Collection 1

471-480

Chapter 471: I Need No Introductions [Part 1]

A faint breeze blew into the night, as William stood on top of a mountain. His clothes fluttered in the darkness, unseen by the two moons and the stars that were currently out of sight.

Two hours before midnight. A time when the common people were already asleep, and only those who did night activities were awake.

William's green eyes glowed in the darkness as he surveyed the land. As a Half-Elf, seeing in the dark was as natural to him as breathing.

"Heroic Avatar," William said softly as a great power surged inside his body.

This was the second time that he had used this ability after returning from the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods. When he was in this form, he felt that the world was within his grasp. It was quite unfortunate that limitations had been placed on this ability, otherwise, William would have already stirred up a storm within the Zelan Dynasty.

He plucked up a few hairs from his head and lightly blew on them, sending them flying in the breeze.

A moment later, seven clones who looked exactly like him landed by his side. Each of them pulled out a small golden-metallic-rod from their ears, which increased its size until they became as long, and thick as William's wooden staff.

Each of them pointed their staff in different directions. Their targets were the four Teleportation Gates that were nearest the border of the Hellan Kingdom.

""Quick Shot War Art, Fusion Form.""

""Blitzer Railgun!""

—–

Inside the Zelan Royal Palace…

"Tomorrow, the vanguard will start their advance," Elandorr said as pushed a golden Elven Knight Chess Piece forward, using a customized wooden rake, on the map in the center of the conference room.

According to our estimate, it will take us three days to reach the Azure Fortress. From there, we can use the Human's Teleportation Gate inside the fortress, to speed up our conquest of the Hellan Kingdom.

(A/N: Azure Fortress is the name of the Fortress that James defended.)

"According to our scouts, who have infiltrated the Hellan Kingdom, the majority of their forces are holed up in the City of Gladiolus," Elandorr reported. "They seemed to have accepted their inferiority and decided to make their last stand at the Hellan Kingdom's Capital."

The Patriarchs and other High Ranking Officers of the Elven Army nodded their heads. Although their reinforcements had arrived from the Silvermoon Continent, Elandorr retained his position as the Commander of the expedition. Meaning, he had complete command of the three-million Strong Elven Army.

With such a powerful army at his disposal, only the Kraetor Empire remained a threat to them within the Southern Continent.

Also, aside from the Elven Reinforcements, one more Guardian from the Silvermoon Continent appeared to aid them. It was none other than the Golden Elder Dragon, Ezkalor.

Two Peak Myriad Beasts, and one Pseudo-Demigod. They were the trump cards of the Elven Army.

Because of these Three Guardians, that would serve as the overseers of the Elven Conquest, the Patriarch's and the Elven Officers felt at ease. This was also why they allowed Elandorr to keep his rank as Commander, and allow him to command the Elven Reinforcements.

With such powerful beings by their side, the conquest of the Hellan Kingdom was mere childsplay.

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"I heard that you have faced the Saintess Son."

An intimidating presence within the room asked.

"What is he like?"

Ezkalor, the ruler of the Dragons in the Silvermoon Continent, stared at Elandorr with a pressure that was enough to make the Elven Commander uncomfortable.

The Elder Dragon was currently in a humanoid form, but his draconic feature stood out among the Elves that were gathered inside the conference room.

"Did you not hear me?" Ezkalor asked because Elandorr seemed to have frozen in place after he had asked his question.

"Your Excellency, the pressure you are radiating is too much for him to handle," Shafel stood up and bowed respectfully to the Elder Dragon.

Ezkalor frowned before suppressing the pressure that overflowed from his body.

Elandorr immediately took in a deep breath as if the invisible hand choking his neck had suddenly let go. After regaining his breath, he respectfully bowed to answer Ezkalor's inquiry.

"I have met the Saintess' Son in a battle near the Sanctuary of the Minotaur Race," Elandorr replied. "I believe that he is the strongest among the prodigies here in the Southern Continent."

"Mmm. So, you're saying that you lost to him, right?"

"… Yes."

Elandorr didn't dare to lie in front of one of the Guardians that had protected the Silvermoon Continent. Also, he was afraid that the Elder Dragon would punish him due to the death of his Beast Companion, the Silver Dragon, Deoldreoss.

"How strong is he?" Ezkalor asked. "Is he really so strong that he managed to defeat not only you, but Deoldreoss as well?"

Elandorr could feel his cheeks burn due to the shame and embarrassment he was experiencing. Right now, all the High-Ranking members of the Elven Expedition were gathered, including Princess Eowyn.

"When I fought against him, he had the power that is equivalent to a Saint," Elandorr replied. "Perhaps he used a forbidden ability to temporarily raise his strength to its limit during our fight. Because of this, my partner, Deoldreoss, met his end."

A smirk appeared on Ezkalor's face as he corrected Elandorr's explanation.

"Deoldreoss is not dead." Ezkalor stated.

Elandorr looked at the Elder Dragon in shock as he tried to feel the connection between him and his Beast Companion. However, the connection was no longer there which made him frown.

"Your Excellency…"

"He's not dead." Ezkalor repeated. "However, I also can't feel his presence. It is as if he has disappeared from this world. The only thing I can think of is that he has been taken to some place…, like a Domain, that blocks my detection abilities."

Elandorr suddenly felt hope because, if his Beast Companion was alive, re-establishing their connection was only a matter of time.

The Elven Commander thanked Ezkalor profusely for the news that he had shared with him. Ezkalor briefly nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

He could still remember the Human Hero, Maxwell, during that great battle against the Demon Race. It pained him that Maxwell's son had been cast away into the Human lands, instead of being raised in the Elven Continent.

However, as an Elder Dragon, he didn't like to interfere with the affairs of the Elves. This was why he had turned a blind eye to their schemes to invade the Human lands. The reason he had accompanied them on this venture was to personally see what kind of young man Maxwell's child grew up to be.

'If he is really a promising youth then I'll choose one from my brood and make them partners,' Ezkalor thought. 'Doing so will also ensure his safety from the Elves. I'd like to see if any of these stuck-up Elves dare to challenge my decision.'

While Ezkalor was busy trying to find the perfect Dragon Partner for William, the door of the conference room suddenly burst open.

"Sir! It's an emergency!" an Elven Guard looked at Elandorr with anxiousness.

"Calm down," Elandorr ordered. "Don't you know that this is an important meeting? How dare you barge in here and treat it as a common tavern?"

The Elven Guard finally regained his composure when he noticed the stares of everyone in the room. However, this composure lasted only for a brief moment when he remembered his purpose for coming to the conference room unannounced.

"Sir! The Teleportation Gates!" the Elven Guard said with great urgency. "Rebels are destroying the Teleportation Gates along the North-Western Border of the Zelan Dynasty! Four of the Teleportation Gates have already been destroyed, but the rebels are also attacking other places. I'm afraid…"

Elandorr's face paled when he heard the Elven Guard's full report. According to the Guard, a giant, golden rod, descended from the sky and obliterated the Teleportation Gates in the four cities near the Hellan Border.

"It's him!" Elandorr exclaimed. "It's the Saintess' son! William Von Ainsworth!"

A peal of thunder reverberated through the skies above the Capital City of Briar Glen.

The Qilin, Eneru, immediately flew towards the North-Western Regions where William had been suspected to appear. Aside from him, no one among the Elven Reinforcements could travel great distances at the speed of lightning.

"Finally, you've re-appeared!" Eneru gnashed his teeth as he saw the giant golden rod Glowing in the distance. "I will not let you escape, you bastard of that Hateful God! I will tear you to shreds!"

Chapter 472: I Need No Introductions [Part 2]

"Hold it right there, you damned Brat!" Eneru roared as he streaked through the skies like a lightning bolt.

William sneered at the Qilin who was rapidly approaching his location.

"It's not only you who can travel at the speed of lightning," William stated as his entire body exploded in a shower of sparks.

He flew towards the East, and Eneru followed at his heels like a rabid dog out for blood.

While this was happening, the other Teleportation Gates in different cities were being crushed under the massive weight of Ruyi Jingu Bang.

William knew that he was on borrowed time. Every minute that passed was a step closer to losing the power of his Heroic Avatar. He intended to squeeze every second out of it in order to destroy as many Teleportation Gates as he could before making his escape from the Zelan Dynasty.

He didn't bother to engage the Elven Defenders who had been woken up in the middle of the night by his antics. Everytime he destroyed a Teleportation Gate, he would immediately fly towards the next location.

The William that Eneru had encountered was one of his clones, and the latter immediately lured the Qilin away from William, and the other clones, to prevent the Guardian Beast from getting in the way of their mission.

William was about to destroy another Teleportation Gate when a giant fist made of Earth blocked his way.

The Half-Elf immediately somersaulted upwards to evade the attack from the Ancient Golem, Drauum.

William softly landed on top of a white cloud as he stared down at the two-meter tall golem that was looking up at him with a cold gaze.

"Hi." William sneered. "Bye!"

William subtly pointed his staff at a direction and silently activated his Quick Shot Fusion War Art. However, at that moment, the Earth rose up to enclose him in a dome. The Half-Elf immediately pointed his staff upwards and disappeared from his location.

Drauum frowned because it couldn't sense anything in the Earth Prison that it had created to entrap William. Still, it didn't disperse the spell right away. Instead, it made the prison shrink until it was only two meters big.

It then used its powerful detection abilities to see if the Half-Elf was only using a trick to hide his presence. After making sure that the red-headed boy had really not been captured by its Earth Prison, Drauum smashed the Earth Dome into bits.

'That was close,' William thought as he stood on top of a cloud.

He was currently above the dark-gray clouds that covered the continent in darkness. The Two Moons of Hestia, and the stars in the sky illuminated his image as he pointed his staff towards the nearest teleportation gate.

Now that Eneru and Drauum had arrived at the scene, his unrestricted rampage was nearing its end.

'I'll destroy one more before I leave,' William thought as he once again merged with his weapon and streaked across the lands of the Zelan Dynasty.

"Bastard!" Eneru roared when he realized that the Half-Elf that he just killed was only a clone.

He once again took off towards the sky as he used its powerful senses

to find the location of his target.

'There!' Eneru transformed into a lightning bolt as he headed towards the giant golden pillar that descended from the sky. Although he knew that it might be another clone, he still decided to go. As long as the possibility existed, Eneru was unwilling to let William go.

As someone that had ascended his rank, Eneru had developed an uncanny foresight. His instinct was screaming at him that the boy must be killed at all cost, or he would forever be suppressed under William's heel.

This was something that he couldn't accept. His hatred for William had already exceeded Elandorr's. Eneru had long vowed that he wouldn't leave the Southern Continent until William's threat had been dealt with.

—–

One by one, William's clones were destroyed by Eneru and Drauum. The Blademasters and Archmages of the Elven Army had all mobilized to defend the various teleportation Gates that remained.

A loud rumbling sound resounded in the plaza as William destroyed another Teleportation Gate. All of the Elven Defenders that had stood in his way had already been dealt with, staining the ground with their blood.

Suddenly, a magical dome enveloped the entire city. William immediately felt a powerful pressure press down on him. However, the inherent strength of the Monkey King allowed him to brush this pressure off like rain falling down on his head.

"Impressive," Ezkalor said with genuine appreciation. "So young and already this powerful?"

The Elder Dragon's eyes narrowed as he appraised the Half-Elf in front of him. He was liking the boy more and more. It was as if the blood of the Elves that dyed the ground was mere water that was not worth his attention.

Ezkalor's eyes were only focused on the boy in front of him. He had Arwen's eyes and Maxwell's red hair.

It was at this moment when Eneru, Drauum, and several Elves arrived at the city, encircling William. The Elder Dragon gave them all a brief nod, before shifting his attention back to the teenageer in front of him.

"Elandorr is right," Ezkalor nodded his head in understanding. "You are using some kind of ability that temporarily boosts your strength. However, this ability of yours is about to end. Child, I already know your name, but can you formally introduce yourself to me?"

Eneru and Drauum moved closer, and the rest of the Elves used their magic powers to reinforce the Magic Barrier that had enclosed the entire city. They were not going to let William go no matter what.

"I need no introductions," William replied calmly. "You already know who I am."

Ezkalor smirked, "Child. You are without a doubt the most disrespectful Half-Elf I have ever heard of."

William returned the Elder Dragon's smirk with a smirk of his own. "But you have heard of me."

Ezkalor's smile widened when he heard William's snarky reply. Even though the Half-Elf had been surrounded and had no place to escape, the latter was still calm and even seemed to be enjoying everyone's attention.

William scanned the faces of the Elves, as well as Eneru and Drauum who were only standing a few meters away from him. Eneru had a sinister smile on his face, and William didn't need to be a genius to understand what was going on in the Qilin's head.

"I will make sure that you remember this day, until your dying breath, Half Elf," Eneru said in a teasing manner that wouldn't lose to any pompous university student that still hadn't had the opportunity to meet Truck-kun in real life.

"Indeed." William nodded. "This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught William Von Ainsworth."

William gave Eneru the middle finger before vanishing from where he stood.

Everyone on the scene froze before going into an uproar.

Eneru stepped forward and waved his hand on the spot where William disappeared. He had thought that the Half-Elf was already in the bag and had no place to go.

Drauum showed a rare expression of irritation on its face as it extended its senses hundreds of miles away from where he stood. As a Pseudo-Demigod that could use the power of the Earth, it was able to detect any traces of William as long as he stood on the ground.

Ezkalor chuckled after realizing that the Half-Elf had indeed escaped from their encirclement. What was more incredible was that he did it in the presence of three of the Guardians of the Silvermoon Continent.

"What an interesting child," Ezkalor said. He then gave the fuming Qilin a side-long glance before turning around to leave.

The City had been under his spell, so he was sure that the boy was no longer around. Even if William was there, he would pretend that the boy had escaped. He owed Maxwell a favor and was willing to turn a blind eye to his son's mischief just this once.

He just hoped that when the Elves came knocking on the Hellan Capital's Walls, the Half-Elf would surrender peacefully. That way, he would be able to take him into his custody and guarantee his life.

Away from the jaws of the Prideful Qilin, who was currently roaring at the sky to vent out his anger.

Chapter 473: Nice To Meet You, Fellow Demigod

William reappeared above the dark-gray clouds that covered the entire Southern Continent. His right hand was firmly holding Soleil's handle, while the other was pressed over his chest to calm his heart that was beating like a drum in a festival.

'Fortunately, I have Soleil,' William thought as he felt his body slowly becoming as heavy as led. The adrenaline rush had started to recede, and he was slowly feeling the after effects of using his Heroic Avatar.

This ability of his had Two Stages. The first one was for him to wield the power of the Monkey King in any way that he wanted. He could stay in this form for an hour at most.

The Second Stage is to summon Sun Wukong to Hestia to fight by his side. If he chose to activate the second stage, the Heroic Avatar would only last for half an hour. However, Sun Wukong would be able to unleash his full powers without any restriction.

Unfortunately, this skill had a very long cooldown. Once William summoned Sun Wukong to Hestia, he wouldn't be able to summon him again for a month.

This was William's ultimate Trump Card because Sun Wukong had the power of a Pseudo Demigod. He even wondered if the Monkey King would be able to fight against Drauum who was pretty much invincible, as long as the Ancient Golem stood on the ground.

William merged with Soleil and flew towards the South. He didn't intend to return to the Hellan Kingdom right away. The Half-Elf decided that he would first visit the Sanctuary of the Minotaur Race.

When he was there the last time, he somehow felt that the gate was resonating with him. It was as if the gate would open up to him and allow him to pass, if he wished for it. Halfway through the journey, William decided to descend to the ground to rest.

He planned to rest inside the Thousand Beast Domain and continue his journey when the sun had risen. However, before everything else, he first contacted his spy who was currently monitoring the events near the city where he had been encircled by the Guardians and the Elven Elites.

"Aethon," William said softly. "How are things on your end?"

"Chirp!"

The Wren chirped happily as it reported that Eneru had lost his marbles and was currently roaring like there's no tomorrow.

William chuckled as the image of the arrogant Qilin, whose face was distorted with rage, appeared inside his mind.

"Rest for now and continue your report tomorrow," William ordered. "Inform me once the Elven Army starts to move.

"Chirp!"

William cut the connection and took a step forward. He reappeared inside the Thousand Beast Domain where everyone was waiting for him.

"Will!" Wendy threw herself at her lover, who had refused to let any of them participate in the destruction of the Teleportation Gates.

William hurriedly opened his arms to catch his First Wife who had an anxious expression on her face.

Wendy latched onto him like a Koala, refusing to let go. She, as well as everyone inside the Domain, had witnessed how William faced the powerful enemies alone, and had almost been captured at the last moment.

William and the System had worked together to create a Movie like Projection inside the Thousand Beast Domain, to allow everyone to see the battle. The reason why William didn't allow them to participate was due to Eneru's and Drauum's existences.

If William was alone, he would be able to escape whenever he wanted to, without needing to worry about the safety of others. Although Wendy, Ashe, and Est protested, he didn't budge in his decision.

Celine, Kasogonaga, and the other denizens of the Thousand Beast Domain also understood that William was right. In the face of absolute strength, all tricks were meaningless.

"Are you really alright?" Wendy asked "Are you hurt anywhere?"

The blonde beauty touched William all over. William felt ticklish as his lover's hand wandered over his injuries.

Wendy breathed a sigh of relief because, aside from the tears in William's clothes and a few minor bruises, the Half-Elf was fine.

"Heal," Wendy said as she used the power of the Life Mage to heal William's injuries.

A few seconds later, the bruises disappeared and the heavy feeling from the Heroic Avatar's side effects was washed away by the gentle light that enveloped William's body.

"Thank you, Wendy," William said as he kissed her cheek.

"You're welcome," Wendy replied. "However, you should rest. Although I healed your injuries, the exhaustion in your body is still there."

William nodded. He then faced everyone that had given him moral support from inside the Thousand Beast Domain, while he was fighting against the Elves and the Guardians of the Silvermoon Continent.

"You have all witnessed what we will be facing in the future," William said with a serious expression. "The Qilin, Eneru, the Ancient Golem, Drauum, and an Elder Dragon, Ezkalor. These three stand at the top of the Elven Hierarchy, and they are the foes that we cannot beat at this point in time."

All the denizens of the Thousand Beast Domain had solemn expressions on their faces. They understood that there was no way that they could contend with Myriad Beasts and a Pseudo-Demigod, even if they had the numbers.

"Hmp! If only I hadn't regressed during my time of imprisonment, I would have easily stomped that Golem under my foot!" Kasogonaga stated hatefully.

"You? Stomp on a Pseudo-Demigod?" Psoglav chuckled. "You sure say funny things, Kasogonaga."

"What's so funny about it? I'm a Demigod!"

"Oh? What a coincidence! I am also a Demigod. Nice to meet you, fellow Demigod."

Kasogonaga stomped its foot in irritation. It could tell that Psoglav didn't believe that it was a former Demigod. The rainbow-colored Anteater was very tempted to roll up into a ball and flatten the grinning Demonic Dog like a pizza dough.

William chuckled internally, but he didn't say anything. Kasogonaga and Psoglav had, surprisingly, become buddies during their dungeon expeditions in Atlantis. At first, the Anteater and Demonic Dog were at odds against each other, but now, they got along pretty well.

He hoped that the Beasts he had captured recently would also form bonds with the first residents of his Domain and get along with each other as well.

"You don't have to worry about the Guardians of the Elves," William stated. "There will be others who will face them head on. What you need to worry about is the bulk of the Elven Army. They are the foes that we will meet on the battlefield."

William paused as he scanned the faces of his lovers, his Master, and his knights. All of them looked back at him with determination in their eyes.

He knew that they would not hesitate to fight side by side with him when the Elves arrived at the Capital City of Gladiolus.

'The conclusion of this battle will be decided in Gladiolus,' William thought. 'Conner, I hope that you have made enough preparations.'

William found it ironic that he was wishing for the person that had started this whole mess, to succeed in whatever preparations he was working on.

Still, the Half-Elf knew that, even if he gave it his all, he alone would not be able to win this war. He needed Conner and his schemes.

"Everyone, rest for now," William said with a smile. "Tomorrow is a new day, and a new set of challenges awaits us all."

He then looked at Erchitu who was standing in front of the members of the Minotaur Race. William didn't tell him about his plan of trying to enter the Gate of Beginnings. He didn't want to raise the Giant White Ox's expectations.

'I just hope that my hunch is correct.' William clenched his fist in anticipation. 'King Minos… I pray that I will get the chance to talk to you tomorrow.'

Chapter 475: Go And Welcome Our Guest

Morning came and the Elves finally finished tallying the damages that they had suffered under William's hands.

The Half-Elf had managed to destroy eleven teleportation gates in less than an hour. These gates were located in strategic locations that allowed faster travel from the Capital City towards its North-Western Border.

The System had calculated that they should destroy the eight primary teleportation gates at a minimum in order to delay the Elves' march as much time as possible. Fortunately, William had surpassed that number, which made things even more difficult for the elves.

Now, they had to spend approximately eight days traveling through the air, in order to reach the border of the Hellan Kingdom. If they were to travel on land then it would take much longer.

The Three Guardians, Princess Eowyn, Elandorr, the Patriarch's of the Clans, and the High-Ranking Officers of the Elven army had gathered inside the conference room of the Royal Palace in order to discuss their next course of action.

They were debating whether or not the Elven Army should travel together, or allow those with flying mounts to advance first. Their destination was the Azure Fortress. Elandorr proposed that those with flying mounts should proceed first, in order to make the necessary preparations before the main bulk of the army arrived.

Some agreed to this proposal, while others didn't.

"I think it will be safer if the army traveled together," one of the Elven Commanders said with a serious expression. "The attack that happened last night seemed to have been a planned action. Although the reports say that the attacker was only a single person, that didn't mean that he didn't have any allies to serve as reinforcements."

"Indeed," the Patriarch of the Eroan Clan voiced his agreement. "If you study the layout where the teleportation gates are located, you can tell that they had been carefully chosen in order to delay our advance to the Human kingdom as much as possible.

"You said that the son of the Saintess was from the Hellan Kingdom, and yet, he managed to accurately strike where it mattered the most. This knowledge should only be available to the local citizens of this Dynasty. Obviously, he had helpers as well. Helpers whose numbers we are not aware of."

The Patriarch of the Eroan Clan was about to say more, but Shafel cleared his throat in order to divert everyone's attention to him.

"What happened last night won't happen again," Shafel said with confidence. "Even if that person has allies, so what? At most they are just Human children."

Shafel then glanced at the Elven Commander who had voiced that the Elven Army should travel as a single unit.

"Are you saying that our Mighty Elven Army is afraid of children?" Shafel asked.

"Your Excellency, that is not what I meant," the Elven Commander replied with a calm expression. "When it comes to war, underestimating your opponent is a fatal mistake."

"Overestimating them is a fatal mistake as well," Drauum replied. "Eneru and Ezkalor will travel with the vanguard, while I will remain to oversee the main army. Even if that Half-Elf returns with reinforcements, he will not be able to do anything."

The Elven Commander sighed in his heart and reluctantly nodded his head. Since one of their Guardians decided to step in the conversation, any further argument was pointless.

The talks then proceeded to the next task, which was to choose the route that the army would traverse in order to reach their destination.

Drauum, Elandorr, and the other officers frowned when they discovered that the only path for those who would travel on land was through the mountains of the Northern Regions.

According to the scouts that had been sent to gather information about the layout of the Zelan Dynasty, the Mountainous regions of the North had steep slopes, cliffs, and narrow passageways that would limit the

movement of the army.

Also, it was the perfect place for an ambush. The Three Guardians were already aware of William's ability to escape from their grasp, so they were sure that he would appear in the Northern Mountains in order to hinder their advance.

"Such a troublesome bastard." Eneru snorted.

Ezkalor didn't say anything, and kept a calm expression on his face. He also felt that William was a very daring person, and the chances of him appearing in the mountains to ambush them were high.

Even Drauum had to agree that the Half-Elf's escaping ability was top notch. Even after it had scanned the lands hundreds of miles away from where they cornered William, it didn't yield any results.

This discovery had led to another debate about which was the best solution for their problem.

"I think it is best that the army travel together."

Princess Eowyn voiced her opinion since no one else could decide what to do.

"There is safety in numbers, and we are not familiar with the layout of the land," Princess Eowyn stated. "It would be foolish to assume that we know these lands like the back of our hands when we've only been here for a very short time. There's no need to underestimate the son of the Saintess. His father is a Hero, and his mother is the Guardian of the World Tree.

"He already proved his capabilities when he had destroyed the Teleportation Gates and cornered us into taking only one route for our advance. Also, he was able to escape from our encirclement. This feat is not something that can be done by someone ordinary."

The Princess of the Elves lowered her head after voicing out her opinion. Although she didn't say it out loud, she made it clear that William had been able to take his leave right under the noses of three of the Guardians of the Silvermoon Continent.

The corner of Drauum's and Eneru's lips twitched because they couldn't refute Princess Eowyn's statement.

Ezkalor, on the other hand, chuckled in agreement. Unlike his two comrades, the Elder Dragon was quite amused by William's daring escape. This had increased his impression of the boy whom he had met last night.

Half an hour later, everyone came to an agreement that the army should march together. This was to keep the incident that had happened a few hours ago from happening again.

Just as the Elves finished their discussion, William had arrived at the Gate of the Beginnings. He had overslept, because his lovers didn't have the heart to wake him up and allowed him to rest properly.

Even so, he felt thankful because he felt refreshed after he woke up. The past few weeks had been exhausting for him because he had been traveling non-stop in the Anaesha Dynasty in order to mine resources and to capture Herd Type Beasts to add to his army.

As he walked towards the Gate of the Beginnings, he sensed a welcoming presence in the surroundings. It was as if the Gate was meeting an old friend who hadn't visited it for many years.

William stared at the gate for a while before placing both of his hands over it. Suddenly, a tingling sensation washed over his body and a notification appeared on his Status Page.

—–

< Ding! >

< Would you like to enter the Gate of Beginnings? >

< Yes / No >

—–

William chose Yes, and immediately he felt himself being pulled towards the gate.

Soon, he found himself in what seemed to be at the end of a tunnel, staring down at a massive maze in the distance.

"Erchitu," William said softly.

A portal appeared beside the Half-Elf and a Giant White Ox stepped out of it.

Erchitu had a shocked expression on his face when he saw the entrance of the Labyrinth, which would take them towards the Palace of King Minos where the Minotaur Race resided.

"Unbelievable," Erchitu muttered. "To think that you could pass through the Gate of Beginnings despite the powerful seal that was placed on it."

Erchitu looked down on the Half-Elf beside him with genuine admiration.

"Just how did you do it?" Erchitu inquired.

William scratched his cheek because he also didn't know how he did it. What he didn't know was that the Gate of Beginnings had been made by David, to protect the Minotaur Race from those who wished them ill.

Since he was the one who made it, it was only natural for his chosen Disciples to be able to enter it as well.

"Do we need to traverse that maze before we can meet your King?" William decided to change the topic and asked a question.

Erchitu got the hint and nodded his head in acknowledgement. Since William didn't want to talk about it then he wouldn't force the issue.

"Yes," Erchitu replied. "Beyond this maze lay the Ashenward Palace. The stronghold of the Minotaur Race."

William could sense the pride in Erchitu's words as he said the name of their palace. The Half-Elf could tell that the Giant Ox had missed his home after being unable to return due to his current circumstances.

"Well then, let's go," William said with a smile. "If possible, I would like to have an audience with your King. Can you take me to him, Erchitu?"

Erchitu nodded his head as he lowered his hand to pick up William. He then placed the Shepherd on his shoulder as he walked towards the entrance of the Maze.

The Minotaur Race knew the route of the maze by heart, and none of them could get lost in it even if they wanted to.

The Giant Ox had only taken a few steps inside the entrance when the walls of the maze started to shake.

Erchitu and William's eyes widened as the Maze rearranged itself right before their very eyes. Instead of a series of twists and turns, the walls had arranged themselves properly, leaving a straight path forward.

"Um, is this normal?" William asked.

Erchitu firmly shook his head. This was the first time he had seen this phenomenon after traversing the maze for so many years.

Clearly, this was another privilege that was only available to David's Disciple.

—-

Deep inside the Ashenward Palace, King Minos opened his eyes. He had clearly felt someone enter the Gate of the Beginnings, and knew that this was no ordinary intruder.

The King of the Minotaur Race raised his hand and two Minotaurs appeared in front of him.

"Go and welcome our guest," King Minos ordered. "Bring him to me."

""Yes, Your Majesty!""

Chapter 476: Atonement For A Broken Oath

An hour later, William and Erchitu arrived at Ashenward Palace, while being escorted by two Minotaurs that were three meters tall.

The Half-Elf was shocked when he learned from Erchitu that their two escorts were the two Princes of the Minotaur Race.

The Red Minotaur's name was Icarus, while the Blue Minotaur's name was Daedalus. Both greeted William and Erchitu warmly when they met them at the end of the maze.

The two Princes were surprised to see Erchitu alongside William because no one could get in and out of the Gate of the Beginnings due to it being completely sealed.

They were quite curious about how the red-headed boy was able to enter their domain, despite the powerful formations that had kept the Elves from breaching their defenses.

Icarus opened the doors that led to the throne room and made a gesture for William to enter.

As soon as he stepped inside the throne room, the Half-Elf's gaze landed on the marble throne where a black Minotaur sat, that was looking at William with deep interest.

"Step forward, Child," King Minos said in a friendly tone. "It has been a while since we have had guests inside the palace."

William nodded and obediently obeyed the Sovereign of the Minotaur Race. He only stopped when he was ten meters away from the throne and observed the King who was looking back at him with a smile.

"I see, so you are a disciple of our Eternal Guardian," King Minos smile widened after he confirmed his suspicions.

The King of the Minotaurs stood up, and walked down the steps that led to his throne before stopping two meters away from William.

Just like Icarus and Daedalus, King Minos was three-meters tall and radiated a powerful presence. Although he felt that it was disrespectful to do so, William wasn't able to stop himself from using his appraisal skill to check the Minotaur King's information

—–

< King Minos >

— Sovereign of the Minotaur Race

— One who was favored by the Gods

— Creator of the Code of Laws

— Threat Level: SSR+

— Pseudo-Demigod

— Can be added to the Herd

— Success Rate: .0001%

— King Minos is the mighty sovereign of the Minotaur Race. He has watched over and protected the Zelan Dynasty from those who wished to conquer its lands.

— Blessed by great strength and intellect, he created the Code of Laws that allows him to bend the rules of reality to do his bidding for a brief period of time.

— Just like his ancestors, he pledged his eternal loyalty to the God of Shepherds, which granted him this favor. There are very few beings, alive or dead, that were capable of stopping his charge in the battlefield.

—–

William gulped after reading King Minos' information. At first, he thought that the King of the Minotaurs was only a peak Myriad Beast like the Myriad Ant Queen of the Anaesha Dynasty.

He didn't expect that the Minotaur in front of him was already a Pseudo-Demigod similar to the Ancient Golem, Drauum.

"Child, it's not good to pry into the secrets of others without their permission," King Minos said. "At least, this is true for beings such as myself."

William felt embarrassed because his act had been discovered. He hurriedly bowed his head and apologized to the Minotaur King who was looking down at him with a devilish smile.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," William replied as he bowed his head. "I

wasn't able to stop my curiosity."

King Minos chuckled as he walked back towards his throne. He only wanted to confirm something, so he approached William at close quarters. After verifying his hunch, he once again sat on his throne and eyed the red-headed boy with a calm expression on his face.

"Did you come to our sanctuary out of curiosity, or do you have a purpose for coming?" King Minos inquired.

William nodded. He then explained the current situation of the Southern Continent to everyone present in the room.

Icarus and Daedalus frowned after hearing William's story. Although they had already expected that the Zelan Dynasty would soon be conquered by the Elves, they were not aware that the survivors had been treated harshly.

Icarus even roared in anger when he heard about the Ash Golems born from the remains of the survivors that had been thrown in a fiery pit.

William, too, felt anger when he heard this from Ezio. After torturing the survivors to their deaths, their bodies were then used as tools to create golems to aid the Elves in war. This was a very inhumane thing to do, but the Elves did it because they treated the Humans as an inferior race.

After listening to William's narration, King Minos remained seated on his throne. He still had a calm expression on his face, but there was a subtle hint of killing intent that flashed briefly in the depths of his eyes, before disappearing completely.

"Ariadne, have you heard everything?" King Minos asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The door of the throne room opened and a lady with long, dark-brown hair walked inside with a serious expression on her face.

William looked at the newcomer, but found himself hard pressed to focus his attention on her. She was like the reflection of the moon on the surface of the lake that disappeared whenever a stone was thrown onto it, creating ripples that destroyed its image.

This was what was currently happening to William. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't retain the image of the lady in his memories. He couldn't even remember what she looked like!

Ariadne ignored William's focused stare as she stood a few meters away from the red-headed boy.

"The time is near, Your Majesty," Ariadne said. "The decision lay in your hands."

King Minos nodded as he shifted his attention back to William.

"Did you come here to ask for my help?" King Minos inquired.

"Yes, Your Majesty," William replied.

A long silence descended on the throne room. Icarus, Daedalus, Erchitu, and Ariadne, waited patiently for King Minos' decision. No matter what choice he made, all of them would obey his decree.

"Right now, the members of our race are in a weakened state," King Minos said after a five-minute silence. "Also, the Gate of Beginnings will not open for two years. If you can solve these two problems, I will agree to aid you twice."

King Minos' stared straight into William's eyes as if probing him if he was capable of solving the obstacles that prevented their race from honoring their oath to the God of Shepherds.

"I don't know if I will be able to cure the MInotaur Race from their weakened state. However, I think I have a way for you to leave this place without opening the Gate of Beginnings," William replied.

"As long as you are able to overcome these two conditions, we will honor our pledge to fight by your side," King Minos stated.

"I can only say that I will do my best, Your Majesty."

"Good. You can start now. Icarus, Daedalus, bring him to Spirehorn Haven."

""Yes, Your Majesty!""

The two Minotaur Princes led William and Erchitu to the place where the Minotaur Race were currently resting.

After the doors of the throne room closed, King Minos' gaze landed on Ariadne who was looking back at him with a serious expression.

"Are you sure about this?" Ariadne asked.

King Minos nodded.

"Many will die," Ariadne stated.

"Yes." King Minos agreed. "But, this is inevitable. We made a pledge to the Zelan Dynasty, as well as to our Eternal Guardian. We have turned our back on our first pledge, we can't turn our back on the second."

Ariadne sighed, as she reluctantly nodded her head. She was the one that had advised King Minos to seal the Sanctuary of the Minotaur Race to prevent the Elves from invading their Domain while they were in their weakened state.

However, by doing so, they had broken their pledge to protect the Zelan Dynasty from those who wished to invade it.

King Minos was right. They had already broken their oath once, and had allowed the survivors of the Zelan Dynasty to suffer under the hands of the Elves.

"So be it," Ariadne said firmly. "I will make the necessary preparations."

King Minos nodded. "Go. I need time to think."

Ariadne gave the King a curtsy before leaving the throne room.

King Minos closed his eyes when the two doors closed behind Ariadne's back. It had been hundreds of years since he had personally led the Minotaurs to fight on the battlefield. He was not afraid of going to war, in fact he was looking forward to it.

They were a race that was born for battle, so fighting alongside William wasn't an issue. His only concern was whether William was capable of resolving the weakness that had currently befallen the Minotaur Race.

As long as that issue was resolved, he would give his best, to smash the heads of those hateful Elves, in order to avenge the lives of the innocent children of the Zelan Dynasty, as well as a way to atone and redeem himself from the oath that he had once broken.

Chapter 477: And So It Begins

"This is the current situation right now," William said with a serious expression. "Sadly, my plan to harass the Elven Army in the mountains will have to be cancelled."

Conner nodded. "It's fine. Can you give me an estimate on how long it would take for you to finish what you're doing right now?"

"The soonest will be a week from now, it might take a little longer though because of their numbers."

"Understood. I'll handle the rest."

Conner tapped his finger on top of the table as he formulated a plan in his head. "This informant that you spoke of… can he send us up to date information on the movement of the Elven Army? Also, can the information be trusted?"

William nodded. "I already spoke to him about Brendan. He will send regular updates whenever he can to your aide."

"Okay," Conner replied.

William looked at Conner's projection with a serious expression. He knew that by the time he finished his work, the Elven Army might have already entered the borders of the Hellan Kingdom. The Leader of Deus had already briefed him that they would not engage them in a confrontation and just defend Gladiolus with all the forces that they could muster.

Even so, William was still worried that he might not arrive before the final battle took place.

"Just a glance and I can tell that you don't think that we will be able to resist the Elven Army," Conner snorted. "Boy, you sure underestimate what I can do."

"Can you really hold out?" William inquired.

"Of course. If it's just against the Elves then I can defend the city for a few days."

William crossed his arms over his chest as he eyed Conner. "They have a Pseudo-Demigod among their ranks, you know?"

"What of it?" Conner asked as if a Pseudo-Demigod didn't amount to anything. "It's just an Ancient Earth Golem that thinks too highly of itself. I've long wanted to put it in its place."

"Well, if you say so then it must be true."

"Just don't take your sweet time and get here before they invade the second defensive wall of the Inner City. Once they breach our last line of defense, the fall of Gladiolus is set in stone."

William nodded. "I will do my best. If things go South, you can just surrender. I'll take things from there."

"Me? Surrender?" Conner sneered. "Surrender is not part of my dictionary, boy. Besides, I have prepared for many years for a faceoff against the Elves. This is a good opportunity to test them all out. I'll cut the connection now, report to me as soon as you finish King Minos' condition."

"Very well. I pray for your success," William replied.

Conner nodded and his projection faded completely.

William sighed as he gazed at the countless members of the minotaur race that had gathered to see him.

Just as King Minos had said, the members of the Minotaur Race were in a weakened state. They could at most only use half of their original strength right now. None of them were in a good condition to fight in a war where the fate of their entire race was at stake.

"Sir William, everything has been prepared," Icarus said. "We can start anytime."

William gave the Minotaur Prince a brief nod before going to the center of the city. It is where he would

meditate and channel his powers to help dispel the weakness that had plagued the entire Minotaur Race.

—–

Meanwhile, high above the skies of the Zelan Dynasty, the Blood Eagle, Scadrez, flew in the direction of the Hellan Kingdom at full speed.

William had given him an order to visit Takam in the Kyrintor Mountains. There was something that he needed to confirm with the Demigod, who seemed to have predicted that things would turn out the way they did.

Also, William wanted to confirm the type of help the Demigod had promised him. Right now, he didn't want to hear any vague answers. What he wanted to know was what concrete action Takam would take in order to aid him in this war against the Elves.

The members of William's Herd and Legion had redoubled their efforts in increasing their ranks, while training inside the Atlantis Dungeon. This was their last chance to get as strong as they could before they rushed towards the Hellan Kingdom to reinforce the defenders at the City of Gladiolus.

William took a deep breath as he sat cross legged at the center of Spire Horn Haven, where all the members of the Minotaur Races, including their young, had gathered.

He summoned his wooden staff and laid it on top of his legs, before closing his eyes to meditate.

Soon, a gentle breeze washed over those who were near him. The power within William's body started to overflow and resonate with the wooden staff in his hands.

A minute later, a golden circle expanded around William's body. Slowly, but surely, it grew in size as it began to encompass everyone that was near him. This process required a lot of concentration on William's part and an endless supply of magical energy.

Fortunately, the place where he was sitting was directly on top of a leyline that contained tremendous magic power. King Minos had given him permission to tap into this vast magical power and help the Minotaurs regain their strength.

This was a long and tedious process, and William could only grit his teeth until his task was completed. He knew that if he really succeeded then he would have the aid of a mighty army that would help tip the scales of battle in their favor.

—–

"Advance!" Elandorr ordered.

"Advance!"

His order was repeated by the Elven Army as they started to enter the Teleportation Gate located in the Capital City of Briar Glen.

Although the majority of the gates found on the Northern Regions had been destroyed, there were still a few that were in good working condition.

Even though they had no other choice but to traverse the mountainous path of the North-Western regions of the Zelan Dynasty, Elandorr, as well as the High-Ranking Officers of the Elven Army, weren't worried about any possible ambush along the way.

Eneru and Drauum were currently guarding their planned route, and had already made adequate preparations, just in case William and his reinforcements appeared to delay their advance.

They still didn't know how the Half-Elf managed to escape from their encirclement last time, but two of the Guardians were sure that there wouldn't be a next time.

The two Guardians were even looking forward to William's appearance, so that they could capture him once and for all.

Unfortunately, the Half-Elf was busy with other things and had no time to play with them.

At the same time, the Army of the Kraetor Empire also started to stir. The Myriad Ant Queen had already reported the Elven Army's movement, and the Young Empress deemed that it was also the right time for them to head out.

Although they had a Non-Aggression Pact with the Elves and the Hellan Kingdom, that didn't mean that they couldn't spectate and watch the battle between both sides.

'And so it begins,' Empress Sidonie thought as she sat on her throne, which was mounted on top of a Flying Golden Ant Overlord that was at the peak of the Millennial Rank.

The Grand Archmage Evexius, Priscilla, and the two Sword Saints of the Kraetor Empire, sat on their respective seats behind the throne of the Empress.

"Advance!" Empress Sidonie ordered.

Cheers, and shrieks of approval answered her command as a grand procession of Warriors Ants began their journey to witness the final battle that would be fought in the Southern Continent.

Empress Sidonie, and her retainers wanted to see the outcome of this war. Naturally, the majority of the Kraetor Army, including its High-Rankings Officers, had already assumed that the victors would be the Elves.

The Young Empress was not one of them. She didn't know why, but she believed that her beloved Shepherd would somehow turn the tables around and give the Elves a crushing defeat.

'I'll see you soon, Sir William. Show me the power of the man worthy of my love.'

< You mean, 'Our Love', right, Sidonie? >

Empress Sidonie gave her other half a teasing smile before looking towards the West. She could still remember the words William had said before parting with her in the capital city of Veritas.

The Half-Elf had said that if he survived the war then he would seriously consider her feelings.

'Don't worry. No matter what, I won't let you die.' Empress Sidonie vowed. She had already made her preparations, and would see them through to the very end. The only question that remained was whether the star of the show would make his appearance.

If not then Empress Sidonie had no other choice but to flip the tables and settle the matter with her own hands.

Chapter 478: The Biggest Mistake Of Their Lives

"Please, be safe Ernest," Brianna said as she held the young prince's hand. "You better survive, or else I'll marry Big Brother when I grow up."

"I will definitely survive," Prince Ernest replied firmly. "The one you will be marrying is me, Big Sister."

"Okay. Just don't die."

"I won't die."

Brianna pulled the young Prince close and gave him a hug. Afterwards, she gave him a kiss on the cheek before running back inside the Great Chieftain's residence.

She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she would definitely be unwilling to let go of his hand and delay his return to the Hellan Kingdom. As the current Great Chieftain of the Tribes, Brianna knew how important it was to have a leader to guide the people during difficult times.

Prince Ernest belonged to the Hellan Kingdom, and it was his duty as the member of the Royal Family to protect his Kingdom from those who wanted to conquer it.

The Young Prince watched his fiance run away with a sad expression on his face. However, he knew that he had to go no matter what.

"I'm ready," Prince Ernest said as he faced Prince Alaric with determination.

Prince Alaric nodded and made a gesture for the Young Prince to climb the carriage. He had traveled as fast as he could to arrive at the Kyrintor Mountains, in order to escort the Third Prince back to the Capital City of Gladiolus.

Soon, the Lamassu flapped its wings and soared towards the sky, pulling the Flying Carriage behind it.

Prince Ernest looked outside of the window and watched as the Third Peak of Chivalry slowly disappeared from his sights. He didn't know when he would be able to see Brianna again, or if he would get the chance to see her again.

"I won't die," Prince Ernest said softly. "I promise."

Prince Alaric pretended that he didn't hear the Young Prince's words and closed his eyes to sleep. He hadn't been able to sleep for the past few days due to constant worrying about whether he could convince the Prince to come with him.

Fortunately, Prince Ernest loved his Kingdom, and readily agreed to his request to return to the Hellan Capital. According to Conner, there were certain things that only members of the Royal Family could do.

Just like William, Prince Alaric didn't like Conner because he was the one responsible for all of this mess. However, he had no choice but to cooperate with him for the time being in order to fight against the invaders that had occupied the Zelan Dynasty, and forced him to flee to distant lands.

Their journey back towards the City of Gladiolus would take at least four days. Prince Alaric hoped that in those four days, the Elves would still be far away from the walls of the city. That way, Prince Ernest could use the rights of the Royal Family, and disable the Teleportation Gates in the Hellan Kingdom.

This would give them a few more days to prepare their defenses, and evacuate the survivors who didn't have the ability to participate in the war. Also, according to the Leader of Deus, Prince Ernest may also know how to activate the true defensive capabilities of Gladiolus.

—-

Eneru clicked his tongue as he stared down on the ground. He was currently hovering above the mountainous region where the Elven Army was moving in an orderly manner.

Ezkalor was also monitoring everything from the sky to ensure that no danger would befall the Elven Army.

Drauum, on the other hand, stood on the highest peak of the Mountain. It was constantly sending a powerful sweep, similar to a radar, to check if there was anything unusual above, or below the ground.

It was at this moment when it saw something move in the distance. It was two birds flying side by side. One was a red bird, the other, a blue bird.

Drauum frowned but didn't pay them too much attention. They had already seen similar birds along the way, and the Three Guardians had unanimously agreed that none of them posed any threat to the Elven Army.

The Elves had wanted to shoot down these birds to ease their boredom, but a stern glare from Eneru made them stop in their tracks.

"This is not a time to play," Eneru reminded them. "The sooner we get through these mountains, the sooner all of you can relax. Do not cause any unnecessary trouble until then."

This reminder had saved those harmless looking birds who did nothing but fly around the mountain in pairs.

When night came, the Elves had pitched their tents in order to rest for the night. It would take them three days in order to traverse the mountain range, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Sitting on trees that sprouted from the cliffs of the mountainous region, the rainbow-colored birds set their eyes on the Elven Camp. They were waiting patiently for an opportunity

to make their move.

The rainbow-colored birds knew that they only had one chance, and one chance only. Once they executed the plan, all the Elves, as well as the three Guardians would move to wipe them out.

The next day…

"This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught William Von Ainsworth."

Eneru and Drauum rushed in the direction where they heard the arrogant voice of the Half-Elf, who they had wanted to torture for a long time, come from.

Ezkalor also wanted to follow, but the two explicitly told him that he was to guard the Elven Army while the two of them were away.

The moment the Two Guardians left their post, several rainbow-colored birds flew in the air and sneakily flew over the peak of the mountain.

When they arrived at their destinations, they embedded several exploding crystals in the crevices along the mountain range.

Once their duty was completed, they flew away as if they were just sightseeing in the mountains. The Elven Army was currently having their lunch and had stopped their advance. The Rainbow Birds decided to take this opportunity to play a trick on them to divert the attention of the Guardians who had been constantly guarding their surroundings.

The one that imitated William's voice was the red bird, B1. It made sure to raise the volume of its voice as high as it could, and allowed the echo of the mountain to carry it towards the location of the Elves.

It hadn't even been ten seconds since it shouted before Eneru arrived at the scene. The red bird was smart enough to prepare berries beforehand to be used as props for his act. Eneru scanned the surroundings while the red bird ate its berries.

Drauum appeared not long after and did the same. B1 didn't dare to do anything suspicious and just enjoyed its lunch just like any ordinary bird.

"Did you find him?" Drauum asked.

"No," Eneru replied. "That bastard has a way to instantly disappear even if he is trapped inside a magical barrier. The only way to capture him is if we take him by surprise."

Drauum nodded because it agreed with Eneru's statement. The Ancient Golem then glanced at the red bird that was busy eating the berries it had collected. Eneru also gave the bird a side-long glance before returning to the Elven Encampment.

As a Myriad Beast of the Lightning Element, he had the ability to see through disguises. The bird was a beast, and not a Half-Elf in disguise. Since he knew this, he didn't give the red bird a second glance and left it alone.

Drauum, on the other hand, gave the bird a long and steady stare. Only when B1 was about to choke on its berries did the Ancient Golem merge with the ground and return to the peak of the mountain to continue its vigil.

—–

William sighed when the Ancient Golem had finally left B1 alone. The Rainbow Birds had successfully planted the exploding crystals in key locations along the mountain range. Although he wasn't sure if his plan would work, there were no downsides to giving it a try.

—–

The second night, when the Elves had just settled down to rest…

An arrogant voice once again echoed in the mountain, only this time, it taunted the Guardians who were keeping watch over the Army.

"Eneru, how does it feel to lose your two whiskers? Don't worry, I will not tell anyone how the Protector of the Kraetor Empire used your face to wipe the floor of the Royal Palace like a piece of rag. Man… if that were me, I'd probably die of embarrassment and shame if others were to know about it."

Eneru roared as he turned into a lightning bolt to charge in the direction where the voice came from.

Drauum didn't sit idly either and followed its comrade.

Ezkalor sneakily followed the two, leaving the Elven Army behind.

Half a minute after the three Guardians left, a loud explosion erupted at the peak of the mountain, sending rocks tumbling towards the Elven Encampment like a raging tide. All the Elves had woken up due to the explosion and scrambled to brace themselves for impact.

However, before the rocks could annihilate a portion of the Elven Army, a dome of Earth appeared to shield them from harm.

Drauum appeared at the scene with its arms crossed over its chest. It had only pretended to leave the encampment earlier, according to the plan that he and Eneru had spoken beforehand.

Both of them were not stupid, and they could easily tell that they were being lured away from the Elven Army on purpose.

Since that was the case, they had secretly discussed a plan about what to do if the same thing were to happen again.

After the Avalanche had been dealt with, Eneru returned to the scene carrying a red bird in his hands. He gave Drauum a nod, and the latter turned its head to gaze at the birds that were currently resting near the crevices of the mountain.

"Nice try," Drauum said as it clenched its fist.

Immediately, Earth Spikes flew in the air and pierced the bodies of all the birds in the surroundings. The birds exploded after they had died, leaving nothing behind.

Eneru raised the red bird in his hand and stared at it in a teasing manner.

"Any last words?" Eneru asked

"F*ck off!" B1 replied as it summoned a green bottle from its inventory. As soon as the bottle appeared, it then immediately detonated itself at the same time.

A powerful explosion took place and an irritated Eneru roared in anger. Although the attack of that magnitude couldn't cause him any serious injury, it still managed to give him first degree burns because the explosion happened at point-blank-range.

The acid that William had created through alchemy was strong enough to melt the bodies of Class D Creatures without any problem. Since Eneru was a Myriad Beast, it didn't have much of an effect on him, but the Rainbow Bird's detonation amplified the effect of the acid and made it strong enough to kill a Class B Beast.

"I will kill you!" Eneru wasn't able to stop himself from roaring towards the sky in anger. "I swear on my true name that I will kill you, William Von Ainsworth!"

Eneru's hateful roars summoned a thunderstorm in the sky. Soon, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the heavens.

He had repeatedly suffered under William's hands and was on the verge of losing his rationality. Drauum and Ezkalor had no doubt in their minds that even if they chose to take the boy under their custody, the Qilin would do everything in his power to kill him.

'Child, I don't know if I should praise you, or mock you for your stupidity.' Ezkalor sighed in his heart. 'A Guardian Beast had made an irreversible oath against you. This is not something that can be solved through negotiations.'

The Elder Dragon didn't know what to do. He originally wanted to take William into his custody when the war ended, so that he could reunite with his mother. However, now that Eneru had made an oath of death, this was no longer possible.

'Maxwell, your son is such a handful.' Ezkalor shook his head. 'I guess, instead of the mother and son reuniting, it will be the father and son who will reunite. Such a shame, truly a shame.'

Drauum, who was looking at the Qilin from the side, had an indifferent look on its face. It didn't care whether Eneru killed William or not. All that mattered to it was the success of this mission.

Still, whenever it remembered the boy's face, it couldn't help itself from remembering that imposing figure that had stood on the frontlines many years ago.

A figure that had a vast army at its disposal. Although Drauum wouldn't admit it, it had been very wary of William's father Maxwell.

The Ancient Golem hoped that it was just overthinking things. For some reason, William's image inside its mind had overlapped with his father's.

'That couldn't possibly happen, right?' Drauum thought. The Ancient Golem didn't want to imagine that such a thing could happen.

Why?

Because if it was true then all of them were making the biggest mistake of their lives.

A mistake that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Chapter 479: A Qilin Blinded By Rage [Part 1]

It had been seven days since William tried to ambush the Elven Army in the mountainous regions of the Zelan Dynasty.

Due to the possibility of another ambush, the Elves sped up their journey and arrived near the border of the Hellan Kingdom. It would only take them two more days to reach the Azure Fortress if they continued their quickened pace, but Elandorr decided to let the army rest for the time being.

The following day, those with flying mounts advanced ahead accompanied by the Qilin, Eneru. They would secure the Azure Fortress and prepare for the arrival of the main army.

Meanwhile in the Capital City of Gladiolus…

Prince Ernest wiped the sweat off his forehead out of exhaustion. He had successfully disabled all the Teleportation Gates of the Hellan Kingdom, except for strategic ones that would allow The Organization to carry out their missions in secret.

As the Young Prince stepped out of the control room of the palace, he immediately saw Brendan, who was there waiting for him.

"Excellent work, Your Highness," Brendan said as he gave the Young Prince a clean hand towel. "I have also prepared refreshments in the next room. Please, rest there for the time being."

"Thank you, Brendan," Prince Ernest replied.

The Son of the Prime Minister bowed his head as he moved to the side to open the door. Ever since Prince Ernest had arrived at the capital, Brendan had been assigned to take care of his every need.

So far, Prince Ernest had no complaints about his work ethic and was even pleasantly surprised because he didn't expect that Brendan could be a very capable retainer.

"Is there any news from Sir Conner?" Prince Ernest asked.

The Young Prince understood that now was not the time for infighting, so he decided to compromise with the Deus and cooperate with them to defend his Kingdom. Even so, that didn't mean that Prince Ernest didn't have any misgivings about this cooperation.

"According to the news, the vanguard of the Elven Army has arrived at Azure Fortress," Brendan reported. "As to what Sir Conner has in mind, I have no idea, Your Highness. He doesn't tell me anything aside from the things that I need to know."

Prince Ernest nodded. He also understood that the Leader of Deus really didn't need to share his plans with anyone, but he hoped that he would be briefed about how Conner planned to defend the capital against the Elven Invasion.

——

"So, they finally arrived," Conner looked at the map of the Hellan Kingdom in front of him. Right beside him were five other people, who were waiting for his instructions.

Calum, his right hand man.

Floyd, the scholar responsible for the Super Soldier Project.

A middle-aged man with short blonde hair and blue eyes. His name was Alfred, and he was The Organization's Sword Saint, and would be responsible for leading their members to battle.

The two remaining people in the room were the two Archmages who were loyal to Conner. These men were the highest ranking officers of Deus in the Southern Continent and they had gathered to finalize the plan they had for the Elven Army

that had officially set foot in the territory of the Hellan Kingdom.

"Were you able to do it in time, Floyd?" Conner inquired.

Floyd nodded his head and even gave Conner a sheepish smile. "We barely made it out before the Elven Vanguard arrived, but thanks to the Teleportation Gate, we were able to return to the capital city safe and sound."

"How long before it takes effect?"

"A few days. But, I think it will have already reached maturity by the time they arrive here in Gladiolus."

Conner smirked. He had long been waiting for an opportunity to make the Elves suffer, and William had bought him enough time to put his plans into action.

"What about the other cities along the way?" Conner asked. "Did you manage to administer it?"

"Naturally," Floyd replied. "This goes without saying. Just who do you think I am?"

The two Archamages inside the room chuckled when they heard Floyd's arrogant reply. The scholar had always had an attitude and regardless of who he was talking to, he acted as if he was just talking to a commoner.

Conner, Calum, and the two Archamages were now used to Floyd's antics, so they turned a blind eye to his attitude.

"How about the Altars? Are they ready?" Conner asked while facing the two Archmages.

Both Archmages nodded at the same time.

"For a simple spell of this caliber, we didn't need many offerings," one of the Archmages replied. "The souls we didn't use last time are more than enough to activate the spell you had in mind."

Conner nodded. "Good. This is the first time we're going to do this, but I am quite confident that we will see great results."

The Leader of Deus then looked at the Sword Saint who had his arms crossed over his chest.

"Alfred, are the men ready?"

"As ready as they'll ever be. However, I don't think they can do anything against that Pseudo-Demigod."

The existence of Drauum made things difficult for The Organization. They were not afraid of Eneru, and the new addition to their ranks, Ezkalor. However, Drauum remained a great threat to the plans they had in mind.

Conner frowned, "You don't need to worry about Drauum. I will handle it if it makes a move. We just need to land a decisive blow on the Elves to break their morale. As long as we do that, we will be able to control the pace of the battle."

The people in the room nodded their heads.

"What about that boy, William?" Floyd asked. "Are you sure he will arrive on time, bringing reinforcements with him?"

Floyd's body unconsciously shuddered when he remembered the events that had happened in Lont. Although his men returned to his side, as per William's agreement with Conner, all of them seemed to be very different from how they used to be.

This is especially true for the triplets who had the unique ability to merge with the Earth. They seemed to be more reserved, and only talked when someone asked them a question.

"I don't know if he will arrive in time or not," Conner admitted. "However, if he arrives late, the only thing that he will see is a city in ruins."

Conner had already had a proper talk with Prince Ernest about what they would do as a last resort. Although both of them didn't want to do it, they both agreed that this would ultimately lead to the Elves' annihilation.

"According to my estimate, they will arrive at the capital in ten days," Conner stated. "Of course, if a certain Qilin decides to attack us on its own then we will have no choice but to put it in its place. I doubt Eneru will be that stupid to face us on his ow–"

A hateful roar reverberated in the air followed by a powerful explosion. The men in the conference room exchanged glances before hurrying to leave the room.

A few minutes later, Conner stood outside the palace as he stared at the Qilin who was currently fighting against a Taotie. The two Beasts wrestled in the air vying for supremacy.

Conner sneered because he didn't expect that Eneru would be stupid and arrogant enough to dare to challenge him on its own. What he didn't know was that Eneru was merely scouting ahead and checking the defenses of the Hellan Capital.

Also, he wanted to know if the irritating Half-Elf was present in the city. He had made a blood oath against William and he was keen on ripping him to shreds. However, before he could even call out the boy's name, Jekyll had appeared out of nowhere and engaged it in combat.

If it was the usual Eneru, he would have definitely chosen to flee and regroup with Drauum and Ezkalor. However, right now, he was so blinded by rage that he decided to vent out some of his anger on Jekyll.

The two Myriad Beasts fought tooth and nail in order to kill each other. While this was happening, Conner was already making his arrangements on the ground. Although he expected that there was a chance for Eneru to appear, he didn't expect that the arrogant Qilin would really arrive to serve himself up on a silver platter.

Chapter 480: A Qilin Blinded By Rage [Part 2]

Jeklyll lashed out with his tail and sent the Qilin tumbling hundreds of meters through the air.

Eneru then transformed his body to a lightning bolt and shot towards the dark grey clouds in the sky. Soon, these clouds darkened followed by peals of thunder and flashes of lightning.

"Where is that bastard Half-Elf?!" Eneru roared as he summoned a thunderstorm over the capital city of Gladiolus. "Come out and face me! William Von Ainsworth!"

Jekyll looked at the enraged Qilin in disdain. "Have you no shame? Challenging a child? Why don't you pick someone your own size?"

"Shut up, Taotie! Bring that bastard boy over, and I'll spare your dog's life!"

"Spare my life? Hah! Keep your daydreams for when you're asleep!"

The Taotie flew towards the Qilin with the intention of pulverizing his face. However, Eneru zigzagged in the sky and passed him, flying directly towards the city of Gladiolus.

Eneru opened his jaws and a concentrated ball of lightning appeared. He was planning to use a lightning blast in order to devastate the city and force the Half-Elf out of his hiding place.

Conner stood with his arms crossed over his chest before he raised his hand.

"Now, Prince Ernest!"

The Statue of the Goddess Astrid, that stood in the center of the City, glowed. The sword that was pointed at the sky shimmered as a faint layer of light appeared to cover the city.

Eneru saw it, but didn't bat an eye and unleashed his most powerful move, which was strong enough to wipe out an entire city.

"Gigavolt Breaker!"

A thunderous explosion ensued as the lightning blast collided with the layer of protection that enveloped the city. Instead of canceling the attack, the barrier absorbed the magic power behind the Qilin's attack and transferred it to the tip of the sword of the Goddess Statue.

Blood seeped out of the corner of Prince's Ernest lips as he channeled the overwhelming power that was meant to destroy the City of Gladiolus. He was currently seated on a white throne that controlled all the special functions of the Hellan Kingdom.

His small hands balled into fists as he endured the pain that wracked his entire body.

When the full attack of Eneru had been properly absorbed, the sword on the statue's hand turned golden.

'Time for you to have a taste of your own medicine!' Prince Ernest said internally as more blood flowed out of the corner of his lips.

He then looked at the projection of the Qilin in front of him as he punched his right fist forward.

Immediately, a hundred meter projection of a golden knight appeared over the City of Gladiolus. It then raised the golden sword in its hand and prepared to strike down the arrogant Qilin that had dared to challenge its sovereignty.

Eneru, who had been raving out of anger, shuddered as he felt

a powerful force locked his body in place. He struggled in order to break free from the invisible shackles that bound him because he had a feeling that if he didn't manage to flee now, he wouldn't be able to do so for the rest of his life.

"Face the retribution of the Divine, and bow to our Goddess' Will!" Prince Ernest roared. "Heaven's Fury!"

The Golden Knight slashed its sword with a vengeance towards the Qilin whose body shone like a bright star.

Jekyll had already retreated hundreds of meters away the moment the Golden Knight had appeared. He was a Chimaera Beast and the Divine power that overflowed from the golden statue was enough to tell him that he would lose his life if he got caught in the path of its attack.

Eneru roared at the same time that the blade slashed over his body. A crisp sound reverberated in the air as a bloody claw-tipped arm fell from the sky, followed by a peal of thunder.

Prince Ernest fainted as his body fell back on the white throne. Blood had stained his clothes and tears slid down his face. The attack was too much for a mortal child to handle, and he received serious injuries from forcefully carrying it out.

Brendan immediately ran to his side and shouted for help. He could feel that the Young Prince's heartbeat was growing weaker. If a cleric didn't appear in time, Prince Ernest's life would scatter in the wind.

Jekyll unceremoniously grabbed the bloody arm from the ground and ate it. He chewed it loudly as if he was taking his time to enjoy his meal.

'Too bad the bastard managed to escape,' Jekyll thought as he swallowed the food in his mouth. 'Still, he won't be able to recover from that anytime soon. Serves him right.'

Conner recovered himself as the intense light dimmed and surveyed the surroundings. This was the first time that he had seen the rumored Divine Strike of Gladiolus, and he was awed by how powerful it was.

Even so, he also felt regret that the Qilin managed to escape. Whenever a Myriad Beast died, a pillar of light would appear on the spot where it lost its life. Since a pillar couldn't be seen anywhere, it meant that Eneru was barely able to survive the attack that should have ended his life.

—–

Purple blood rained down from the sky, as Eneru flew towards the Azure Fortress. His right arm had been completely chopped off, and blood flowed out of several wounds that could be seen all over his body.

Eneru panted as he flew back towards the Azure Fortress. His current state was completely different from the arrogant Qilin who thought that it could bring down the Hellan Capital before the Elven Army arrived.

He didn't expect that the City of Gladiolus had this kind of countermeasure to protect itself from powerful beings such as himself. Fortunately, he didn't know that this counter-attack couldn't be used repeatedly, because it cast a heavy burden on whoever was seated on the white throne that controlled the defenses of the city.

At most, this attack could only be used once in a person's lifetime. If the person was lucky enough to survive, a second attempt would without a doubt end his life.

The Qilin couldn't use his powers to travel at the speed of lightning because the Divine Power had suppressed his power. Aside from that, the attack had a lasting side effect that caused his Beast Rank to regress.

Instead of an imposing Myriad Beast at the Peak of his powers, Eneru had fallen to the rank of a Millennial Beast at its peak stage. However, he could still recover his rank if he recuperated for a decade, something he had to wait to do until he could safely return to the Silvermoon Continent.

In order to preserve his life, he used a forbidden skill and sacrificed his right arm, cutting it permanently from its body. This arm would also need a decade to regrow, and no amount of healing or restoration potions could mend it completely.

"… It's all your fault," Eneru said hoarsely "This is all your fault…"

A strand of red thread descended from the sky and penetrated the Qilin's body. Eneru was too injured, and too occupied with his thoughts to notice the changes that had happened around him. He was only barely able to retain his consciousness as he traveled back to the Azure Fortress, and had no strength to worry about anything else.

If he was only paying attention, he would have heard the chuckle that was being softly carried by the wind.

A chuckle that was filled with amusement and anticipation for the things that were about to come.

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