Under the crimson but dim moonlight, Emlyn took out a small metal bottle, unscrewed the cap, and drank it all.
The potion in his hand was not concocted by him. This "Full Moon Potion" came from a senior "Potion Master" within the vampire clan. Once consumed, its effects are equivalent to the "Spiritual Ring" cast by a vampire baron.
Of course, any extraordinary product has side effects, but Emlyn couldn't care less about that at the moment.
Carefully putting away the metal bottle, Emlin glanced around while deftly pulling out another bottle, but this time only taking a small sip.
Immediately afterwards, his body began to melt, seemingly turning into some kind of illusory liquid, merging with the shadow behind him, floating on the wall, and rushing swiftly and silently toward the street.
Is it MI9, or the "Rose School"? Who is it really?
The near-death escape cured Emlyn's innate mysophobia. He chose to escape to the third floor in the least disturbing way possible, as he needed to reach a crowded place to have a chance of survival.
Two days ago, following Marquis Nibais's instructions, he began to frequently attend the underground gatherings of extraordinary individuals in Backlund, without making any purchases or commissions, spending most of his time as a transparent listener.
Even so, he was still targeted by some unidentified entities.
Emlyn couldn't understand how he had been exposed.
Despite the counter-divination cast by Count Mistral and the meticulous planning of his escape routes, he was still discovered.
What exactly is the reason?
Suddenly, a creaking sound broke the frozen silence.
The door to a room on the third floor of a house in the East District swung open, and Emlyn instinctively tried to move in a panic.
As soon as he made a move, his body, which should have been in shadow, gradually revealed its specific outline, defying common sense as he broke free from stealth.
Meanwhile, clumps of withered grass, mixed with dried flowers, sprang up out of thin air on the ground, walls, doorways, and ceiling, completely enveloping Emlin.
As expected of the "Rose School"!
Emlyn was startled, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
An invisible despair reached out from the darkness, seized Emlyn's reason, and pushed him step by step toward the precipice of losing control.
The proud vampire youth no longer cared about things like dignity and quickly fiddled with the ring on his left middle finger.
The ring had a simple design, but a large and magnificent ruby was set in the center, its color resembling fresh blood.
As Emlin infused it with spiritual power, the ruby ring suddenly emitted a dim, eerie yet incredibly dazzling blood-red light, illuminating the entire house and dispelling the withered flowers and plants that almost filled the room.
Two kilometers away from the East District, a figure simultaneously soared into the sky.
...
"Mr. Eggron, what is that?"
Hugh stared at the sudden burst of moonlight a hundred meters away and instinctively assumed a wary stance.
The instigator of it all, Egron Corosson, also raised his sidearm, his pupils narrowing into a vertical line.
"As expected of the 'Rose School,' it's an artificial vampire..."
He muttered to himself.
Two days ago, at an underground gathering of extraordinary individuals, he discovered what appeared to be an evil artifact belonging to the "Rose School" that had been scattered around, and immediately notified the nearby MI9 agents.
After discussion, the agents who came to provide support decided to retrieve the evil object, while Egron and Hugh, who served as his deputy, took on the task of investigating suspicious members of the party.
Without much thought, Egron quickly spotted the man at the party with whom he had noticed something amiss.
First, they followed and stalked him, then they chased him all the way. At first, the suspicious man being followed didn't realize something was wrong. This was partly due to Egron's habit of staying out of the game as a "spectator" and not taking action easily, and partly because the suspicious man himself seemed to lack experience and failed to notice it immediately.
I was careless. He might have already discovered me, but he kept delaying because he wasn't sure he could figure it out... Egron released the disposable magical item he was carrying with him.
The outline of the "Night" emblem can be faintly discerned on the discarded silver sheet.
The "Dream Charm" undoubtedly caught the man's attention, and as a "Dream Walker," Egron didn't need to prepare much.
He can seize control of a dream the instant it is created, not to mention that the dream itself was released by him using talismans.
That's why he didn't immediately decide which area of fear the dream presented to the man leaned towards.
After all, under normal circumstances, as long as the "Dream Walker" can successfully enter the dream, and the enemy is not the "Nightmare," the initiative will definitely belong to the "Dream Walker," not someone else.
What did he see...?
"Mr. Corosson..."
Xiu lowered her voice and unconsciously and carefully pulled herself back.
Upon hearing the sound, Egron glanced over and noticed his deputy's ulterior motives, but wisely refrained from pointing it out.
"No need to chase after them."
Another talisman was activated, and a blinding silver-white light shot from the ground into the sky, tearing a blank space in the pale yellow and gray haze.
The MI9 team, who had just finished another mission, exchanged glances and also crushed the talismans.
This signals the start of an emergency operation and also indicates a request for assistance.
...
Sunia Sea, waters around the Rothschild Islands.
The lone "Future" ship navigates the fog-shrouded coastal waters.
Fiery fireballs and spears dominated the sky, while intertwined streaks of silvery-white light cleaved the sea, bursting forth from every corner and dividing the vast waters near Blue Mountain Island into separate spaces. The surging waves continued to churn, leaving only a narrow passage for the Loen Navy patrol ships to maintain their cargo transport function.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Cattleya's purple eyes shone brightly. Obscure and difficult secret incantations took shape with each breath, working in conjunction with the herbal dust scattered around the ship to intercept attacks that veered off course and to protect the innocent merchant ships that had spontaneously attached themselves to the "Future".
Faced with the increased firepower of the Rothschild native resistance forces, the Rune colonial government imposed an emergency martial law on the central area of the Rothschild Islands, centered on Blue Mountain Island, bringing countless maritime and land trades to a standstill.
Perhaps Rune was still concerned about the war in the Southern Continent and was unwilling to fall out with their allies who were fighting against Trensost together in the Highlands at a sensitive time, or perhaps it was for other considerations. In any case, the current legitimate government of the Rosed Islands, led by the Church of Storms, still maintained a trade route in the northwest of Blue Mountain Island.
Warships belonging to the Storm Church and naval escorts anchored in Bayam Port to serve as a facade for the Governor's Mansion set up multiple roadblocks on the trade routes, ostensibly to maintain order and protect the interests of merchants from various countries. In reality, the exorbitant gray protection fees had deterred most merchants from Fussac and Intis, forcing them to abandon spice supplies after weighing the pros and cons.
Thus, Bayam, once known for its prosperity and "generosity," gradually became an isolated city neglected by the outside world, with few people willing to devote their energy to it except for the people of Loen.
Suddenly, the roar of mortal creation overwhelmed the thunder's howl, and though it lasted only a moment, it truly demonstrated the magnificent feat of humankind triumphing over nature.
Is it a coastal defense artillery piece?
The tremendous roar also caught Cattleya's attention.
The pirate general looked toward the direction where orange-red blossoms were constantly blooming in the mist. His purple eyes suddenly became even deeper, breaking through the obstacles and disturbances in his vision, and he saw the terrifying creation that was stirring the hearts of almost everyone at sea.
Caldelia grew up in a pirate's den. The pirate crew under the "Mysterious Queen" was not much different from the subordinates of other sea emperors and generals. Their status determined that they were unlikely to be good people. Guns and plunder were the constant themes of their daily lives.
Cattleya's long career as a pirate made her more knowledgeable about modern war machines built with science and technology than most naval personnel.
However, when she could make out the general outline of the thing on the coast, Gadriya couldn't even identify it. She could only confirm that it was some kind of cannon, unlike any of the giant cannons currently used by the Northern Continent army.
A massive rotating wheel, an exaggerated cannon muzzle, a six-legged terrain resembling that of an arthropod... a series of seemingly unrelated details come together to form that thing.
A product of pure mechanical structure and extraordinary combination?
The powerful visuals overwhelmed Cattleya, and for a moment she forgot to maintain the barrier hovering above the "Future".
Fortunately, no one on the battlefield paid attention to this diverse fleet, and the "Star Admiral's" daze did not have serious consequences.
"Are they 'alchemists'? Are the Intis supporting the natives?"
Cattleya murmured to herself, as if asking a question about an object, or perhaps simply sighing.
"It doesn't seem like it, Captain."
An unexpected voice answered Cattleya's question.
She turned her head at the sound and found her first mate squatting to the side, pulling a big, red apple out of his pocket and taking a big bite of it.
Frank, has the port approved our berthing application?
Unlike the ports controlled by the Rune government, the black port occupied by the natives was very generous; as long as a ship could reach it, it could be occupied.
"Oh, they agreed, and even reminded us that it would be best to go further in, as the deep-water port over there has a temporary dome that has been erected, making it safer."
Frank Lee, the first mate of the "Future" and a "toxin expert," is not as terrifying as the rumors suggest.
Like many other poor, hardworking people living near the Arctic Circle who have struggled to survive on the ice fields for generations, his robust physique and exaggerated body hair make him look more like an experienced old farmer than a pirate.
"When I got ashore, I took a close look at that cannon. Hmm, the person who invented it must have been a genius."
"she?"
Caldelia wasn't too surprised by Frank's misuse of pronouns. She was used to the fact that her first mate thought and had different ways of thinking than most people, and she had developed a strong heart from spending so much time with him.
She was open to any of the first mate's wildest ideas.
"Yes, according to Ottorov, she was a wonderful beauty, just like his spellbook."
Frank clapped his hands vigorously and gestured with his fingers, seemingly trying to make the captain understand.
"That was definitely the idea of a 'farmer,' the work of a 'classical goldsmith'!"
"I used to only think about how to combine the advantages of different organisms, and I never realized that cold machines could also have beauty through clever design."
The combination of machinery and biology... Cattleya's brows furrowed instantly.
"are you sure?"
"certainly!"
Frank pulled a wet pencil from his jacket pocket and began to draw on a relatively dry patch of deck nearby.
"The cannons on top aren't anything special, but her lower body is alive. Although they wouldn't let me touch it, I could feel her breathing."
breathe?
This time, not only did Cattleya's brows furrow, but even the corners of her eyes began to twitch.
"She mimicked the structure of a spider, which allows her to overcome most complex terrains..."
Frank said something else, but Cattleya didn't listen. Compared to the first mate's excitement over the great art, she, as the captain, was more concerned about the strange weapons that had suddenly appeared on the Rothschild Islands.
The six-legged structure that mimics that of a spider is far from the most amazing, and also the most astonishing, part of creation.
The fact that Cattleya initially mistook it for a coastal defense gun speaks volumes.
A powerful cannon that can be moved around and overcomes terrain limitations...
Intis and Fenneport were not yet on good enough to collaborate on developing military equipment. The archbishops of the Church of Mother Earth couldn't even tolerate Frank's ideas, let alone accept machinery that contradicted the doctrine of "life above all else" within the teachings of Mother Earth.
Cold steel can neither nurture life nor play a vital role in the cycle of life's birth from the earth and its return to the earth. From the moment it appeared on the stage of history, steel and its derivatives have always played the role of slaughterers, disrupting the balance between life.
They possess the ability to combine "alchemists" and "classical alchemists," are not bound by much dogmatism or outdated regulations, can freely invent and create, and have reason to devote their energy to the Rothschild Islands, supporting the indigenous resistance forces...
After a five-minute voyage, the "Future" finally escaped the seas ruled by flames and thunder, and was on the verge of docking.
Only the people of Trensost...
Although there was still about 400 meters to go, thanks to the convenience provided by the "Eye of Insight," Cattleya was able to clearly see the various figures of all sizes moving around in the harbor.
Most of those people were natives with sea serpent tattoos, while others were people from the Northern and Southern Continents wearing black military uniforms, confirming Cattleya's conjecture.
Even so, a question lingered in the heart of the "Star General".
After instigating the Second Highlands War, where did Trensus get the energy and confidence to fight for the ownership of the Rothschild Islands from the most powerful naval force, Loen?
"captain."
From the corner of the ship's gunwale, a shadow loomed out diagonally. The tall, thin, but pale "Bloodless One," Heath Doyle, clutched his head and collapsed to the ground.
"Heath!"
Before Gadria could even comprehend what was happening, a figure beat her to it and helped the sickly Heath Doyle to his feet.
The hooded man took out a bottle of blood and offered it to Heath Doyle's lips, but unsurprisingly, he refused.
He reluctantly retrieved the food supplies he was carrying and said with a hint of apology.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. As a 'listener,' I am always listening to the Lord's teachings."
After speaking, he looked at Cattleya and bowed slightly.
"Madam, our boss heard you've arrived and wants to see you."