Chapter 388: The Giant Python
That's right—it meant thunder. Leon remembered with a sardonic clarity: back in that vast, decaying library, he'd pored over scraps of the Yashan Dynasty’s research. The ancient Ashan Script was never fully deciphered, but a handful of crucial symbols—earth, water, fire, wind, thunder, frost, light, darkness—could be pieced together, almost enough to mock the scholars who came before him...
Now, the symbol on the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf's forehead was precisely the ancient god-demon rune for thunder...
But why this symbol? Why now, in this place, amid so many mysteries?
Leon puzzled over it for ages, but still couldn't figure it out...
There was no help for it—creatures like the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf were so rare and mysterious that almost nothing was recorded about them. If the Mercenary King hadn't risen to fame, it's possible that the entire history of Northend wouldn't even mention a single Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf...
Besides, even in records about the Mercenary King, most of the focus was on his earth-shaking combat prowess and his legendary life. As for the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf at his side, there was barely any mention at all...
Otherwise, how would Leon have known the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf had such a hunger for Mana Crystals? And that the mark on its forehead would become the Thunder Rune from the Ashan Script?
Wait—Mana Crystal... At that thought, Leon suddenly froze.
Then, it all came back to him at once.
Among the dozen or so Mana Crystals in Leon's pocket, the most powerful one seemed to come from Vaughn's alchemy lab.
That's right, Vaughn's alchemy lab. Back then, Leon had used Saedus to shoot down a Thunderbird there...
Leon remembered it so vividly because that Thunderbird had reached level thirty or above—strong enough to hold its own against Sylas West in a fight. But after Saedus killed it, the Mana Crystal it left behind was oddly only around level twenty-six.
Leon once speculated that it was probably due to the unique environment of Vaughn's alchemy lab, influenced by some mysterious force. That's what let the Thunderbird break through its limits and show level thirty combat power. Leon even thought it might be because of that northern mountain range in Caucasus...
Of course, all of this was just speculation. The truth of the matter—well, Leon suspected he’d have to wait until he was truly strong enough, qualified to set foot in those mountains, before he could uncover it for himself.
Later, Leon studied that Mana Crystal carefully and confirmed that, apart from containing thunder power, it had no other special properties. For Leon, any Mana Crystal below the soul tier was only good for replenishing mana, so after some thought, he just tossed it into his pocket...
In the end, after all this time, he hadn't used it to restore his mana—it ended up getting eaten by the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf instead.
And after the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf devoured all the Mana Crystals, the red mark on its forehead shifted, transforming into the Thunder Rune from the Ashan Script. Was there some hidden connection in all this?
Thinking it over, it really did seem possible...
Otherwise, why would the change happen at that exact moment—only after the Mana Crystals were eaten—and why would it just so happen to be the thunder symbol?
"But why is it ancient god-demon script..." That was what Leon couldn't wrap his head around. The Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf might be rare, but it didn't seem to have any connection to ancient gods or demons, did it?
Why would eating a Mana Crystal infused with thunder power turn the red mark on its forehead into an ancient god-demon rune?
"Hey, what's going on here..." Leon poked the Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf's belly with his finger, trying to wake it up and ask...
But Leon immediately realized he'd underestimated how sleepy this creature was...
The Three-Eyed Shadow Wolf just waved its paw, wanting to bat away whatever was disturbing its sleep, then rolled over and kept snoring...
"Seriously..." Leon grumbled, annoyed, but there was really nothing he could do about it.
The python's gaping maw was just inches away; in that instant, William Merlin was assaulted by a wave of thick, sickly stench—cloying, metallic, almost suffocating...
This thing was basically royalty now.
In all of Northend's history, only a handful had ever appeared—rarer than even Sky Rank powerhouses. Even Leon, seeing one, immediately gave up on making an invisibility cloak and started playing pet keeper instead...
Leon honestly didn't dare mess with it now...
Who knew what might happen if he messed with it...
With no other choice, Leon carefully put it back in his pocket—but not before taking everything else out and moving it to his left pocket, just to be safe.
Who could tell if this thing would wake up hungry again...
Mana Crystals getting eaten was one thing—but what about magical artifacts, or alchemical potions...?
Especially the alchemical potions. Leon kept all sorts in his pocket, each with different effects. If the wolf ate one and something god-demonic happened, he'd regret it for the rest of his life...
By noon the next day, the five of them had crossed the Auridge Mountains...
Next up was the Turin Mountains.
It was at this point that Leon really felt the difference. The Turin Mountains and the Auridge Mountains were worlds apart. He'd only just entered the outskirts of Turin, but the magical beasts were already far stronger than anything in Auridge...
Hubert was still leading the charge, but now the three Merlin brothers had to step in too.
There was no other way—the magical beasts here were mostly above level twenty, and they appeared in packs. Hubert alone couldn't keep everyone safe. That afternoon, the five of them even ran into a level thirty Goldenring Python. Without Leon's help, the other four barely managed to take it down after a desperate struggle.
By now, the five of them were drawing ever closer to the Doomscar. Leon could feel a torrent of chaotic, overwhelming magical fluctuations pouring in from the distance—even his Mana Harness seemed to strain under the pressure, spinning and shifting restlessly.
Leon knew that if they went any deeper, they'd be entering the Doomscar itself. Then, they'd be facing not just Goldenring Pythons, but the Goldenring Python King. So Leon had to call over Ryan Merlin: "Cousin Ryan, you said before there was a way to bypass the Doomscar..."
"Yes, but..."
"Hmm?" Leon's brows furrowed, his gaze toward Ryan Merlin growing noticeably colder.
"Don't worry, let me explain..." Ryan Merlin blanched, realizing his answer had already unsettled his unfathomable cousin. He didn't dare keep secrets, and hurried to clarify: "The shortcut I mentioned is just ahead, but the precise spot might take a while to find. My map is missing a piece..."
"Missing a piece?" Leon was momentarily surprised, then suddenly remembered something. He rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out a yellowed piece of parchment: "Take a look at this."
"Hmm?" Ryan Merlin took the parchment from Leon, his expression a mix of suspicion and excitement. After a quick glance, his face lit up: "Yes, yes, that's the one! Leon, where did you get this?"
"Found it."
...Leon answered with perfect confidence, while Ross Merlin and William Merlin muttered to themselves, 'You found it on Stan Watson's corpse, didn't you...'
With this crucial map piece, Ryan Merlin became visibly excited. He pulled out several other yellowed parchments from his pocket and spread them out on the grass, piecing them together one by one until, at last, a complete map appeared...
"It's right in the valley ahead!" Ryan Merlin stared at the completed map on the grass, his face lighting up with sudden realization. "Now, if we follow this path straight ahead, in about three hours we'll reach a valley—the entrance to the shortcut, and the only route to the Turin Mountains that doesn't cross the Doomscar!"
With a clear direction, the five of them didn't hesitate. Hubert charged ahead, the three Merlin brothers close behind, braving attacks from magical beasts as they pressed on toward the valley...
By afternoon, the five had finally entered the valley.
This valley was something out of a dream...
Because of the Doomscar, the outskirts of the Turin Mountains were infamous for their bleak desolation. Yet stepping into the valley, they were greeted by a scene of breathtaking beauty—crystal streams winding through lush trees, emerald grass carpeting the earth, and even the blazing sun above seemed to soften its harsh glare...
"I can't believe a place like this exists..." William Merlin had barely stopped fighting since they'd arrived, but now, stepping into such a picturesque spot, he looked visibly relaxed. He hurried over to the stream, ready to scoop up some water and wash the grime from his face.
"I can't believe a place like this exists..." William Merlin had barely paused for breath since they'd arrived, but now, stepping into this serene valley, his face finally relaxed. He dashed to the stream, eager to scoop up water and wash away the grime of battle.
"Huh?" William Merlin froze.
"Get away from there, now!"
"Oh, okay..." Luckily, William Merlin always listened to this cousin. Leon didn't explain, but William obediently retreated a dozen steps...
Sure enough...
Just as William Merlin hurriedly stepped back, the babbling stream suddenly erupted with a thunderous roar...
A spray of water burst into the air, scattering in all directions...
In the midst of the chaos, everyone could clearly see a huge black shadow shooting out from the water...
It was a giant python lurking beneath the stream...
Its speed was terrifying—within a split second, it had lunged more than ten meters, and with a hiss, its monstrous head was right in front of William Merlin...
The python's gaping maw was inches away; for a moment, William Merlin could almost smell the thick, rancid stench...