Chapter 1024: The Carriage
Our enemy here is the Blazeforge Orcs. If we turn on each other, it will only benefit the Blazeforge Orcs. Whether the Shadow Tower fights the Merlin Family or vice versa, no matter who wins or loses, the human alliance will suffer a tremendous loss.
If we keep fighting the Blazeforge Orcs like this, we’ll be at an even greater disadvantage. This isn’t just hurting you—it drags all of us down.
Whatever issues we have, let’s deal with them after the Blazeforge Battlefield is settled. For now, we absolutely cannot afford any internal strife.
I’ve heard that the royal Golden Orcs sent their great general this time. The Burning Tower ran into them before—neither side could do anything to the other. That arrogant guy Dida La, don’t you know about him?
If he had the chance, do you think he’d spare those Golden Orcs?
But in the end, not a single Golden Orc was lost, while the Burning Tower had several mages seriously injured—some nearly died.
Dida La personally fought the Golden Orc general, and the guy didn’t even lose a single hair. He just strutted away in the end…
So, right now, our only enemy is the Blazeforge Orcs. Whatever you do, don’t start fighting among yourselves…"
Arno rattled off the intelligence he’d gathered at breakneck speed.
Diras gritted his teeth, knowing that fighting now really wasn’t wise. He shot Leon a resentful glare, full of disdain.
"With their pathetic strength, what good are they to the battle? In the end, they’re just cannon fodder. When the Golden Orcs show up, it’ll be a miracle if they don’t wet their pants…"
Arno lowered his head and forced a bitter smile.
"Diras, you need to understand…"
Arno hadn’t finished speaking when Diras waved him off.
"Enough, enough. I’m not clueless about the bigger picture. They got lucky today. That damned guy’s head can stay on his shoulders for now, but once this is over, I’ll take it myself. If they can’t wait, I’ll finish them off right now."
Hearing that Diras finally gave up on fighting, Arno couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief—though his impression of Diras was sinking lower by the minute.
Damn it, if you hadn’t helped me out once before, I’d never have come to save you. Didn’t you see Morgan hiding all the way in the back, refusing to show his face?
Trying to go up against Matthew Merlin? That’s just because he doesn’t even consider you worth his time. If he made a move, you’d be dead in five minutes—no, three. And your whole Shadow Tower crew? Wiped out in ten.
Whatever, I’ve paid my debt. That idiot can do whatever he wants. Just hope he’s not dumb enough to keep provoking Matthew Merlin…
Diras, full of contempt, led the Shadow Tower people off to rest, while Arno finally took the Henry Family to a spot to recover.
Seeing there wouldn’t be a fight, Anderson muttered to himself in disappointment.
"Damn, no fight? How boring. If I killed that guy, maybe I could snag a few extra mana crystals—and that thief’s magic artifact is pretty interesting too…"
Hubert looked disappointed at the missed carnage, lying on the ground to rest. Even the mage legion seemed let down that there wasn’t a fight.
Seeing this, Arno started sweating, his mind replaying the scene of those three Mud Lizards getting wiped out like ordinary magical beasts…
After hesitating a moment, Arno slowly walked up to Leon and lowered his voice to mutter.
"Archmage Merlin, I’m really sorry. Diras is a bit unhinged—please don’t take him seriously. We’ve come all this way, and we might be about to face the Blazeforge Orcs head-on. If we keep fighting among ourselves, we all lose.
This time, the Blazeforge Orcs are incredibly strong. We’ll have to work together if we want to stand a chance—you understand that, right?"
Leon nodded nonchalantly, and only then did Arno finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Oh, where’s Lord Morgan? I haven’t seen him around."
Leon glanced at the Henry Family’s group, and Morgan’s face instantly changed. He hurriedly pulled his hat lower and ducked his head.
"Lord Morgan, what about that thing we agreed on earlier? You haven’t forgotten, have you?"
Leon’s voice rang in Morgan’s ear, and Morgan finally stepped out with a bitter face, looking like he’d caught the plague just by approaching Leon.
Dragging his feet, Morgan stiffly walked over, expressionless as he offered a greeting.
"Good day, Matthew Merlin."
Leon looked Morgan up and down, then simply held out his hand.
"Lord Morgan, the magical beasts you hunted using my method—the mana crystals, shouldn’t you pay me as agreed in the contract?"
Arno gave a couple of awkward laughs and tugged at the clearly unwilling Morgan.
"Morgan, hurry up and hand over the mana crystals. This is what we agreed with Archmage Merlin—we can’t risk the Henry Family’s good reputation."
Reluctantly, Morgan handed over two level-forty mana crystals. This time, he didn’t pull any tricks—he just gave them up, plain and simple.
"Archmage Merlin, we hunted nine of those pseudo Sky Rank magical beasts. According to our agreement, these two are your payment."
Morgan handed over the two mana crystals and immediately turned to leave, clearly wanting nothing to do with Leon.
Arno gave an awkward smile, trying to explain for Morgan.
"Uh… Archmage Merlin, Morgan’s just been really tired these past few days. Please understand…"
Arno and Leon chatted amiably, seeming to get along quite well. On the other side, Diras was starting to get annoyed—especially when he overheard something about letting things slide, which instantly set him off.
"Arno, what did you say? You mean this weakling shouldn’t take me seriously? Are you saying he should let me off?"
Diras couldn’t help but cast an auxiliary spell, just in time to catch a few words. His anger, which had just subsided, flared right back up.
Diras pulled out his staff—or what was called a staff, but looked more like a slightly elongated dagger. The short, gray staff was made of Soulwood, the best material for shadow magic. Legend has it Soulwood only grows by absorbing the power of ancient souls, deep inside tombs where there’s not a hint of light.
Diras was fuming, and Arno could only force a bitter smile. Who would’ve thought Diras would stoop to eavesdropping? That’s not a matter of strength—it’s basic mage etiquette. Even evil mages don’t just do that.
Diras charged in, ready to fight, but Arno quickly stepped in to stop him.
"Diras, calm down, please—don’t do anything rash. Whatever you want to say, say it, but don’t start a fight here. You’ll ruin everything for everyone…"
Diras gave Arno a cold glare and shoved him aside.
"Arno, get lost. Stay out of this. Today I’m going to tear this Andalusian bumpkin apart and spill his blood in front of this temple…"
Leon gave a cold laugh and slowly took out the Doombringer Staff.
"Diras, since you’re so eager to die, I’ll oblige you."
With the battle about to erupt, Arno couldn’t stop Diras anymore and was at a loss for what to do.
Damn it, Diras is such an idiot. After knowing him for so long, I can’t believe he’s this stupid. Would I ever harm him? If a fight breaks out, he’s doomed. That Matthew Merlin guy would never show mercy, and no matter how high his uncle’s status is in the Shadow Tower, it won’t help here…
"Arno, move aside. Today I’ll show you how I tear this Andalusian weakling apart—let you witness the power of the Shadow Tower!"
Arno didn’t dare use magic, so he tried to block Diras with his own body. But faced with Diras’s fury, Arno just couldn’t hold him back.