Chapter 417 417-Concurrent Investigations
While John's battle with Mystery Incarnate was ongoing, Darklord had successfully returned to the main city, Storm City.
He was in a dire state, requiring considerable time and many supplies to recover fully.
His primary objective for visiting the Naga Tribe – to find an item that could suppress the contamination of the Mystery power – remained unfulfilled.
His encounter with John not only interrupted his mission but also intensified the Mystery power's corruption.
"John is a curse! He always disrupts my plans!"
Darklord lamented upon reaching the safety of his guild.
Now that he was back, he had the opportunity to reflect on the recent events.
One question, in particular, puzzled him: How had John managed to find him near the Naga Tribe?
It seemed evident that John's sole purpose in going there was to track him down, but Darklord couldn't fathom how John could have known about his movements.
Darklord carefully recalled the people who were aware of his plans – mostly members of his guild and some independent players they had temporarily recruited in Karen Port.
Having considered this, Darklord summoned his guild's deputy leader.
"There aren't many in our guild who knew about my plans, right? Gather all of them. And also call those independent players we teamed up with in Karen Port," Darklord instructed.
The deputy guild leader found Darklord's order somewhat unusual and was about to ask for clarification.
However, upon seeing Darklord's expression, he decided against questioning and complied with the order, sensing the seriousness of the situation.
Darklord's directive indicated a suspicion of a leak within their ranks, a situation that required immediate and discreet handling.
As Darklord gazed at his deputy guild leader, his eyes held an ominous intensity that clearly communicated the gravity of the situation.
The deputy leader understood the peril of asking unnecessary questions and promptly assured Darklord, "Yes, Guild Leader, I'll gather them immediately."
Meanwhile, John arrived at the Blue Sea Guild, which was bustling with activity.
They were simultaneously preparing for an upcoming Guild Battle and organizing the next auction event while also focusing on improving the levels of their guild members.
Blue Sea, as the guild leader, was engrossed in overseeing these operations, leaving little attention to spare for gathering information about the Mystery Saint.
When he saw John, Blue Sea realized that he had neglected the task of collecting intel on the Mystery Saint.
"My apologies, we've been overwhelmed with guild activities lately. I haven't had the chance to gather information on the Mystery Saint. I'll dedicate myself to it once we've handled our current commitments," Blue Sea said, somewhat anxiously.
He knew that while their relationship with John was cooperative, explaining himself wasn't strictly necessary.
However, given John's formidable strength, which Blue Sea believed rivaled that of deities, he felt the need to tread carefully.
The last thing he wanted was to turn a player as powerful as John into an adversary.
John, slightly amused by Blue Sea's nervousness, shook his head and smiled, "I didn't come here to press you for information on the Mystery Saint. I'm here to share what I know with you."
Upon understanding John's purpose, Blue Sea relaxed a bit.
He led John to a secret hall where they could discuss without fear of being overheard.
This private space provided them the opportunity to exchange their information and insights freely and securely.
"This place is absolutely secure, no one can eavesdrop on our conversation here," Blue Sea assured John, understanding the critical importance of keeping information related to the Mystery Saint confined to a tight circle.
Blue Sea's careful approach to handling sensitive information was something John appreciated.
John nodded in approval, "Your caution is commendable. That's why I chose to share important information with you first, rather than Adam."
John's words brought a smile to Blue Sea's face, who had always considered Adam as a competitor, something John had subtly noticed.
"I ventured alone into the Naga Tribe and found Darklord there. Just as Adam mentioned, Darklord has indeed collaborated with Mystery and is even contaminated by its power. I tried to eliminate Darklord, but I was unsuccessful. Not because Darklord has become much more powerful, but because of interference by a Mystery Incarnate. After pretending to leave, I observed the Incarnate and found it entering the Naga Tribe. Could this mean the Naga Tribe is collaborating with the Mystery faction?" John briefly outlined his recent encounter.
Blue Sea listened intently and was visibly shaken by the news.
He had been prepared for the possibility of Darklord's escape, especially considering John mentioned the assistance from Mystery Incarnate.
However, hearing that the Incarnate had entered the Naga Tribe unsettled him deeply, disrupting his usually calm demeanor.
The implications of such an alliance posed a significant threat, one that could have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power in their world.
"That's absolutely impossible. The Nagas are revered as the paragons among marine beings and are also favored by the Sea God. As the Sea God's favorites, how could they possibly betray him?"
Blue Sea's reaction was expected by John.
As a player of the Order Faction who revered the Sea God, Blue Sea naturally had a favorable view of the Nagas and couldn't fathom them collaborating with the Mystery faction.
He likely believed the information John had might have been misleading, orchestrated by the Mystery faction.
"While it's possible that what I witnessed could be misinformation from the Mystery faction, I am certain about the Mystery Incarnate entering the Naga Tribe," John insisted.
Blue Sea fell silent, taking a moment to process this information.
After a while, he slowly began, "If that is indeed the case, then we need to start preparing in advance."
He stood up and retrieved a map from a cabinet in the secret hall, spreading it out on the long table.
"This is a complete map of the known lands of the gods' continent. It not only marks all the terrestrial locations but also the maritime areas. You can see here the location of the Naga Tribe, which is near our Order Faction's main city. If, as you say, the Naga Tribe has indeed collaborated with the power of Mystery..."
Blue Sea's voice trailed off as he studied the map, contemplating the strategic implications.
The proximity of the Naga Tribe to the Order Faction's main city could pose a significant threat if they had indeed allied with the Mystery faction.
Such a development required immediate and strategic planning to counter any potential risks that might arise from this alliance.
"The Naga Tribe could pose a serious threat to the Order Faction. Shouldn't we start preparing now? Waiting until they attack might be too late," Blue Sea proposed, his face etched with concern.
John, who had already speculated about the situation, felt an immense pressure upon seeing the map Blue Sea provided.
He had initially thought the Naga Tribe was just along the coast of Storm City and hadn't realized that there were other Naga Tribes in different locations.
"Is it possible that only one Naga Tribe is collaborating with the power of Mystery? Maybe the other tribes are still aligned with the Order Faction?"
John was reluctant to believe that all Naga Tribes had allied with Mystery's power.
Such a scenario would significantly weaken the Order Faction compared to the Mystery Faction.
Blue Sea's expression turned even grimmer.
He slowly shook his head and said, "All Naga Tribes are under the rule of a Naga Queen, and the one you visited is the strongest among them. If the tribe directly under the Queen has allied with the power of Mystery, it's likely that the others have as well."
This information was new to John, and Blue Sea's delay in sharing it suggested he still harbored some reservations about John.
However, John now had more pressing concerns.
He pondered whether he should accompany Blue Sea to the Naga Tribe for a more thorough investigation.
"I think we can't make any easy judgments right now. How about you join me for another visit to the Naga Tribe? You must be quite familiar with them, right? You could inquire more closely."
Blue Sea's somber expression lightened slightly as he agreed with John's plan.
"Indeed! We must ascertain whether the Naga Tribe has collaborated with Mystery before taking any further action."
The decision to investigate firsthand was crucial.
It would provide them with the necessary clarity to strategize and prepare for any potential threats from the Naga Tribe's possible alliance with the Mystery Faction.
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