Spellcasting Gods

“Yes, I plan to leave the territory for a while. During that time, you will be in charge of all internal affairs. You can think of it as a test, a test of your loyalty and ability. As long as you meet my expectations, I will also give you a piece of land, making you a true nobleman. Alright, go and get busy. Also, tell Blanco to come see me.” Zhang Cheng waved his hand, not revealing too many details about the expedition.

To be precise, he didn't trust anyone, including Delhi, at all.

Moreover, that meteorite was so important that he wouldn't easily reveal even a fraction of it to his closest confidants.

Seven or eight minutes later, the old mercenary entered the room, placed one hand on his chest, and bowed: "Sir, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I need you to recommend an experienced team leader who can quickly handle all kinds of emergencies," Zhang Cheng stated his request directly.

"Um, may I ask, what do you mean by 'sudden event'?" Blanco asked cautiously.

Zhang Cheng slightly curled the corners of his mouth and explained in a half-joking tone: "It means someone who can calmly handle any situation, whether it's a dragon, a sea monster, or some other abnormal thing."

Upon hearing this, Blanco's expression twitched visibly. He then lowered his head to think for a full minute before saying with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, the person you're looking for might be hard to find. I need some time."

“Okay! I’ll give you a week.” Zhang Cheng knew that there weren’t many people like him, so he gave him a grace period.

"I'll do my best..." Blanco sighed helplessly and turned to leave the room.

Outsiders may not know what kind of person he is loyal to, but he knows very well that both the mysterious and unpredictable magical power and the dragon kept in the cave in the back mountain are far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Therefore, the example he just gave is not just a joke, but may actually be true.

Fortunately, this time he didn't have to go along in person; he just needed to find an unlucky guy to replace him.

After all, since becoming a nobleman, his mindset was no longer that of someone who considered himself a worthless person. When faced with danger, his first reaction was not to rush forward, but to stay as far away as possible.

Zhang Cheng had undoubtedly noticed the old mercenary's change, so he had no intention of taking him along.

And so, as the days passed, on the seventh day, a large warship capable of carrying a large amount of supplies and personnel slowly sailed away from the dock and headed toward the distant summer sea.

The ship not only had ample food and beverage supplies, but also a full fifty well-trained sailors and a hundred well-equipped soldiers.

Various types of ballistae, catapults, and crossbow bolts were also available, and a huge dragon was constantly circling in the sky.

With this kind of force, let alone exploring ruins, even attacking a city wouldn't be a problem.

In order to obtain that mysterious meteorite, Zhang Cheng made thorough preparations, even going so far as to use up the last bottle of well water filled with arcane energy in his pocket when necessary.

Of course, the crew and soldiers did not know the true purpose of their mission, nor what they were about to face.

Apart from Zhang Cheng himself, only little Celine on the entire ship vaguely knew a little about it, but she was too young to understand the significance of the meteorite's existence, or the enormous disaster that might be caused if it were obtained by someone.

The girl was currently immersed in joy, running from the bow to the stern, climbing onto the mast to look into the distance with binoculars, and occasionally picking up a fishing rod to sit in a secluded spot and try fishing.

For her, these days away from Dragonstone were the best time of her life.

No restrictions!

There were no eyes filled with disgust!

No one expected her to behave like a lady and observe all kinds of etiquette and manners!

Every day, besides playing, she would wander around, especially the bustling market in Brightwater City, with its goods from all over the world. It allowed her to experience a different world, a colorful and vibrant world, rather than the cramped and oppressive world inside the castle...

Chapter 0156 Iron Seed

“Sir, your adopted daughter is so lively and lovely. She reminds me of the daughters back home. I remember when I left last time, she was about this age. Now she’s probably a beautiful young woman. I just wonder which bastard will end up with her.” A man around forty-five years old with a thick beard sighed.

He had wheat-colored skin from long-term sun exposure, a burly and strong physique, and two powerful arms. His right eye had been completely removed because it was injured in a battle and not treated in time. He wore a black eye patch, and his appearance was basically the same as that of a pirate captain from the Age of Exploration on Earth.

Without a doubt, this was the team leader that Blanco had painstakingly poached from who-knows-where with a high salary. His name was Eric, and he was said to have been the captain of a pirate ship before losing his ship due to a mutiny by his crew. He had no choice but to turn to smuggling.

If this guy has any redeeming qualities, it's that he has a big heart. Most people would be so scared that their legs would go weak when they first meet Kuro Kerbal, but he excitedly went up to him and even tried to touch the dragon's scales.

It must be said that even among pirates who were generally quite daring, he was an absolute anomaly, and one could even say that he lacked the most basic awe of the unknown.

However, in Zhang Cheng's view, Eric was the ideal leader for this adventure, and also a qualified cannon fodder.

Thinking of this, a playful smile appeared on his face, and without turning his head, he asked, "How long have you been away from home?"

"Hmm... I don't remember exactly, maybe four years, maybe five, anyway, I haven't been back for a long time," Eric replied with a shrug.

"Four or five years?!" Zhang Cheng turned around and looked at the other person with a sympathetic gaze. He could almost see a green meadow growing on the other person's head.

Given the openness of Westeros, let alone a husband leaving home for four or five years, even if he's only gone for a few months, a wife might find herself a lover to relieve her boredom. In four or five years, she might even have an illegitimate child.

"Hahahaha! I know what you're trying to say, but I don't care. Because deep down I crave adventure, I crave all sorts of thrills. I'd rather have a spectacular death than die of illness in bed like an ordinary person." Eric laughed as he revealed his ambition.

"Hehe, okay, now I know why you accepted my invitation." Zhang Cheng nodded with a smile.

Although he doesn't appreciate this attitude of risking one's life for thrills at all, he doesn't intend to comment further.

After all, everyone has different life experiences and attitudes toward life, so there's no need to impose your own values ​​on others.

Eric, adjusting his black eye patch, looked up at Kuro Kerba, who was now just a tiny black dot in the sky, and replied with a slightly excited tone, "That's right! The reason I accepted the invitation is that Blanco assured me that following you would lead me to witness many incredible, even terrifying, things, although I still don't quite understand what you're looking for."

Just as Zhang Cheng was about to say something, a large expanse of white canvas suddenly appeared where the sea met the sky. Less than a minute later, warships adorned with octopus patterns appeared in everyone's sight.

Without hesitation, the lookout at the top of the mast rang the alarm bell, shouting, "Alert! All hands on deck! It's a Greyjoy ship!"

"Damn it! Aren't these iron races invading the North? How come they've suddenly appeared on the West Coast?" Eric's expression immediately turned serious.

The Iron Islands inhabitants, who grew up on barren lands, are known for their ferocity, brutality, and plundering nature. Almost every Ironborn is a skilled sailor and bandit, and few forces can defeat them on the water.

Encountering the Iron Tribe at sea is arguably the worst thing that can happen to you. They not only steal ships and cargo, but they also rape women and kill people for their own amusement.

Gazing at the enormous golden octopus emblazoned on the flagship's sail, Zhang Cheng pursed his lips and murmured to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Has it finally arrived? Euron Greyjoy..."

Without a doubt, according to the story's timeline, Balon, the leader of House Greyjoy, is now most likely dead in an accident.

The new leader Euron abandoned his continued attacks on the less lucrative North and prepared to march south to plunder the wealthy Reach region.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, his first target will almost certainly be the Shield Islands. Once the Shield Islands are breached, the coastal areas of the River Bend will be completely unprotected and become the targets of the Iron Islands' wanton ravages.

"My lord! Please make a decision quickly! To fight! Or to turn the ship around and avoid them?" Eric whispered a reminder.

“No, we don’t need to fight, nor do we need to avoid them. Tell the helmsman to just sail straight through.” With that, Zhang Cheng went to the bow of the ship alone and raised his hand, releasing a burst of intense heat.

The dragon in the sky noticed the signal from its master, and quickly swooped down with a sharp cry, transforming from a small black dot into a colossal creature over ten meters long.

The powerful airflow generated by its flapping wings alone caused the ship to accelerate rapidly, like an arrow shot from a bow, crashing into the enemy's flagship.

Euron, who was observing the situation through his binoculars, undoubtedly spotted the dragon charging towards him. He immediately gasped and turned to jump into the sea.

He had no idea that his flesh and blood could withstand the dragon flames that could melt steel and stone.

Before he could even jump, Kuro Kerba suddenly stretched out his hind claws and snapped the ship's mainmast in half with a crack, then threw it toward another ship next to him, instantly disrupting the originally orderly formation.

Immediately, the ships behind were forced to turn around, and the scene became chaotic.

Taking advantage of the brief chaos, Zhang Cheng's ship smoothly rammed its long ram into the other ship's hull with a loud bang. People on the deck were thrown about like bowling pins, and some even fell directly into the sea.

Euron, with his agility, managed to grab a rein in time.

Before he could regain his balance, a sharp longsword was already at his neck.

"Good afternoon, dear Euron Greyjoy. It's a pleasure to meet you at sea, as it saves me a lot of trouble."

Amidst sarcastic banter, Zhang Cheng finally boarded the enemy ship...

Chapter 0157 "The Dragon Binder"

Euron Greyjoy's flagship, the Serenity, was completely silent, not because the crew were terrified, but because their tongues had long been ripped out by the mad and cruel captain, simply because he craved a little "serenity."

Many people believe that Euron went completely insane during his exile, while others think that he encountered something terrifying beyond words while exploring the ruins of Valyria, and it was this hidden fear that drove him mad.

However, Zhang Cheng felt that this guy was probably one of the very few people in the entire A Song of Ice and Fire story who realized the truth of the whole world.

In addition, he was also eager to see what kind of powerful magic the Valyrian legend’s “Dragonbinder” possessed that allowed him to control dragons.

It's important to understand that even the dragons in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, which are like beasts, are also terrifying magical creatures. Their scales and blood, which are filled with mysterious energy, are enough to provide sufficient resistance to supernatural forces.

Zhang Cheng once tested Kuro Kerba's magic resistance with spells including Frostbolt, Arcane Missiles, Fire Blast, Ice Spike, and Arcane Explosion, and the results were astonishing.

Although dragon scales cannot even withstand the piercing of a steel spear in terms of physical defense, they can reduce energy damage by about one-third to one-half, and the wounds heal very quickly, usually scabbing over in one to two days, with new scales growing out as well.

This means that dragons have an unparalleled advantage in fighting supernatural forces, and ordinary magical items simply cannot control them.

unless……

Thinking of this, Zhang Cheng pushed the sword in his hand forward again and immediately drew a red line on the other person's neck. The glaring blood beads slid slowly down the skin and stained the white shirt red in the blink of an eye.

But Euron showed no fear whatsoever. He grinned and tilted his head back, asking, "You're the legendary Mason?"

“That’s right! It’s me! I heard you found a huge horn in the ruins of Valyria. If you don’t mind, could you show it to me?” Zhang Cheng asked directly without any preamble.

"Hahahaha! On what grounds? Just because you're pointing a sword at me now? You're wrong if you think I'm one of those cowardly fools!" Euron puffed out his chest and burst into wild laughter.

Judging from the madness in his eyes, he was not faking it; he genuinely didn't care about life or death.

Seeing that the threat of force had no effect, Zhang Cheng quickly sheathed his longsword and gently shook his right index finger twice.

Soon, a bright flame began to swirl around him. The dragon circling in the sky noticed this and charged directly at the nearest ship, opening its blood-red maw and spewing out scorching dragon flames.

moment!

The ship was engulfed in flames!

The sailors screamed and tried to jump into the sea to survive, but most of them were engulfed by the raging flames before they could even reach the deck. Then the entire ship began to slowly decompose, eventually becoming a pile of garbage floating on the water.

Zhang Cheng took a deep breath of the acrid smell in the air, turned around and said to You Lun, who was kneeling in front of him, "Do you know? In my opinion, everyone in the world has weaknesses."

Perhaps some people are not afraid of death, but they always have things they care about.

For example, some people believe that family and friendship are priceless and are willing to give everything for their family and friends.

Some people are so greedy that they would rather die than hand over their wealth.

As long as I can exploit these weaknesses, I can make these seemingly fearless people submit.

As for you, I believe these warships at sea are your weakness.

If you do not meet my demands, then I will destroy all the ships one by one in front of you, and then set foot on the Iron Islands to carry out an unprecedented massacre, sparing no one, whether old, woman or child, and I will wipe out the Ironborn completely.

Don't think this is just bluffing. I recently did some research on gray scale disease and also collected some blood from infected individuals.

Imagine if I captured 500 Iron Citizens, infected them with gray scale disease, and then threw them into unsuspecting villages and towns. How fast do you think the disease would spread once they started to go berserk?

When the number of infected people increases to a thousand or ten thousand, how many healthy people in the Iron Islands will be able to survive?

Now, I'll repeat myself: hand over the 'Dragon Binder,' or I will show you everything I just described.

As the last word fell, Zhang Cheng raised his right index finger and shook it twice.

Kuro Kerbal charged toward his prey, setting the second enemy ship ablaze. The remaining captains, realizing they were no match for the dragon, turned and fled in all directions.