Chapter 247 Chapter245-Conflict
"He... He killed Prince Horne!"
A chorus of disbelief rang out among the elves surrounding the male elf.
"He's lost his mind!"
"This human has no idea the gravity of what he's done. The wrath of the priest will be upon him. The City of Elves will never let him go unpunished. His fate is sealed!"
The elves murmured in a cacophony of voices.
Yet with a single step forward from Ethan, these chattering elves retreated in fear.
"Quickly, notify the priest!"
A voice finally called out.
A group of elves hurried towards the City of Elves.
Meanwhile, Ethan turned to Quel and Kadiven, saying, "Let's go."
Both nodded, following Ethan closely.
"Halt! You cannot leave!"
Seeing the trio attempting an exit, a few of the elves who had been heading to deliver the news stopped and yelled angrily.
Ethan looked back, his gaze icy.
"You sure you want to keep blocking our way?"
His words sent chills down the spines of the few remaining elves.
Moments ago, Prince Horne tried to halt their departure, and he met his end.
Yet, letting Ethan and his companions go freely would also incur the priest's wrath, a punishment feared more than death itself. A price they felt was too steep to pay.
Thus, several elves mustered their courage and declared, "You killed Prince Horne. You cannot leave..."
"Hmph, still trying to obstruct us? Then meet your end." Quel seethed with fury.
Being hindered repeatedly had wasted much of their time, grating on Quel's nerves.
They had made it clear to these elves that they were merely passing through, with no intentions of spying on the City of Elves.
Yet these elves were adamant, insistent on apprehending them.
Quel's patience had worn thin.
Even the typically silent Kadiven began to emanate an aura of magical energy.
"Let's take action," Ethan concluded, no longer in a mood to reason.
With power enough between them to bring down the City of Elves, they saw no reason to continue with pleasantries.
Just as Ethan and his companions readied themselves to act, the priest of the City of Elves suddenly materialized before them.
An elderly elf stood there, draped in the Priest Robe, leaning on a staff as tall as a man, the Elf Scepter.
His visage radiated kindness, yet his voice held a venomous edge that was rather unsettling.
"Foreigners, were you the ones who slew Horne?" Priest Eddie questioned the trio, directing his gaze at them.
His Elf Scepter gleamed, emitting powerful pulses of mana.
Ethan, seemingly undisturbed by the emanating mana, retorted, "Do you also wish to obstruct our path?"
These words caused Priest Eddie's brow to furrow, displaying his evident displeasure towards Ethan.
He began, his voice languid, "Arrogant outsiders, always so blissfully unaware of their place. I've seen many like you, thinking they are the protagonists of some tale, believing their abilities to be unparalleled, assuming the world's rules revolve solely around them."
"In reality, they are but insects."
"Before true power, they can't even muster resistance, only managing to flee in desperation."
"And you, you're no different."
Yet, Ethan's demeanor remained unaltered by Priest Eddie's mockery.
At that moment, Quel stepped forward, speaking bluntly, "Regardless of who you are, step aside now. We have no time to entangle with you. If you bar our path, don't blame us for retaliating. And if the City of Elves falls, it'll be on your conscience."
"Hahaha!" Priest Eddie suddenly burst into laughter.
Studying the trio before him, his eyes narrowing, his withered hand gripping the Elf Scepter which radiated ever-increasing mana, he said, "If it's death you seek, I shall oblige. Descend to hell and repent!"
With those words, Priest Eddie launched his attack.
As the mana surged within the Elf Scepter, the surrounding trees seemed to come to life.
Vines growing on the trees lengthened and twisted, enveloping the area and advancing towards Ethan and his companions.
Unfazed by this display, Ethan effortlessly summoned a bolt of Thunder, reducing the approaching vines to charred debris scattered on the ground.
Quel wielded his long blade, moving so swiftly that no one could discern the motion of his strikes. Vines, as well as the trees they ensnared, were cleanly severed, collapsing onto the meadow.
As for Kadiven, he remained still, a Magic Circle appearing beneath him, warding off any encroaching vines.
Witnessing their prowess, Priest Eddie's expression turned grave.
"I hadn't expected such strength from you all. It seems I've underestimated you. However, even so, you killed Horne and insulted the City of Elves. For such transgressions, your lives shall be the price!" Priest Eddie roared.
Subtly, he retreated a few steps, then shouted to the multitude of elves rushing toward them, "All of you, engage! These three criminals must be put down to uphold the honor of the City of Elves!"
At Priest Eddie's command, all the elves complied.
With bows and arrows raised, they began encircling Ethan and his companions.
"What's the point?" Ethan uttered, displaying evident impatience.
Beside him, Quel remarked, "Ethan, Kadiven, we must swiftly deal with these foes. We have limited time to reach the Dragon Garden. If we're late, who knows what dangers Rose and Oberlis might encounter."
Ethan and Kadiven nodded in agreement.
With that, the trio sprang into action.
At the behest of Priest Eddie, the elves swiftly drew their bows, firing arrows in a flurry.
But as the wooden arrows took flight, they were swiftly intercepted and obliterated by the Thunder Ball cast by Ethan.
The Thunder Ball, undeterred in its momentum, sped towards the elves. Upon impact, violent explosions ensued.
Boom! Boom!
A chorus of explosions echoed, accompanied by the harrowing screams of many elves. Within moments, not a single elf remained standing before the trio.
Even Priest Eddie now lay paralyzed with fear on the ground, terror evident in his eyes.
Pointing at Ethan with a trembling, gaunt finger, he stammered, "Demons... demons... you are all demons! Stay back, all of you! If you dare kill me, you'll surely face the wrath of the Dawn Elf Kingdom. You will be condemned to the depths of hell."
"Proceed," Quel instructed.
Priest Eddie's threats clearly held no sway.
Ethan, disinclined to leave such a figure behind, began to muster another Thunder Ball in his hand, aiming it at Priest Eddie.
Just then...
Roar!
An impossibly fierce roar echoed through the air, laden with boundless fury and a terrifying intent to kill.
But what was most chilling was the realization: it was the enraged cry of a Dragon.
"That seems to be coming from the direction of the Dragon Garden," Quel deduced, pinpointing the roar's origin.
With growing apprehension, Ethan whispered, "Could it be that something's happened to Rose and Oberlis?"
Kadiven too turned his gaze towards the source of the roar.
Seizing the momentary distraction of the trio, Priest Eddie sprang to his feet.
From his frail frame surged a force akin to a wild stallion, propelling him swiftly into the heart of the City of Elves.
"That wretch..." Quel muttered with a curse.
Ethan cast a fleeting glance towards the distant City of Elves, and said to Quel and Kadiven, "Let's not dwell on him now. We've already lost too much time. Let's hurry on."
With that, Ethan set his sights on the direction ahead and dashed forward.
Quel and Kadiven promptly followed suit.
Elsewhere,
Having escaped back to the City of Elves, Priest Eddie hastily ordered the guardians of the city to activate the Magic Circle, forbidding any entry.
He then retreated to his own residence.
Only after half an hour, when there was no sign of Ethan and his companions, did Priest Eddie breathe a sigh of relief.
But reminiscing about his recent ordeal, rage consumed him.
"Damn it! Who on earth are those three, possessing such formidable power?" he exclaimed.
"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have ventured out."
"And that damned Horne! To think he was a prince of the Dawn Elf Kingdom, yet so utterly useless. To be killed so effortlessly and to have it happen in my city..."
"No, no, I must find some justification. If the king casts blame upon me, it won't end well."
Priest Eddie murmured to himself.
He had considered seeking revenge against the trio, but after witnessing their capabilities, he lost that nerve.
Nevertheless, Horne's death required an explanation to the capital.
It was a thorny issue that weighed heavily on Eddie's mind.
He couldn't help but curse Horne again, even though Horne was now but a lifeless corpse.
"Aha!"
A look of elation suddenly spread across Priest Eddie's face.
Musing to himself, he devised a plan, murmuring, "When questioned, I'll simply claim that Prince Horne was slain by allies of Rose, who were outraged upon hearing of her predicament."
"With Rose in dire straits and bound for her own demise, there will be no one to dispute my claims, and no evidence to the contrary."
"I truly am a genius!" Priest Eddie praised himself with a smirk.
However, unbeknownst to him, the very excuse he crafted aligned all too well with the truth.
Indeed, Ethan and his companions were friends of Rose.
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