Chapter 767: Erasure
The other Dark Elves had only been shocked at first, unsure how the Third Elder had become 'old friends' with the Dread Dragon Warlord of the Ashen Orc Tribe. But now, after hearing the Dread Dragon Warlord's words, an uproar broke out...
Every mage in the Dark Elf Mage Legion stared at the Third Elder in shock, unable to believe he would collude with the Ashen Orcs and use their strength against his own people.
The Dark Elves, who had already been somewhat resistant, immediately became furious.
At first, in the depths of despair, they had rebelled because the Third Elder promised to do everything possible to restore the Life Sigil Crystal. But now that the crystal had been restored, many Dark Elves found their will to rebel fading.
When it came to attacking Merlin, the great benefactor who had helped restore the Life Sigil Crystal, the Dark Elves' resistance only grew stronger.
Let alone the fact that the Third Elder seemed intent on killing both Merlin and the Second Elder—this only intensified the ordinary Dark Elves' resistance.
And now, he had even colluded with the most wicked Dread Dragon Warlord among the Ashen Orcs!
This, without a doubt, pushed all the Dark Elves to the opposing side.
Even those who had been following the Third Elder in rebellion now looked at him with suspicion.
Has the Third Elder gone mad? The Life Sigil Crystal has already been restored—why is he still colluding with the Ashen Orcs? He's betraying the enclave!
Does he want our Dark Elf kin to help that wicked Dread Dragon Warlord seize control of the Ashen Orc Tribe? How many of our people will be sacrificed? Sacrifices with no value—are they truly for the whole Dark Elf enclave, or just for the Third Elder's selfish ambitions?
Even the most loyal followers of the Third Elder now wavered, eyes filled with doubt and confusion—how had things come to this, and how had the Third Elder become so unrecognizable?
Meanwhile, the Second Elder and his group, protected by the War Ancient Oak, were so furious they nearly rushed out of the defensive circle.
"Third Elder, you traitor! You dare collude with the Ashen Orcs—especially the Dread Dragon Warlord, the most evil of them all. Do you forget how much Dark Elf blood stains his hands?"
"Brewster, you're beyond redemption. Have you forgotten what that wicked creature has done? Now you bring the Dread Dragon Warlord into our Dark Elf affairs—not just betraying us, but betraying the entire Dark Elf race!"
"Damn it, Third Elder! You don't deserve that title anymore. You're a criminal to the Dark Elves, spilling our blood to pave your own road to power. The Dark Elf enclave will fall by your hand, sooner or later!"
The Second Elder was the angriest of all—his aged face flushed red, which, given the Dark Elves' usual pallor, spoke volumes of his rage.
At that moment, the Second Elder clenched his fists, magical power surging violently through him, filled with wild energy. If not for several Dark Elves restraining him, he would have charged out to fight.
Leon leaned against the trunk of a War Ancient Oak, watching the unexpected scene unfold. Ever since the Dread Dragon Warlord appeared, the internal rebellion had turned into a massive betrayal of the Dark Elves—no one paid him any mind anymore.
As the Ashen Orc army continued to march into the Dark Elf enclave, voices of opposition grew louder. Many Dark Elves had already abandoned their support for the Third Elder, turning against him instead.
Only then did the Third Elder's face darken, glancing at the distant, wickedly grinning Dread Dragon Warlord.
That bastard is forcing my hand. If I can't seize control of the Dark Elf enclave today, I'll have no way out. The ones I just gathered haven't had time to build loyalty—if things fall apart now, I'll truly need his help.
By then, whatever he asks, I'll have no way to refuse—I'll have to help him take control of the Ashen Orc Tribe.
Already, many in the Mage Legion had begun to argue, and in some places, fights were breaking out over the slightest disagreement.
Internal chaos—without outside intervention, disaster was inevitable.
"Dread Dragon Warlord, it's time to fulfill your promise!"
Even knowing he was being forced, the Third Elder still gritted his teeth and spoke. He couldn't afford to wait any longer—if the chaos continued, the enclave he'd claim would be broken, without a vast following or the Mage Legion's deterrence. The Dark Elf enclave would be on the brink of destruction.
"Arrest all the rebels!"
The Third Elder stood on high, shouting angrily.
In an instant, the already chaotic Dark Elves erupted into open conflict.
The Dread Dragon Warlord, wearing his wicked grin, casually waved his hand.
Immediately, the Ashen Orc Warhost, which had been standing by, surged forward with savage laughter. Packs of Ashen Orc Wolf Riders led the charge, slicing into the most chaotic parts like a dagger—whether they opposed or supported the Third Elder, anyone fighting was knocked to the ground.
Those who resisted most fiercely were instantly targeted by Orc Wind Riders swooping down from the sky, hurling poisoned spears that pinned Dark Elves to the ground. In moments, the air was filled with cries of agony.
Crowds of orc thralls wielded crude weapons, driving the Dark Elves with savage grins. These fearless, death-defying thralls cared nothing for their own lives. Slowly, the Dark Elves were herded into a corner, surrounded by groups of orc thralls.
With the Dark Elves who supported the Third Elder and a few remaining rebels, it didn't take long for the resistance to be crushed.
[Irrelevant passage: This chapter isn't over ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!]
The Dark Elves, whose strength had been depleted by the cracks in the Life Sigil Crystal, were all in a weakened state—no match for the fully armed, ferocious Ashen Orcs.
Soon, the few remaining rebels among the Dark Elves were either killed or captured. Many were driven into a corner, too terrified to fight back. Wyverns circled overhead—any Dark Elf who tried to resist was instantly skewered by several poisoned spears and nailed to the ground.
Off in the distance, the Second Elder covered his face in grief—he couldn't bear to watch any longer. The fierce rebels had all been executed, and the rest were crushed by the Ashen Orc Warhost as if trampled underfoot.
More and more Ashen Orcs flooded into the enclave, swiftly seizing key locations. Even three massive, crude catapults were rolled into the Dark Elf enclave.
Each catapult carried a huge iron ball bristling with spikes. When launched during battle, it could cause devastating casualties.
In no time, the Dark Elf enclave was essentially under Ashen Orc control. The opponents of the Third Elder were all captured by Dark Elves who supported him.
Seeing the situation finally under control, the Third Elder's smile returned.
"Dread Dragon Warlord, your subordinates are truly impressive. If you ask me, you're the most suitable candidate to inherit the Ashen Orc chieftainship. Your two rivals can't compare to your strength at all..."
The Third Elder smiled and offered a few words of flattery to the Dread Dragon Warlord.
The Dread Dragon Warlord never once dismounted his Kodo Beast, remaining seated on his throne and watching the battle below like a farce.
After the battle ended, the Third Elder finally remembered the earlier crisis—the crack in the Life Sigil Crystal had weakened every Dark Elf in the enclave, leaving them all drained and their strength slowly slipping away.
If not for that, they wouldn't have lost so much power for nothing. It was all that damned outsider's fault!
The Third Elder glared viciously at Leon, who was leaning against the War Ancient Oak, a sneer of disdain curling his lips.
Damn outsider, so what if you left a mark on the Life Sigil Crystal? The enclave is now completely under my control, and with the Dread Dragon Warlord here, no matter how great your abilities are, you won't escape!
Besides, I should thank you for helping me recover the Life Sigil Relic Spirit. I originally planned to use the Dread Dragon Warlord's power to cover things up for a while, but now, his relic can erase your mark. Without it, what will you have left to rely on?
At this thought, the Third Elder's face broke into a smug smile.
"Damn outsider, let's see what you have left to fall back on this time!"
Leon was baffled, having no idea what the Third Elder was talking about...
The Third Elder, full of self-satisfaction, looked to the Dread Dragon Warlord: "Dread Dragon Warlord, our agreement included borrowing your relic. You did bring it, didn't you?"
The Dread Dragon Warlord nodded, waving his bone staff. A faint white spark flickered, and a white rune flashed by.
The Third Elder was overjoyed: "Dread Dragon Warlord, please restore our Life Sigil Crystal. Once that's done, your obligations in our agreement will be fulfilled!"
A strange light flashed in the Dread Dragon Warlord's eyes, and he asked with curiosity, "Oh? What's going on exactly?"
Without hesitation, the Third Elder explained everything.
"You know our enclave's Life Sigil Relic Spirit had gone missing, but now it's been recovered. Yet this despicable outsider left a mark on the Life Sigil Crystal during its restoration, and now he controls its fate. Earlier, he even caused a crack in it. I want you to use your relic to erase his mark..."