City of Sin (Yanyu Jiangnan)

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The strange feeling of wrongness only lasted a moment, but Richard’s heart immediately filled up with worry. He recalled something Sharon had told him about the Deepblue Dream: it was something that showed one the truth of the world, giving one a greater intuition for the future. She couldn’t explain just why this was, but she did know that this intuition would grow stronger the more accomplished one was. He hadn’t really tackled the question back then, and now his master was asleep even if he wanted to.

He forced himself to calm down and stood up, but even so his heart remained restless. Feeling sweat dripping down his palms, he looked down to find that his fingertips were as red as blood! Lifesbane had been activated without him even consciously meaning to!

There could only be one explanation for this: his intuition was erupting with killing intent.

He quickly checked his body inside out, but there were no abnormalities at all. His bloodlines were fine, and the power of his truename still lay dormant as well. All rationality was telling him he was just feeling off-put for some reason.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. His heart was still beating quickly, as though something extremely bad was about to happen. Shaking his head, he simply spread all of his equipment on the floor and started cleaning them.

……

When Lawrence came in, he found Richard sharpening Carnage and raised a brow in confusion; divine weapons didn’t exactly need to be maintained. He took a step back, asking cautiously, “Boy, what is it you want to kill?”

Richard looked up at the old man, growing a little confused himself, “Why are you standing so far away?”

Lawrence actually retreated a couple more steps in response, “You’re radiating bloodlust. It feels like you’ll cut me down if I come within ten steps!”

Richard laughed, “Why would I do that?”

“Who knows? Maybe you just don’t find me nice to look at,” Lawrence desperately shook his head, “I cherish my life!”

“Sigh… I do feel irritated for some reason, as if something bad is about to happen. But… I can’t say you what it is.”

“Mage’s intuition,” Lawrence turned solemn, “If you feel it so heavily, then it must be something bad. I can’t help you, but here’s a suggestion: if you’re going to do something reckless, tell the royal family first. Also describe Mana Armament’s powers to Philip, just its power and abilities should be enough. He’s now famous in all of Norland, his support will ensure that some unscrupulous people don’t attack you directly.”

“I will,” Richard said seriously.

“Alright, kid,” Lawrence sighed, “I’m old now, this advice is all I can give you.”

Richard shook his head, “That’s eno—”

“Right! I have some materials here, enough to make the ornamental runes. Finish them off before you go, with your ability it should only take a day. You can never be prepared enough.”

……

The smaller components really were quite simple, but without the ability to calm down Richard made a host of mistakes in the process. It took an entire two days for him to finish, after which he heaved a sigh of relief and activated them immediately. Thankfully, these runes were nearly no burden to the bearer, depending purely on Mana Armament itself; he was already straining the limits of his carrying capacity.

Just as he was about to test the new effects, he suddenly felt a bit of heat at his chest from the beast teeth that Mountainsea had given him. What was once a bracelet had been turned into a necklace for convenience, and the ornament that had been quiet all this while finally flashed with light.

His heart trembled as he picked out a piece of shell in the middle, reading the words written upon it in cyan light, “Take me away.”

The handwriting was something that he could recognise anywhere, and the shell’s functions had already been described to him before. As the cyan light dimmed and the shell turned to ash, he felt his heart almost come to a stop.

Take me away… He couldn’t begin to imagine just what meaning lay behind this sentence, what had pushed someone as strong as Mountainsea to ask him to come before their agreement. However, he had already prepared himself for something earth-shattering to occur, and since she had called him over he would go to Klandor again if it cost him his life.

The barbarian continent that wasn’t much smaller than Norland, with the locals who had their own inheritance of totemic warriors that were no worse than mages. A princess born of a failed invader and the saintess of the Azuresnow Shrine, destined to carry the avatar of the Beast God…

The last time he stepped into Klandor, Richard had been a weakling. Now, he was a grand mage who had spent years tempering himself in the Land of Dusk. Of course, the enemies he met this time would be entirely different as well. Most of those he had encountered previously had refrained from killing him for Mountainsea’s sake, but now that she was calling for him there would be no such luck anymore.

But then again, he wasn’t thinking of luck as Carnage flashed out of the sword case, landing in his hands. Stroking the blade softly, all he could feel was the murderous intent brimming within himself. He looked towards the magic case that already held the required equipment and supplies; he was prepared.

He had to leave right away! Richard instinctively took a step forward, but then he remembered that there was still one thing for him to do. Convincing himself that he could wait a mere ten minutes, he rushed back to his desk and scribbled out a number of letters.

The first two were for Emperor Philip, one mentioning that he was going to Klandor to pick up Mountainsea and the other detailing the effects of the grade 4 Mana Armament. Following that were letters to Sharon, Waterflower, Alice, Gangdor, Rosie, and even Senma and Asiris detailing their tasks for the near future and preparing them for any eventualities.

It was only when it came to Flowsand that he couldn’t figure out what to write, staring blankly at the empty page for more than two minutes. Eventually, he only managed a single sentence that comprised of two words:

I’m sorry.

Sighing softly, he folded the letter and started to place it in an envelope. However, before putting it in with the rest he remembered one more thing and opened up the letter once more, adding another sentence: “Careful of the broodmother.”

The broodmother came from the Eternal Dragon, and the old dragon almost certainly had his ways to control her. She wasn’t difficult to deal with yet, a proper legendary being could kill her if they knew how to do it, but just like Io and Nyra she was no ordinary being. Of course, he couldn’t compare her to other broodmothers because he hadn’t seen one, but he felt like there had to be something special about her.

Looking at the stack of letters on the table, he found his faith starting to shake. He wondered if going to a foreign continent to steal away their princess was the right choice at all; every letter was a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, and he was basically throwing them all away for one. His blessings screamed at him that this was an extreme risk, and that he should actually recruit a few legendary beings with promises of runes before threatening the Azuresnow Shrine to hand her over.

But that was a process that took time. He didn’t know what had happened to Mountainsea, but she had suddenly used the shell a long time before he was supposed to return. He could afford to wait, but could she?

The Land of New Heroes was really powerful, a number of experts hidden within its depths. Greyhawk had been a generational prodigy himself, but his landing force had been completely subdued in one engagement. For a mere grand mage to wish to take on the entire continent was begging for death.

But so be it. If he was destined to die, than death he would choose. He caressed Carnage’s blade once more, muttering to himself, “Gaton… What would you do?”

The question had no answer. Or rather, Richard didn’t need one. He waved his sword in the air, stopping it precisely where he wanted it as a flame lit up in his eyes. He had improved his techniques greatly, he had already built such a powerful rune. How could he still be afraid to fight?

He lifted the case and walked out of the room, waving to Lawrence along the way, “I’m leaving, old man!”

There was another word in the bottom of his heart that he didn’t speak out loud: Goodbye.

“Remember the list!” Lawrence shouted after him, but he ignored the old pervert and flew over to the portal.

……

A long wyvern ride and multiple portals later, he finally set foot on the earth of Klandor once more. Carnage started buzzing in his hands, thirsty for blood.