Chapter 143: A Massive Surprise

Chapter 143: A Massive Surprise

“Cough, cough... Your excellency, wait a minute. Please. T-This humble self has something he needs to ask you.” Manda slightly straightened his hunched back. Through the blurry vision of his aged eyes, he looked at the man wearing a metal helmet who was gradually approaching him.

He didn’t answer, yet his footsteps continued on.

Plunging his longsword into the ground, he slowly squatted down.

“You’re injured.” The muffled, emotionless voice made Manda experience a strong feeling of familiarity.

“Cough, cough, cough...” A sweet feeling rose up from Manda’s parched throat, causing him to open his mouth and spit out bits of blood.

“T-This is insignificant. Your Excellency, please listen to me... This decrepit old sack of bones is a knight under the wing of the Chivalric Order of the Radiant Knight. A-A great disaster will befall Border Town! P-Please seek out the temple association with haste, give them a report and request for reinforcement! There’s not enough time!” Manda’s fingers trembled as he squeezed out a cross-shaped talisman cast from gold.

“If they don’t believe sire, pass this to them... The lives of countless people in this city depend on you!” After saying that Manda lowered his wrinkled eyelids.

“...” The helmeted man silently received the cross-shaped talisman and looked at Manda, who was one breath away from death.

“...”Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

“Manda, my old pal. In the end, you haven’t overcome your weakness.”

“...Mhm??” Manda’s aged eyes shot open. Within his blurry vision, a delicate and handsome face with distinct features gradually came into view.

“......!” Manda forcefully propped his body up and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

“M-Master!” Manda was so moved that he had difficulty breathing. The sharp pain from his wounds that were growing more intense by the moment reminded him that he wasn’t in the middle of a daydream.

“I-I’ve always had the feeling... that you’re still alive, Master. That you’ve always been hiding, waiting for an opportunity to make a move. Cough, cough...” Manda was getting more and more excited as he spoke amidst the flash of lucidity that accompanied his death before eventually choking on and spitting out a mouthful of foamy blood.

“You’re still alive... Everything’s going to be alright now that you’re still alive. Everything’s going to be okay now! Hahahaha...”

“Stop talking, I’ll send you to the hospital.” However, just as Ji Bai finished his words and was about to put his hand behind Manda’s back, Manda stopped him.

“No, no! Master, this decrepit body has been afflicted by a magic poison. I don’t have much time left... I... I still have a lot of things in my mind that I need to tell you...”

“Cough, cough...Since Teacher is still alive, this old man can rest in peace. There’s hope for Border Town now! ...Sorry I’ll have to trouble you with sorting out the terrible mess I’ve created. My old decrepit self has greedily enjoyed your kindness throughout my life, yet I’m incapable of giving you anything back in return...”

“That letter was actually sent to me by Teacher, right? ...Your incompetent disciple has let you down once more.”

“Leave it.”

“No...I don’t have much time left. There are some things I must tell you... Cough, cough, cough...” Continued Manda stubbornly.

Ji Bai went silent.

“Teacher, you’ve always stayed at the frontlines and never realized that the current Chivalry Order of the Radiant Knight had undergone a big change in scale... In order to continue sustaining the order’s operation, Enzo has had no choice but to incorporate it under the Temple Association’s wings.”

“As for the Temple Association...” Manda smiled bitterly.

“Teacher... You must remember to never ever reveal that you’re still alive. Especially so to the people in the Temple Association! Even those in the Chivalric Order!”

“...Why?”

“Master. The current state of affairs in the Chivalric Order is overly complicated, with every major power fighting both in open and secret... If one were to involve themselves in the pool of muddy water that is the Temple Association, they can forget about getting out easily.” Manda smiled bitterly.

“Authority is a double edged sword. The Chivalric Order of the Radiant Knight isn’t the Order you know anymore... You must never believe your previous disciples; Most of them have already been corrupted by the temple association’s authority...”

‘So this is the air a demon breathes all the time?’

‘I love this feeling!’

‘Not enough... It’s still not enough. If the entire human population in the Border Town... No, the entire human federation was to be sacrificed... I wonder if I would be able to usher in a qualitative leap?? I look forward to that...’

‘That’s right, what was I originally planning to do?? ...I forgot. Oh well, it’s of no importance anyway. It’s most important to become stronger!’

“Yo, Mr. Lan Yu. From the looks of it, you’ve already received an ‘evolution’. How did that feel? The feeling of being strong isn’t bad, right?” Just as Lan Yu was filled with self satisfaction to the brim, a series of noises entered his ears.

“Who is there??” Lan Yu slightly narrowed his eyes.

“Oh. It’s me, your old friend. That Dharani Priest from the Ancestral God Cult.”

”Just a load of hocus pocus. Come out and talk to me!” Lan Yu felt an indescribable sense of anger as he could only hear but not see the owner of the voice.

“Oh my. Lord Lan must forgive me. After all, your current condition isn’t very stable. If I spoke out of turn a little, you probably would cut me down. I can only use [Voice Transmission] to communicate and not meet you in person. May I ask for your understanding in this matter.” Said the priest in ridicule.

“Hmph!! What are you here for? Speak!” Lan Yu felt his emotions running high like a raging inferno, one that couldn’t be stopped once set off.

However, he had zero intentions of intentionally bringing them under control and chalked it up as a temper the strong should possess.

“Hehe... Lord Lan has already broken through the limits of a first-tier species, which means that you’ve accomplished your long-standing goal. I wonder if you still remember the agreement you had with my cult??”

“Haha... Are you ordering me around, mortal??” Lan Yu snorted coldly.

“No, no... The matter this old man suggested benefits us both. Don’t tell me that Lord Lan doesn’t wish to become even stronger and break through the second tier into an even higher stage?” The old man handled his words with skill and ease, seemingly completely unflustered by the fact that Lan Yu was planning to go against their agreement.

“...Then speak!”

“Ehehe, does Section Head Lan still remember those external powers that obstructed your plans before? Hehe, I’ve found their coordinates on the magical plane. You can go and take your vengeance now. There are actually quite a lot of demons you can absorb. Don’t you want to give it a try?”

“Mhm?” Lan Yu’s gaze dimmed.

“You... aren’t planning to have me go there as a cannon folder, are you?? If there are a lot of demons, I wouldn’t be coming back alive, right??” Lan Yu gave a disdainful smile.

“Lord Lan is wrong to say this. We’re all a family, so why would I harm you?? Besides, even if the situation goes amiss, I can guarantee you that you’ll be able to escape unscathed... If Lord Lan succeeds in absorbing the [Magic] of a dozen demons with an off guard attack, you’ll definitely be without equal beneath the heavens!”

“...Pass their coordinates to me.”

............

In a different dimension, on the top floor of the central tower owned by the Moon Knight.

“Such self-serving action simply lacks organization and discipline! It is practically a disregard for the Moon knight’s hierarchy! A nation has its own laws as a family has its own rules. An action of such nature is extremely vile! How could a new student of unknown origin get through the Moon Knight’s door?? Pardon my words, but you’ve been too whimsical with your decisions, Assistant Lan Yi!... ” With a pointy mouth and a chin reminiscent of an ape, a bald man clad in a luxurious robe held sharp and unkind words at Lan Yi as he jabbered on one end of the long table.

“How I use my recommendation quota is my own business. May I request Mr. Hou to not doubt my decision?” Lan Yi shot a cold glance at the documents on the table.

“Get it straight! This isn’t just a matter of the recommendation quota. Right now, problems have arisen with the student you have recommended!” The hideous and vulgar-looking middle aged man lashed out with a flushed face of anger.

“Even though Hou Guan has somewhat over-exaggerated with his words, he has shed light on a certain problem... Bringing an unknown person into the magical dimension is an extremely serious problem indeed... “ Said a middle-aged, horned man with a frown.

“However, I believe if the person he brought along was just a little girl... that’s not much of a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?? What should we do if our spatial coordinates are exposed due to someone entering without an identity tablet??!” The hideous and vulgar looking man didn’t hold back with his attacks as he continued to press on with an overbearing aura.

“What does Mr. Hou think we should do then?”

“Do I even have to say it? Of course, we’ve to wipe their memories and expel them!”

“...What do you think, Chivalric Leader?” Lan Yi had a headache as she turned her gaze towards the center of the long table.

“Well, if it’s expelling... I’ve no opinion on that.” Stated Anna without sparing a glance at them. With her legs propped against the table, her eyes were currently glued to the game she was playing.