novelnext Chapter 217 The Chaotic Twin Harbors
Chapter 217 The Chaotic Twin Harbors
Chapter 217 The Chaotic Twin Harbors
Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, the mountain-like giant elephant let out a deep, resonant roar!
"roar-!!!"
The sound seemed to surge from the deepest part of the earth, making people's eardrums buzz and even the ground beneath their feet tremble slightly.
The thick, elephant-like trunk, accompanied by a howling wind, swept fiercely towards the buildings ahead!
The ivory, sharp as a cold blade, pierced straight out, like two long spears that could breach a city wall.
Boom!!!
The entire three-story building collapsed!
The walls shattered like pieces of paper, bricks and tiles flew everywhere, dust filled the air, and visibility was completely blurred.
The small boat, which was approaching the riverbank, rocked violently.
The sudden tremor threw everyone on the boat to the side.
The water was churning violently, and the boat looked like it was about to capsize at any moment.
"Hold on! Row fast, get out of here!"
Serena's expression changed drastically.
"—What is this thing? How can it be so big?!"
Shar's gaze was fixed on the massive silhouette in the distant dust and mist.
Thick, viscous wax was dripping down the giant elephant's body.
She lowered her voice: "Captain, this is very similar to the Wax Demon described in the Abyss Worship Ritual—except that its size is too outrageous."
Serena frowned.
"The Wax-Melting Demon shouldn't be that big."
And unless it devours hundreds of souls—which, given its size, would be enough to confront a third-tier warrior head-on.
"But—it's alright. At least we have a direction for the next step."
3
The other crew members on the ship listened, their faces growing increasingly grim.
Frankie's face was especially pale, his hands gripped the edge of the boat tightly, and his lips trembled uncontrollably.
Clearly, they were completely terrified by the sight of that giant elephant.
His voice trembled, and his eyes were filled with fear.
"Its opponent is definitely dead! We need to get out of here quickly, or we'll be swept up in it and left with nothing!"
In the dust not far away, the giant elephant's thick trunk swept across again, bringing up a gust of wind and sweeping away its sharp tusks.
Wherever it passed, the remaining ruins collapsed with a roar.
Just then—
"Fragmentation scattering!"
"Burning Hand!"
Two clear male voices pierced through the noise and suddenly exploded!
Immediately afterwards, a blinding white light burst open in the night, like the midday sun, instantly illuminating the entire chamber of commerce area in a ghastly white light!
The light was so intense that everyone on the ship instinctively closed their eyes and turned their heads away, tears welling up in their eyes immediately.
Besides the roar of the giant elephant, all that could be heard was the sharp, sizzling sound of magic tearing through the air.
Almost simultaneously, a painful and piercing roar burst from the giant elephant's mouth.
"That voice—" Shar rubbed her red and swollen eyes, her body involuntarily leaning forward, her gaze trying to pierce through the dust and fog to lock onto the blurry figure.
When she finally managed to open her eyes, she saw only a dark-skinned drow elf standing far away on the top of another building that hadn't collapsed.
He was tall and straight, but his face was not what she had imagined.
The light in her eyes suddenly went out.
His shoulders slumped slightly, and even the grip on the bow loosened a bit.
Serena had regained her senses, and her voice turned cold: "Shar, come and lend a hand. Tie this legion leader up tight; he's hiding a lot from us."
"----knew."
Shar took a breath, forcibly suppressing the emptiness and disappointment in her heart.
On the other side, Frankie's face turned green when he heard the arrangement.
But soon, he was tied up like a rice dumpling, and his mouth was stuffed with strips of cloth, so he could only make muffled "woo-woo" sounds.
Shar turned to Serena: "Captain, can we—stay nearby and watch the game?"
"reason."
"If that really is the Wax Demon, watching it will help us figure out its weaknesses and also find out who its opponent is."
Shar spoke faster, her eyes pleading.
"Besides, we're on the water, far enough away. Even if it wins, given its size, it won't be able to catch up with us quickly, so we're relatively safe."
Serena was silent for a few seconds, glanced at the other team members, and finally nodded almost imperceptibly.
In the center of the battlefield.
One of the elephant's tusks and the tip of its trunk had been severed at the root and crashed heavily to the ground, instantly turning into a pool of viscous wax that seeped into the soil.
But it only took a few painful steps back, and the wax on its body began to writhe wildly, wrapping around the wound like a living thing.
With a soft hissing sound, the damaged area "grew" back up at a speed visible to the naked eye.
However, the color of the wax seemed to be slightly lighter than before.
The ferocity in its eyes intensified, its scarlet pupils fixed on the drow ahead, its killing intent almost tangible.
On the other side, Kane wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Thanks to its immortality, its internal injuries are healing rapidly.
He frowned, staring at the giant elephant that was also repairing its wounds, his heart sinking: "The size difference is too great, the damage of conventional spells is greatly diluted, and it can't cause a fatal wound at all — and the wax is non-flammable, so even if iron powder is used to ignite it, as long as it can't be killed in one blow, it can discard the damaged parts at any time and reshape them with new wax."
"Are we going to fight until dawn?"
Kane's eyes narrowed: "—Wait, it seems to be stalling for time."
Seeing that Kane's injuries were recovering rapidly and his breathing was still strong.
The giant elephant's eyes flashed with ferocity, and its voice rolled like muffled thunder: "Kane, it seems I underestimated you. To withstand so many of my attacks without being seriously injured—you truly are the demon's son recognized by that lord."
"I haven't heard that title in a long time."
Kane's tone was devoid of emotion.
Why bother?
The giant elephant's forelegs stomped heavily on the ground, causing rocks to scatter, its roar a mixture of temptation and threat.
"Return! As long as your soul descends into the abyss, you will surely become one of the demon lords, possessing power, authority, and eternal life—"
In the current material plane, gods have vanished, legends have disappeared, and the power of the abyss is unstoppable.
What are you still holding on to?
It paused, then continued, "Look at this plane. Those believers of the gods who were enemies of the abyss, like that Duke Susas, didn't they also fall into the arms of the demons?"
The greed of living beings is endless; your individual resistance cannot change anything.
Kane listened, a cold smile curving his lips, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery: "Finished? Poor devil."
"Pitiful?"
The giant elephant's eyes instantly filled with mockery, and its roar kicked up dust.
"Traitor, you're the one who's insane! Giving up boundless power to be a short-lived mortal—that's the most ridiculous joke!"
"Isn't that right?" Kane took a step forward.
"If you are a powerful demon, you have countless souls to enjoy, so why pitifully project your souls onto the material plane?"
"You even dared to fight with a mere mortal like me, resorting to the devil's rhetoric?"
He scoffed: "They even fawn over that mortal duke for a little reward in the form of a soul."
Isn't such a demon pitiful enough?
These words hit the nail on the head.
The last vestige of feigned calm in the giant elephant's eyes shattered completely, leaving only pure and violent malice, its scarlet pupils almost dripping blood.
"You'll regret this—you damned insect! I'll tear you apart, drag your soul to the deepest abyss, and burn it for eternity!"
boom!
With a furious roar, the giant elephant suddenly raised its heavy forelegs and stomped the ground!
The earth collapsed in response, a huge crater appeared, and rubble sprayed out like rain.
Kane retreated swiftly, his Shadow Blade flashing in front of him, creating a dense, impenetrable blast of cold light as it deflected the flying debris, before sticking close to him again like a persistent leech.
With his dagger and Shadow Blade enchanted with "Protect from Evil," he continuously inflicted wounds on the colossal elephant's massive body.
His Spider-like technique allowed him to move and climb on the elephant's body like a ghost, his blade flashing continuously, each strike slicing off large swaths of viscous wax.
"Get down here!"
The giant elephant was enraged, and the wax on its body writhed wildly, rapidly covering and repairing the wounds burned by the magical power.
Flames, dust, roars, and the clash of metal mingled together.
The buildings, warehouses, and shops throughout the commercial district collapsed and turned into rubble amidst the aftermath of their fierce battle.
The air was filled with the sweet, fishy smell of molten wax and the pungent smell of dust.
"This... is this the power of the third tier?"
On the ship, one of the crew members, the male ranger Orion, gazed at the devastated scene in the distance.
His eyes were filled with shock, and even his paddling slowed down by a fraction.
Serena slowly shook her head, her gaze fixed on the battlefield: "Not entirely. Those giant elephants that resemble wax demons mainly rely on their size to generate brute force, coupled with the super-strong repair properties of the wax liquid, which gives them a troublesome, almost immortal, characteristic."
That drow—he's got a variety of skills, a bit of both magic and melee combat, like a wandering spellcaster.
Her tone turned serious: "But if this drags on, Zhuoer has no other trump card. Once he gets hit hard, he's finished."
The difference in strength is too great; once severely injured, one will be unable to resist.
As she finished speaking, both Pippen the Halfling and Orion the Ranger nodded silently.
Serena caught a glimpse of Shar out of the corner of her eye, who was lost in thought with a blank look in her eyes, so she gently touched her arm.
Shar snapped back to reality, grabbing Serena's forearm, her voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement: "Captain, did you hear that? That monster—that monster just called him 'Kane'! It's Kane!"
Serena's heart skipped a beat, but she remained outwardly calm, grasping her cold fingers in return: "Shar, calm down. There are too many people named 'Kane,' it can't be that much of a coincidence."
"But the sound—"
Shar refused to give up, her eyes flickering slightly.
"That Zhuo Er's voice sounds so much like his."
"Captain, our oath as Lamplighters is to swear by our lamps to burn away the abyss. Now that someone is fighting against the demons of the abyss, are we just going to stand idly by?"
Serena was taken aback by the question and was momentarily speechless.
The expressions of the other two teammates on the boat also became subtle.
The ranger named Orion couldn't help but speak up, his tone impatient and slightly sarcastic: "Shal, have you gone crazy from reaching Tier 2? Look at our team—only you and the captain are Tier 2, while Pippen and I are only Tier 1."
"What's the difference between getting us involved in this third-tier battle and sending us to our deaths?"
He paused, then hardened his tone: "If the captain insists on taking on this certain-death mission, I request to withdraw."
I don't want to die here in vain.
These words were like a bucket of cold water; the flush of excitement on Shar's face quickly faded, replaced by guilt.
She slowly released her grip, lowered her head, and softened her voice: "—I'm sorry. I was too hasty. Just pretend I—didn't say anything."
Serena sighed silently, her gaze returning to the distant battlefield shrouded in smoke and filled with constant roars.
She pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Directly participating in the war would certainly be suicide. But as the Lantern Bearers, we have dealt with these things the longest—"
Perhaps some old methods can create an opportunity for that Zhuoer.
Shar suddenly looked up: "Captain, do you have a way?"
Serena shook her head: "The Lantern Bearers in Twin Harbors aren't just our team—there's that one too. What we need to do now is make a big fuss, but hopefully that demon will cooperate."
Her gaze swept over everyone on the boat, and her tone left no room for argument, "From now on, follow my instructions."
Orian and Pippen exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness on each other's faces, but ultimately nodded.
Since we are still in the ranks, we must obey orders.
On the other side of the battlefield.
"Damn traitor! You stole the power of the abyss, only to use it to bite back?!"
The giant elephant was completely enraged. It swung its trunk wildly and stomped its heavy hooves on the ground. Every step caused the ground to shake violently and stones to fall like rain.
Kane narrowly avoided the attack, using the momentum to step on the swinging elephant trunk, then flipped over and leaped away, landing on a section of the remaining wall.
"It's stalling for time—"
Kane dodged the flying debris, his mind racing.
"What is it waiting for? Reinforcements from the army?"
His mind raced: "It doesn't know that the army corps has just been struck by lightning and is severely weakened—"
"Yes, I arrived just as Logan and the others finished their spell, so the news didn't spread quickly."
"So now—"
Kane touched the last iron dagger in his pocket.
"Conventional attacks won't kill it; it regenerates too quickly. If this continues, we might not be able to kill it in a day. We can't drag this out until dawn."
Just then, an arrow came flying from outside the battlefield, arcing through the air and embedding itself far into the giant elephant's waxy back.
With limited strength, the arrow tip barely pierced the surface before slipping away without causing any real damage.
But this seemingly insignificant blow instantly attracted the attention of both sides in the standoff.
"Another suicidal bug!"
The giant elephant roared angrily, then suddenly turned its head, its scarlet eyes locking onto the source of the arrow, its killing intent boiling.
Kane followed the gaze, his eyes landing on the small boat swaying on the water.
At the bow of the ship, a female knight-errant had just put down her bow, her expression serene.
It's Shar.
Thanks to the drow elves' extraordinary eyesight and dark vision, Kane could clearly see her face.
He paused almost imperceptibly for a moment.
"The Lantern Bearer who came to Twin Harbor—she was one of them."
The moment the question arose, the giant elephant caught his momentary distraction and grinned mockingly: "Traitor, I can't take you down in a short time."
But—can you protect those vulnerable mortals?
"After I tear them apart, devour their souls and flesh, I'll crush you, you traitor!"
Before the words were even finished, the giant elephant swung its trunk violently and turned to charge headlong into the river!
Its massive body stepped into the river, the murky water only reaching its knees, splashing water everywhere.
It strode off and chased after the small boat that was struggling to escape, its speed exceeding that of the boat.
If this continues, we can catch up in half a day at most.
Kane frowned.
His preferred magic lacked any means of walking on water, making it impossible to quickly pursue the creature; he could only watch helplessly as the colossal beast lunged at the small boat.
Just then, a gray pigeon fluttered its wings and landed on his shoulder.
Kane quickly took the folded note from the pigeon leg, unfolded it, and the handwriting caught his eye, making him pause slightly.
"Do they have reinforcements?"
He repeated in a low voice, "Whatever their purpose, at least for now, they share the same goal."
"We must contact Logan and the others."
He gripped the note tightly.
"Only by relying on the power of the academy's mage team can we defeat this demon as soon as possible."
On the inland river, the small boat struggled to move forward.
Orian and Pippen rowed with all their might, their clothes soaked with sweat.
They stared intently at the terrifying figure that was getting closer and closer behind them.
The half-human skin-covered man paddled frantically, muttering in a tearful voice, "I must be going crazy—"
"I shouldn't have joined this horrible squad! I'd rather take on ten rotting flesh crawlers single-handedly than be chased by these things!"
Frankie, bound like a dumpling and gagged, lay sprawled on the deck, watching the giant elephant relentlessly pursuing them from behind.
He was trembling with fear, and his crotch was wet and cold.
Seeing her anxious teammates, Shar felt heavy-hearted and could only repeatedly draw her bowstring and shoot the arrows marked with the "Hunter's Mark" at the giant elephant.
However, she was only at the second level, and the power of her arrows was limited.
It could barely penetrate the waxy surface before slipping off, drawing a mocking look from the giant elephant.
Serena, the captain of the warrior team, looked at the approaching shadow with an unusual calm on her face.
She patted Pippen on the shoulder: "Don't panic. The other squads in the city have received my signal, we're safe for now."
She paused, then said, "Besides, if that drow wants to kill this monster, it will definitely follow us."
We are now his bait.
Pippen, looking dejected, exclaimed, "Bait? Captain, this isn't bait, it's meat chunks being fed into the fish's mouth! That monster could swallow us all whole in one gulp!"
"Come on, it's not like you can win a one-on-one fight."
Orion couldn't help but retort, and his hands moved even faster.
"Stop talking nonsense and start paddling! Before that bastard bites us."
The two men buried themselves in their work, and the small boat rocked and lurched forward on the water.
The giant elephant behind them drew ever closer, its shadow almost completely enveloping the small boat.
Looking down from above.
In the inner river of Twin Harbor, huge war elephants were in hot pursuit, while small boats in front fled for their lives.
This scene was witnessed by countless residents of Twin Harbor who were awakened by the noise, as well as by the surrounding sheriffs.
People who had never seen such a terrifying beast stood on the shore, dumbfounded, and panic spread like a plague.
Screams, cries, and panicked escapes—the entire port city was instantly thrown into chaos.
Those pampered nobles also received urgent reports one after another.
In the noble district of the port city, members of the noble council are hastily awakened from their sleep, banquets, and studies to gather for discussions.
The local council speaker was dragged out of his warm bed, his hair disheveled and his robe not even fastened.
But after hearing his subordinate's detailed description, he instantly came to his senses.
Stumbling and staggering, they rushed up to the city's tallest watchtower.
Standing on the edge of the tower, looking down at the rampaging behemoth on the inner river, watching any boats or pontoon bridges that stood in its way being easily swept away by its trunk and trampled by its giant hooves.
The small fishing boat ahead looked like a leaf in a storm, ready to be swallowed up at any moment.
The speaker opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single syllable for a long time.
Other councilors also learned of the dramatic changes on the river through various channels and rushed to the tower, all of them looking ashen-faced.
"Enemy attack! This is a blatant enemy attack!"
"What kind of monster is that? How can there be such a huge elephant in Twin Harbors?!"
"Quickly! Deploy troops! Send out the sheriff! Eradicate this monster immediately!"
"What?! The entire corps was just struck by lightning, most of them are injured, and they can't be mobilized?!"
"Who else can still move? Wounded soldiers or logistics personnel, send them all over there! We can't let it destroy Twin Harbor!"
""
"Speaker, something terrible has happened!"
A subordinate rushed in, pale as a ghost.
"The sheriffs refused to go! They said—this kind of supernatural monster attack isn't their jurisdiction; they're only responsible for ordinary security!"
Upon hearing this, the speaker was so angry that he trembled and squeezed out a few local swear words through gritted teeth.
The army is immobilized, the sheriff is indifferent; are we just going to stand by and watch this monster demolish Twin Harbor?!
Just then, a deep, hoarse voice suddenly rang out from the shadows behind him: "Your Excellency Speaker, it seems you need a little help."
From the shadows, a figure draped in a black cloak slowly emerged, its face blurred, only its eyes cold and sharp.
The speaker turned around in shock, instinctively taking a half-step back: "Who are you?!"
The figure in the shadows did not answer, but said in a calm yet unquestionable tone: "If you authorize it, several squads of Lantern Bearers can immediately deal with this giant elephant demon and quell the riot."
Of course, we need some supplies, and a promise.
"promise?"
"The Lantern Bearers are permitted to establish a permanent base in Twin Harbors!"