Chapter 217: Magical Beast Uprising
But what kind of upheaval could it possibly be?
No, it’s not a disaster...
Four Seasons Gorge spans thousands of miles, larger than ten Seaview Cities put together. If a single disaster could turn all that into a barren desert, what kind of catastrophe would that be?
Fine, let’s say such a disaster really did happen. Even so, something of that scale would be a once-in-a-millennium event in the Northend World, the kind that would trigger massive shifts in magical power. Countless powerful mages would be up in arms, cursing to high heaven. Why is it that, in all my time spent in that empty, decaying library, I never saw a single record of anything like it? Not even the creator who unearthed Vaughn’s Laboratory ever mentioned it.
But if it’s not a disaster, then what is it?
Could it be man-made?
...Leon couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine at that thought. If it really was man-made, then Four Seasons Gorge is far more complicated than he’d ever imagined...
From lush greenery to endless yellow sands...
It’s a transformation worthy of the phrase ‘oceans turning to mulberry fields.’ To cause such a change, at minimum, would require a peak Heaven-tier powerhouse—someone who’s mastered extraordinary forces and could open a sub-plane single-handedly. Only such terrifying beings could create a disaster of this magnitude.
"Merlin, Merlin..." Salomon had been walking ahead for quite a while, but didn’t hear Leon’s voice. He couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled. "What are you thinking about?"
"It’s nothing," Leon shook his head, temporarily setting aside those chaotic thoughts and followed Salomon as they slowly made their way toward the heart of Four Seasons Gorge.
The rugged path wound downward, and at its end, sure enough, was a scene of lush greenery. The moment Leon stepped into Four Seasons Gorge, he felt as if he’d entered an elven kingdom—life was everywhere: towering trees, fragrant flowers, verdant grass, babbling streams. Even the air seemed tinged with sweetness.
But for some reason...
Leon couldn’t shake the feeling that this vitality was too abundant—so much so that it felt unnatural. Yet if you asked him to explain why, he couldn’t quite put it into words. In the end, it was just a gut feeling.
From where the two stood, they could clearly see that the main forces of eight great factions had already set up camp in Four Seasons Gorge. Hundreds of tents formed a sprawling cluster, taking over the clearing at the base of the cliffs. Around the perimeter were more than a dozen hastily built watchtowers, manned by the Silvermoon Mercenary Company and Viper’s Nest’s finest archers. Below the towers were traps and magical arrays everywhere, and squads of warriors patrolled back and forth. The whole camp was, quite literally, a fortress.
"Most of it was arranged by Silvermoon Mercenary Company. After all, among all the factions from Seaview City, they’re the most battle-hardened... Watch out!"
Just as Salomon was patiently explaining, a shadow suddenly swept past behind Leon...
In truth, Salomon’s warning was hardly necessary...
Almost as soon as the wind stirred, Saedus revealed itself—without any warning, a dozen flaming arrows shot out. The air was filled with a barrage of sharp sounds, and before Salomon could react, the shadow that had swept past behind Leon hit the ground with a loud thud.
"A Shadow Wolf," Leon crouched down to inspect the corpse, which was nearly charred beyond recognition, but he still managed to spot a few features unique to Shadow Wolves.
However, this discovery made Leon frown once again.
Shadow Wolves are usually only level twelve or thirteen magical beasts—even the strongest among them wouldn’t exceed level fifteen. Yet when this one lunged at him, its power and speed were clearly above level fifteen. The only reason Leon could deal with it instantly was because Saedus was so strong. If it had been an ordinary ninth-rank Grand Mage, that sneak attack alone would’ve left them in a sorry state.
So this must be the mutation Salomon mentioned...
Otherwise, how could an ordinary Shadow Wolf be this powerful?
With that thought, Leon examined the Shadow Wolf’s corpse even more closely.
"Hmm..." Leon soon noticed that the Shadow Wolf’s eyes were especially red, almost as if blood might drip out at any moment. Even though it was already burned to a crisp, its body still faintly radiated a trace of life force. That discovery finally made Leon realize why he’d felt the vitality in Four Seasons Gorge was so unnaturally strong...
This Shadow Wolf was a microcosm of the entire Four Seasons Gorge. Right now, the gorge was like a dying person, unleashing all its remaining life force in one final burst—creating nothing but the illusion of vitality.
"Alright, let’s head over." Leon clapped the dust off his hands and stood up, ready to call Salomon away—when suddenly, his expression changed. "Wait, what’s that sound...?"
"What sound?" Salomon was confused at first, but then his face changed too. "Damn, it sounds like Thunder Elephants—at least ten of them!"
"Twenty-three in total! Move!"
Fortunately, the two weren’t far from the camp. The moment the Thunder Elephants’ footsteps thundered through the ground, they sprinted toward the camp at breakneck speed.
"Sound the alarm! Sound the alarm!" At that moment, a vice-captain from the Silvermoon Mercenary Company spotted the approaching threat. At his command, dozens of signal arrows shot skyward from the watchtowers, and the entire camp sprang into action, preparing for the imminent battle.
The patrolling warrior teams were the first to take position. Armed with sword and shield, they formed a tight defensive formation behind the traps and magical arrays. They would be the ones to face the Thunder Elephants’ first charge.
When more than twenty Thunder Elephants stampede at once, even the ground itself seems to tremble. These thick-skinned, hulking beasts—all at least level fifteen—soon appeared just a few hundred meters from the camp. Clouds of dust billowed as they charged, eyes blazing red, nostrils flaring with steam, trumpeting wildly as they barreled toward the camp...
"What’s going on?" At that moment, leaders from several other factions emerged from their tents. Seeing the chaos, they were left speechless.
This was more than twenty Thunder Elephants—if they broke into the camp, it would be reduced to ruins.
No, no, it wasn’t just twenty Thunder Elephants...
As everyone stood dumbfounded, a massive red cloud appeared in the distant sky—like the whole heavens were ablaze.
"Damn, those are Fire Ravens!" Bardrack, captain of the Flash Arrow Mercenary Company and Seaview City’s only Ninth Rank Sharpshooter, had the sharpest eyes of any faction leader. He stared at the red cloud for a few seconds, then suddenly shrieked, "Fire Ravens—there are at least three thousand of them!"
"No way..." Bardrack’s shriek immediately set off a wave of panic.
If twenty Thunder Elephants rampaged through the camp, it would be reduced to ruins. But if thousands of Fire Ravens descended, this place would truly become hell on earth.
Fire Ravens may only be level five to ten magical beasts, but they’re born with the ability to control fire and always travel in flocks—sometimes dozens, sometimes hundreds, sometimes thousands.
Normally, small flocks of Fire Ravens aren’t much of a threat. Many mercenary companies set traps beneath the Undying Volcano just to catch them—their feathers are a common magical material, widely used in alchemy and as casting components to boost fire spells.
Most Fire Ravens are only around level five. In terms of raw power, they’re weaker than some of the more vicious beasts, and their innate spell is pretty basic—a suicidal Fire Feather Burn that even a moderately experienced mercenary can handle with ease.
It doesn’t sound like much...
But only those who’ve actually seen thousands of Fire Ravens swarming together know how terrifying a large flock truly is. Just imagine—thousands of Fire Ravens surging forward, the heat alone enough to roast a person alive. And if they all cast Fire Feather Burn at once, they could turn any place to scorched earth in an instant.
And this time, there were over three thousand...
"Prepare for battle." The speaker was Seth, captain of the Silvermoon Mercenary Company. As the leader of Seaview City’s top mercenary group, Seth was the most experienced at handling large-scale battles. That’s why, from the very start, everyone agreed that Seth would command in any mass combat.
As soon as Seth gave the order, everyone sprang into action. These were true elites—maybe not all were experienced commanders, but when it came to execution, there was no group in Seaview City that could match them. The moment Seth spoke, preparations were complete; several magi even cast Levitation, ready to take to the sky and confront the Fire Ravens.
"Wait." But just then, a discordant voice interrupted the team.
"Wait for what..." Soth was the most impatient of them all. He’d been ready to fight, but the moment he heard someone say "wait," his face darkened and he was about to snap.
But just as he opened his mouth, he realized the one who’d said "wait" was Lin Yun...
So the words Soth was about to spit out got stuck in his throat.