Battle

"Master Hernan, the situation is critical. Could you please personally lead the battle?"

The bank lobby in the Trade District was temporarily requisitioned. Several mages and officers stood around two Portals, looking worried. Elite soldiers, selected from the best, lined up quietly at the entrance, waiting for their chance to enter the Portals.

In the manager's office behind the bank counter, the Countess and the Archmage stood in front of a magic mirror, observing the battle situation at the Docks.

"I am powerless to help," the Head of the Mage Academy bluntly refused the Countess's request. "Without spatial anchors, accurately locating the three Portal across the long distance of the Trade District and the Docks has already exhausted most of my energy. My combat strength is almost depleted, and going there would be of no use."

This statement was half true and half false. As a senior Archmage, such a small amount of Spatial Magic would not have exhausted his magical power; he simply did not want to exert himself.

Black Dragon Princess suppressed her anger, almost bursting into a tirade. This old fox cherished her life greatly and refused to risk her life— the Head of the Mage Academy held a transcendent position, able to evade even the king's orders, and was completely beyond her control.

"I still have an elite force on hand. Please open another Portal, Master!"

The Blackblade Mercenary Company is a hidden force of the Countess. Although it only has more than thirty members, each member was carefully selected by her and transformed into an elite Warrior is half dragon and half human using Dragonflight secret techniques.

"A small mercenary group can't change the situation; it's a waste of young lives. I've already decided to have the Mage Academy's instructors and students withdraw. You should also have the City Guards and mercenaries at the Docks prepare for retreat," Master Hernan said, squinting at the Blackblade Mercenary Company standing to the side. "A mage's life is the most precious thing, unlike that of ordinary people."

Mercenaries have a bad reputation; they're like hyenas, fighting only for money and devoid of conviction, capable of turning into bandits at any moment. It's normal that a noble master mage looks down on them, and Barbosa wasn't angered.

But when he saw the unusual cold smile on his master's face, a chill ran through him—those who knew the Countess knew that this was the sign of murderous intent.

The series of setbacks had pushed the Black Dragon Princess's patience to its limit. Extremely proud, she could no longer tolerate failure, much less the Archmage's contempt for her.

Regardless of the consequences, swift and decisive action must be taken now.

"No one can desert their post, Master, and you are no exception!"

At the Countess's signal, Barbosa lunged at the Archmage. The office was not spacious to begin with, and the two were extremely close. In an instant, his hands were gripping the old man's neck.

Before he could exert any force, the gemstone necklace on Master Hernan's chest emitted a blinding blue light, and an extremely cold aura instantly froze his hands.

"Get out!" the master roared, and a storm of icy cold air struck Barbosa like a Warhammer, sending him flying and crashing heavily into the wall.

But the fatal attack came from behind. A sudden, sharp pain in his back rendered him speechless. Under Master Hernan's incredulous gaze, a small piece of metal blade emerged from his chest, spraying blood into the air in front of him, blurring everything in his vision.

"Heh, heh, this... how... is this possible..."

The Rings and necklace he wore were imbued with multi-functional magical shields that would automatically trigger upon close-range attack, effectively defending against frost, fire, and physical attacks.

But these shields were easily pierced by the Black Dragon and the gleaming magic dagger in her hand—no matter how powerful a spellcaster was, being so close to a powerful Black Dragon without any defenses would make them as vulnerable as a lamb.

Master Hernan had many other means of survival, but he couldn't use any of them. The magic dagger must have been imbued with negative spells; dizziness and darkness were assaulting him. Although he was unwilling to die like this, there was nothing he could do.

"If you don't want to die, listen to me!"

The Countess's voice was like a long-awaited rain after a drought, Archmage immediately grasped at this lifeline, weakly nodding.

The Black Dragon Princess quickly chanted a short incantation, and red light continuously flowed from the dagger into the Archmage's body. Dean Hernan almost thought that a large hole was about to be burned in his chest.

As the spell ended, the Countess deftly drew her dagger, without spilling a single drop of blood.

Red crystals quickly formed on the surface of the Archmage's wound, temporarily stopping the injury, but he felt as if a flame was burning inside his chest.

"I only need to utter a single word incantation, and your upper body will explode like fireworks," the Countess threatened. "But as long as you obey my orders, I guarantee you will live longer than anyone else."

Hernan looked down at the crystal on his chest. The fear and panic of just experiencing death left him confused, but he still noticed some facts:

The Countess, who should have been just a noblewoman with no fighting ability, suddenly became a skilled spellcaster. Moreover, the incantation she just recited was very unusual; he could barely recognize that it was Draconic magic.

He immediately realized that the rumors spread by Marshal Windsor were actually true— the Countess was Dragonflight in disguise!

In fact, after the old marshal assassinated the Countess, Hernan secretly sent his mages to investigate, but perhaps the Black Dragon's Polymorph was too advanced, and they found nothing, so the investigation naturally came to nothing.

"Open another Portal, locate the vicinity of the warehouse, and this time send all your mages there, followed by my Blackblade Mercenary Company. We must take VanCleef's head today!"

The Countess gave the order without question, and Barbosa climbed up from the corner and put a black robe on the Archmage to conceal the strange appearance on his chest.

Hernan silently submitted to being manipulated, like a defeated rooster. The bald, burly man roughly shoved him—if it were the old Barbosa, he would have been half-dead after taking that blow from the Archmage, but now that he possessed Dragonflight blood and was no longer human, he had extremely high magic resistance and regained his mobility in a short time.

The three left the office and went to the bank lobby. Hernan obediently gathered his men. He had indeed left himself some spare capacity and quickly re-established a Portal. One after another, the mages and members of the Blackblade Mercenary Company entered the portal at an extremely fast speed.

Just as the Countess was feeling satisfied watching Barbosa's disappearing figure, Hernan's staff suddenly pointed at her—he had been waiting for this moment when the Black Dragon was most relaxed.

The Portal instantly transformed into a vortex, exerting a tremendous suction force on the Countess. The Black Dragon's Polymorph reduced her weight to that of an ordinary human woman, and caught off guard, half of her body was immediately sucked into the vortex, leaving her no time to struggle.

"Die, O!"

Before she disappeared, she still managed to utter a spell that would cause Hernan to explode and die, but the Archmage had already activated his life-saving magic— the Ice Block —and was sealed inside a large block of deep blue ice.

The chill temporarily suppressed the magical bomb within his chest. Ice and fire clashed in Master Hernan's chest, and the tearing pain caused him to bleed from his mouth and nose, nearly causing him to go into shock.

After deducing the Countess's true identity, he decided to risk his life. Although Hernan valued his life, the dignity of the Archmage would not allow him to become a Black Dragon's lackey—that would be the end of being despised by everyone.

This time, his gamble paid off. The spatial vortex sucked in the Countess and then dissipated into the air. She definitely wouldn't be back anytime soon, giving the Archmage plenty of time to rescue himself.

With a loud thud, the Countess crashed to the ground. The spatial vortex instantly flung her out, smashing her into the stone-paved ground and creating a large dent. An ordinary person would have been reduced to a pulp long ago.

"Master!" Barbosa, who had just arrived, turned around in astonishment and rushed over to help his disheveled mistress to her feet.

The Black Dragon Princess's forehead veins bulged, her eyes gleamed with golden light, and her anger had reached its peak, making it almost impossible for her to maintain her human form. A terrifying Dragon's Presence emanated from her body.

"Owner!"

Barbosa's urgent cry finally calmed the Countess slightly. She composed herself and said hatefully, "No matter the cost, I will devour that old dog Hernan alive!"

She originally didn't want to leave the bank even for a moment, because the docile Varian in the underground vault was her trump card for ruling Stormwind City in the future, but now she couldn't rush back immediately.

Because their sudden teleportation to the Warehouse District had attracted the attention of everyone in the port, a squad of sailors who were besieging the other two gates was splitting up and attacking this side.

Since she was already there, the Countess decided to make the best of it and wasn't in a hurry to go back. Hernan's fate was unknown, but even if that old dog survived, he would definitely have difficulty eliminating the Explosive Flame Crystals within him in the short term and wouldn't be able to cause any trouble, so she could ignore it for now.

She immediately ordered, "Half of the mages and half of the mercenaries will remain to hold off Defias's Pirates, the rest will attack VanCleef!"

The most urgent task remains to deal with the bandit leader.

The mages did not obey orders, and the sudden turn of events left them somewhat bewildered: Why had the Portal disappeared? Why had the Countess been brought here? And of course, what was with the fleeting, terrifying pressure emanating from the Countess?

Those with the talent of spellcasters possess some wisdom and judgment; they will not act blindly until their many questions are answered.

"The Teleportation Array has encountered a minor problem, and Master Hernan is working on repairs," the Countess knew perfectly well that inadvertently revealing a trace of her aura was a huge mistake. She roared, her voice stern but her voice weak, "With the enemy at our doorstep, anyone who disobeys orders Execute immediately!"

However, mages held a superior status, and the leading blackbearded spellcaster was not impressed. The Countess's appearance after being thrown out of the spatial vortex was no small matter, and the magical message he had just sent to Dean Hernan had not received a reply, which deepened his suspicions.

The mages' temporary commander said, "The Warehouse District is too cramped; mages are not suited to fighting there. We will stay here to hold off the bandits. Please, Lady Prestor and your mercenaries, go and assist Shaw."

The Defias sailors had already rushed within attack range, while the mages continued casting defensive barriers and offensive spells without making a single move.

"Hmph, I don't have time to bother with you!" A murderous Blink in the Countess's eyes. The entire Mage Academy, from top to bottom, was disobedient. Blackbeard was already on her burial list. Once she became the mistress of Stormwind City, none of these arrogant little insects would escape.

Under the astonished gazes of the mages, she tossed out a crystal Crystal Ball, pointed at it lightly, and Shaw's figure clearly appeared in the Crystal Ball —it was a small alley in the Warehouse District.

"Barbosa, let's go!"

With things having come to this point, the Black Dragon Princess decided to deal with VanCleef personally. Since they were about to break off relations anyway, she didn't bother to hide the fact that she possessed magical powers in front of these "dead" mages.

Blackbeard, the mage, watched the Countess's retreating figure with a grave expression. He tried to contact Dean Hernan again, but still received no response.

Meanwhile, the Dwarf warships outside the port were speeding toward the Docks. On board, Unas and his crew were both excited and nervous. The Black Dragon Princess had finally appeared!

They observed the Countess through their telescopes when she was thrown out of the Portal, but no one on the ship had seen her human face and they were not sure for a moment. It wasn't until Master Omar sensed the dragon's Dragon's Presence everyone urged the Dwarf captain to set sail.

More than a dozen Defias warships were docked at the Docks. The Dwarf captain was hesitant, but neither Master Omar nor Huoye had the ability to teleport so many people over in a short time. Master Omar could pinpoint the location precisely for short-distance teleportation within a hundred meters, but once the distance exceeded that, the target location could not be accurately controlled, and people might be teleported to the seabed or into enemy encirclement. Therefore, they had to go by ship.

The Dwarf captain's fears came true: three Defias warships came to meet them, seemingly preparing to drive them away.

Unas, holding up his binoculars, said as he looked around, "Don't be afraid. Most of Defias's sailors have already landed, and they've just had a major battle with the sea monsters. They're severely lacking in ammunition and manpower. Me, Master Omar, and Huoye will each take down one ship!"

But things weren't as simple as he imagined. On the deck of the leading enemy ship, the Defias Warlock appeared.

Unas and his group had been watching the battle from a distance outside the port. The brief duel between the two Warlocks was very conspicuous, and they naturally saw it all. This Defias Warlock almost single-handedly repelled his opponent and the sea monster, proving himself to be a master-level spellcaster.

Everyone on the ship saw it too, and for a moment they were speechless, the atmosphere becoming somewhat heavy.

Unas rallied the troops, "He's used so many spells, he must be at his last gasp. I'll take care of him!"

Just as he was about to activate his Light Wings and launch a surprise attack, a voice suddenly rang out from his chest. "Young man, why do you possess my necklace?"

Unas touched his chest in surprise. He only had two necklaces around his neck. One was made of crystal given to him by the Blue Dragon Mati'gosa, and the other was bought from Plugger, the owner of the Grim Guzzler.

He immediately realized what was happening and ripped off Plugger's black necklace. "You're Plugger's mentor?"

In order to inquire about Fel, Unas met the former Warlock Plugger at the Grim Guzzler and bought the necklace that was said to guide him to Plugger's Warlock mentor.

The voice indeed came from the black necklace, "I am Russell Blood Oath, on the ship opposite you. Plugger is indeed my student."

Unas then confirmed his suspicions: Plugger's mentor was indeed the spellcaster on the enemy ship's deck ahead. "You spotted me a long time ago?"

This Warlock sorcerer, who had been serving as VanCleef's bodyguard in black robes, should have seen the Paladin long ago and couldn't have only now sensed the necklace on his chest.

However, the other party did not answer the question. Unas suddenly realized that he, the old marshal, Sophia were trapped in Defias' camp as VanCleef's guests and hostages Russell Blood Oath, as VanCleef's confidant, naturally could not befriend them to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion.

Previously pretending not to know each other, but now taking the initiative to acknowledge each other, it's obvious that they're trying to curry favor. Unas felt relieved and signaled his subordinates to suspend their battle preparations.

Both sides' ships slowed down to de-escalate the hostility.

Unas asked the necklace with a puzzled look, "When Plugger gave me this necklace, he said it could resonate with his mentor. Why didn't I notice you, but you noticed me first?"

"Heh," Russell Blood Oath's laughter echoed from the necklace, "Plugger has long since abandoned the path of Warlock. Why would I expose my whereabouts to a traitor? He can't find me through that necklace, but I can sense its location to track the traitor's movements."

Warlocks are a profession shrouded in the shadows, even more ostracized by the world than mages; concealing their presence is an essential skill for them.

"Damn it! "Unas cursed inwardly. He had been tricked so badly. He was determined to settle the score with that Gnomes at the bar when he got back.

"Lord Russell, I have no enmity with your Brotherhood. My sole purpose in coming to Stormwind City has been to eliminate the Countess," Unas said solemnly. "Please make way. I assure you that neither I nor my men will harm anyone from Defias."

The Elf Warlock said, "The Countess is also Defias's enemy. If your assurances are true, perhaps we can cooperate."

Unas wanted to cultivate an image of a noble and righteous Paladin and didn't want to openly associate with a group of bandits, but given the urgency of the situation, he said, "Getting us onto the ground as quickly as possible is more important than anything else. We can discuss cooperation later. I promise I won't let you down!"

Russell Blood Oath paused for a moment, weighed his options, and then readily agreed, "I promise you. Remember your pledge, Knight Unas."

Seeing that the other party was so straightforward, Unas flattered him, "If we are both still alive after this battle, I have many questions about demons that I would like to ask you."

"I'm always ready to serve you."

Russell was a decisive man; he acted on his word immediately, ordering Defias' three warships to turn around at once.

Dealing with smart people is so much easier, Unas waved his hand, and the Dwarf warship followed the three enemy ships, speeding towards the Docks.

Exhausted, Shaw leaned against the corner of the wall. Numerous knife wounds had nearly ripped his leather armor to shreds, and a deep red wound on his forehead had scabbed over. Excessive blood loss had left him as pale as a corpse.

He lost this assassin duel completely. From the very beginning, VanCleef dominated the head-on confrontation, leaving him breathless.

The two then engaged in a chase, eventually arriving at Warehouse District with complex routes. After a series of covert maneuvers, the other side proved to be more skilled. If it weren't for the Warlock under the Countess's command keeping him occupied, his throat would have been slit long ago.

Indeed, the more treacherous the environment, the stronger a person becomes. He sighed, lamenting that his days in SI:7 were far more comfortable than those of the leader of Defias.

Shaw tightened his cuffs; three steel spikes remained inside, enough to block three directions. If he misjudged, VanCleef's next attack would end his life.

Vandrin Bloodsoul was hiding in a warehouse fifty meters away. His original mission was to entangle Russell Blood Oath, but he not only lost him out, but also allowed the other party to repel the sea monster. This was an unforgivable failure.

He knew his master's temper well. If the assassination failed again, coupled with the previous mishandling, the consequences... The thought sent chills down his spine. Killing VanCleef became the only way to save himself.

He followed the two duelists all the way, but could never find an opportunity to strike. He could only harass them slightly, but none of the magical traps he secretly set were triggered. As a top assassin, VanCleef's vigilance against danger was exceptional.

Now is the last chance. Shaw is at his last gasp, VanCleef will never let this nemesis go. He must be hiding nearby, ready to launch a fatal blow.

Vandrin Bloodsoul held his breath and quietly released four "Eye of Kilrogg" to surround him. These demonic eyes not only provided a 360-degree field of vision, but could also move in the air to detect invisible targets.

Sure enough, a discovery was made soon. Less than twenty meters from Shaw, in the shadow of a low wall, the air appeared unnaturally distorted. Upon closer inspection, a transparent outline was silently crouching and moving forward.

"Gotcha!"

Van der Linde was overjoyed, but he didn't rush to attack. He wanted to wait until VanCleef launched his attack and was unable to dodge, then deliver a fatal blow from behind.

The transparent silhouette leaped lightly onto the low wall like a large cat, without making a sound. In a few leaps, it reached the top of the wall where Shaw was leaning against and pounced on its limp target without hesitation.

Now!

The Elf Warlock silently chanted an incantation and instantly teleported to the pre-prepared Teleportation Circle on the warehouse roof. The situation within a hundred meters was immediately clear. Without even looking, he tore open the scroll and activated the "Death Coil" and "Corruption he had prepared beforehand. The spells streaked through the air and struck the air directly above Shaw's head.

The transparent silhouette that was hit paused in mid-air, letting out a scream that was not human. Shaw, who was sitting on the ground, looked up in horror and waved his hand. Three steel spikes flew out from his sleeve and instantly disappeared into the air. Dark blood immediately spurted out from the transparent silhouette.

Splattered with blood, the transparent outline rolled to the ground, its invisibility effect could no longer be maintained, and a flash of black light revealed its true form—a cheetah with its entire body black!

Oh no!

If it's not VanCleef, where is he?!

Vandrin Bloodsoul immediately realized something was wrong, but it was too late. Death in the shadows had already come to his back. He felt a chill on his lower back, and a broad blade with a familiar curve pierced out from under his abdomen. The blade contained the most potent Curse of Weakness. All the strength in his body disappeared with the spray of blood, and his legs went weak and he was about to fall to the ground.

"What an idiot!"

A stern female voice suddenly rang in his ears from nowhere. For the first time, Vandrin Bloodsoul felt that the Countess's rebuke was so kind, and he sobbed, "Master... save me..."

"Molten Steel Armor!"

A crimson light suddenly enveloped the Elf Warlock; it was a powerful Draconic magical shield capable of destroying enemy weapons with intense heat. At the same time, another blazing flame shot towards the Warlock behind the warlock.

VanCleef decisively withdrew the other broadsword aimed at the Warlock's neck, lightly touched the ground with his toes to nimbly dodge the flame ray, then leaped off the roof and disappeared into the corner in the blink of an eye.

"A futile struggle!" The Countess appeared in the distance, soaring fearlessly into the sky, tossing out her Crystal Ball, and shouting, "You rats in the gutter, come out!"

The Crystal Ball instantly floated in the air like a small moon, and the soft True Sight swept across the ground within a radius of a hundred meters. VanCleef's Invisibility was immediately broken, and he was exposed to the enemy's gaze.

The seasoned King of Thieves remained remarkably calm, continuing his charge without pause—once he was out of the Crystal Ball's range, he would be in control whether to escape or launch another assassination attempt.

But suddenly several strong figures appeared at the intersection ahead, and the sound of crossbows being released rang out from all directions— the Countess's Blackblade Mercenary Company had already set up an encirclement.

VanCleef hurled several gleaming silver darts at the "little moon" in the air—since he couldn't escape, he might as well destroy it.

However, none of the hidden weapons hit their mark. The Countess remained suspended in mid-air, the Crystal Ball enveloped in a halo of light—a "Deflection Shield."

The King of Thieves finally felt a sense of unease. He had originally planned to sacrifice his beloved pet cheetah to lure out the Elf Warlock, which would have allowed him to deal with Shaw as well. However, the sudden appearance of the Countess reversed the situation in the blink of an eye.

With nowhere to turn, VanCleef, enraged, laughed coldly and charged towards the mercenaries amidst the arrows and bullets, roaring, "Today I'll slaughter them all!"