Thane and Rin carried the old woman on their backs as they escaped the dungeon. They planned to flee through a passage that led to Darkwood. It was an old tunnel, abandoned and without guards. More importantly, someone was already waiting for them at the far end.

  Ullar had truly fallen unconscious from the pain. All four of her limbs had been severed, and blood flowed freely, soaking through Rin’s back. Behind them, shouts were now ringing out and alarm bells were tolling frantically. Judging from the trail of blood smeared across the ground, it would not be long before the pursuers followed the trail and caught up.

  At this moment, Thane and Rin finally reached the open area filled with dry grass that the boy had seen before. He signaled for Rin to run ahead, then calmly reached into his pocket and took out a small matchstick.

  “It is time to carry out our plan.”

  The burning match fell onto the dry grass, which instantly ignited into a fierce blaze. White smoke spread rapidly, blanketing the entire space. Thane left with satisfaction, confident that the fire would be enough to cut off the pursuing troops.

  Outside the passage, Teddy stood in the distance, his small eyes fixed on the exit. He had been waiting here for a long time. Although he trusted Thane and Rin, he could not suppress his anxiety. Teddy clasped his hands behind his back and paced back and forth like a little old man. Sitting atop the cart, Hati yawned lazily. It could sense that its master’s life force was still strong and drawing closer by the moment, but unfortunately it could not speak the human tongue.

  “Teddy, we are here.”

  Rin carried Ullar out and waved to the boy.

  Overjoyed, Teddy rushed over to help Rin lift the old woman onto the cart. The cart had already been prepared with numerous bandages and tools for stopping bleeding. Seeing Ullar’s condition made Teddy’s eyes redden, tears welling up.

  “Don't ... cry, Teddy.”

  Ullar slowly raised her hand as if trying to do something, but quickly let it fall. Her face was deathly pale from blood loss, her breathing ragged, yet once she was outside, it gradually became steadier. Looking at her severed limbs, the old woman suddenly smiled in satisfaction.

  “So ruthless and decisive. This is the kind of leader we need.”

  In her delirium, Ullar caught a glimpse of Thane’s face. There was a calmness and decisiveness about the boy that was terrifying when he brought his sword down. Fast, clean, precise, as if he had done it hundreds of times before.

  “All right. Let us get out of here.”

  Thane finally emerged. He brushed the dust off his clothes and leapt onto the cart.

  “Hey Rin. What are you doing?”

  Thane stared in surprise as Rin fastened the harness around her own neck.

  “Pulling the cart? There is no horse here.”

  “No need. That will be Hati’s job.”

  He pointed at the lazy wolf sprawled out and kicked it hard, provoking an indignant roar. Hati protested, but it did not disobey Thane. It swished its tail and moved toward Rin.

  “Hati? I do not think it can carry people at that size.”

  As if sensing Rin’s contemptuous gaze, the wolf let out an angry growl. Its body became enveloped in a gentle glow. In just a moment, Hati transformed, growing massive and imposing. Its thick fur shimmered, and its wild eyes radiated a terrifying danger. The patch of white fur on its forehead faded on one side, making it resemble a crescent moon.

  “Well then? What do you think now?” Thane said with a smile.

  The aura it emitted made Rin tremble. She was certain that in a fight to the death, she would not stand a chance against it.

  “No. Nothing. Just pretend I never said anything.”

  The cart, or rather the wolf cart, shot forward like a gust of wind through the Darkwood forest. Not long after they departed, Terax’s pursuers emerged from the smoke that still shrouded the tunnel exit. After all, they carried the bloodline of SilverFang and possessed strong resistance to fire.

  “Damn it.”

  One soldier cursed as he saw two parallel ruts stretching across the ground. From the nature of the soil and the depth of the tracks, he could estimate the speed of the vehicle they had used. The hoofprints were strange. They did not seem to belong to a horse. Perhaps they belonged to a large wolf instead.

  “Terax will not be happy about this.”

  The soldier sighed helplessly. Even now, he could imagine Terax’s twisted, furious expression and the cruel punishments that awaited them.

  The soldiers exchanged glances and nodded. From their eyes, they understood one another’s thoughts. They were elites of GoldenFang and had fought at Hesmor. They had ability and saw no reason to rot away in this remote place with no future.

  “Terax has not returned yet. After serving him for so many years, we should at least make a little profit before leaving.”

  …

  “You bastard, Most.”

  At this moment, at the Two Hands branch, Terax was raging madly, smashing everything in sight. Just minutes ago, he had received word from his subordinates that the Allblack dungeon was on fire. Under normal circumstances, this would not have been serious, but now Melor was conducting an inspection. The fire could make Melor suspect that Terax was destroying evidence. Worse still, Most had produced documents exposing embezzlement and falsified harvest numbers. Terax knew full well that the rabble under his command had no concept of loyalty. He himself was no exception, so how could his subordinates be any different.

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  Witnesses and evidence had been perfectly arranged. This was a trap designed to ensnare Terax. The fire had certainly been caused by Most’s people. The moment Terax left the fortress was the moment they carried out their plan. But how did they know the internal routes of the dungeon? There were restriction formations inside that suppressed mana, and ordinary people should not have been able to contend with Ossa.

  “Doing this will not help you, Terax.”

  Most spoke coldly as he watched him. Among the items just smashed was one of his treasured vases. Still, Most was a magnanimous man. He would not stoop to argue with someone about to die.

  “Embezzlement does not only affect Stanfor’s interests. It also affects Hesmor. The town of Silver is a crucial link, and I believe many people covet your position. For example, Loket.”

  A cold glint flashed in Most’s eyes. The Triangle would certainly not miss this opportunity to claim a share of the spoils. Terax could no longer escape guilt, and the punishment might be even harsher since he was, after all, one of Melor’s men.

  “Do you know what you should do now?”

  Most took a sip of tea and smiled calmly.

  “You should run. With your strength, if you focus solely on escape, no one will be able to catch you. At the very least, you will still be alive.”

  Terax fell silent. Running away meant accepting the charge outright. But if he stayed, would Melor really seek the truth for his sake? Terax was selfish and cowardly. He did not dare gamble. Moreover, as Most had said, The Triangle would seize this chance to insert their own people. Even if Melor tried to explain, it would not help much.

  Terax stared hard at Most. The humble and gentle manager had merely been a disguise. Beneath it lurked a vicious old fox. This move by Most directly stripped Melor of his initiative. The town of Silver would no longer be monopolized by Stanfor. Most himself was also gambling. But unlike Terax, he dared to do so.

  Returning to Mulock’s campaign, his ship was now desperately trying to escape a group of ghost ships pursuing them relentlessly. Artillery shells were fired continuously in their direction, each one containing immense nightmare energy, enough to obliterate the entire vessel.

  Rowling and Shelley were forced to use their Will to intercept the projectiles from afar. The operation was a catastrophic failure for Mulock. More than half of the crew had died, he himself was gravely wounded, and most importantly, he had failed to find the stone.

  That stone contained a secret capable of freeing Mulock from his current predicament.

  “The explosive power of those shells is too great. We are running out of Will.”

  Shelley shouted with a frown. At this rate, they would never escape the territory of Fallen Island. The ghost ships glided across the water without relying on wind. The pitch black nightmare energy filling the sky served as an endless power source for them. It would not be long before they caught up.

  From a distance, the skeletons aboard those ships were covered head to toe in strange talismans that emitted an eerie blue glow. They were undoubtedly far stronger than the fodder summoned by Baham. If they were allowed to close the distance, death would be inevitable.

  Mulock let out a long sigh. He had no other choice. He could only gamble once more. He reverted to human form, stepped to the edge of the ship, and cut his hand, letting his blood drip into the sea. The droplets slowly dispersed into the vast ocean. He did not strictly need to do this, but it would make that monster arrive faster.

  Before long, a sharp pain pierced Mulock’s eye. The star shaped mark burned red, signaling the arrival of a terrifying existence. Dark clouds gathered as thunder roared overhead. The waves howled, violently rocking the ship.

  Mulock slumped against the mast in a daze, blood pouring relentlessly from his eye.

  “So that is how it is. So that is how it is.”

  With the vast knowledge of a writer, Rowling finally understood. She now knew the reason behind Mulock’s strange behavior. Mulock was the chosen one, the perfect vessel for Oxxhurael.

  “This is the GreatSea. This is Kraken’s domain. Everyone hold on tight. There is a very high chance we all die here. Ha ha ha ha.”

  Mulock burst into laughter. This was not the first time he had used this power to escape. But it was the first time he had done so in the GreatSea. Compared to other sea lords, Kraken was far more terrifying and brutal.

  The storm descended, and massive waterspouts began to form in the distance. Beneath the dim night sky, enormous tentacles rose slowly from the sea, towering like mountains, writhing and twisting like serpents.

  “It is here. Hold fast to the ship and pray that luck smiles upon us.”

  Knowing the moment was right, Mulock immediately transformed into a starfish and clung tightly to the hull. If he continued to maintain his human form, Kraken would certainly detect his location.

  The tentacles churned the sea and hurled the ghost ships into the air. The violent skeletons desperately tried to cling to the tentacles and fight back. The difference in scale was far too great, and the damage they inflicted was no more than a grain of salt cast into the ocean. Dozens of ships were smashed or dragged beneath the waves. Each tentacle was the size of a Behemoth, wielding destructive power many times greater.

  Deep beneath the surface, a colossal eye emitted a dim glow as it slowly scanned its surroundings. Its vertical pupil resembled a bottomless abyss with no escape. It uttered a strange language, its agitation clear as it failed to find what it sought.

  The tentacles did not withdraw. Instead, they agitated the sea even more violently. Whirlpools combined with the waterspouts above, creating an unprecedented scene of chaos. The few ships that had survived were suddenly dragged skyward or pulled down into the depths. The unlucky ones were smashed apart instantly by the tentacles. Kraken was convinced that what it sought was hidden among these ships. If it could not find it, then it would simply destroy everything.

  As Kraken rampaged, a voice rang out, causing it to gradually calm.

  “You have crossed the line, Kraken. Leave.”

  A dry and icy voice echoed throughout the space. The raging storm was swallowed by thick black mist, and all sound seemed to sink into the silence of nightmare.

  “Leave. This is the domain of Madenes.”

  The massive tentacles slowly sank back into the ocean. The monster’s eye was filled with boundless hatred and fury, yet it could do nothing but retreat. Leaving behind a series of strange sounds, it departed in unwillingness. The light of the giant eye dimmed, then vanished.

  The sea returned to calm. Sunlight once more pierced the sky as the darkness of Fallen Island was left behind.

  A loud splash echoed.

  A black ship surfaced from the water. Mulock transformed back into a parrot, violently shaking his body and sending water spraying in all directions. Tris lay unconscious, his belly swollen, while Shelley panted in terror. Rowling had long since returned to The First Place. As long as Mulock lived, she could return to reality again.

  They had come perilously close to dying in that storm. Kraken’s power was truly overwhelming. Compared to BigMount, this monster was far more intelligent. Even without pinpointing Mulock, it still attempted to destroy everything under the principle of better to kill by mistake than to let anything escape.

  “That voice just now saved our lives.”

  Mulock exhaled deeply. He swore he would never again use his gifted power in these waters. It was no different from suicide.

  “If I am not mistaken, that must have been the master of the island. He has returned.”

  A power capable of driving back a legendary monster could not belong to a mere Emperor. The master of that island was undoubtedly a demigod.