I, Guinevere, am going to crush you, you curry stick, today!

An unprecedentedly loud bang came from her heart, giving Guinevere the illusion that a muffled thunderclap was exploding in her ears. For a moment, all the sounds around her fell silent, leaving only a long, seemingly endless ringing in her ears. All was quiet, and Fafnir's figure disappeared little by little before her eyes. Meanwhile, inside her body, another force flowed like water, slowly spreading outwards.

That was the dragon power she had been forced to get used to until now. Normally, without Lily's "guidance," this power would surge up and she would transform into a half-dragon, half-human form. But at this moment, Guinevere suddenly sensed something different. It was a very subtle change. To give an analogy, although she could barely control this dragon power before, it was like a right-handed person forcing themselves to write or draw with their left hand. It was feasible, but there was always a lingering awkwardness.

But this moment.

Her control over this power suddenly became effortless, the previously palpable restlessness and barrier vanishing completely. She became as docile and obedient as a lamb, even more adept at it than she had been at mastering the Wind Mark. Was this… a gift of power to her? Remembering Fafnir's last words before disappearing, Guinevere was startled, but before she could truly feel surprise or joy, a sudden, sharp pain shot through her heart!

It felt as if I had been pierced through by a sharp sword!

The sudden, intense pain felt like swallowing a ball of fire; her entire body felt like it was burning, and her breathing became labored. After a moment, Guinevere realized the true nature of this "sword."

"Klausolas..."

Even she herself wasn't sure if she had actually said the name, or if she had just thought about it in her mind. But then, the voice she had heard once before suddenly rang out: "My Lord." The tone was gentle and calm, sounding like both a man and a woman, sometimes like an old man with white hair, sometimes like an innocent and lovely child, yet not quite any of these specific images. It was as if someone had mixed together various voices and finally adjusted them into a "synthetic voice" that made everyone feel comfortable and friendly.

"There is no need to worry. I will eliminate the evil within me."

"wait wait wait."

The burning pain inside her body did not lessen at all because of these few words of conversation; on the contrary, it became even more intense. In the girl's perception, a radiant sword, as if forged from the light itself, was piercing through her body, constantly chasing after the power of the evil dragon that had already subsided. She tried to call out a few more times, wanting to stop it, but only received responses like "Don't worry, my lord," which were hard to tell whether they were perfunctory or serious. In the blink of an eye, Fafnir's already meager strength decreased by another 20-30%.

"and many more……"

Seeing that if things continued this way, even the last bit of dragon power would soon be completely wiped out, Guinevere couldn't help but panic. According to Fafnir, and based on her recent experience, this power should already belong to her. Regardless of whether there were any hidden dangers, she couldn't just throw it away like that. While still trying to persuade her, she desperately mobilized the remaining power to flee east and west. The Sword of Light pursued her closely. The chase between the two made her, as the master, very flustered, and she even felt like crying.

In the midst of her busy schedule, a flash of inspiration struck Guinevere. She suddenly remembered the key move from the previous battle. With a thought, the power of divine authority instantly flowed like the wind, omnipresent, like a high wall rising from the ground, blocking the path between the pursuer and the fleeer.

The sword of light suddenly flashed.

"My Lord..."

She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that she could hear a hint of dissatisfaction and grievance in the sound of a sword.

"Cold, calm down a bit."

"..."

"Wow--"

The girl let out a scream. The divine sword did not reply, but silently took a step back, raised it, and then with an incomparably fierce momentum, slashed heavily at the wall blocking its way!

……

Britain, in the south, deep within a cave.

Following the steps hidden beneath the large rock, it soon became impossible for any light from the outside world to penetrate.

But the hunched figure raised the scepter in his hand, and the eerie blue light could only illuminate the scene within a few steps around him. The stalagmites were like interlocking teeth, and under the dim light, they looked even more eerie and sinister than those above. In the quiet environment, only the soft footsteps and the sound of long robes trailing on the ground echoed.

"Oh……"

With this whisper, the Scepter of the Sea God suddenly shone brightly, illuminating the surroundings in a deep blue light. The white-haired "old man" stopped in his tracks, holding the scepter like a torch, and looked ahead with great interest, his eyes sparkling with a curiosity that did not match his appearance.

"I initially thought it was just a rumor or something fishy, ​​but I never expected... it's actually the real deal."

Looking ahead, the narrow passage had come to an end, and suddenly a wide-open space appeared before us—about the size of two or three football fields—the ground and walls were covered with ice, crystal clear, like a mirror, reflecting the surrounding scenery.

At first glance, all that could be seen was a cold, misty atmosphere, through which a huge ice sculpture could be vaguely seen, like an ancient beast lying there quietly, yet it resembled a mountain rising from the ground. Even when the "old man" raised his head high, he could only barely see the other's two front paws and a small part of its head.

"……who--"

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! The entire ice-covered space suddenly trembled violently a few times, and countless tiny cracks appeared on the ice surface in all directions, but they returned to their original shape in the next instant and were nowhere to be found.

Only one crack remained.

The crack split open directly in front of the mountain-like ice sculpture, running from the upper left to the bottom, revealing what should have been the beast's left eye—which was originally just a dark, empty eye socket, but as the ice cracked open, it suddenly lit up with a deep blue light, flickering and swaying like flames.

"You despicable insect, how dare you come before me... no, you are!"

Crack! Crack! Crack! New cracks kept appearing, only to be quickly eliminated by some invisible force in this space. The "old man" raised his head, and there was a hint of a smile in his eyes as he looked at the giant beast.

"The Danu God Clan—" A voice like rolling thunder resounded in the "old man's" mind: "That in your hand is... Mananan's Trident!"

"Not the sea god, but Mananan..." A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, but he didn't continue on that topic. The enormous ice sculpture suddenly trembled, as if the being within wanted to break free, but ultimately failed. Even the crack in the left eye area began to narrow little by little.

"You smell of blood. You killed those three people up there. You're Pelles' enemy! Let me out, and I'll help you!" The ice sculpture shook violently, and amidst the earth-shattering noise, a voice like thunder roared: "No matter what your purpose is, no matter who you are, I will help you—"

The "old man" smiled slightly.

“My name is Macha. Since you know Mananan, you may have heard of me as well.”

“Macha, Macha…you are the god of magic of Tuhaddanan! But how could you still be alive? Didn’t you already, already…”

"Did you die long ago, along with my husband and my sisters, under the demonic eye of Balor?" The old man, or rather, the goddess currently using this guise, curled her lips into a strange smile: "You seem to know a lot... According to the revelation of fate, the Wave Beast should have been completely wiped out more than a hundred years ago. Even if any remain in reality, they would be unable to move due to the lack of magic in the air, and could only live a life of mere survival. But you have remained active until now... I am beginning to wonder about your origins."

As the old man spoke, he walked forward. The tremors around him had subsided, and the cracks on the ice sculpture were gradually repairing. The voice that had been echoing in his mind suddenly turned panicked: "Let me out! I will tell you everything! Great goddess Macha, I am willing to become your servant and obey all your commands!"

"So proactive? I suppose I should say thank you." In a few steps, the hunched figure stood before the ice sculpture, appearing even smaller in comparison. Their positions were diametrically opposed.

“But what I need right now is not servants. So…”

The old man handed the scepter to his right hand and placed his pale left hand on the ice sculpture. He looked up again and met the shimmering blue light in his eyes: "...Although it was only a short time together, I was very happy."

"What...stop, stop now—stop!"

"farewell."

……

when!

As the old man in the robe disappeared, the scepter, now out of his grasp, fell onto the ice and rolled away.

Chapter 137 Light and Darkness

A gentle sea breeze blew, and the waves crashed. The horizon where the sea met the sky melted into the vast night as he looked around. Kai turned his head and saw a flock of white gulls flying over from afar, disappearing in an instant. His gaze went forward, and there he saw the silvery-white tower standing against the sky.

According to Merlin, this tower is not an actual object, nor is its appearance as it appears. It is only because people have preconceived notions and accepted the name "Tower of Radiance" that it appears to the world as a tall tower.

And radiance is everywhere, including the White Pagoda.

During the period of resonating with the sacred object, without any prerequisites, everyone can see the tower, but in different locations. Some see it in the north, some in the south, some in the east, and some in the west. But without exception, the direction in which it appears is the place that is most deeply etched in that person's memory.

"Smelly old man."

He gazed at the white tower—for only a few seconds—and muttered something only he could hear, then turned his attention back to reality. Just then, footsteps approached from the side. It was a dark-skinned middle-aged man holding a harpoon, a typical fisherman, followed by a little boy who looked similar to him, probably father and son.

“My lord, I…” The fisherman, speaking with a heavy southern accent, called out, then stopped, somewhat awkwardly rubbing his hands on his trousers before asking, “I still… I still have some things at home that I haven’t had time to take. Will… everything be alright?” As he spoke, he cautiously observed the fisherman’s expression. Kai shook his head: “Don’t worry.” After a moment’s thought, he added, “If there are any losses later, you and the others should sort things out and bring the results to him. His Highness Fisher will compensate you.”

Only after he finished speaking did the middle-aged fisherman breathe a sigh of relief, repeatedly thanking him with a relieved smile. A moment later, he returned to the group with his son, who had remained timid and silent. Only after they were out of sight did Kai shrug.

I wonder how things are going with the seal...

Not long ago, Lily sensed something was wrong; the legendary, incredibly powerful sea beast might break free from its seal. At the time, the possibility seemed slim, but just in case, the two quickly began evacuating the villagers in the area. Along the way, the knight named Gawain arrived, and they learned from him about the Fisherman King and his daughter, as well as Guinevere's situation. Although worried, they were at a loss for what to do and could only focus on what they could manage.

However, a small argument broke out when Gawain handed the Star Sword to Lily.

"This is Fina...Guinevere's sword?"

"Now it's yours." Gawain shoved the sword into the white-skirted girl's hand. Seeing her expression change several times, he quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, this is her own idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard it from the Fisherman King. At the last moment before the illusion collapsed, Fina threw the sword to him, probably so they would have some means of self-defense... and said that if anything unexpected happened, she would give the sword to you—'because it should have been yours to begin with.'"

After that, Lily reluctantly accepted the holy sword. The three of them then discussed the matter briefly. Gawain had learned the location of the cave where the sea monster was sealed from the Fisherman King and planned to go and check it out. With his strength and a weapon comparable to the Star Holy Sword, he figured he could escape unscathed even if any danger arose.

He and Lily split up and headed to several fishing villages that might be affected to evacuate the villagers. By this time, he had reached the last village, and Lily's village was probably in the same situation. If Fisher was alright, he should have already begun mobilizing his forces to prepare for the coming storm—Kay believed that the prince wouldn't be so lacking in such tactics.

Therefore, once these villagers leave the areas where they might be immediately affected, the rest of the matter falls under the responsibility of the local lord, and they, as outsiders, need not worry about it any further.

"What a chaotic night..." With a sigh, Kai weighed the weapon in his hand—the spear he had used earlier had been broken, and he couldn't find a new one in the rush, so he borrowed a harpoon from someone in the nearby fishing village. The length and weight were just right for him, but the thought that he had "fallen" to the point of having to fight with such a fish spear filled the young knight with a sense of melancholy.

Fortunately, his cronies weren't around. If they saw him like this, they'd probably make fun of him for years to come... Thinking about these pointless things, he stood on the high ground and watched the villagers with their families turn the corner and disappear from sight before turning around, dragging his harpoon, and hurrying towards the meeting place he had agreed to meet with Lily and Gawain earlier.

……

The stars twinkled in the sky, and the sun and moon faced each other from afar—a rare sight unseen for centuries. Inside a karst cave near the sea, Gao Wen bent down, examining a corpse lying among the sand and stones, his expression grave. He carried no torch, but his drawn sword shone like a sun shrunk countless times, its brilliance illuminating the entire cave as if it were daytime, revealing every detail.

A shimmering light shone through the water, and half of the green cloak was submerged in the cold seawater. When the light shone on it, a trace of crimson would occasionally appear on the surface of the water. The man's body lay among a pile of large and small pebbles, his head smashed open and his neck broken. Gawain looked around and took a few steps from time to time. With the sound of rushing water, the battle that had taken place here not long ago was gradually revealed.

He bent down once more, gently closing the corpse's open eyes, then removed his cloak and covered it with the body. He pressed the hilt of his sword to his forehead, offering a brief prayer for the deceased, before walking step by step into the depths. Descending the steps to the end, the dazzling light, like the sun, completely illuminated the vast open space frozen in ice, resembling a giant mirror, and dispelled the faint white mist, making everything clear.

"here it is……"

As the light shone forward, the footsteps stopped at a certain moment. Gawain took a step back, the light of the holy sword in his hand flashing slightly before suddenly coalescing, looking as if he were holding a bright flame. He raised the sword.

The sword tip was aimed at the figure in front of him, and his body leaned slightly forward, like a powerful bow being slowly drawn.

But then the other person slowly turned around—it seemed to be a young woman with long hair, her whole body shrouded in a hazy mist, making it impossible to see her features or clothing: "Look at this."

After saying that, he waved what he was holding in this direction.

Gawain was taken aback: "The Scepter of Poseidon?"

"Her target was indeed the magical beast sealed here." The man seemed to have no intention of paying attention to Gawain, and continued to speak to himself, "That's why she stole the scepter that could break the seal, instead of the other two treasures. But where is she now? She went through all the trouble of bringing the scepter here, so why did she leave it here?"

After a long while, Gao Wencai realized that the other party was asking him, "You mean..." But before he could finish speaking, the woman holding the scepter suddenly continued, "There is no one here, which means that she has either achieved her goal or failed and fled. The reason why the Sea God's Scepter is left here... there is only one possibility. She no longer needs to rely on the power of this thing."

"My name is Vivian." She seemed to only remember to introduce herself at this moment, her eyes, hidden behind mist, looking at Gawain.

"Vivian? Could she be Merlin's..."

“That’s not important.” After being abruptly interrupted for the third time, Gawain could only smile wryly and listen to her speak obediently: “There was once a magical beast sealed here.” The scepter tapped the ice surface, making a crisp sound that echoed in the open space: “But now, there’s nothing here.”

"The most important thing now is, where did that sea beast and the person who stole the Sea God's Scepter go? Or perhaps—"

"These two issues are essentially the same problem."

……

"The soldiers have begun their operation. It seems Fisher is alright. Ah, the 'Prophet' really startled me when he made his move; I almost thought that even the prince would be killed."

"Didn't you anticipate that Talisin would make a move from the beginning? That's why you sent your disciple to provide support."

"That's true, but even if you already know, you'll still be scared when the time comes. Humans are such contradictory and cowardly beings... Well, at least that's what I think."

Merlin nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips, yet tinged with self-mockery. Nemia glanced at her, then looked away, continuing to gaze ahead. Dreem had chosen this spot as a "lookout" to observe the entire territory, its view exceptionally expansive. Both women, each with their own abilities, now stood atop the high cliff, their vision no less than that of the innkeeper with the eagle's eye. They saw Fisher return to the castle, dispatch messengers, and begin mobilizing all the resources available at their disposal.

"By the way, don't you get bored just standing here like this?"

The female magician suddenly said this.

"You want to get involved?"

"Sigh, it's just that you got a memory that doesn't belong to you, but it feels like you've completely changed. This is not good, not good, the little princess will be angry later."

"You don't need to worry about that. In front of Dad, Nimiao will still be Nimiao."

"Lying is a bad thing to do."

"She won't mind."

"is it?"

"……kindness."

The last sound was almost inaudible, as if it were a hum from the nose. Merlin smiled slightly, then suddenly seemed to sense something and looked south. At the same time, Nemia also looked over: "She finally succeeded."

The little girl's tone was complicated. The female magician smiled and said, "So, are we going to keep standing here in the wind? I don't mind, but what about the others here..."

Nimiao's hands slowly clenched into fists.

Merlin took in this scene, but seemed to see nothing at all, still speaking in that cheerful yet somewhat grating tone: "Is your current mood directed at Guinevere and the others, or... Neman's sister, the goddess Macha?"

"I told you—"

“You don’t need to answer me.” Merlin placed his index finger on the girl’s lips, silencing the words she was about to utter. Noticing that Nemia’s eyes widened suddenly and her fists clenched, Merlin smiled broadly. “I forget who said it, but that actions speak louder than words. Let’s go.”

"..."

“Let’s go,” she said again.

This time, Nimiao remained silent for a long time, then turned her head away and snorted heavily, but still took Merlin's outstretched hand. The two figures disappeared like a gust of wind.

……

Within the giant cocoon, an unprecedentedly violent throbbing occurred. The countless beams of light that had been shooting out suddenly dimmed. The next moment, the entire giant cocoon abruptly cracked open, and an unimaginable amount of magical power swept out, almost transforming into a shockwave visible to the naked eye, sweeping across the town in an instant.

Pelles looked up and watched as the entire town gradually crumbled, slowly collapsing from a single entity. Roofs, walls, dust on the ground, windows, all kinds of furniture—everything, near and far, in all directions, was drawn upwards. He lunged to the side and hugged his daughter.

Time seemed to freeze at the moment the giant cocoon burst open in the air, and even the sound fell silent, as if you could hear a pin drop. But an unparalleled power—he vaguely found a similar feeling to the Trident of the Sea God in this burst of power, but he couldn't describe it accurately in words. He could only rely on the first thought that surged from the depths of his heart to rush forward and protect Elaine with his own body in the impending impact.

"If we really fail..."

He could have taken his daughter to another safe place, but he chose to stay in the closest location because he wanted to see if the little girl was safe. As death drew near, Pelles instinctively tried to find something like regret among the turbulent emotions surging within him, and he immediately found it—but not regret for his choice at that moment.