Chapter 514 - More Than Just a Coincidence
John, Adam, and Blue Sea suddenly appeared at the teleportation point of the Naga Tribe. The guards of the tribe were visibly surprised by their arrival.
However, the guards were well aware of the significant assistance John and his companions had previously provided to their tribe. Therefore, they were willing to offer help to them.
Faced with the Naga Tribe guards who hurried over, John didn't say much. He simply dismissed them: "We've just encountered some minor troubles. Your assistance isn't needed; we can handle these issues ourselves."
The condition of John and his companions was not great, as they had used a divine-grade teleportation scroll to transport themselves directly from the Dark Realm back to the Order Faction. This had a substantial impact on their wellbeing.
Although the power of the divine-grade teleportation scroll was immense, the cost of using it was also significant. All three needed some time to recover from the mental shock they had experienced.
Once they had recovered, John immediately chose to head to the palace of Duke Arsena in Storm City. It was crucial to relay the information gathered in the Dark Realm to Duke Arsena without delay.
Adam and Blue Sea, however, would not join John in his actions. They needed more time to recuperate and restore their condition.
John didn't necessarily need to bring the two of them along for the action. After John, Adam, and Blue Sea left the Naga Tribe, the queen of the tribe slowly emerged from the shadows. She had been closely monitoring the movements of John and his companions.
She was initially very cautious upon learning that John and his group intended to venture into the Dark Realm. In the queen's view, it was possible that John might collaborate with the Dark Faction.
However, seeing the trio return in a rather disheveled state, the Naga queen felt that her earlier worries might have been excessive.
She now firmly believed that John had neither collaborated with the Dark Faction nor the Mystery camp.
In Duke Arsena's palace, John was sharing a series of information he had gathered in the Dark Realm with Duke Arsena.
Duke Arsena listened with a furrowed brow. The information indicated that a significant crisis might soon befall Storm City.
After John finished speaking, Duke Arsena slowly asked, "Are you absolutely sure you haven't missed any details? Is the Dark Faction truly planning another attack on our Storm City?"
John nodded affirmatively. He was very confident in the information he had gathered. He believed the surprise shown by the members of the Dark Faction they encountered in the town of Styx couldn't have been feigned.
However, Duke Arsena's subsequent actions took John by surprise. The Duke handed John a scroll, saying, "Take a good look at the information recorded on this scroll. I believe after reading it, you might have some different thoughts."
John, though slightly perplexed, began to seriously read the letter handed to him by Duke Arsena. On it, he could clearly see the handwriting of the Mystery Protector.
In the letter, the Mystery Protector bluntly suggested that John was likely collaborating with the Dark Faction. Moreover, the Protector asserted that John would definitely coordinate with the actions of the Dark Faction in the future.
John, without hesitation, threw the letter to the ground and calmly asked Duke Arsena, "Do you really believe what he has said? Do you truly think I have collaborated with the Dark Realm? If I were really collaborating with the Dark Realm, why would I share so much information with you? Do you really think all the information I've provided is false?"
Faced with John's series of questions, Duke Arsena appeared slightly hesitant. However, the Duke eventually took out another letter, which was clearly also written by the Mystery Protector.
"You will understand my hesitation after reading this letter. I do want to believe you, but the current situation makes it difficult for me to fully trust anyone."
John took the letter with a hint of hesitation and began to read. After going through it, he realized why Duke Arsena was so doubtful of him.
This letter was, of course, still written by the Mystery Protector. In it, the Protector had detailed all the information John had previously shared.
John glanced at the date the letter was sent. Three days earlier, the Mystery Protector had somehow come to know all these matters and had conveyed this information to Duke Arsena.
It couldn't be a coincidence; it had to be a plot against him by the Mystery Protector. John arrived at this conclusion immediately but soon began to question his own judgment.
In his view, it seemed unlikely that the Mystery Protector could collaborate with the Dark Realm. The fact that the Protector was working with the Mystery camp was already beyond John's initial expectations.
John's expression was enigmatic, filled with hesitation and turmoil. Seeing the look on John's face, Duke Arsena sighed deeply.
"I have always been aware of the conflict between you and the Mystery Protector. From the very first day he arrived, he expressed his distrust in you. He once suggested that I set a trap for you to eliminate you completely. His idea was that by doing so, all the weapons and scrolls you possess would become the property of our Order Faction.
However, I did not follow the Mystery Protector's advice at that time. My decision was influenced by the significant assistance you have previously provided to Storm City. I even tried to persuade the Mystery Protector not to consider you an enemy, but it seems he did not heed my advice. The Northern Myst Empire is about to send more reinforcements to Storm City.
In the coming period, you won't need to offer me any assistance. Although I am willing to collaborate sincerely with you, others from the Northern Myst Empire are not keen on competing to cooperate with you.
The reinforcements being sent by the Northern Myst Empire are likely under the Mystery Protector's influence, or perhaps even directly sent by the Emperor himself. Their attitude towards you will certainly be very hostile.
For your own safety, I think it would be best for you to act independently for now. However, if you do find yourself in trouble, you can count on me for help."
Although Duke Arsena's words seemed gentle on the surface, the underlying message was quite straightforward: he hoped that John would refrain from taking any rash actions in the near future.
Moreover, Duke Arsena hoped that John would not interfere with the operations of the reinforcements sent by the Northern Myst Empire. Faced with Duke Arsena's words, John naturally had no reason to object.
John's previous willingness to assist Arsena was merely to prevent an attack from the Dark Faction. Now that Duke Arsena felt confident in handling any forthcoming attacks from the Dark Faction, John was free to pursue his own quests independently.
After all, the hidden quest John had previously undertaken was still incomplete. There were many secrets in Storm City yet to be uncovered, and John knew he must first delve into these mysteries.
Reflecting on this, John responded with a smile, "Thank you for all the help you've provided me. I understand the difficult position you're in. I won't put you in a more challenging situation. From now on, I'll act independently and continue to stay in Storm City.
However, you needn't worry, as I won't provoke the reinforcements from the Northern Myst Empire. You can collaborate with them with peace of mind. I'll complete my own quests separately. After all, as an adventurer, I have other quests to fulfill."
After saying this, John was ready to leave, but Duke Arsena called out to him, "I still very much wish to cooperate with you. I hope you're not too upset."
John smiled and shook his head, "Of course, I'm not upset. In fact, I'm relieved to finally have time to deal with my own matters. So, I'll take my leave for now."
In reality, John didn't take Duke Arsena's words to heart. He didn't believe that the Duke genuinely preferred to cooperate with him over the reinforcements from the Northern Myst Empire. However, John saw no need to express these thoughts directly.
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