Chapter 266 A Fight on a Freighter-First Half
"That shouldn't be a problem; right now, we're the ones assaulting them. Fortifying our position and playing a staring game with those slavers for a month shouldn't be an issue," asserted Greed.
"That's perfect. I'll swiftly resolve the matter here, then bring in some reinforcements to assist you. Take care," Daniel assured.
"You too, take care," Greed responded before hanging up the phone.
Once the calls were concluded, Envy turned to Daniel with a question.
"So, what's your plan? Intercept them in the ocean, or wait for them here?" inquired Envy.
"Intercept them in the ocean, without a doubt. We'll set out in 2 hours. Let me make the necessary preparations first," Daniel decided.
Envy nodded in understanding and accompanied Daniel to Atlanteus base.
At the base, after two hours of preparation and giving some guidelines in case something happens during his absence to Penthesilea and Michaela, Daniel boarded the VTOL before it took off in the direction of the Indian Ocean.
— Indian Ocean —
In the expansive and tumultuous waters of the Indian Ocean, a lone figure emerged—a substantial freighter cutting through the furious waves. Its presence appeared commonplace, just another vessel confronting the wild sea. However, beneath this unassuming exterior lay a vessel brimming with concealed mysteries within its steel confines.
Unnoticed by any casual observer, this freighter was far from an ordinary cargo carrier; it stood as a deceptive masterpiece, a mobile fortress veiled beneath the guise of mundane functionality. Its exterior, bearing the insignia of an ordinary freighter, cleverly masked the true nature of the vessel. This was the covert mobile base of the Path of Knowledge mages, a clandestine faction commanded by Cyrus.
As the ship plowed through the tempestuous waters, its fa?ade skillfully maintained the illusion of a typical freighter. Yet, concealed within its robust hull, a cadre of mages devoted to Cyrus conducted their covert operations. The air within the vessel held a thick aura of arcane energy, resonating with the incantations of these seasoned sorcerers.
The freighter, endowed with potent magical barriers, emanated a defensive aura that rendered it impervious to the arsenal of modern weaponry. Though invisible to the naked eye, these protective enchantments shimmered beneath the surface, forming an ethereal shield against potential threats while maintaining the fa?ade of an ordinary freighter.
Upon its deck, numerous mages disguised as ship workers appeared to be engaged in maintaining and repairing the vessel, ostensibly addressing damage caused by the relentless ocean waves. In reality, even a storm three to four times fiercer than the current conditions would scarcely make a dent on this heavily enchanted ship, fortified with an array of defensive magic.
The disguised mages patrolled the deck with a specific purpose—to vigilantly scan the horizon and promptly alert their superiors in the event of an attack. They were well aware that this journey should be known to their formidable adversary, Daniel Emberweave.
Suddenly, a fiery rain of missiles descended upon the deck, and the magic shield enveloping the ship swiftly sprang into action to fend off this unexpected assault. The mages patrolling on the deck were immediately alarmed, swiftly reaching out to their superiors who rested below the deck within the secure confines of the enchanted metal structure.
For a brief moment, the shield valiantly withstood the onslaught of missiles, creating a temporary barrier of protection. However, an overpowering magical force disrupted the shield, shattering it like fragile glass. The once impenetrable defense crumbled into pieces, allowing the relentless rain of fiery missiles to pummel the deck, claiming the lives of the unsuspecting patrolling mages.
After the deck had been cleared of the patrolling mages, a VTOL hovered above the ship, and two figures descended from it to the deck below. The pair was none other than Daniel and Envy.
Daniel sported a long black trench coat that concealed an array of weapons and ammo. Without hesitation, he swiftly produced a large-caliber handgun, his trusted weapon of choice. On the other hand, Envy wore a lightweight combat suit that offered protection while maintaining flexibility and ease of movement, her hair tied up in a ponytail.
"It's Daniel! And… Ms. Envy!? Impossible! Doesn't Miss Envy belong with us!?" exclaimed one of the mages who had rushed to the deck to defend against the two, expressing surprise upon seeing Envy standing alongside Daniel.
"It seems that whatever controls my body is on this ship," Envy informed Daniel, who nodded in acknowledgment.
The mages who had run up to the deck hesitated when they realized they were facing Daniel. These were Cyrus loyalists, different from the ordinary mages in the Path of Knowledge faction, as Cyrus had kept Daniel's information hidden from them. However, these mages knew about Daniel and understood the extent of his power.
"What are you waiting for? Kill him!" a familiar voice commanded as a woman in a golden suit walked up to the deck. With long purple hair and a strikingly beautiful face, she bore a resemblance to Envy, who stood beside Daniel.
"I presume that was your body... and whoever is controlling it seems to be a show-off," Daniel commented, and Envy nodded in agreement. The two observed the golden suit, which appeared to be woven from golden threads. The intense reflection of light from the suit caused Daniel and Envy's eyes to blur momentarily, emphasizing the ostentatious nature of the attire.
One of the mages hesitated to initiate the fight, even after the command from 'Envy'; he remained reluctant. Observing this, Daniel made an offer.
"I know you guys are pragmatists. I'll give you an offer. Call Cyrus up here, and let us deal with that faker," Daniel pointed towards 'Envy in the golden suit,' then continued, "Then I'll let you all go. I can even make a contract with all of you right here, right now. What do you say?" Daniel asked the mages standing before him.
The mages hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances. However, at that moment, 'Envy in the Golden Suit' immediately unleashed her ice spear spell, killing one of the most reluctant mages and making an example out of him. The act served as a stark reminder of the consequences they might face if they didn't comply.
"What are you afraid of? Your numbers are greater than theirs, more than 10 times! Kill them!" commanded 'Envy in the Golden Suit' once again, and this time the mages complied.
Daniel sighed at the wasted chance for negotiation. He couldn't understand why these mages chose to fear the lesser evil represented by 'Golden Suit Envy' rather than facing the greater evil, such as himself. They should know that he wouldn't let them go and that they would all meet their end if they chose to fight.
Quickly aiming his gun at the nearest mage, he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The head of that mage was completely blown off as the large caliber bullet obliterated it. The second shot rang out, targeting another mage. This time, the bullet met with resistance as a magic shield blocked it. However, in a split second, the shield broke, and the bullet found its mark on that mage's head. His fate was no different from the first mage.
Diverting his attention to 'Envy in the Golden Suit,' Daniel sank his mind into his mindscape, hoping to dispel or exorcise whatever was controlling Envy's body. Unfortunately, among the six cards in his mindscape, there was no card that could be used for exorcism or destruction. The only card capable of that had been used to destroy the freighter's shield moments ago, and he needed to wait about an hour before his mindscape would draw a new card, with no guarantee that it would be the one he needed.
"I'll take care of these people; you go and take care of that faker," Daniel said to Envy.
"Thank you, and be careful," Envy thanked Daniel before jumping past the group of mages blocking their way.
One of the mages tried to stop Envy, but Daniel quickly threw his blessed blade at that mage. The blessing of the blade immediately broke the mage's shield and pierced his neck, ending his life. Two other mages who tried to do the same met with a bullet to the head each, killing them on the spot.
Now facing the faker controlling her body, Envy didn't dare to lessen her vigilance. Her current form was a homunculus body, and using her magic was not as effortless as in her original body. While the quality of this homunculus body far surpassed those made by the Alchemont Clan, most of her power came from being a Witch, not just magic. When she used magic in this body, it felt somewhat off, lacking the same precision and effectiveness she was accustomed to.
"Who exactly are you? You don't seem to be human," Envy questioned the faker.
"Oh? What makes you think that?" the faker responded with a teasing smile.
"It's because a normal human mage can't control a Witch's body, no matter how hard they try. The only entities that can control a Witch's body are either demons or artificial souls. But I sense that you have ambition and a sense of self-will, so it's impossible for you to be an artificial soul," Envy analyzed, then gazed into the faker's eyes.
"So, you must be a demon, and a very high-ranking one at that," Envy concluded.
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