The Chronicles of the Mysterious Alchemist: The Chronicles of the Mysterious Alchemist, #4

By Wesley Wang

He accidentally traveled to a brand new world, where he discovered some pathogens that had long disappeared in human history, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. With his profound knowledge and technology in modern biochemistry, he began to exert influence in this world. He made up his mind to help those who were ostracized by society, possessed special abilities but were called "Mutants." These people were isolated and discriminated against because of their unique abilities. Through his efforts, he established a powerful group composed of marginalized individuals—the Mutant Knights. They not only bravely confronted the old feudal system and hostile forces but also fought for equality and respect for the mutants. The establishment and efforts of this team gradually changed society's view of people with special abilities and led a profound social transformation.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wesley Wang
• Release date: May 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224373840

Book preview

Chapter 1

Ethan looked at the kneeling Scorpion-tailed lion before him and hesitated.

Ruichier, who was standing behind him, asked in a low voice, What’s going on?

Ethan told her everything that had happened during the day, even including the 『Another Soul World』.

Ruichier’s first reaction was to pull Ethan’s hand and give him a direct look of rebuff.

The latter looked at the monster in front of him, patted Ruichier’s hand, and said comfortingly, ’’If the other party wanted to do something against me, it would have been perfectly possible to do so in his 『Soul Space』 this morning. Besides, I’ve thought about it for a long time, and if we want to safely return to the Twilight West Kingdom, it’s hard to do so by just relying on ourselves."

Ruichier looked like he still didn’t agree with this dangerous idea, It’s too risky.

Ethan shook his head, I know, but in this current situation, the options available to us are almost none.After entering the other party’s ‘soul space’ later, if I show any abnormalities, immediately help me disconnect the link …… You know what to do ……

Seeing that he was unable to convince Ethan, and knowing that there was no other way out Ruichier, nodded helplessly.

Looking at the lion’s head in front of him, Ethan took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and placed his hand on it.

The suction force from his consciousness was so strong that Ethan’s soul, barely able to rise any resistance, was pulled into a tunnel that spun at the speed of light.

After a split second, Ethan’s consciousness entered a darkness, the sound of sea water was heard beside his ears, and his body sank rapidly without listening to his command.

Giant sea serpents, lantern monster fish, colorful jellyfish …… all kinds of strange creatures gathered around Ethan, swimming around curiously, stopping to observe.

Shadows like undersea mountains rose up from the bottom of the sea, filling the entire space and dispersing these creatures

Ethan’s descending form fell onto a solid yet resilient piece of ‘earth’.

He reached underneath him and felt the touch, three parts metal, seven parts rubber.

Standing up on the 『Earth』, Ethan raised his eyes and looked out over this strange land under the sea, as far as the eye could see, like another world immersed in the ocean.

A dull, booming voice, like a thundercloud in the sky, came closer.

Half Human.(HalfHuman)

Ethan looked around for the source of the voice, and soon, he realized that it came from beneath him.

An eye that seemed to be the size of a hill slowly opened in the darkness and looked at Ethan.

It’s you ……

Ethan was a bit surprised, he didn’t expect that the owner of the other soul world was actually that giant beast at the bottom of the sea.

You …… are not the same ……

The behemoth’s voice was like a blast of thunder, piercing Ethan who couldn’t help but cover his ears.

You …… don’t belong to this world. A tremor came from the behemoth’s body, causing Ethan to fall to the ground unsteadily on his feet.

Huge eyes stared at Ethan, the pupils narrowing in a circle, looking like a frozen sea right in the center

The behemoth’s voice trailed off, sadness and disappointment in its tones, But humans are the same no matter what world they live in …… the lifespan of a rat, the strength of an ant, the mind of a locust. You utilize all possible resources to obtain mating, rule over others, slaughter innocents, and have timely fun, this! Is the ultimate in human pursuit!

The behemoth’s voice, which was getting angrier and angrier, and in the end, it was like a volcanic eruption, resounding throughout the soul space

Ethan was forced to the ground by a huge force of consciousness, not to mention hyping up resistance, he couldn’t even move a pinky finger.

Looking at the eyes in front of him, Ethan fought to shout out, Who the hell are you?

Me?!

The behemoth’s eyes emitted a heart-stopping light, In the long history of mankind, my names are as numerous as the stars in the night sky, the magic eye …… Kraken …… Leviathan……

As if remembering something, the behemoth’s voice grew smaller.

I have trusted humans, helped humans, and fought for you, but you have failed me time and time again.

Feeling the pressure on his body gradually reduce, Ethan struggled to get up and looked at the eyeball in front of him, Then, I’d better use the name 『Leviathan』, to call you.Leviathan, I admit that humans do have all kinds of shortcomings, and most of us are greedy, selfish, power-hungry, and brutal. But …… in all these long years, have you not met a single kind human being? Not one single one?!

Leviathan was silent for a moment, then refocused his eyes on Ethan, Decades ago, there was a young female human who had saved many of my children despite the opposition of her kind.

Ethan nodded vigorously, See Leviathan, that’s what I’m trying to say, it’s not all treachery and evil amongst humans, there is goodness amongst us as well, you can’t completely dismiss a race ……

Leviathan interrupted Ethan, I’m not done with my story. In return, I told her the secrets of racial evolution, and gave the ability of ‘Soul Link’, as a gift, to this female human.

Ethan’s face grew more and more serious as he heard this, and a bad feeling of foreboding rose up.

But, do you know what happened to her? Leviathan’s voice, became heavy, She was eaten alive by her fellow humans! Simply because someone coveted her powers!

O Clarence, you bastard, you still have to give trouble when you’re dead ……

Ethan rubbed the bridge of his nose hard with his hand with a bitter expression, Leviathan, there should be more than one kind human like this, right?

The Behemoth shuddered, So what if there is? In the human community, kind people are synonymous with sacrifice!

Ethan scratched the back of his head and sighed softly, Humans …… have always been a complex contradiction ……

I was born with this world and have seen countless races rise, prosper and fall. Humanity will one day pay the price for what it has done. The skies will no longer be clear, the water will no longer be clean, the sea will eventually swallow the land, and life will lose its light like a candle.

Leviathan’s voice suddenly took on a touch of sadness, I loathe the human race, who pretends to turn a blind eye to the path of destruction that lies beneath their feet, knowing full well that it is a path of destruction.

Ethan changed the subject, Why did you want to see me?

I know you, I can see everything about you. The ability to link souls is far more powerful than you realize. I found you not only because inside of you, you are half human and half us; it was more because what you did showed me another possibility for humanity.

Ethan thought for a moment and said, Half human, half you? Another possibility for humanity?Leviathan, I don’t understand what you just said, can you explain?

You will understand, when it comes down to it, you will naturally understand. Leviathan twisted his body, and the soul space began to slowly compress.

Knowing that the other party was closing the space, Ethan shouted out anxiously, Wait a minute! I still have a lot of questions! Well …… most importantly …… I have a partner who must leave the Land of Shadows immediately, can you help me?!

Leviathan’s body began to sink to the bottom of the ocean, his eyes slowly closing, The way is right in front of you, if you’ll just let go of your human malevolence.

What does that mean? What does that mean?! Ethan’s consciousness began to be jerked out of space.

At the last moment, Leviathan’s words reached Ethan’s ears.

‘Remember, I’ll always be watching over you ……’

Consciousness reentering his cave body, Ethan opened his eyes, breathed loudly, and smiled bitterly as he looked at Ruichier, the scorpion-tailed lion, and the surprised and curious griffin couple beside him

The way is right in front of my eyes, if only I would abandon my human wickedness? Ethan chewed on those words carefully, his eyesight unintentionally sweeping over the griffin couple hiding in the innermost part of the cave, and his eyes lit up.

Chapter 2

Riding a griffin back to the kingdom, you’re not kidding, are you?!

Receiving a bundle of firewood handed over by Ethan, Ruichier followed the other party’s line of sight to the sky and said incredulously.

With his feet in the deep snow and his hands picking up the dead wood and branches, Ethan straightened his back and looked at the beautiful snowy peaks under the sunlight, nodding his head, I’m not joking, like I just said, Leviathan gave me a revelation in the world of souls.

If I can admit humans into my soul world, then why not monsters?

Ruichier tightened the fur on his body, his small face freezing red, The people in the Kingdom of Twilight West, their trust in you is based on long acquaintance and reverence.Being able to smoothly carry out the linking of souls is also carried out on the basis that such recipients do not have any sense of resistance ……

Whereas these monsters in the Kingdom of Shadows have no intelligence, and each survives on its own, and will only react based on instinct. Trying to make a soul link with them, there will be many uncertainties, and in the worst case scenario, it will even result in the situation that Clarence was in at that time.

Ethan stroked his chin that had some stubble on it while pondering, These monsters may not be as dumb as we think. According to Leviathan, the race it is in has existed since the beginning of this world. In that case, the development of this race has been going on for far longer than even humans, and communicating with them, I think, is possible.

Then again, what exactly is the race that Leviathan is referring to? Half human, half them, what does the two have to do with each other? Ruichier asked suspiciously, clutching his firewood.

Ethan pointed to the earth beneath his feet, The answer should lie deep within the Land of Shadows, the radioactive source, the tyrant, Leviathan, and the mutation, all of these elements, may be pieces of the puzzle for the answer to the mystery, if we can find the connection between them, we will be able to completely solve the mystery and reveal the biggest secret behind the Land of Shadows!

Looking back at the freezing Ruichier, Ethan gathered his ambitions and said helplessly, But first, we must find a way to get home. Gaining the trust of the griffins and incorporating them into the Soul World is the most important task at hand.

Ruichier stomped in place, huffed at his hands, and asked Ethan, Gain the trust of the griffins? How do you intend to do that?

Ethan held his head up confidently and smiled, In my old country, there’s a saying, ‘Convince a man with virtue’.

Ten minutes later, the duo, loaded with dry firewood, returned to the entrance of the Griffin Cave.

The sudden situation at the entrance of the cave, however, gave Ethan’s confidence, a hard slap in the face.

The two stupid birds in the cave actually took advantage of the two of them going out to collect firewood, and blocked up the entrance of the cave with stones!

Ruichier first glanced at the tightly blocked hole, then rolled his eyes at Ethan and said in amusement, ‘Convince people with virtue’? Huh?

Ethan, who couldn’t keep his face up, put down the firewood in his hand and swung his fist out with a loud boom, instantly knocking out a gaping hole in the pile of rocks.

Borrowing the light from outside the hole, he looked in.

Ethan saw the griffin couple, snuggled up to each other, hiding behind the pile of rocks, croaked in shock by the apt attack.

Another punch.

The pile of stones used to block the door, was knocked off a small half, the griffon couple saw their carefully arranged obstacles, actually was so easy to destroy, suddenly scared of the chicken flew, headless flies, scurrying around in the cave.

Ethan, who was in the middle of his anger, stuck his head in, his eyes staring at those two stupid birds, and roared with a smile on his face: ’’Old folks, old folks! Open the door! Community warming!"

After another ten minutes, Ethan clears the doorway of rocks and leads Ruichier, back to the campfire deep in the cave.

The griffin couple cuddled together, their eyes terrified, and desperately huddled toward the wall.

They finally simply take after the ostrich, butt to Ethan, bird head to the stone wall, and come to eye lev

Ethan, who was both angry and amused, didn’t intend to pay any attention to them, and started to build a fire and cook on his own.

Among the food brought from Meredith were some dried fruit, dark bread, oats, cheese, saltines and bacon.

During dinner yesterday, Ethan had realized that the two griffons actually had human-like preferences when it came to food. The small half of the roasted lamb that was thrown over to them was simply added with some salt paste, and they ate all the meat with the skin, even including the bones.

Since this was the case, Ethan simply threw in his favor.

Utilizing his bachelor cooking skills from his previous life, he used the food to gain the trust of the griffins, thus completing a soul link with them, and ultimately using them as mounts to return to the Twilight West Kingdom.

The dish he was going to try today was a recommendation from a Swiss friend from his previous life - Cheese Wheat Cake.

Cheese with water and salt, plus bread flour and rye flakes, placed on a small fire while baking and stirring constantly, eventually turning into a batter.

Then, chop the dried fruit, bacon and other fillings, wrapped in the batter, baked on both sides. In less than ten minutes, a delicious and simple snack is ready.

The aroma of the baked food not only attracted Ruichier, who has no natural resistance to food, but also attracted the two stupid birds in the corner, who were meditating, to the pan.

The male griffon circled around to the other side of the pot, trying to hold as much distance as possible from Ethan while still poking his head out and smelling the aroma in the pot.

The first batch of flapjacks came out of the

Ethan, surrounded by one man and two birds, first tasted a piece for himself.

While chewing, he nodded his head in satisfaction, the flavor was good, his craftsmanship hadn’t regressed after all.

The second flapjack was given to Ruichier.

The woman, who had seen Ethan make MSG before, barely hesitated at the food in front of her.

Picking up a piece and shoving it into her mouth, she refused to spit it out even as she grimaced from the heat

Ethan glanced at the two remaining stupid birds and deliberately used the lid of the pot to fan the aroma of the food, into the faces of the young couple.

Seeing the two griffins scratching their ears anxiously, Ethan picked up a piece of pie from the pot and threw it over.

To his surprise, the two griffons had an excellent understanding with each other, and the scramble did not happen.

The male griffon merely pecked a bite of the pancake, and after confirming that the food was safe, he gave it up to his mate.

Ethan not only sighed with emotion, the monsters in front of him were, in a way, really better than many humans.

As if reading his thoughts, the male griffon nodded slightly before taking the food and running back to his mate, eating it in peace.

In the days that followed, the two men and two beasts in the cave were in a strange state of collaboration.

During the day, the griffons alternately went out to forage for food, and in the evening, Ethan and Ruichier were in charge of processing, cooking, and seasoning the food they brought back ……

When the sun went down and the stars appeared at the beginning of the day, the two people and two beasts sat together, as if they were a family, and feasted on the food that had been processed.

Such days lasted for a week, in the middle of which Meredith came a few times to deliver some supplies, but never mentioned anything about training. The griffon’s attitude towards Ethan had taken a 180-degree turn compared to before.

Whenever Ethan walked into the cave, the griffins that stayed behind would always belly up to the sky, combing their feathers with their sharp beaks, and when they saw him, they would only nod their heads as if they had said hello.

Whenever he sees this scene, Ethan, who can’t help but cry and laugh, always remembers Sonia, the female cat he raised in his previous life.

When he was just adopted, he was timid, defensive, and helpless, and he hid under the bed even when he ate. After less than a month together, the guy had completely adapted to the presence of the pooper scooper and slept like this on all fours.

After a few more days, Ethan, while helping the griffin groom its feathers, first nodded at Ruichier, then pointed one finger at the top of the griffin’s head and used the 『Soul Link』 ability to start trying to link with a non-human race for the first time.

Chapter 3

Unlike humans, the soul world of griffins was purer and more straightforward.

Standing on the top of a snowy mountain in the soul space, Ethan looked at the two larger and three smaller figures soaring in the sky, and sighed softly and lowly with a complex expression.

The two larger figures were naturally the griffon couple, and the three small griffons were their unborn children.

Together with its mate, bringing all the children with it, flying at will in the sky, was all this griffon’s soul had to offer.

This wish, so simple, yet so beautiful.

Unable to bear to disturb its thoughts, Ethan avoided drawing the attention of the griffon and set about finding other entry points to link his own soul with that of

Since his body had completed the mutation, Ethan realized that the supernormal abilities in his body had evolved in a qualitatively different way.

Among them, 『Soul Link』, as the most mysterious and peculiar ability among all the supernormal abilities, had many unexpected enhancements after For example, the unfolding of the soul world could be maintained for a longer period of time without any more fatigue; another example was that calling the linker into the soul world no longer required obtaining the other party’s permission, but could be pulled in compulsorily.

In the griffin’s soul space, Ethan had discovered another new alien enhancement. When confronted with a weak and well-intentioned creature of simple thought, the soul link can peer into the memories of the other party in order to be used to find an entry point for the link.

For example, for this griffin, Ethan’s upgraded Soul Link Ability was able to directly read the memories and find out the opponent’s mental weak point, directly establishing a link between the two.

Moreover, compared to humans, griffins weren’t overly protective of their memories. At the same time, it seemed that they would not memorize all of their past memories, only a few of the most important fragments were kept in the depths of their souls, all of which greatly reduced the difficulty of Ethan’s link.

While Ethan was establishing the link, he peered into the deepest fragment of the griffin’s memory.

A rushing fire burned the forest, black smoke obscuring the entire sky. Humans with hunting dogs, armed with catch nets, lances, crossbows and swords, surrounded a group of wounded griffins, curses and roars filling the space.

The protagonist of the memory - the male griffon - was nothing more than a terrified young bird hiding under its mother’s wings in this memory. As it watched, its kind fell one after another, and its parents gave themselves a chance to escape with their lives.

These images and sounds left a blood and fire within its soul that could never be erased.

The forest had been burning, loved ones and enemies alike had disappeared, leaving only the young griffin, kneeling and wailing.

Ethan, as a bystander, walks into this memory.

He walks up to the young griffin, who, caught off guard, stomps on all fours at the sight of him, screaming as he backs away.

Ethan knelt down on one knee, metallic colored scales slowly sprouting on his body surface, his palms changing into the shape of the monster’s iron claws, the appearance and scent brought about by the mutation slowly calming the griffon.

Carefully reaching out his hands, he took the griffin into his arms, Ethan gently stroked the top of the other’s head, murmuring something in his mouth.

Soon, the griffon closed its eyes and turned into a beam of light, flying into Ethan’s body.

The first soul link with a non-human race, completed.

Ethan, who exited the soul world, looked at the male griffin across from

The other party’s eyes showed him gratitude and even a hint of dependence.

You shed tears ……

Ruichier walked to Ethan’s side and said softly.

Touching his cheek, the moist touch made Ethan, reveal an expression of surprise and confusion.

In his memory, since crossing over to this other world, whether it was the cabin in the snow when he first arrived, or the fall to the bottom of the sea when he was in despair, Ethan had always remained optimistic and sunny.

However, when facing a 『stupid creature』 in people’s eyes, Ethan showed his feelings and vulnerability for the first time.

After a long time, Ethan, who had not yet dried his tears, looked sideways at Ruichier and said with a forced smile, Sometimes, I really don’t understand, what exactly is a human being?

---

Three days later at the summit of Snowmass.

Ruichier, who was meticulous in his work, once again took an inventory of the supplies that needed to be carried, checked the chair covers strapped to the griffin once more, and was busy for a long time before finally nodding his head and saying, No problem, it’s ready to go.

Ethan looked at the male griffon that was saying goodbye to his mate, and hearing her words, he suddenly said, Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve named them yet.

Meredith, who was standing at the side, stared with wide eyes and said incredulously, You’re going to name these monsters ……?!

Ignoring her cross-examination, Ethan said to himself, The male one, I’m going to call him Henry (Henry), and the female one, you can call her Sonia (Sonia).

Meridith ruffles her raven feathers and looks at Ruichier and rolls her eyes.

Ethan walked up to Henry the griffon and tickled the other’s neck, who gave a low chirp of enjoyment and rubbed his head against the former’s face.

Meredith’s tone carried a bit of surprise, These monsters in the Land of Shadows have always taken a hostile and defensive attitude towards humans, but you actually managed to get so close to it.

Ethan gestured towards Ruichier and rolled himself onto the back of the griffin, adjusting his seating position before addressing Meredith, They are not the crazy monsters that the world makes them out to be, and if you are able to get to know it, you will find that they will be your best friends.

Meredith nods noncommittally and smiles as she looks to Ethan again, When do you plan on coming back?

Supporting Ruichier and sitting her down in front of him, Ethan pulls up the reins on the back of his chair and smiles, Trust me, soon.

Meredith opened her mouth to say more. But after some thought, she finally gave up on words.

Just as Ethan was about to give the command to take off, a tawny figure, traveling through a mountain stream, flew above the heads of the group.

Waiting for that figure to land on the snow, Ethan gazed at it, and the scorpion-tailed lion that he was all too familiar with, holding an amber-like ‘stone’ in its mouth, slowly walked up to him.

Receiving the stone from the scorpion-tailed lion’s mouth, and waiting for the other party to gradually move away, Ethan scrutinized this strange thing over and over again.

On the surface, the stone had the transparent texture of amber, and when he touched it with his hands, it was three parts metal and seven parts rubber.

When I put it under my nose and smelled it, it was like the ambergris in a whale’s body, and actually had a strong scent.

Ethan lifted up the Amber Stone and looked into the sunlight, the viscous black substance flowing inside made his body shiver and his pupils shrink.

A thick and dull voice rang in his ears.

『Half man …… The small step you took gave me some hope …… This is your reward and your key …… Use it properly and you can discover the nature of the species

『Remember, I’ll always be watching you……』

found Ethan holding the 『Amber Stone』, sitting on the back of the griffin, and didn’t speak or move for a long time.Ruichier whispered to him: 『What’s wrong ? Did something happen?"

Ethan cast his eyes towards the object in his hand and said in an unusually low voice, I think we found the Tyrant.

Chapter 4

Placing the 『Amber Stone』 gifted by Leviathan in his belt pouch behind him, Ethan, who is holding Ruichier in his arms, looks with his eyes to the woman who is standing by the side, and says gratefully, Meridith, thank you for everything you’ve done for us, I owe you a favor.

Meridith blinks and smiles, It’s best if you remember, naturally.

Ethan paused, and then asked, We’re leaving like this, where is your master ……

The Shadow Country is like a hometown for those who have passed the trial, you can come over anytime, and naturally, you can leave anytime as well .

Ethan followed the ridge of the snowy peak and took one last look at the sea of fog that shrouded the country of shadows above, his hands lifted the reins tightly, and he let out a loud cry under his breath.

The griffin Henry stood up as a man, his huge feathered wings stretched out, fanning a gale that blew the snow on the ground into the air, and his body slowly left the ground in the midst of the snowflakes flying in the sky, soaring towards the sky.

The feeling of sitting on a griffin and flying is far stronger than the bumps and pressure caused by an airplane just taking off.

Feeling the thrill of flying, which he had not experienced in a long time, Ethan’s heart was beating violently, and the excitement brought by the hormones in his body made him overjoyed.

Ruichier, on the other hand, buried his body in Ethan’s arms and shrieked in terror the moment he took off.

Flying above the ridge of the snow-covered mountain, the cold, biting wind hit their faces as the pair’s bodies carried gravity up

In less than five minutes, the griffin flew down the mountain against the wind, skimming over the shrine and heading towards the edge of the Land of Shadows.

Ku Qiu Lin stood in the open space at the back of the temple, lifting a boulder with both hands as he did his daily strength training routine.

A whistling figure, accompanied by a clear bird song, quickly swept past his head.

Ku Qiu Lin looked up and was stunned by the scene in his eyes, There’s actually a person sitting on top of that thing! How is this possible?!

His hands slipped, and the boulder fell, hitting his feet impartially.

With a miserable scream, Ku Qiu Lin covered the back of his foot and rolled all over the ground.

Skaha, the Queen of the Kingdom of Shadows, stood in front of the broken idol in the center of the temple, looking at the griffin figure that passed by in the broken patio, opened her mouth and whispered, Perhaps ……

Closing her eyes, with purple hair and red pupils, she shook her head, So what, the result is the same in the end ……

The griffon vulture flew through dense forests, arena ruins, vine gardens, misty shores, and ultimately flew over

Flying low above the sea, the griffin’s shadow, cast by the sun, drew a school of barracudas to leap out of the water.

The air was no longer as cold as it had been at first, and Ethan and Ruichier poked their heads out of their clothes, tilting their bodies slightly to reach underneath

The turquoise blue waves of the sun danced and jumped around the duo’s fing

In the field of vision, the shores of the Ulster Kingdom were getting closer and closer

Ethan, who was linked to Henry’s soul, felt the fear and tension in the other’s heart, growing stronger and stronger.

The attacks suffered in the barbarian kingdom in the past, and those painful memories made the griffin Henry slow down and his movements became hesitant.

Ethan leaned down, gently patted the griffin and whispered a few words to it.

The latter lifted its spirits, raised its wings, pulled up its altitude, and swooped straight towards the Ulster Kingdom.

Holding Ruichier tightly while firmly grasping the reins with both hands, Ethan crouched his body on the griffin’s back, feeling the wind pressure brought about by the creature’s full-speed flight beneath him.

The continuous shrieks coming from the cities of the kingdom reached Ethan’s ears as he looked down below him, and it was as if everything in the world was slowly being reduced in size, the houses turning into mosaics and the people into grains of dust.

After flying forward for almost another hour, Ethan felt the frequency of the griffin’s wing vibrations beneath him slowing down, and he said aloud to Ruichier in his arms, We’re going to have to find a landing.

Ruichier squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced, Hurry! Hurry up and get this bird down!

Utilizing his 『Eagle Eyes』 to observe the surrounding terrain, Ethan adjusted the griffin’s direction to the direction of the 『Frost Stone Tribe』 by using the impression from his memory.

The destination was hidden in the middle of the forest, and it wasn’t easy to locate it in the sky, but Ethan found the camp without much effort.

Because, thick black smoke was billowing over the Frost Stone Tribe’s camp, and it was easily visible even from several kilometers away.

Commanding the griffin to fly over his destination, Ethan repeatedly checked the camp below, and only after confirming that it was safe did he slowly land on the ground.

The Froststone Tribe’s campsite was in ruins, with no sign of living people to be seen, and all the buildings had been torched by the fire.

The charred wood was still emitting smoke, and traces of fighting could be seen everywhere on the ground, with undried blood splattered on the weapons and arrows.

Henry the griffon was so disgusted with the smell of the air that he chirped and backed away, and it took Ethan a great deal of effort to stabilize him.

Ruichier, who was uncomfortable with flying, found a corner and dry-heaved for a long time as soon as she landed on the ground

After her mind had settled a bit, she walked over to Ethan’s side, picked up a broken arrow, pointed to the markings on it, and said breathlessly, Ulster Slave Trappers.

Taking the arrow and glancing at the marking, Ethan looked up and around the surrounding ruins, and inadvertently noticed a figure flashing before his eyes.

Utilizing his 『Speed』 ability to catch up with the figure, Ethan wrenched the other man’s shoulder to take a look at what appeared to be the face of a boy with a few familiar

You are …… Ethan carefully searched his mind for a while, and suddenly remembered that this was the same tribal boy he had saved from the griffin’s mouth.

The boy was covered in black ash and crouched on the ground, shivering and wh

Ethan took a long time to ask some details from him, and then using reasoning, he finally got a general idea of what happened.

The Ulster Kingdom had suffered a defeat in the south, and the army was so severely depleted that it had to capture members of the tribe to replenish the army.

The capture of the Frost Stone Tribe was a late night raid.

The Ulster Kingdom’s slave-trapping army, which had blocked the exit of the basin beforehand, climbed over the hills in the night, creating chaos and driving the tribe’s villagers towards the traps that had already been set up.

The tribe’s upper and lower ranks, including Boyer, the old shaman, and others, were captured and sent to the Ulster Kingdom’s slave storage facility.

There was a southern woman with a broken leg, was she captured too? Ethan asked as he crouched down and looked at the boy.

The latter shook his head with a confused look on his face, causing Ethan to sigh deeply

Ruichier looked over at Ethan and asked softly, What do we do now?

Ethan rubbed his temples and replied with a headache, I’m not exactly a guy who is good at owing favors.

Chapter 5

The griffin’s large size made it too conspicuous, and Ethan sent it back to the Shadowlands first. After settling the surviving boy, he and Ruichier set off on foot for the ancient bubbling city of Ulster, the largest slave-holding facility in the Kingdom of Ulster.

The ruts of the heavy prison wagons are still faintly discernible on the pavement as the two walk down the forested avenues

After crossing several mountain ranges, Ethan rushed to the plains outside of Gubu City before the sun went down.

On the wide and sprawling plains, war horses neigh and the voices of the people are loud.

Ulster soldiers in battle armor, riding their horses, handcuffed groups of captives together and drove them like cattle into a makeshift fence made of wooden stakes.

Barbarian clans from the southern forests, dozens of smaller ones, hundreds of larger ones. Among them were men, women, old people, and children, who were taken into custody according to their gender, age, and physique under the distinction of a group of body inspectors.

Suddenly, a young barbarian teenager, taking advantage of the soldier’s inattention, flipped out of the wooden spiked fence and fled desperately in the direction of the forest.

Crouching in the bushes at the edge of the forest, Ethan nervously watched the young figure that was getting closer and closer, his palms clenched into fists, sweat gradually seeping out of his palms.

An Ulster Kingdom slave catcher, riding his horse, caught up with the fleeing teenager, the lasso in his hand was thrown out, and the rope loop hit the latter’s neck impartially.

The cavalryman turned his horse’s head and urged the mount underneath him to gallop in the opposite direction.

Ethan instinctively tried to stand up and meet him, but was pulled by the corner of his coat by Ruichier

With your mutations and abilities, you may be able to kill three hundred soldiers here, but there are still thousands of Ulster’s soldiers in the barracks in the hills over there. And how long can your body last? Twenty minutes? Half an hour?

Ruichier’s warning cry was one Ethan was powerless to counter.

The teenager was dragged across the ground, letting out a mournful scream; the soldiers whistled and hollered; the clansmen hid their faces and sobbed, unable to speak in grief.

Ethan closed his eyes and pressed his head dead against the grass, his hands slowly evolved into the shape of the monster’s sharp claws, the 『Cracking』 ability activated at full capacity, the plants turned into withered flotsam, and the rocks turned into powder.

The teenager’s voice became smaller and smaller, and gradually disappeared.

Ruichier looked toward the westering sun and said to Ethan, After the sun goes down, we might be able to sneak into the slave house.

Ethan flopped down on the grass and said softly, I thought I was used to seeing death, but I was proven wrong.

Ruichier was silent.

Watching warriors on the battlefield, for the sake of faith and hope, go to their deaths; watching innocent young children, die in the butcher’s guillotine, and doing nothing about it myself. Ethan’s mutated hands gradually returned to their original shape and said breathlessly, The two are completely different things.

Ruichier lowered his eyelids and whispered reassuringly, It’s not your fault.

Ethan shook his head vigorously, took a deep breath, and spoke, Let’s not talk about that! Let’s figure out how to blend in.

---

As the sun set and night fell, the plains were still lit up.

The slave catchers were ‘sorting’ the spoils of war.

Sick, disabled, and skinny individuals would be picked out first and kicked into the substandard pile to be ‘processed’.

Next, strong men would be drafted into the army and given the title of Ulster Servants; healthy, good-looking women would be cataloged as ‘spoils of war’ to be offered to the upper class or distributed to meritorious officials.

Good-looking boys and girls are individually marked up and sent to the slave exchange.

The rest of the ‘goods’ would be sold on the spot to some well-known slavers. Most of the latter were nobles who refused to give their names, or mysterious syndicates with large sums of money.

Ethan and Ruichier, disguised as merchants, approached the slave enclosure, looking for any familiar faces in the crowd.

It was not easy to find a specific few people in dozens of pens surrounded by thousands of people

After searching for quite some time, the duo still found nothing.

But soon, things took a turn for the worse.

The slave trappers had set up a stake at the entrance of the city, and a man, covered in blood, was tied to it, dying.

Come and see, all of you! Scum of the kingdom, shameful deserters, vile traitors! The clerk, dressed in a linen topcoat, yelled at the top of his voice, standing on the platform.

With a tug on the man’s hair, the scribe spat towards the twisted and deformed face, This man’s name is Boyer, and he was originally entrusted by the kingdom to lead the troops south. But halfway there, he absconded with his troops, smuggled out slaves, and formed an army to rebel against the kingdom!

Angry shouts and curses came from the stage.

Kill him!

Let him rot in the swamp!

May his soul be enslaved by the Demon Eye for eternity!

The clerk nodded in satisfaction and winked at the executioner behind him.

Watching the latter pull out a sharp-hooked curved knife from his pocket, he once again said loudly, According to the kingdom’s laws and punishments, Boyer will be sentenced to the punishment of 『Hooked Intestines』! His intestines and entrails will be displayed under the blazing sun and the ethereal moon in agonizing pain!

Turning and walking over to Boyer, the scribe slapped the other man’s cheek and said with a sneer, The last man’s record was three days and two nights, don’t let us down.

The executioner stepped forward, picked up his knife, and began to gesture towards the small of Boyer’s back, seemingly searching for the perfect

Ethan, who hides his face under his cloak, looks at the terrain around him and says to Ruichier, Remember! As soon as you see my signal, use 『Mind Power』 to knock over these fire pots at the entrance of the city. I’ll take advantage of the darkness and go up to rescue them. Whether it works out or not, after you use your ability, immediately leave the scene and absolutely do not stay!

Watching Ruichier nod his head, Ethan pressed his cloak down to the brim, covering most of his face, and parted the flow of people in front of him, towards the city gates, slowly approaching.

The executioner found his position, lifted his sharp knife, and made a move to stab.Ethan saw his target, picked up a stone, and aimed at the executioner’s head.

Just then, a sharp voice rang out.

By order of the king, the execution is canceled.

Hearing this, a tidal wave of skepticism and dissatisfaction arose from the crowd.

The sharp voice sounded again.

Traitor Boyer, will be sent to the 『Bare Circle』 for his first performance the day after tomorrow.

The crowd of onlookers was quiet for a moment, then let out earth-shattering praise and cheers.

Just as Ethan was puzzled, Ruichier walked up to him, gently pulled him and walked to an unoccupied corner, and said to him softly, The 『Bare Circle』 was built in the royal city of Ulster, and is the most famous gladiatorial arena in the entire kingdom, and even in the North Continent. Rumor has it that the gladiators who are sent there either fight each other or face strong enemies, and with nine deaths, it is rare to see anyone come out alive.

Chapter 6

Sitting in the rented carriage, Ruichier lifted the corner of the window and glanced at the vast procession of slave escorts in front of her, then at Ethan, who was beside her with his eyes closed and unmoving.Next, she lowered the window, leaned her body against the back of the seat, and waited in silence.

Almost two minutes later, Ethan opened his eyes.

Is the meeting in the Twilight West Kingdom over? Ruichier asked softly.

Ethan craned his neck clockwise, nodded and said, The Twilight West Knights have expanded, their number has been adjusted upwards to 1,900, and the proportion of the number of fae among them, has reached thirty percent; the Twilight West Constitution has passed through deliberation and will be enacted next week, and the list of the court members has been finalized; the envoy delegation from the Holy Guardian City has arrived at the Twilight West City..

Holy Acropolis? Ruichier asked seemingly casually, The one that the Silver Ring Queen originally belonged to?

Ethan nodded his head yes even though he wasn’t sure why the other party asked that

The first sea ship from the Murexi Shipyard was launched, using the new design from the Murexi Academy, and I heard that both the speed and durability are superior to ordinary merchant ships. Speaking of what he saw in the meeting, Ethan looked a bit excited, There was also the kingdom’s first theater competition, the completion of the royal city’s outskirts, and the completion of the summer planting of the farmland …… The Kingdom of Twilight West has seen so many things happen during the time I was away.

Your Majesty, I have a question about this rescue of Boyer and also Aisha.

Ruichier’s words made Ethan froze, Question? What kind of question?

About the whole rescue plan, how do you plan to do it?

Ethan looked at Ruichier who had a serious face and spoke, "Plans? If I can use the night to approach the prison wagon, I will be able to rescue Boyer in the shortest possible time, and as long as I rescue him, I will be able to know Aisha’s whereabouts. But the escorting procession of slaves is