arrogant Dragon Born, who would usually treat them like lowly dogs, was the one that the Divine Army was fighting against, their will to fight increased even further.

"I've always wanted to smash my fist into your arrogant face, Piccoro," one of the Saints said. "Treating us like trash and calling us Low Landers every time we meet makes me want to skin you alive."

"Good! Good! Good!" Piccoro grinned. "After this battle, all of your kingdoms will be reduced to dust. Do you really think that our Steward will not take action once you've chosen the wrong side?"

"Do not be afraid," the Oracle of Light, who had seen the Saints waver after hearing the threat of a Supreme's retaliation, said with a smile. "Our Supreme has almost made a full recovery. As long as you help us, we will ensure that your Kingdoms will be safe from harm."

After hearing the Oracle's assurance, the Saints who had arrived on the battlefield became emboldened and started to openly curse Piccoro calling him a snot-nosed reptile.

"You sure are popular aren't you, Piccoro?" Lady Faustina smiled. "Can you not keep on making enemies left and right? You brought us more enemies to fight."

"If one comes, then I'll kill one," Piccoro scoffed. "If a dozen come, then I'll kill a dozen. That is all that matters."

Just as everyone was about to fight again, Lux's words reached everyone's ears, which made the Saints on his side momentarily stop their charge toward their enemies.

"Everyone, return to the island!"

After hearing his words, Vera, Alexander, Maximilian, Lady Faustina, and Gaap, all backed away in a hurry, leaving Piccoro, and the other Saints of the Crystal Palace behind.

This made the corner of Piccoro's lips twitch, which made him curse the Half-Elf internally.

However, seeing that they were currently facing off with more Saints than they could fight, he ordered his men to retreat to the island as fast as they could.

"Hahaha! It seems like they've finally understood that they have no chance of winning!" the High King of Lunaria laughed. "The tables have turned, it's time to end that Heretic's life!"

The other Saints of the Divine Army of Light also nodded their heads in agreement as they prepared to charge at the floating island.

Now that their enemies had decided to retreat, it would be easier to bring the battlefield to their home turf.

However, what they didn't know was, on top of Lux's Guild's Headquarters, Bom Bom, the cannon, was already aiming in their direction.

"Bom Bom Bakugan!" Eiko, who was perched on top of Lux's head, gave the order to her subordinate.

A second later, the Living Cannon fired a rocket made up of bones at where the Saints had gathered.

This rocket was the Heat-Seeking Missile that Glee and Eiko had made together.

Loaded inside it was the concentrated tactical nuke that the two Bombardiers had made in Leaf Village, which Gaap had shrunk with the help of Anteros.

The High King of Lunaria who saw this flying projectile sneered, and smugly watched as one of his comrades advanced forward to slice the rocket in half in order to destroy it.

Lux and Eiko, who saw this stupid move by their enemy, sneered at the same time.

For the first time in the history of the Divine Army of Light, they would witness the might of a weapon of mass destruction that could completely annihilate two entire cities in one blaze of glory.

Chapter 822 A Very Dangerous Individual

'Father and Grandpa Maximilian, protect us!' Lux said through the guild chat, which immediately notified the three Saints to take action.

Immediately, Alexander created a dome of water that enveloped Lux and his Guild Headquarters.

He didn't know why the Half-Elf called them back, but he was sure that the latter had his reasons. Maximilian, who was currently in his boar form, stood behind the barrier that Alexander had made, protecting those that were behind him.

Perhaps thinking that Valerie was a frail young lady, Lux subconsciously wrapped his arms around her before using his body to shield her from whatever was going to happen next.

"Corpse God, come!"

"Come!"

Lux and Eiko both activated their primary defensive guardian, which summoned an eight-meter-tall Skeleton with twelve arms.

The Corpse God immediately used the two shields in its hands to defend the Half-Elf from anything that might get past the defenses of the two Saints.

Ali and Ari, who felt that Lux was genuinely trying to protect their Princess, also hid behind the Skeleton Monster and braced themselves for what was about to come.

Meanwhile, the Saints of the Divine Army of Light, as well as the other Saints who had decided to help them, looked at the incoming projectile without any worries.

Seeing that a Saint that belonged to the Divine Army had made the first move to intercept it, the Six Saints that came from the Reika Kingdom, Jumon Dynasty, and Spada Empire simply watched with smiles on their faces.

At the exact moment that the Saint from the Divine Army used his sword to slice the Bone Missile in half, an earth-shaking explosion detonated right in front of his face.

The Floating Island also shook as the Sky Turtle groaned in pain after being pushed back by the explosion. However, it still managed to keep the entire island afloat and endured the brunt of the destructive force behind its back.

Piccoro, as well as the Six other Saints from the Crystal Palace, who had retreated from the front lines, were still blown away by the explosion that took them all by surprise.

The black-scaled Dragon Born cried out in pain as he and his comrades crashed into Alexander's water dome, which now had giant cracks in its surface.

The water dome held for several seconds before shattering completely, causing the shockwaves to descend upon them in full.

Fortunately, the monstrous Black Boar, Maximilian, was there to shield everyone, but the force was so strong that his hooves shattered the ground beneath his feet.

He knew that he should hold firm, or else, the people behind him would be blown away by the powerful force that threatened to even blow him away.

Valerie wanted to scream so badly, but due to Lux holding her firmly in his embrace, she was able to control her emotions, burying her head in his chest.

Ali and Ari, who feared for the Princess' safety, also hugged Valerie from behind, making them hug Lux as well.

After what seemed like an eternity, the strong winds and shock waves that were blowing in their direction stopped.

What followed next was an eerie silence.

It was as if all the sounds in the world vanished, replaced by a silence that made everyone's ears start ringing.

Lux, then unsummoned the Corpse God so that he could see the result of the secret weapon that Eiko and Glee had made in preparation for this day.

However, he saw nothing.

The Saints who were confidently hovering in the distance just a while ago were nowhere to be seen.

Because of this, Lux summoned his Soul Book to check their whereabouts.

The moment he opened his Soul Book, he saw several blinking red dots scattered all over the place.

'They must have been blown away by the explosion,' Lux thought as he endured the ringing in his ears, which prevented him from hearing anything.

The Half-Elf then glanced around his surroundings and saw that most of the allies on his side were safe.

Although Piccoro and the other Saints of the Crystal Palace were lying face first in the middle of craters that were a few meters wide, the Half-Elf was sure that the injuries they received were nothing compared to what the Divine Army of Light had suffered after being exposed to Eiko's tactical nuke at nearly point-blank range.

Vera, Alexander, Maximilian, Gaap, Lady Faustina, and the Saint who was protecting Aur looked at the Half-Elf with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

They didn't expect the red-headed teenager to have such a trump card in his hands, which made even the courageous Maximilian shudder.

He was confident in his ability to receive powerful attacks from Saints, but he wasn't too certain about his chances of not getting seriously injured after getting hit by Eiko's tactical nuke.

"Are they dead?" Alexander asked Lux.

However, the Half-Elf didn't respond due to the fact that he was unable to hear anything at the moment.

In fact, everyone was unable to hear properly due to the lingering effects of the explosion. Fortunately, Alexander remembered the Guild Chat, which made the Half-Elf look in his direction.

'Out of the 28 Saints, I can only see 19 of them in the surrounding area,' Lux replied in the Guild Chat. 'Maybe some of them got blown farther away since they are at the center of the explosion.'

Alexander nodded his head in understanding before taking out a potion from his storage ring and drinking it.I think you should take a look at

A few seconds later, he was finally able to hear properly again due to the effects of the healing potion he consumed.

Lux did the same and gave Eiko, Valerie, Ali, and Ari some healing potions as well.

Soon, all of them regained their hearing and began to discuss what their next course of action would be.

"What are we going to do about the Saints of the Divine Army?" Gaap asked. "Should we kill them all?"

Gaap was someone who had a vendetta against the Divine Army of Light, so he wouldn't bat an eye if he were to kill a few Saints that belonged to the powerful organization.

They were already at odds with each other, so killing them wouldn't make them any less angry than they already were.

Lux's only concern was that, if he gave the order to kill the surviving Saints, Vera, Alexander, and Maximilian would be dragged into the conflict as well.

If it were only Gaap and him, he wouldn't mind going for the kill because he and his Master had no love for the Divine Army of Light.

Perhaps, seeing his hesitation, Gaap smiled and nodded his head in understanding.

"I'll go on my own," Gaap said before shifting his gaze to Vera, Alexander, and Maximilian. "Protect Lux for the time being."

The three Saints nodded in understanding. Although they seemed to have won the battle, it was still too early to think that their enemies had been soundly defeated.

"Master, please take this with you," Lux stated as he presented his Soul Book to Gaap, showing him the location of the Saints that were within the range of his map.

"What a very convenient thing you have here," Gaap commented. "I'll be off then. I'll catch up later."

Without another word, Gaap summoned his thirteen Named Creatures, who flew alongside him to deal with the weakened Saints of the Divine Army of Light.

'It's a shame that I don't know which of these 19 blinking dots is the High King of Lunaria,' Gaap thought as he eyed the closest blinking red dot around the floating island. 'I guess I'll have to check them one by one.'

The High King of Lunaria was the one responsible for hunting Hereswith down and had even used Gaap as a hostage to make her unable to run away.

If there was someone within the Divine Army of Light that he wanted to torture to death, it would definitely be the arrogant High King, whose advances his Master had rejected.

As Lux gazed at Gaap's fleeting figure, Piccoro and the other Saints of the Crystal Palace had finally regained their senses.

The first thing that the black-scaled Dragon Born did was grab Lux's clothes and raise him high up in the air.

"You bastard! Why didn't you tell us to retreat sooner?!" Piccoro roared in anger as he shook the red-headed teenager with a vengeance. "Do you want to kill us, huh?!"

"C-Calm down, Your Excellency," Lux replied. "Y-You are choking me!"

Blood flowed down from Piccoro's ears, making him unable to hear anything. He had seen Lux's lips move in order to reply to him, but it took him a while to understand that he was unable to hear any sound in his surroundings.

With an angry huff, the Dragon Born tossed Lux to the side before drinking a potion to recover his injury.

However, before he could even put the contents of the potion inside his lips, a puppet appeared in front of him and smacked his face, sending him flying.

"You bastard dared to hurt my grandson in front of me?" Vera said in a cold tone filled with killing intent. "You court death, Dragon Born."

Piccoro, who had just been smacked, roared in anger and flew in Vera's direction in order to fight her to the death.

The anger he felt towards the Divine Army of Light was rekindled after getting hit by the silver-haired lady, who had raised Lux since he was a baby.

However, before the two could come to blows with each other, Aur ordered the Saint protecting him to stop Piccoro's advance.

The other Saints of the Crystal Palace had also recovered from their injuries after drinking some potions, so they helped their comrade restrain the fuming Dragon Born, who was struggling with all of his might.

Lady Faustina watched all of this from the side with a calm expression on her face.

Even so, deep inside her heart, she was completely shaken by the things that she had seen during the battle.

Although the Half-Elf was only a Ranker, he had plenty of strong allies who were willing to protect him during his time of need.

Not only that, but he also had a very deadly weapon that could destroy entire cities if he used it without caring about the consequences of his action.

'Princess, looks like you developed a crush on a very dangerous individual,' Lady Faustina sighed in her heart.

When the Divine Army called Lux a Heretic, she didn't think much about it.

However, now that she had witnessed what the Half-Elf was capable of, she was starting to understand why one of the biggest organizations in the world of Elysium wanted to kill the Half-Elf so badly.

If Lux was given enough time to grow, and maybe acquire more weapons of such magnitude, the Half-Elf would probably stop running away, and instead, run after those who tried to hunt him in the past… and blow them and their organization to oblivion.

Chapter 823 I Guess You Are Fated To Suffer For Your Sins

When the Oracle of the Divine Army opened her eyes, she found herself lying at the base of a mountain.

Pain wracked her body, and several wounds and bruises could be seen on her once smooth and radiant skin. Her clothes were also in tatters, and the life-saving talismans that she carried to protect her were all gone.

If she had not used up all of those artifacts, she might have suffered injuries far worse than the ones she had at the moment.

It took her a moment to recall what had happened to her, and when she did, she realized that they had been so stupid to look down at the unknown projectile that came from the floating island.

"I'll kill that Heretic…" the Oracle of the Divine Army said through gritted teeth before inspecting her body, checking the severity of her injuries.

Her clothes, which looked more like rags, were dyed with her own blood. However, when she tasted blood on her lips, she subconsciously touched the base of her nose.

Feeling something wet and warm on it, the Oracle then looked at her fingers and saw blood on them.

Hastily, she summoned a mirror to look at her beautiful face, whom she was very proud of.

There, she saw that her nose and ears were bleeding. Aside from that, there was also a three-inch cut on the side of her face, which made her eyes widen in shock.

Without wasting any time, the Oracle took out a High-Quality Elixir from her storage ring and drank half of it. The rest, she poured over the injuries on her beautiful face, hoping that it would help to heal them faster.

For the Oracle, her beauty was very important. Even though she had several injuries on her body, taking care of her face was her top priority over anything else.

It wasn't easy to injure Saints. However, once they were injured, ordinary healing potions wouldn't work on them. Only Elixirs with the highest quality would have an effect on them.

Seconds later, the bleeding on her nose and ears stopped, and the wound on her face slowly recovered.

However, seeing that the effect of the Elixir wasn't enough, the Oracle drank four more to remove the visible injuries on her body.

The Oracle knew that even though her injuries looked healed, that was only on the surface and her internal injuries would take time to recover.

"Should I escape first or look for the others?" the Oracle muttered to herself before slowly propping herself up off the ground.

All the members of the Divine Army of Light had a crystal that would allow them to instantly teleport back to their Headquarters.

However, the Oracle was unwilling to use it. Although she had clairvoyance, she understood that it would not always tell her where the Half-Elf was currently located.

Although unwilling, the Oracle of the Divine Army wasn't stupid. Since she had received fatal injuries during the explosion, it was only natural to think that her comrades had suffered the same because they were close to each other when the tragedy struck.

Her body subconsciously shuddered when she thought of the High Templar who had slashed the Bone Rocket in order to destroy it.

Although he was also a Saint, just like her, and had several life-saving artifacts on his body, the Oracle wasn't confident of his chances of surviving that kind of destructive power.

She even thought that the High Templar might have lost a limb or two since he was the one closest to the center of the explosion.

'He got us good,' the Oracle sighed in her heart. 'Really good.'

They had tried to kill Lux twice, and in both instances, the ones who lost out and suffered more were the Divine Army of Light.

They had lost one of their Saints in the Necromancer's Ancestral Lands due to Vera, and they had probably lost another one today.

It was also possible that they might have lost more than just one Saint in this mission to kill the Half-Elf.

After making up her mind, the Oracle decided to look for her comrades first.

She had also decided to halt their mission for the time being and take her comrades back to their Headquarters, where they could recover.

Using her power of Clairvoyance, she found the location of one of her comrades that was nearest to her.

She hoped beyond hope that her comrades were only seriously injured and not dead. I think you should take a look at

If they were injured, they could still recover from their injuries.

But if they were dead…

The Oracle shuddered for the second time because she was dealing with a Necromancer. If her fallen comrades were to fall in his hands, the chances of fighting the Undead version of them in the future were already set in stone.

————————

"Damnit!" the High King of Lunaria cursed inwardly as his subordinates flocked in his direction with expressions of shock and disbelief.

When he regained consciousness, he was lying on the side of a riverbed, covered with his own blood.

His left arm was broken, and his armor had cracks all over it. Just like the Oracle, the life-saving talismans that were meant to protect him from death had all been used up, making him feel bitter inside.

Knowing that the possibility of being found in his weakened state was high, the High King of Lunaria didn't hesitate to use the teleportation crystal that allowed him to return directly to his own Kingdom, where his subordinates would ensure his safety.

As his people applied first aid to his injuries, the High King who was very eager to end Hereswith's Legacy gritted his teeth in anger and frustration.

'We should have brought more people.' the High King of Lunaria clenched his teeth. 'We shouldn't have underestimated that thing!'

Just like the Oracle, he had severely underestimated the Half-Elf's ability to protect himself from their assault.

He also didn't expect that the Saints of the two Dragon Kingdoms would be there to act as Lux's bodyguard.

Originally, he thought that only Vera and Gaap would be there to defend against their attack, which would make it an easy victory for them.

However, aside from these two, several more Saints were there, all of which were no pushovers.

He thought that with the addition of the six Saints that agreed to help them, they would finally chop off Lux's head and present it as a trophy to their Sovereign that was waiting for them in their Headquarters.

While the Oracle was looking for her comrades and the High King of Lunaria was being treated for his injuries, Gaap arrived at the location where one of the blinking red dots was located.

"Heh~ so, you're still alive, huh?" Gaap sneered at the High Templar of the Divine Army of Light whose entire body was like a charred corpse. "I guess you are fated to suffer for your sins."

Similar to the High King of Lunaria, the High Templar was one of the Hunters that had hounded his Master when she was still alive. Seeing his pitiful state, the Halfling felt satisfaction in his heart, knowing that his enemy was now under his mercy.

The High Templar's dominant right arm was missing, which the Halfling assumed to have been instantly obliterated by the power of Eiko's tactical nuke.

The injuries that the High Templar received were so severe that it would have been better if he had died already, ending his misery.

Fortunately or unfortunately, his life-saving artifacts kicked in at the last moment, preserving his life.

While Gaap was thinking about what to do, Blackfire suddenly appeared out of nowhere and nudged the Halfling's body, as if asking him for permission to take the body in.

"Blackfire?" Gaap blinked in confusion before laughing. "So you've become autonomous now after being upgraded to a Divine Artifact."

Blackfire nodded its head as if to confirm Gaap's hunch. Lux didn't order Blackfire to follow his Master, but knowing the possibility of retrieving the Corpses of Saints, the Black Coffin decided to tag along with the Halfling without its Master's permission.

Even when Lux first received Blackfire, the black coffin was already a sentient artifact. After being upgraded to a Divine Artifact, it could now move autonomously and appear near the members of Heaven's Gate.

"Go ahead," Gaap replied. "He's yours."

The Black Coffin then opened its lid and sucked up the dying High Templar, storing it inside its body.

Now that it could store more creatures inside it, the Black Coffin could now automatically create new servants for his Master.

Servants that would protect the Half-Elf for the rest of his life.

Chapter 824 Your Day Of Reckoning Will Come

After taking the body of the High Templar, the Halfling went to the next location. There, he saw one of the Saints who had decided to join the Divine Army of Light in attacking them.

Unlike the High Templar who was nothing more than a charred body, the Saint from the Reika Kingdom only suffered serious injuries. Because of this, Gaap would have no trouble subduing him, and the Saint also knew this as well.

"P-Please, have mercy on me," the Saint from the Reika Kingdom pleaded. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have been blinded by their offer."

"Sure," Gaap replied. "Antero, eat him for now."

The head of the Golem of Destruction materialized above Gaap's body as it let out a devilish chuckle.

"Noooooo! Don't! I beg you! I'll do anything! Don't eat meeeeeeeeeeee!"

As if enjoying the Saint's despair, Antero laughed one more time before gobbling the helpless man, who had no means to defend himself.

Although Gaap had ordered Antero to eat the Saint, it was more like imprisoning him inside the Golem's body.

Saints weren't simple to deal with, and if Gaap were to underestimate them, they might manage to escape, or worse, launch a sneak attack on him.

Since that was the case, he decided that letting Antero keep them inside his body was the most optimal choice.

Unlike the Divine Army of Light, he didn't have much hatred for these people. Also, using them as hostages and asking their respective Kingdoms for ransom was also a good thing.

A Kingdom or Empire without a Saint is like an army without weapons. If their neighboring Kingdoms were to find out that their rival had lost its teeth, they would not hesitate to mount an attack in order to gain more lands and expand their domain.

Such was the reality in the Central Continent of Elysium.

Only the strong would survive, and the weak would be killed or forced to become their underlings.

Gaap knew that he had more to gain by keeping these Saints alive. Although killing them was also an option, his Master had forbidden him from killing needlessly before she drew her last breath.

Since then, Gaap had refrained from wantonly killing people and only focused on his revenge against the Divine Army of Light.

'I can also force them into a contract of servitude,' Gaap thought. 'Letting them spread rumors about the Divine Army of Light will help tarnish that blasphemous organization as well. Saints are very useful for these kinds of tasks.'

Saints were very influential people, and their words carried a lot of weight. If they were to say bad things about the Divine Army of Light, the people would think of this as truth, weakening the Divine Army's influence.

When he arrived at his next destination, he found one of the Saints belonging to the Divine Army of Light.

However, unlike the High Templar and the Saint from the Reika Kingdom, this Saint was in better condition, and he immediately used his teleportation crystal in order to escape as soon as he saw Gaap.

Gaap continued to visit the red blinking dots on the map and found the other Saints that belonged to the Reika Kingdom, Jumon Dynasty, and Spada Empire.

Just like what he did with his first captive, he ordered Antero to eat them as well.

Of course, Gaap also got lucky and found a Saint from the Divine Army of Light that was terribly weakened from the injuries he received.

Before this Saint could even use his teleportation Crystal, a black knight, who was one of Gaaps Named Creatures, took the initiative to cut off the Saint's hand, rendering him unable to escape.

"Just kill me, Fiend!" the Saint from the Divine Army shouted. "I will eagerly wait for you in Hell!"

"Fool," Gaap replied with a devilish smile on his face. "Who said that I will give you a swift death? I'll torture you until you beg me to die. Antero, eat him as well. But make sure to separate him from the others.

Antero's giant head once again appeared and laughed at the foolish Saint who thought that Gaap would give him a swift, and painless death.

After capturing one of his enemies, Gaap checked his map again and frowned.

Several blinking red dots were grouped together and were headed to the last remaining red dot on the map.I think you should take a look at

"It seems that they managed to regroup faster than I expected," Gaap muttered. "It must be because of that Oracle."

Gaap was then faced with a hard decision. He could go and attack the Saints while they were injured, or he could retreat and return to the floating island.

The Halfling pondered a bit, and after careful consideration, he decided to retreat for the time being.

Right now, he was only an Apostle.

Even with Antero's protection, one mistake will be the end of him.

Also, using Antero to fight would decrease the lifespan that Lux had gifted him during his breakthrough in the Necromancer's Ancestral Lands.

'Taking a gamble now isn't worth it,' Gaap thought before looking at the West one last time. 'Your day of reckoning will come.'

Since Gaap was a member of Heaven's Gate, he used the Guild's Teleportation ability to return to the floating island, which had already traveled several miles away from the battlefield.

Although he felt that it was a waste, he already did his best and managed to capture two Saints from the Divine Army of Light.

The Halfling knew that his enemies were feeling very bitter about their defeat, and that was enough to make him have a good night's sleep when evening came.

—————————

"Are there no other survivors?" one of the Saints of the Divine Army asked the Oracle, who had changed into a new set of clothes and tended to her wounds.

"No," the Oracle replied. "There should have been two more, but I lost my connection with them a while ago. It's likely true to say that our enemies managed to capture, or worse, kill them if they hadn't already died from their injuries."

The Saints quieted down after hearing the Oracle's explanation. They then glanced at each other, before shifting their gaze to the beautiful woman, who had painstakingly gathered them together.

If it weren't for her and the Elixirs in her possession, the chances of them being captured by the enemy were high.

"What now?" another Saint of the Divine Army asked. "Are we still going to continue our mission?"

This was the question that everyone was thinking of right now, and the only one that could give them an answer was the Oracle of the Divine Army.

"No," the Oracle said with a bitter face. "Continuing the mission in our current state is just plain suicide. All of us should return to our Headquarters and recover properly. The others like the High King of Lunaria might have also returned there as well."

All the Saints sighed internally due to the relief they felt when the Oracle declared that they would stop pursuing the Half-Elf.

After experiencing what he was capable of doing firsthand, a seed of fear had planted itself in their hearts.

Although this was a very ironic thing, considering that their target was a mere Ranker, it didn't change the fact that they had lost to that same youngster, and even lost all of their life-saving artifacts after one attack from him.

"Let's go," the Oracle ordered as she took out the teleportation crystal from her storage ring. "I will personally discuss with the Sovereign and explain the reason for our loss."

All the Saints nodded and also took out their teleportation crystals that would send them back to their Headquarters.

The last one to leave was the Oracle of the Divine Army. But before she used her teleportation crystal, she looked to the East, where the floating island was currently headed at.

"The next time we meet, I promise I will no longer underestimate you," the Oracle vowed. "Enjoy your victory while you still can, Heretic. You won't be rejoicing for too long."

Without another word, the Oracle used her teleportation crystal, transforming her into particles of light.

This defeat against the Half-Elf was something she took personally, and because of this, she vowed to devise more concrete plans in the future in order to prevent the Heretic from having the last laugh.

Chapter 825 All Good Things Should Belong To The Family.

"All of you were so arrogant earlier, even mocking me," Piccoro said in contempt. "Where is that arrogance of yours now, huh?!"

"I-I'm sorry! I made a terrible mistake!" one of the Saints from the Reika Kingdom replied as the Dragon Born stepped on his head, grinding it on the ground.

"Sorry?" Piccoro laughed. "Do you think that your apology is enough for me to forgive you? Fool. Do you think the Crystal Palace would easily forget those who tried to backstab them?"

The black-scaled Dragon Born increased the weight he put onto his foot, making the ground under the Saint's head shatter.

"Wow, he's playing the part of the bad guy really well," Lux muttered as he glanced at Cethus, who was looking at his uncle with admiration. "You look quite happy right now. Does seeing your uncle step on a Saint's head turn you on?"

"Hah~ this is but a small thing, Lux," Cethus replied. "Our family's motto is to step on others while they are down! Unlike those weaklings who can only bully the weak and fear the strong, our Clan treats everyone equally. As long as they are our enemy, and as long as they are not a Supreme, we will trample on them, especially when they are at their weakest!"

"…Wow." The corner of Lux's lips twitched after hearing Cethus' family motto. "As long as you're not facing a Supreme, everyone is fair game, right?"

"Of course," Cethus replied. "Are you silly? Supremes can kill me with just a sneeze. As for my Uncle, a single slap would turn him into meat paste. Why would we go looking for trouble with them? As long as they are Saints and below, my Uncle and Grandmas can step on them as many times as they like. They're just Saints, you know?"

Cai's Grandpa, Maximilian, laughed out loud after hearing Cethus' words.

"I like this Dragon Born," Maximilian said. "My hobby is also stepping on others while they are down."

"Um, for a Low Lander, you sure know what you're talking about," Cethus looked at Maximilian as if he found a kindred spirit. "Fortunately, both of us are on the same side. I like strong people like you."

"Hahaha! What a coincidence. I like strong people too."

"We will get along, old man. By the way, just call me Cethus."

"I'm Maximilian, Cai's Grandpa."

Lux watched as the old man and the Dragon Born shook hands. The two then laughed together as Piccoro stepped on the head of the Saint, whom Gaap had temporarily released to be interrogated.

The other Saints were present, and all of them were bound by Antero's power, preventing them from escaping.

"P-Please, what can I do to compensate for my mistake?" the Saint from the Reika Kingdom begged. "I'll do anything! Also, please, spare my Kingdom of my sins. I did it on my own accord."

Piccoro laughed like the second-rate villain that he was and kicked the Saint's body until he was facing upwards.

"I like the rings on your fingers," Piccoro said. "Give them to me. Of course, you can refuse. I'll just pry them off of your dead body. By the way, you already know that this kid over here and that Halfling over there are Necromancers, right? I'm sure that they will make good use of your corpse once you're dead."

Faced with the threat of death, the Saint from the Reika Kingdom, as well as the other Saints that were held captive, all shuddered internally.

Since they only had one option for survival, losing the possessions inside their storage rings was far better than losing their lives.

The Saint from the Reika Kingdom handed all the rings he possessed to Piccoro, making the Dragon Born smirk.

The Saint of the Reika Kingdom thought that the worst was over, but he was dead wrong in his assumption.

"Now, please sign this contract of servitude," Piccoro handed the Saint a magic scroll. "Don't worry, this is not a slave contract. You will just have to run a few errands for the sake of our Crystal Palace and do whatever we tell you for a year. After that, you will regain your freedom. I repeat, this is not a slave contract, but a contract of servitude, okay?"

The hands of the Saint shook as he read the contents of Piccoro's "Contract of Servitude".

"S-Sir, you said that I will only run a few errands for a year," the Saint of the Reika said in a trembling voice. "But, here it said 10 years. Is there some kind of mistake??"

"10 years?" Piccoro arched an eyebrow. "Oh, I must have written that incorrectly. However, since it's already written as 10 years, then we'll go with that. You're a Saint, aren't you? You have a very long life ahead. 10 years is nothing to you, right?"

"B-But…"

"So you would rather die? Okay. Good. We can do that as well."

"I-I'll sign it!"I think you should take a look at

Lux, who was watching this, couldn't help but wonder why Piccoro always seemed to have Contracts of Servitude with him. Perhaps, the black-scaled Dragon Born had this hobby of forcing others to become subservient to him.

Suddenly, Lux's body shuddered when he remembered something.

Piccoro had been waiting for him outside the Gates of the Fallen for a month. Had he exited the Dungeon the normal way, would he have also been forced to sign this Contract of Servitude as well?

'He wouldn't have done that, right?' Lux thought as he looked at the Saint of the Crystal Palace anxiously.

At that exact moment, Piccoro also looked in his direction and smiled.

'It's really a shame that I didn't catch this brat back at the Gate of the Fallen,' Piccoro thought. 'If I made him my servant, wouldn't I be enjoying the benefits of having him as my underling?'

What Piccoro didn't know was that Eiko was able to automatically hear the thoughts of other people who had bad intentions towards her and her Papa.

This ability was also shared with Lux, so the Half-Elf was able to hear the Dragon Born's innermost thoughts.

'Looks like I managed to dodge a bullet.' Lux sighed internally. 'Cethus' uncle is a very troublesome character.'

After the first Saint was forced to sign the contract, the other Saints also surrendered their possessions and agreed to serve the Crystal Palace for 10 years.

Lux was fine with this arrangement because the Crystal Palace had helped him a lot this time.

"Uncle, can you give me some of those rings you got?" Cethus asked Piccoro with a smile on his face. "Don't be stingy, okay? If you do, I'll tell Grandma about this. I'm sure you will forget to tell her the part about you securing resources for the Crystal Palace."

"Huh? Just who do you think I am?" Piccoro smacked Cethus' head making the latter cry out in pain. "My loyalty is only to Crystal Palace. But, since you are my nephew, I'll give you this ring… Um, this ring has a lot of resources in it. This is too good for you. Let me look at the others and see which one had the least items inside it…"

Piccoro then scanned all the storage rings that he had extorted from his new servants before handing one to Cethus.

"Make sure to not tell your Grandma about this, okay?" Piccoro whispered in Cethus' ears. "All good things should belong to the family. Let's just keep this side hustle under wraps, okay?"

"I want some Legendary Equipment. My lips would be sealed."

"Tsk, you brat. When did you learn to be shameless? Okay, have these Legendary Shoes. They have decent attributes. Make sure to keep your lips sealed as you promised, okay?"

"Uncle, you really are the best!"

The other Saints from the Crystal Palace, who had seen and heard the shameless Uncle and Nephew pair, averted their gazes in shame.

Piccoro had managed to get the possessions of Saints, which wasn't a small thing.

However, seeing his attitude, it seemed that he was serious about keeping all of them for himself instead of adding them to their Palace's treasury.

"Y-Your Highness, this…," one of the Saints whispered in Aur's ears.

"Don't worry," Aur replied. "I'll tell my Aunt later."

The other Saints then looked at Piccoro with laughter in their eyes. None of them dared to tell their Steward about Piccoro's extortion. However, if it were their Prince who did it, even the arrogant Dragon Born would have no choice but to surrender the "confiscated goods" he'd collected to be added to their Kingdom's treasury.

With this, the Six Saints who had sided with the Divine Army of Light were under the control of the Crystal Palace.

Now that their pursuers had retreated, their journey continued without any more mishaps.

Vera, Alexander, and Maximilian stayed on the Floating Island until it reached the territory of the Crystal Palace before returning to their duties.

Now that Lux's safety was assured, they could focus on their own tasks without worrying about a powerful organization hunting down their family member, who carried many burdens on his shoulders.

Chapter 826 Arrival At The Domain Of The Crystal Palace

"I am glad that you and your Guild Headquarters have arrived safely, Lux," Lady Augustina said as she personally welcomed the arrival of the floating island at the border of her Domain. "Once again, I welcome you and your Guild Members to the territory of the Crystal Palace. This welcome also extends to you, dear sister of mine."

"You still have your sense of humor, sister," Lady Faustina replied with a smile. "It's good to know that you acting as the Supreme Leader of the Crystal Palace didn't make your head any bigger."

"Of course not. If it became any bigger, then I would have kicked your Master off his throne long ago."

"Very funny, sister. Very funny."

Although they couldn't see any sparks flying between Lady Faustina and Lady Augustina, the Dragon Borns who were watching from the side could feel the tension in the air.

The Kingdom of Karshvar Draconis and the Crystal Palace had an unsteady relationship. Although they had signed a non-aggression pact several years ago, the terms of their contract had already expired.

Because of this, the people of both kingdoms were expecting the two sides to go to war with each other in order to formally decide the One-True-Ruler of the Dragon Race.

Little did they know that both Lady Augustina and Lady Faustina were just acting to make it look like they were hostile against each other.

They were twins and grew up together. It was simply impossible for them to hate each other, even if they were on opposing sides.

But because both sides didn't know this, they simply thought that the two sisters were making their stance known for everyone to see.

"That's Lady Augustina for you! Even when facing her sister, she doesn't pull back her punches."

"The Dragon King isn't that big of a deal. If Lady Augustina gets serious, she would certainly step on his head."

"Right! I can't wait to see that showdown happen soon!"

The Dragon Borns who had escorted Lady Augustina to welcome Lux and his Guild muttered enthusiastically with each other.

Seeing their reaction, Valerie, who was beside Lux, and her two maids felt anxious.

'It seems that they really hate us here,' Valerie thought. 'Was coming here a mistake?'

Because the Dragon Princess was thinking about these things, she had subconsciously grabbed hold of Lux's arm, as if using it as a support.

The Half-Elf then glanced at the plain-looking girl beside him and noticed that her face had become a little pale.

"Are you worried about those who speak ill of Karshvar Draconis?" Lux asked with a smile. "Don't be. Lady Augustina is a fair and righteous person. She will not bully you or your maids during your stay here."

"I hope so," Valerie replied in a doubtful tone.

"If you don't believe me, just look at Cethus." Lux pointed at the Royal Guard who was proudly wearing the insignia of Karshvar Draconis on his armor.

Valerie shifted her gaze on the Dragon Born who was standing tall and proud with his arms crossed over his chest.

The Border Guards and the Royal Guards of the Crystal Palace were glaring in his direction, with some of them even badmouthing him loudly.

"Stupid Royal Guard of Karshvar Draconis! You don't belong here, so scram!"

"What are you looking at, you ugly Dragon Born? Go back to where you came from!"

"Brothers, his face annoys me. How about we beat him up together?"

Cethus stood firm and even smiled at those who were cursing at him from a distance.I think you should take a look at

Seeing how the Royal Guard of her Kingdom was able to withstand such abuse, Valerie managed to gain a bit of courage.

Just as Valerie was feeling a little better knowing that a countryman was holding his ground even in the face of hostile forces, Cethus chose that time to open his lips and make a declaration.

"You lowly peasants, who do you think you are?" Cethus asked in an arrogant tone. "Do you still not know who I am? I am Cethus! Your Steward is my Grandma! You dare curse me in front of my Grandmother? Simply courting death. Are you all tired of living?"

The Dragon Borns who heard this became silent before roaring loudly in laughter.

"Hahaha! Did you hear that? He said that he is Lady Augustina's grandson! The nerve of this ugly bastard. Does he have no shame?"

"If you are Lady Augustina's grandson, then I am her son! Fool! It is you who is courting death. Are you so tired of living?"

"This Royal Guard is really making my fists itch. Who is with me? Let's beat the crap out of him!"

"I'll join you, Brother! It's time to show the Royal Guards of Karshvar Draconis who is boss!"

"Same here! Let's go!"

"Fight!"

Just as the Border Guards and the Royal Guards were about to fly to the floating island in order to beat Cethus to a pulp, Piccoro stepped forward and glared at all of them.

"Stand down, men!" Piccoro ordered. "Although this dumb boy was dropped when he was still inside his egg, he is without a doubt Lady Augustina's grandson. Cease your actions at once!"

All the Guards, who were out for Cethus' blood, stopped in their tracks when they heard Piccoro's words. They then glanced at their Steward, who didn't even bother to look at them.

However, Lady Augustina did nod her head in acknowledgment of Piccoro's words, making those who ridiculed Cethus, including the one that said that he was Lady Augustina's son, feel as if cold water was splashed on their heads.

"Um, now that I've taken a good look at you, you're actually quite good-looking."

"I never thought I'd see the day when I would see someone as majestic and amazing as you. Although you are from Karshvar Draconis, your charm oozes from your persona. How about becoming my sworn brother?"

"I have always been loyal to Lady Augustina, and seeing that you are related to her means that I am loyal to you as well. Why don't we go grab some drinks and food later to celebrate your arrival here in the Domain of the Crystal Palace?"

Cethus, who was now being showered with praises and good tidings, raised his chin a little higher. Clearly, he was enjoying the benefits of being part of a powerful Clan that extended to both kingdoms.

"Come. I'll take you to the place where you and your Guild Headquarters will be residing from now on," Lady Faustina declared before flying towards the North.

Gaap then ordered the Sky Turtle to follow the Steward of the Crystal Palace, so they could finally settle down and take a breather from their long journey.

Aur, who was paying close attention to Lux and Valerie during the entire journey, narrowed his gaze.

He had confirmed that the Half-Elf wasn't aware of the plain-looking girl's real identity, which made him wonder what Valerie's real reason was for coming with them to the territory of the Crystal Palace.

Although he wouldn't go as far as thinking that the Dragon Princess was a scheming lady, he didn't trust her fully.

More than anything else, he wouldn't allow someone who had a hidden agenda to stay beside the Half-Elf, whom he considered to be their family's benefactor.

If Aur deemed that Valerie had evil intentions toward the red-headed teenager, he wouldn't hesitate to teach her a lesson.

Even if she was the favorite Princess of the Dragon King of Karshvar Draconis.

Chapter 827 Preparation For The Journey To Agartha

"Be honored, Half-Elf," Piccoro said. "Because I'm very generous, I'm letting you pick three of the five storage rings that I extorted from those Saints. Um, you're not allowed to check the contents of each ring. Just pick three at random, and that's that."

While Lady Augustina was escorting the floating island to their new home, Aur spoke to her telepathically and snitched to her, letting her know about the things that Piccoro did after the battle ended.

Because of this, the Steward of the Crystal Palace ordered Piccoro to give Lux half of what he had collected from the Saints, making the Dragon Born feel embarrassed.

Although he did help in defending Lux against the Saints of the Divine Army of Light, the one who ended the battle was still the Half-Elf, who had used a weapon that he had never seen before.

Since he had been caught red-handed, Piccoro had no choice but to share his ill-gotten wealth with the red-headed teenager, who was now looking at the five rings on the palm of his hand.

"Since His Excellency is being generous, I will not stand on ceremony," Lux smiled as he chose three rings at random.

He really didn't care what was inside them, but they still belonged to Saints after all. He thought that he might get something good from them.

Piccoro felt like his heart was bleeding after losing half of his gains in a heartbeat. Even so, he had no choice but to smile and nod his head, as if he really was a very generous person.

Seeing this look on his uncle, Cethus chuckled from a safe distance away.

Piccoro had already given him a storage ring, and he had no plans on giving it back. Naturally, Lady Augustina turned a blind eye to the ring that her grandson gained from Piccoro, making the Royal Guard very happy.

An hour later, they arrived at a mountainous area that had a lake in its center.

A glance was enough to tell Lux that this was the location that Lady Augustina had chosen for their Guild Headquarters.

Since the floating island was hovering in the sky, Lux was able to see a town that was at least a mile away from their new home.

Lady Augustina had already informed the Mayor of Vesperia, Nidus Novario, of Lux's arrival, so he and his men went to greet their Steward, as well as their new neighbors, with smiles on their faces.

"Greetings Your Excellency," Nidus said in a respectful manner. "It is our honor to see you in our humble domain."

"Don't stand on ceremony, Nidus," Lady Augustina replied with a smile. "I trust that you will take good care of your new neighbors for me."

"Of course, Your Excellency," Nidus promised. "As long as I am able to help them, I will lend them my aid."

Lady Augustina nodded. "Good."

The Steward of the Crystal Palace then shifted her gaze to the Half-Elf, who was standing in front of his Guild Members that were currently present on the floating island.

"Lux, you already have the coordinates of the Teleportation Gates of the Royal Palace," Lady Augustina stated. "Feel free to visit me anytime if you need anything else. Of course, even if you simply want to chat, you are free to come as well."

Seeing that their Steward was treating the Half-Elf in a special manner, Nidus and his men confirmed that their new neighbors were true VIPs whom they must form a good relationship with.

"Thank you, Lady Augustina," Lux replied. "You've already done me and my Guild a great honor by inviting us into your Domain. I wish that our Guild and the Crystal Palace will be able to forge a stronger relationship in the future."

Lady Augustina smiled after hearing Lux's statement.

After being briefed by Keoza, the Steward of the Crystal Palace knew that Lux's Guild wasn't an ordinary one.

In fact, it was the one and only Mythical Guild in the world that transcended all Guilds. I think you should take a look at

Although the Half-Elf was still a Low Ranker, she had high hopes for him. But, for the sake of his subjects that were around her, she decided to act in her role as the Supreme Ruler of the Crystal Palace.

"Whether we will be able to forge a stronger relationship or not in the future will depend on your abilities, Young Lux," Lady Augustina replied. "Remember. You can only stay in our Domain for a year. Within that year, I will protect your Guild Headquarters from any hostile attacks that are coming from outside our borders.

"Of course, this protection will not extend if you choose to leave this place, or if your Guild Members choose to travel outside of my territory.

"Even if the Divine Army of Light were to hunt you down, if they were to do it outside my territory, I will not lift a finger to help you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Excellency," Lux replied as he bowed respectfully to one of the most powerful Supremes of Elysium.

Lady Augustina nodded before shifting her gaze to her sister, Lady Faustina.

"Sister of mine, there are a lot of things that we need to talk about," Lady Augustina stated. "How about you accompany me back to the Royal Palace?"

"Sounds like a plan." Lady Faustina smiled.

The right-hand woman of the Dragon King of Karshvar Draconis then gazed at Valerie before looking at the Half-Elf with a solemn expression on her face.

"I will be leaving Valerie in your care for a while, Lux," Lady Faustina stated. "Make sure that she doesn't get into trouble while I'm away."

"Of course, Your Excellency." Lux nodded. "I'll make sure that people look after her while you are away."

Now that his Guild Headquarters had safely arrived at the territory of the Crystal Palace, Lux could finally leave with some peace of mind.

He had put his journey to Agartha on hold for the entirety of the trip because he was very worried about the safety of his people who were on the floating island.

Bentley and his members had temporarily stopped their construction of Lux's town because of the possibility of being attacked by the Saints from the Divine Army of Light.

During their battle, several structures that had already been built were destroyed due to the aftershock of Eiko's tactical nuke.

Naturally, Lux promised to increase the budget for the town's construction and compensate the Merchant Guild for their troubles.

'Eiko, I need you to ask Glee a favor for me,' Lux said through telepathy.

After telling the Baby Slime of what he wanted to be done, Eiko happily went to find her best friend and pass along her Papa's message.

After seeing firsthand how powerful the Homing Tactical Nuke was, Lux decided to ask the two Bombardiers to make him one before he went to Agartha.

He didn't know what kind of people he would be meeting there, and he also didn't know if they would be hostile or not.

For the sake of their own safety, he planned to bring a nuke with him to use as deterrence, just in case something unexpected happened.

However, he truly wished that there wouldn't come a time when he needed to use it, especially in a Kingdom that was located thousands of meters under the ground, near the Core of Elysium.

If he were to use such a destructive weapon in a very sensitive place, he didn't know what kind of repercussions would take place above ground.

Above ground where people were living their lives in peace, and unaware of the existence of the Legendary Kingdom, which was said to be as old as the first ever World Tree of the High-Elves who currently resided in Espoire Frieden.

Chapter 828 Why Are You Wearing A Disguise?

"Sir Lux, will you be leaving your Guild Headquarters in a day or two?" Valerie asked the Half-Elf with a sad expression on her face.

"Yes," Lux replied. "Actually, I should have left a long time ago. But since my Guild needed to be relocated first, I had to postpone it for the time being. Now that my Guild Headquarters has found a new home, I can leave without any worries."

Valerie was very disappointed after hearing that Lux had to leave, but after thinking about it, she understood that the Half-Elf was a very busy person.

Also, her main agenda had already been achieved, which was to accompany the red-headed teenager on his week-long journey toward the Domain of the Crystal Palace.

Having thought of this, Valerie no longer felt too disappointed.

Besides, she could now use the Teleportation Gate to travel to Lux's Guild Headquarters whenever she wanted to, which meant that she would be able to see the Half-Elf more often, instead of being separated forever.

Now that she was able to get over her disappointment, Valerie became curious about where the red-headed teenager planned to go next.

"Sir Lux, where will you be going?" Valerie asked.

"A place called Agartha," Lux replied. "I don't know if you've heard of it, but it is a very ancient kingdom found deep under the ground. It is located near the Core of Elysium, so very few people can visit it."

"N-Near the Core of Elysium?" Valerie stuttered. "How deep underground is that?"

Lux pondered for a bit before answering Valerie's question.

"At least several thousand meters underground," Lux made a rough estimate.

"T-That deep?!" Valerie's eyes widened in shock, making the Half-Elf chuckle.

"Yes. It's very deep."

"Sir Lux, will you be able to return from such depths? It seems like a nearly impossible task to get there."

Lux smiled before giving Valerie a thumbs-up.

"Don't worry, I already got that covered," Lux stated. "Also, I can return here to my Guild Headquarters anytime I want, so I'll be fine."

Aur, who was secretly paying attention to Lux's and Valerie's discussion, was shocked upon hearing the Half-Elf's revelation.

As someone who had studied history during his spare time, he also knew a thing or two about the Legendary Kingdom of Agartha, which was said to be the protector of the Core of Elysium.

"Sir Lux, if you don't mind me asking, how are you going to travel to Agartha?" Aur had suddenly appeared beside Lux asked, making Valerie almost jump back out of fright due to how sudden his appearance was.

"I'm afraid that I can't tell you how," Lux replied.

For now, he didn't know if there were other means to travel to Agartha aside from the key that he received as a reward inside the Sacred Dungeon.

Since something so precious was in his possession, the less people that knew of it, the better.

Although he and the Crystal Palace were now allies, there were just some things that he couldn't share with them, and the way he'd travel to the Kingdom of Agartha was one of them.

The Half-Elf then excused himself and went to whisper something in Cethus' ear.

"Cethus, can you look after Valerie for a while?" Lux asked. "I need to talk to Emma and Garret for a bit."

"And why would I babysit that Ugly Duckling?" Cethus asked back.I think you should take a look at

"Because she is your Grandma's subordinate," Lux answered. "Didn't you see how she treated Valerie a while ago? If anything happens to her, you will be held responsible."

The Dragon Born snorted but didn't say anything to deny Lux's statement.

Seeing that Cethus had reluctantly agreed to look after Valerie for a while, Lux asked Garret and Emma to follow him into the conference room for a short meeting.

After being left alone, Valerie looked at the handsome Dragon Prince, who was looking back at her with a calm expression on his face.

A moment later, Aur broke the silence and asked Valerie a question.

"Can I ask you a question, Valerie?" Aur asked.

"Okay," Valerie replied.

Aur then moved closer to Valerie and asked her at a volume that only she could hear.

"Why are you wearing a disguise?" Aur inquired. "Are you hiding something from Sir Lux?"

Contrary to what he expected, Valerie didn't seem to be too surprised that Aur knew that she was using an artifact to hide her true appearance.

"I have my reasons," Valerie replied. "How about you? Do you also have your own reasons?"

Aur smiled after Valerie returned the question to him.

"My apologies," Aur stated. "It is wrong for me to pry into the secrets of others. Since this is your business then I will not say anything. However, know that if you have malicious intentions against Sir Lux, I promise you that I will make you regret it."

Valerie narrowed her eyes after hearing Aur's threat.

She carefully thought about her reason for accompanying Lux on his journey to the Crystal Palace and weighed it with her conscience if what she was doing was malicious.

After thinking for a while, she came to the conclusion that it wasn't malicious, which made her smile.

"Worry not, I have no malicious intentions," Valerie replied. "I am only here because Sir Lux is here. Once he is gone, I will also leave the territory of the Crystal Palace."

"Then before you leave, how about you and I have some tea together?" Aur proposed. "There are questions that I would like to ask you—questions in regard to our two Kingdoms."

"I'm sorry, but I have to decline your offer," Valerie answered in a heartbeat. "I am not a very intelligent person, and I might say words that might offend people. Right now, I am one of Lady Faustina's subordinates. If you want to talk about the state of both our nations, it will be best if you talk to her instead of me."

"I see…" Aur nodded in understanding.

The Dragon Prince then walked away without giving Valerie a second glance.

To be honest, Aur learned a lot from this simple exchange with the plain-looking girl. Based on Valerie's choice of words, Aur understood that although she sounded innocent, she wasn't completely dumb either.

Because of this, the Dragon Prince was very tempted to remove her disguise so that he could see what she really looked like.

However, doing so would be inappropriate.

At the very least, he had to create a situation where Valerie would remove her mask on her own accord.

What Aur didn't know was that, the moment he succeeded with his plan, his opinion of Valerie would change forever.

Chapter 829 Are We In Agartha?

"Is it time for us to go?" Gaap asked.

"Yes, Master," Lux replied. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Two days after they arrived at the territory of Crystal Palace, Lux finally decided to leave his Guild Headquarters and go to Agartha.

He didn't leave right away since there were a few matters he needed to discuss with the Mayor of Vesperia, Nidus Novario, such as the supplies they needed for the construction of the town that Bentley and his Merchant Guild were taking care of.

Due to the attack from the Divine Army of Light, several of the structures that they had built had been destroyed.

Fortunately, the foundations of these structures were still intact, so they did not have to start all over again. The only problem was that the raw materials they had would not be enough to cover the project to completion.

Nidus agreed to supply Lux with the materials needed to complete the construction of his town for a fair price.

Since the Half-Elf was a guest who had been personally escorted by their Steward, Lady Augustina, he deemed that taking advantage of them would definitely be a bad move.

Not only would it create a bad impression, but it would also draw the ire of the Supreme who ruled over the territories of the Crystal Palace.

"Have you said your goodbyes?" Gaap asked in a teasing tone. "You did, right?"

Lux nodded. "I bade everyone goodbye."

"Good." Gaap smiled. "Let's be off then."

The Half-Elf and the Halfling were currently at the top of the mountain, overlooking their new home. Lux took a deep breath before taking out the Key of Agartha, which would take them to their next destination.

"Gate, open!" Lux stated as he activated the key in his hand.

A moment later, he, Eiko, and Gaap turned into particles of light as they were transported to the Legendary Kingdom of Agartha, which was said to be located deep under the ground.

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When the light receded, Lux and Gaap looked at their surroundings, wondering if they were really underground.

"Did you perhaps use the wrong key?" Gaap asked as he stared at the clear blue sky that was above their heads.

There were also animals grazing from a distance, which looked like bison and wild horses.

Lux was just as confused as his Master, so he immediately took out his Soul Book in order to check if they were brought to the wrong place by the Key of Agartha.

This was not the first time he experienced teleporting to a different place from the destination he had in mind.

When he was in the Sacred Dungeon, he found himself in Zangrila after entering the Gate of Famine, where he met his Master, Gaap.

Seeing that they were in a place that had a sky, Lux wondered if something similar happened this time around.

However, after checking his Soul Book, he confirmed that he was in the place where he wanted to be.

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< Terrel Plains >

— The Terrel Plains is home to many creatures that are native to this land. It is also a popular trade route for merchants who travel to the different cities within the Kingdom of Agartha.

— It is the home of the Dreadnaught-Ranked World Boss known as the Red-Eyed Honey Badger. The locals treat it as the Guardian of the Terrel Plains. It is very easy to anger, so it would be best if you stay out of its way if you happen to see it traveling in your direction.

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"So, are we in Agartha?" Gaap asked Lux for confirmation.

"Yes, Master," Lux replied. "We are in the Terrel Plains, which is part of the Kingdom of Agartha."

"Interesting," Gaap commented. "Seeing the sky deep underground broadened my horizons. Now, where do we go next?"

"According to my map, if we heard North, we will arrive at Rishi City," Lux replied as he gazed at the map in his Soul book. "It is the closest city near our location."

"How far is Rishi City?"

"Forty miles, Master."

Gaap nodded. "Since that is the closest city, we'll head there first. Just to be clear, what is our goal in coming to Agartha?"

"I'm here to find a girl named Aurora and take her with me to the surface world," Lux replied. "I don't know if she is imprisoned, but she is all alone in a very dark place. It is so dark that even my Dark Vision cannot see anything."

"Aside from her name and the location she was in, do you have any other information that might help us?" Gaap inquired.

"Sorry, Master," Lux answered. "That is the only thing that I know. Originally, I planned to come to Agartha to explore it. But, after meeting Aurora, I know that I need to get her out of that dark and lonely place."

Gaap pondered for a bit before nodding his head. "Although we have very few clues, perhaps we can find more when we meet the locals of this kingdom. For the time being, make sure to not do anything to antagonize them. Be on your best behavior, and more than anything else, do not fight with anyone, okay?"

"Yes, Master." Lux smiled.

He wasn't someone who actively sought trouble.

Trouble was the one who always came looking for him!

Lux then summoned Jed to allow him and his Master to travel more swiftly to their next destination.

As the Thunder Warg King ran through the sky, the Half-Elf, and the Halfling made sure to observe their surroundings and see if there was something amiss.

So far, they hadn't seen anything out of place, aside from the Beasts that they were seeing for the first time.

Lux was also monitoring his Soul Book in order to avoid the strong monsters that were inhabiting the Terrel Plains.

Although fighting these monsters was not a big deal with their fighting ability, Gaap told his Disciple to not engage any Monsters for the time being.

As someone who had traveled with Hereswith when she was still alive, Gaap had a vast knowledge of the traditions and cultures of different places.

Some of them worshipped certain Beasts, and killing these Beasts was akin to the gravest of sins. There were even times when these monsters would put a life-long curse on those who attacked them, making the offender regret his decision for life.

Chapter 830 Advent Of Highlanders [Part 1]

It didn't take long for Lux and Gaap to reach Rishi City.

They didn't enter the town right away, observing it from a safe distance. As foreigners who came from a different land, they first wanted to know if the inhabitants of the city were very different from them.

Contrary to their expectations, Rishi City looked like every other city in the surface world. What surprised Lux the most was the variety of races that were inside the city.

There were Humans, Dark Elves, Beastkins, Gnomes, and even Dwarves.

Even their clothing wasn't too different from what they wear on an everyday basis. From every angle, Lux and Gaap both agreed that they were no different from them.

If there was one thing that concerned Gaap the most, it was the language.

The Agarthans used a different language with a unique system, which he hadn't heard in the past.

However, what surprised him was that Lux was able to understand what they were talking about.

This made him wonder if all Solaians like Lux were given the ability to understand all the languages in Elysium, making him feel a little envious of this useful ability.

"Master, I think I have a way to let you understand their language," Lux said with a smile. "Eiko, allow one of your clones to accompany Master."

"Un!" Eiko nodded and summoned one of her clones, which automatically appeared on Gaap's head, making the baby slime giggle.

"Master, Eiko has a special ability that allows her to communicate with any sentient being," Lux explained. "It doesn't matter what kind of language it is. As long as there is a means to communicate, she would be able to understand them."

Eiko's clone then shared its senses with Gaap, which would automatically translate things for him, similar to subtitles when watching a show in a different language.

If Gaap wanted to communicate with someone else, the baby slime would translate his words for him, allowing him to talk to the locals in Agartha.

When the two of them were ready, they entered the Gate of the City.

However, when they were only a hundred meters away from the Gate, those who were already in line looked in their direction and began shouting.

"Highlanders!"

"Highlanders!"

"Highlanders!"

Within half a minute, Lux and Gaap were surrounded by dozens of people wearing light-armor, with their weapons drawn.

The Half-Elf and the Halfling recognized them as the Guards of the City. What surprised the two of them was how the Agarthans were able to tell that they were Foreigners from the get-go.

"It will be best if the two of you don't do anything funny," One of the Guards that was wearing red armor stated. "As long as you cooperate, I will guarantee your safety. Don't worry, we will just ask you some questions. As long as you didn't come to our domain with ill intentions, we will deport you back to the Surface World with your memory intact."

Lux and Gaap glanced at each other before raising their hands in surrender.

They were not aware of the customs of the land, so for the time being, they decided to cooperate and understand how Highlanders like them were treated in Agartha.

Seeing that the two of them didn't plan to resist, the Guard Captain ordered that both of them be chained and brought inside the city under heavy security.

Along the way, the people of Rishi City all looked at them with wonder, as if they were looking at some exotic animal that they were seeing for the first time.

More guards appeared in order to make sure that the onlookers wouldn't do anything funny to their captives, who were looking at everything around them like country bumpkins.

'Master, the Ranks of the people here are quite high compared to the Surface World,' Lux talked to Gaap via their Guild Chat, which couldn't be detected by any kind of magic. 'Even the baby that the woman holding over there is a Grade-D Apostle.'

'True,' Gaap commented. 'Except for the children who are all Apostles, the teenagers and adults are either Initiates or Rankers. I can tell that the majority of the people here are non-combatants, but if they were to take up arms, their Ranks alone can fight off against a Beast Tide.'

Half an hour later, Lux and Gaap were taken to what seemed to be a barracks. Just like the Guards that had surrounded them earlier, everyone around them was Rankers, which greatly impressed Lux and Gaap.

'If there are so many combat-ready personnel in this city, I'm very sure that they must have a Saint somewhere,' Gaap stated. 'This would make this place an S-Ranked City due to its high combat power. The only places I know that have the same standards are Karshvar Draconis, the Crystal Palace, and Espoire Frieden.'

Lux nodded in agreement. When he was still in the Outer Reaches, all the Guards of the City of Pygmalion were all Rankers.

Dragons and Dragon Borns in general were already born powerful, so it wouldn't be fair to compare ordinary people to them.

The same could be said for High-Elves, who had very pure magical powers flowing through their bloodlines.

"Both of you stay in this room for the time being," the Guard Captain said. "I have already sent one of my men to the Mayor. He will be the one to decide what to do with the two of you."

After saying those words, the Guard Captain left, leaving Lux, and Gaap inside the room. Although they weren't thrown into prison, the magical chains that bound their arms were still in place.

'Lux, do you feel it?' Gaap asked after the Guard Captain had left.

'Yes, Master,' Lux replied. 'From the moment we got chained, I already sensed two beings paying close attention to us. I believe that if we made any suspicious moves, they would not hesitate to use force to restrain us again.'

After being around Saints, Lux could tell that the two beings that were observing him were definitely of that Rank.

He never expected that in the first city that they had decided to go to, they would already be captured by the natives and monitored by two Saints.

Lux was very tempted to say that "things couldn't get any worse than this, right?" but he refrained from doing so.

He knew that the moment he said those words, he'd plant a flag and things would definitely get worse, which would make his first time visiting Agartha a very memorable experience that he would remember for the rest of his life.