Chapter 526 -Ocean Sage's Plan
As Mystery Protector and Darklord were engaged in planning their next moves, John and Ocean Sage returned to the southern seaport of Storm City. The NPCs in the harbor were overjoyed upon seeing Ocean Sage, as his arrival signified the potential end of the curse they had been suffering under.
"You should be able to lift the curse they're under, right? If you can't break their curse, my quest will be a complete failure. Not receiving the quest rewards would be a huge setback," John said, half-jokingly. Despite Ocean Sage's failure to reclaim Storm City, he had at least ensured his own safety. John believed that without his help, Ocean Sage might not have even escaped Duke Arsena's assault.
Ocean Sage, responding to John's words, smiled slightly. Of course, he possessed the necessary power to lift the curse affecting the NPCs at the harbor.
This interaction between John and Ocean Sage highlighted the collaborative nature of their relationship, with John contributing significantly to Ocean Sage's endeavors while also depending on him for quest success. As they stood at the harbor, the potential for Ocean Sage's abilities to make a significant impact was clear, offering a glimmer of hope against the looming threats posed by adversaries like Darklord and Mystery Protector.
Indeed, the curse afflicting the NPCs was essentially a spell left by Ocean Sage at the harbor. Ocean Sage quickly dispelled the defensive magic he had placed there.
After lifting the curse, Ocean Sage turned to Twilight and Hammer, who had been following him closely, and instructed, "Now, you two lead the others in repairing the harbor's structures. Since I have successfully returned, we must ensure the safety of this port. You are both well aware that the Northern Myst Empire could launch an attack on us at any moment. For now, they may not regard us as enemies, but that's only because they have bigger threats to deal with first.
We absolutely cannot afford to lower our guard in this situation. Our strength is relatively limited, and any complacency could lead to dire consequences." Twilight and Hammer, naturally very obedient to Ocean Sage's commands, promptly set out to execute his orders. This left Ocean Sage and John finally able to discuss their next steps in private.
With everyone else gone, Ocean Sage let out a sigh, clearly burdened with worry about the upcoming challenges. Despite his outward confidence, it was evident that he harbored significant concerns and was not as assured as he appeared.
John responded with a more optimistic outlook, "I think you don't need to be so pessimistic. At least for the short term, the Northern Myst Empire won't attack you. Duke Arsena is a man of his word. If he has promised not to target you until the crisis is resolved, he will stand by his word. Mystery Protector may not seem entirely trustworthy to me, but your strength should be on par with his. If he acts alone, he's unlikely to succeed. As for the General sent by the Northern Myst Empire, I don't know her very well, but from our battle, she doesn't seem like one to go back on her word. So, why are you so worried? You won't face any danger until the harbor's fortifications are complete."
Ocean Sage looked at John with a worried expression, feeling that John might not fully grasp the gravity of the situation ahead. "What you say is true. Until the threat to Storm City is neutralized, Duke Arsena won't attack me. But what about after that? The Northern Myst Empire won't easily reconcile with us. Although I've asked others to repair the harbor's structures, even if they are fixed, they won't withstand an attack from the Northern Myst Empire.
You must understand, the forces sent by the Northern Myst Empire are just a small part of their power. They possess much greater strength. Duke Arsena is likely to ally with his other allies within the Northern Myst Empire. If so, even with your help, it's unlikely that we could succeed."
Ocean Sage's concerns highlighted the delicate balance of power and the temporary nature of their safety. His strategic foresight underlined the precarious position they were in, despite the current ceasefire.
After expressing his concerns, Ocean Sage waited for John's response. John, however, found himself at a loss for words.
His original plan had been to uncover the secrets of Storm City through their current actions. Unexpectedly, they had not discovered these secrets but had instead freed Ocean Sage from his seal. Moreover, it seemed that Ocean Sage was now limited in how much assistance he could offer.
In the face of John's silence, Ocean Sage took the initiative to share his plan. "I have my own strategy as well. I think I can use this valuable time to quickly enhance my strength. My proficiency in ocean magic is very high. However, since I have collaborated with the Mystery Saints, I can no longer receive the blessing of the Sea God. I must find other ways to increase my power level.
I will also try to enhance the strength of the other members in the harbor. With their increased power, we'll be better equipped to handle any threats. Moreover, I plan to assist you. After all, I did promise you a reward previously. The help I can offer is to share with you some sea magic spells of the Sea God that others do not know."
Ocean Sage's plan to improve his own strength and that of his allies, along with sharing exclusive knowledge of Sea God's magic with John, reflected a proactive approach to preparing for future conflicts. Despite the limitations imposed by his collaboration with the Mystery Saints, he was determined to make the most of the situation and contribute to their collective defense.
John nodded in response, a smile on his face, but inwardly he wasn't particularly interested in the Sea God's spells. In his view, these spells were not exceptionally powerful. He knew that if he desired stronger magic, he could acquire it through the Book of the Astral Realm. What John truly needed at that moment was something that could directly augment his own power. Spells and divine scrolls were, after all, external aids.
Ocean Sage could sense that John was not overly excited about his offer, but he had nothing else to reward John with. Consequently, John proceeded to learn some of the Sea God's spells from Ocean Sage. These spells, while not of the highest level or most impressive in effect, were indeed rare, as Ocean Sage had mentioned. It was unlikely that other maguses were familiar with them.
After completing his learning of the Sea God's spells, John decided to temporarily part ways with Ocean Sage. He felt an urgency to share this new information with his allies as soon as possible, recognizing the importance of keeping them informed and prepared for the challenges ahead.
He came directly to the location where Adam and Blue Sea were. In fact, Adam and Blue Sea had already been informed of the recent series of events before this. They had also received a message from Duke Arsena earlier, but Duke Arsena had attached a condition to it, which was that they couldn't inform John beforehand.
After the three of them met, they exchanged the information they had gathered. When John learned that Duke Arsena had informed Adam and Blue Sea before coming to the Seal Location of Ocean Sage to stop him, his impression of Duke Arsena changed significantly.
"It seems Duke Arsena is not willing to be directly hostile to me. If it weren't for the Mystery Protector and that General guarding him, he could have communicated with me peacefully."
John stated his opinion straightforwardly. Adam and Blue Sea didn't oppose this, as they also felt that the Mystery Protector's hostility towards them was too evident, and Duke Arsena had been providing them with assistance. Duke Arsena seemed to have had a change of heart towards adventurers after John helped defend Storm City.
"I believe we must eliminate the Mystery Protector as soon as possible. His existence poses a significant threat to us. Not only does he continually cause various troubles for us, but he could also launch a direct attack on us at any time. Moreover, he can find more allies from the Northern Myst Empire. His presence is becoming increasingly vexing to me, so why don't we join forces with other top players to get rid of him?"
Blue Sea was the first to express his thoughts. His opinion of the Mystery Protector was extremely negative; he believed that the Mystery Protector had no other purpose than causing trouble for them.
Although Adam didn't speak directly, his expression revealed that he didn't see any issues with this plan.
John, deep down, also agreed with the plan. However, he felt that collaborating with other top players might lead to the Mystery Protector learning about their plans in advance. After all, it was uncertain whether the Mystery Protector had teamed up with other top players. If the Mystery Protector were collaborating with other top players, he would definitely be able to prepare in advance.
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