Chapter 118: Eastlin (Part 1)

At Master Leo's tower, Merlin stood waiting outside Lorinka's door.

*Creak.*

Soon, Lorinka emerged and smiled slightly upon seeing him. "Mage Merlin, are you ready?"

"More or less. Shall we head to the mission hall now?"

"Let's go."

Lorinka nodded calmly. During these five days, she had likely made some preparations of her own, though Merlin knew better than to pry into personal matters.

The two made their way together to the mission hall, where Mage Holmes and Mage Relis were already waiting silently.

"If Mages Lorinka and Merlin are ready, then let's set off," Holmes said in a low voice, glancing briefly at them.

Merlin and Lorinka both nodded in agreement, and the group of four left the mission hall, arriving at a vast plaza. The ground was inscribed with numerous mysterious rune formations.

Merlin recognized these formations; they resembled the runic arrays in the Keld Mountain Range—the very same type that had brought him to the Dark Spirit Realm.

These rune arrays were designed for long-distance teleportation, and crafting such powerful formations required the skill of Level Seven or higher spellcasters. Even in the Dark Spirit Realm, there were likely fewer than ten who possessed such abilities.

The four followed Holmes, who seemed to relish his role as the leader, guiding them to a specific formation. Evidently, Holmes was familiar with these teleportation arrays and navigated with ease. Each of the dozens of rune formations led to a different distant location, so one needed to know the destination in advance.

"Everyone ready? Let's go."

Holmes surveyed their faces before activating the rune on his Dark Spirit Ring.

With a flash, Holmes disappeared from the array, transported to some unknown location.

Merlin and the others quickly followed, activating their rings. Three more flashes of light, and their figures vanished from the formation.

---

Beside a crystal-clear stream, a few birds perched on rocks jutting out of the water, dipping their beaks to drink. Suddenly, a strange ripple appeared on the stream's edge, accompanied by a faint white light.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*

Four figures materialized out of thin air, looking slightly pale.

"Where are we?" Merlin glanced around, noting they were in a dense forest. Aside from a few startled animals fleeing the area, there seemed to be no other signs of life.

"Phew…"

Relieved by the lack of danger, Merlin exhaled deeply. The teleportation experience had been unpleasant; during that brief moment, his mind went blank, and his body felt as though it was being violently compressed.

Although his previous teleportation in the Keld Mountain Range had involved some pressure, it hadn't been as intense as this.

"Is everyone alright?" Holmes asked, his face pale but quickly regaining composure.

Lorinka and Relis shook their heads, indicating they were fine. The group then retrieved the map they had received from the mission hall and studied it carefully.

"According to the map, we're in the Kanmeno Mountains, about 300 miles east of Eastlin," Holmes pointed out.

The Black Moon Kingdom was vast, composed of thousands of city-states. Whenever spellcasters from the Dark Spirit Realm ventured out on missions, they always carried a map.

Merlin had begun to notice something intriguing—whether entering or exiting the Dark Spirit Realm, spellcasters had to rely on rune formations. Since the Dark Spirit Realm was situated on a mysterious island with an unknown location, those expelled from it by losing their Dark Spirit Ring would never be able to find it again.

Even among the spellcasters within the Dark Spirit Realm, including Level One and higher members, and those who could independently establish towers as Level Four spellcasters, none knew its true location. The Dark Spirit Realm had maintained its secrecy since its founding.

Perhaps only the Level Seven or higher spellcasters, the true core of the Dark Spirit Realm, knew anything about its precise location.

Holmes put the map away and said, "Let's go. If we keep a good pace, we should reach Eastlin in about a day."

The group of four began following the stream, heading out of the mountains.

---

"Marquis, today, twenty-eight more bodies were found in the western suburbs of Eastlin, all mangled and blood-drained," reported a tall, armored man solemnly.

Sitting in a grand chair, Marquis Barossa, the highest commander of Eastlin, controlled the entire city-state and commanded tens of thousands of knights. Yet his brow was furrowed, and worry filled his face.

"Mage Palio, you've been investigating this for days. Is it truly the work of Dark Blood Bats?" Marquis Barossa asked a nearby mage in black robes.

Mage Palio frowned, his expression grave. "My lord, based on my investigation, it seems Eastlin indeed has a lurking dark elemental creature—the Dark Blood Bats. And there's certainly no shortage of them."

The marquis quickly asked, "Since it's Dark Blood Bats, is there a way to handle them?"

Palio pondered a moment before replying, "The Dark Blood Bats are elusive creatures that resist most attacks but are vulnerable to freezing. To eliminate them, we must first locate their nest and bring a few skilled Ice Swordsmen, preferably those above Level Four, to destroy them in one fell swoop."

Relieved to hear a solution, Marquis Barossa continued, "Very well, Mage Palio, please select some people to join you in eliminating these Dark Blood Bats."

Mage Palio squinted slightly, surveying the room before smiling. "I only need Mage Simp and Marshal Warton, along with thirty Level Four or higher Ice Swordsmen."

The marquis nodded and looked at the tall, armored man. "Marshal Warton, please select thirty Level Four Ice Swordsmen to accompany Mage Palio."

The armored man nodded and left to gather the swordsmen.

"Let's hope this puts an end to these Dark Blood Bats once and for all," Marquis Barossa sighed deeply, his gaze filled with hope.