Chapter 243 Chapter241-Defeat
"The Beast Crossbow! That's an excellent suggestion!" The crowd voiced their approval in unison.
This weapon was another creation of Lana Mokos, enhanced beyond the original design, its power far surpassing the Beast Crossbows left behind in Maya City.
As several of these advanced crossbows were rolled out and aimed at Ethan, he quickly sensed the impending danger.
"Fire!" The deputy commander commanded.
With the mechanisms activated, the bolts launched.
Ethan, who was still engaging with Lana Mokos, detected their approach and hastily attempted to evade.
This distraction granted Lana Mokos a golden opportunity. She unleashed several space blades in a short time, each striking Ethan's form.
The scales of his dragon incarnation shattered, spewing fresh blood.
Yet, Ethan remained unflustered.
"Is this all the Azure Empire has to offer?" He challenged.
Lana Mokos responded with a nonchalant tone, "The means do not matter, only the result—killing the enemy does."
While slightly irked at her subordinates interfering in her duel with Ethan, she recognized the pressing threat he posed.
This adversary had to be eliminated.
For Ethan, the sentiment was mutual.
Few in this world were privy to the Language of Nature.
Victor was one, Old John was another; both enigmatic figures beyond ordinary comprehension.
Now, there was Lana Mokos.
Given her capabilities, Ethan couldn't be sure she wouldn't master other Languages of Nature.
Yet, that wasn't his primary concern.
Having a formidable opponent was something Ethan had always desired.
However, the might of Lana Mokos might prove troublesome for others.
But such considerations were beyond the scope of Ethan's present contemplations.
With the support of the Beast Crossbow, Lana Mokos' advantage steadily grew.
In quick succession, Ethan's form bore many new wounds.
Soon, the two returned from the heavens to the earth, and Ethan reverted from his Dragon form.
Simultaneously, the army of Dark Lord City found itself in retreat.
"The time is about right," Ethan murmured.
Seeing Lana Mokos charge at him once more, a faint smile graced his face. "This time, you have won. Until we meet again."
Ethan's sudden concession left Lana Mokos somewhat incredulous.
But that wasn't all.
When her soldiers entered Dark Lord City, they found it eerily deserted.
Not a soul was present, and all its resources had been stripped away.
The once-prosperous city was now but an empty shell, an outcome Lana Mokos couldn't accept.
Above all, she was consumed by deep suspicion.
"There's definitely a scheme at play here," Lana Mokos asserted with certainty.
Yet, following that battle, Ethan seemed to vanish without a trace.
A day, two days... half a month, a month...
Time drifted on, and half a year passed.
Throughout these six months, Lana Mokos remained vigilant, anticipating Ethan's reappearance.
But there was no sign of him.
What she didn't know was that Ethan was equally preoccupied.
In the Dungeon Zone beneath Dark Lord City, every space had been sealed with a Space Key.
This rendered Lana Mokos unable to discover the hidden Dungeon Zone, even though she had taken over Dark Lord City.
By now, all the resources of Dark Lord City had been seamlessly transferred to this Dungeon Zone.
"Victor, how much longer will this last?" Ethan inquired, his eyes fixed on the floating Heart of the City before him.
During his battle with Lana, he had noticed changes within the Heart of the City.
This realization was a prime reason for his swift concession.
While it might arouse Lana Mokos' suspicions, it was imperative that the Heart of the City remain undisturbed.
"Lord Ethan, I only have a general idea, not specifics," Victor replied with a shake of his head.
At that moment, the Heart of the City gleamed brilliantly in blue, revealing a screen that displayed a rough map.
This vast map encompassed the regions of Easten Shore and the Azure Empire.
Beyond that, a large uncharted area loomed.
On the side representing Easten Shore, a city symbol was visible.
On the opposite end of the ocean, another symbol mirrored it.
Ethan and Victor surmised that these indicated the locations of the Heart of the City, suggesting that someone on the other continent had also acquired the Heart of the City.
Below the luminescent display of the Heart of the City, a progress bar was visible:
[2/1000]
"Do we need a thousand of these symbols to understand what this is?" Ethan speculated.
At this rate, the journey ahead seemed dauntingly extensive.
However, for Ethan now, time was no longer of the essence.
As Lana Mokos took control of the Dark Lord City, the data displayed on the Heart of the City showed significant growth.
This proved that Ethan's strategy was sound. Letting Lana Mokos develop Dark Lord City indeed saved a great deal of time.
On the other hand, Ethan and his companions weren't idle either.
With his understanding of the Soul Language of Nature, Ethan had acquired certain spells related to the soul.
One such spell was "Disguise."
It was an immensely powerful spell, and while it possessed no combat capability, its utility was such profound.
Upon using the Disguise Spell, even one's soul aura could be altered.
Ethan had personally tested it, standing right in front of Lana Mokos. She failed to detect his presence and treated him as if he were a complete stranger.
Consequently, Ethan applied the Soul Disguise Spell to Victor, Mia, and others in their group.
However, what Ethan hadn't anticipated was the subtle, unexpected changes the Soul Disguise Spell would bring about.
The Flame Witch Church stands as another mighty organization alongside the Devil Guild.
Within its confines, not only has the Dark Lord pledged allegiance, but many exiles from nations obliterated by the Azure Empire have sought refuge, harboring a shared enmity towards the empire.
However, the Flame Witch Church harbors a little-known secret.
It once operated under the guise of the Elder Council of Blackstone, an incredibly covert and potent organization.
Yet, now this organization has been utterly annihilated, governed by a single entity.
"He has dead, finally dead!" Flame Witch Hilna exclaimed with laughter.
Yet, amidst her mirth, her mood abruptly plummeted.
Tears welled up, and she cried out in despair, "No, it can't be, Ethan can't be gone."
"He has already gone! And besides, he has long forgotten you!" Hilna proclaimed once more.
Yet, to any observer, the room held only Hilna, and no one else.
Such eerie solitude would send chills down anyone's spine, but Hilna had long grown accustomed to it.
She was no longer merely the Flame Witch.
Within the spirit of the Flame Witch, another human soul has intertwined, and now the two souls are inseparably entwined.
Still, more often than not, it's the spirit of the Flame Witch that dominates.
"Dean! Get in here this instant!" Hilna suddenly snapped.
In no time, a dwarf hastily entered the room. With his head bowed, Dean appeared even more diminutive, barely reaching the height of Hilna's thigh.
"Dean, what's the current status?" Hilna inquired.
Without hesitation, Dean replied with respect, "Mistress Witch, we have chosen the location, and within a few days, we can commence the construction. Soon, we will raise the Flame City dedicated solely to you! You will rightfully become the Flame Queen!"
"Good, very good," she commended.
"There's another task for you. Go to the Dark Lord City, find Ethan's body and bring it back here," Hilna instructed, her command leaving Dean puzzled.
He tentatively looked up, questioning, "Mistress Witch, why would we..."
Lacking the patience, Hilna swiftly delivered a powerful kick to Dean, sending him flying against the wall before he slid down in a heap.
"You should just follow my orders! Who gave you the right to question me?" Flames flared in her eyes.
Overcome with terror, Dean begged for forgiveness before fleeing the room in haste.
After dispatching her instructions, Hilna couldn't suppress her rage. "Damn Dean, damn Black Stone Guild, daring to summon me into such a vessel. They will pay for this!"
"I can't let this be now. I must personally inquire about Ethan's true condition," she murmured to herself, once again exhibiting her internal contradictions.
Beyond the Flame Witch Church, other formidable organizations were making their moves.
The fall of Dark Lord City seemingly did little to deter them.
Emulating Dark Lord City, these mighty factions began to construct their own fortresses.
More intriguingly, several Dark Lords even joined forces to build cities collectively.
This shift left the Azure Empire's forces increasingly on the defensive, struggling to curb the growth and momentum of the various Dark Lords.
The situation grew more frenetic with the revelation that Lana Mokos was recuperating from her injuries.
The urgency to establish cities only intensified.
All these developments could be traced back to Ethan's influence.
As for Ethan himself, he was presently at ease, activating a space gate.
Stepping through it, he comfortably settled into his chair, awaiting the arrival of the other members of the Devil Guild.
It wasn't long before they all assembled, initiating yet another gathering.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆webnovel