Chapter 423 High Traffic Area

Chapter 423 High Traffic Area

Once the mages from Witry were gone, the young Drake Riders came out from the building with excited smiles on their faces. Six of the ten had made it to Commander Rank, and Karl knew that they would all have at least one or two new pieces of equipment going back with them.

The dungeon was an excellent source of resources for the Commander Rank, with some Ascended items being possible from the Ogres on the way to the bosses, along with the coins.

That was the tradeoff. They had to pay to enter, but they got something in return that may or may not have been worth more than what they paid. Realistically, the experience alone was worth quite a bit, as the dungeon was a controlled environment, where you could send specific fighters without surprises.

The Drake Rider Overlords made a sharp whistle, and the younger Riders gave Johann and the other Overlords a sharp salute. Then they ran to their mounts, and in one smooth movement, they were aloft, soaring up into the sky on the wave of warmer air blowing over the tree line.

"It's always creepy when they do that." Johann complained.

"Do what?" Karl asked.

That mount and takeoff had been textbook perfect. It was like they were doing a synchronized gymnastics routine. Karl didn't see anything creepy about it at all.

The Knight gave Karl a confused look. "Vanish. It's creepy when they vanish like that."

Karl turned and watched them fly away for a few seconds before he realized that it was just echolocation and thermal imaging that still saw them.

"Oh. Sorry, I can still see them, so I didn't realize they did a thing."

Niall smiled and shook his head. "Your senses really are insane. But to think that you could see through invisibility cast at the Overlord Rank."

Karl shrugged. "It hides the visual image of them, but not the thermal image, or their radar signature, for lack of a better word. The echolocation that Rae uses to see in perfect darkness, along with her heat sight."

Ahmad sighed. "Lazy bastard. It's not invisibility. He cast lesser concealment, assuming that we wouldn't be able to track him either way. A proper invisibility spell would hide him from thermal imaging and radar, at least conventional radar."

"Yes. If it's a proper duel, we won't restrict the beasts. I didn't want the foreign forces to learn any more than necessary about his combat power, but as long as the opponent isn't a peak Royal Rank Divine Beast, it shouldn't be an issue." Overlord Niall replied with utter confidence.

"Is our champion that strong?" The politician asked hopefully.

"On a good day, one in ten Royal Rank Elites could take on Rae. Add in Karl and the other three beasts, and few things short of a full-blooded Dragon or a Divine Beast would stand a chance."

The politician sighed in relief, but all of the Overlords turned to the field where the last duel was fought.

Another portal opened, and Karl prepared himself for another challenge. But the first person to exit was an elderly man in the robes of the World Dragon Clerics. He took down his hood and revealed a wrinkled face with long fox ears and sharp eyes that didn't match the aging joints of his body.

He was an Overlord, and out of instinct, Karl nodded politely to him, while Niall, the Magic Knights and all the Clerics all bowed.

"Ah, I found the right spot on the first try. I knew that if I just followed the sensation of beasts fighting, I would find it." The World Dragon Bishop muttered to himself, then gestured for others to come through the portal.

Ten beastkin, including one Worgen wolf girl that looked quite familiar to Karl, came through the portal, all at the peak of Ascended Rank.

The Worgen stopped and pointed at Karl. "It's you! How did you make it to the Royal Rank so fast? It's only been half a year since we met." The old man smiled. "Good, you're all already friends. I do love emotional reunions.

Now, the Archbishop said that there was a dungeon around here somewhere. Would you care to guide an old man in the right direction?"

Karl smiled and stepped forward with his arm bent for the old man to use as a crutch.

"Of course, High Priest, it's just over this way. Did you have other business with the Overlords first?"

"Oh, they can sort that out between themselves. I am more interested in the portal itself."

Ruth came up and tapped Karl on the shoulder. "I will take the Elder to see the portal. I have magic to make the walk easier on him."