“We’re fated to meet, I suppose. There’s no need to be so formal.”
Yue Wu, a little embarrassed, raised a hand to scratch the back of his head.
“I never expected you to possess such formidable strength. I truly underestimated you, and for that, I offer my sincerest apologies.”
Scheffiel shook her head, perhaps recalling the events of the previous day with a flush of shame.
“Please, there’s no need for that. I’ve grown accustomed to being overlooked. Truly, I have.”
Yue Wu offered an awkward laugh. In the game world, players were often scorned by NPCs, their requests dismissed under the pretext of insufficient strength.
Having been ignored by countless NPCs over time, Yue Wu had simply grown used to it.
“Might I ask, Sir Merlin, which city you hail from? It’s perplexing that a mage of your immense power has never been heard of before.”
“Oh, I reside in Saxony City with a friend.”
“Have you truly lived there all this time?”
“Indeed.”
Yue Wu wasn’t deceiving Scheffiel or Helen. He spoke the truth; he genuinely lived in Saxony City, and this was his very first time venturing out from it.
“Saxony City?”
“Your Highness Scheffiel, have you forgotten? Lord Arken serves as the head of the mercenary guild branch there.”
“To think such a formidable expert as Sir Merlin hails from Saxony City!”
Scheffiel seemed to have no recollection of Saxony City. It was only after Helen’s gentle reminder that she remembered it was a border city on the O Continent.
Saxony City was considered the most underdeveloped city across the entire O Continent. Constantly plagued by beastmen incursions, its economy had stagnated, and no true powerhouse had ever chosen to reside there.
Naturally, Scheffiel was utterly astonished that Yue Wu originated from such a place.
“Excuse me, Sir Merlin, if you don’t mind my asking, how old are you?”
“Seventeen. Why do you ask?”
“To possess such power at the same age as me… it seems I haven’t striven hard enough.”
“Hehe~”
“I wonder if Sir Merlin would be willing to reveal his surname.”
Noticing that the man possessed none of the typical arrogance of a powerhouse, and spoke with her as casually as a friend, Scheffiel began to treat him as such.
“Hmm…”
Yue Wu was at a loss for how to answer. He could simply invent a surname, but none that came to mind sounded particularly cool or distinguished. He found himself in a dilemma once more.
“Is it inconvenient to disclose?”
Seeing his conflicted expression, Scheffiel gently inquired.
“Uh, no, it’s not that. It’s just that I don’t have a surname.”
Ultimately, Yue Wu decided against fabricating a surname for himself. He felt it would be disrespectful to his deceased parents in the real world.
Thus, he simply stated he had no surname, knowing his true name also couldn’t be revealed, as that would undoubtedly lead to complications.
“I never realized, Sir Merlin, that you were an orphan.”
“Ah, ha ha ha~”
Confronted with Scheffiel’s sympathetic gaze, Yue Wu let out a slightly awkward laugh, and the atmosphere in the tent grew strangely peculiar.
“It’s getting late. Now that you’re awake, I should be on my way.”
To diffuse the awkward tension, Yue Wu decided not to linger any longer. He was here with a purpose, not to sightsee and waste precious time.
“Sir Merlin, are you heading to the Catacombs? May I ask why you are so insistent on going there?”
Scheffiel was eager to understand Yue Wu’s objective in the Catacombs. The current situation had implications for the entire O Continent, even the world’s very structure, making it a matter that could not be treated lightly.
“Because I was bored at home, I came out to fight some monsters and level up.”
Yue Wu sighed, an expression of profound helplessness on his face.
“Fight some monsters?”
Scheffiel was utterly bewildered.
“Level up?”
Helen, too, was completely lost.
“Uh, my apologies, I misspoke.”
“What I meant was, I’m going underground— bah! I misspoke again. I’m going to the Catacombs to purge the demonic creatures.”
Noticing the two young women staring at him, Yue Wu realized he’d uttered incomprehensible words and immediately began to gesticulate wildly in explanation.
“But the Catacombs are far too dangerous. One misstep could trigger an event that imperils the entire world.”
Just as Scheffiel’s words concluded, an urgent message suddenly reached them from outside the tent.
“Your Highness Scheffiel, this is dire! The seal on the Catacombs has been suddenly breached! The culprit is the Devourer Demon from last night!”
A mage rushed into the tent, first bowing to Yue Wu before reporting to Scheffiel. He was among the survivors of last night’s battle and had personally witnessed Yue Wu’s formidable display of power.
“Immediately summon everyone!”
Scheffiel, disregarding Yue Wu’s presence, swiftly darted out of the tent. She clearly saw the demonic horde surging forth from the Catacombs, led by the very Devourer Demon from the previous night.
However, she did not spot the advanced Devourer Demon she had personally fought.
“I had no idea there was a seal there, nor did I imagine those few escaped demons from last night would cause such a catastrophe.”
As Scheffiel gathered all the members of the Knight Order, Yue Wu appeared before them, offering a somewhat sheepish explanation.
“But I will take responsibility, truly. I wouldn’t deceive you.”
Seeing everyone staring at him with wide eyes, Yue Wu’s face instantly flushed. He quickly averted his gaze and continued his explanation.
“I understand, Sir Merlin, that you didn’t act intentionally. Nevertheless, we won’t allow you to face this situation alone.”
Scheffiel had no intention of blaming him. She knew the fault lay with her; had she not held him back last night, imploring him to save her subordinates, none of this would have transpired.
“Please, stop calling me ‘Sir’ this and ‘Sir’ that. Just call me Merlin. Among friends, there’s no need for such formality.”
Yue Wu genuinely admired Scheffiel’s character, though his affection remained strictly platonic. He would never cross that line. Moreover, while this incident was indeed due to his oversight, it also conveniently fulfilled his objectives.
“If you are truly determined to join the battle, I won’t stop you. However~”
“Absolute Domain: Defense.”
“Absolute Domain: Blessing.”
“Absolute Domain: Strength.”
“Absolute Domain: Speed.”
“Absolute Domain: Antibody.”
Yue Wu stepped before Scheffiel and, in a single instant, unleashed five domain-support magic arrays. The expansive reach of these five arrays was immense, almost completely engulfing the Catacombs.
This spectacle utterly captivated Scheffiel and the entire Knight Order, leaving them dumbfounded.
“This time, it’s your turn for vengeance. I wish you good fortune.”
Yue Wu glanced back at Scheffiel, offering a reassuring smile, then charged alone into the demonic horde.
“One punch from you, one punch from them.”
As he plunged into the demonic horde, Yue Wu felled one creature with each strike. While not always fatal, his blows ensured the demons were incapacitated for a short period.
“Is he truly a mage?”
Watching Yue Wu, who seemed to be playfully toying with the demonic horde ahead, a question welled up in Scheffiel’s heart.
“Your Highness Scheffiel, please give the command!”
“Indeed, we cannot allow Lord Merlin to confront this demonic army alone.”
“Your Highness.”
The members of the Knight Order watched Yue Wu fighting amidst the demonic horde, their impatience growing. Even Helen couldn’t bear to let him face the vast army alone.
Moreover, each knight distinctly felt their own strength steadily surging, yearning to unleash the potent power within them.
“I understand.”
“The God of Victory stands with us! Draw your weapons, all of you! The triumph of this war belongs to justice!”
Scheffiel drew the one-handed sword from her hip and issued the command. The knights, one by one, transformed into ferocious beasts, charging towards the demonic horde.
A hundred-man Silver Lion Knight Order against a demonic army numbering in the tens of thousands—the sheer disparity in numbers was incomparable, and the outcome was truly uncertain. The Silver Lion Knight Order’s chances of victory were exceedingly slim; a single misstep could lead to the annihilation of the entire order.
However, with Yue Wu’s sudden appearance, the scales of victory slowly began to tip in their favor. The knights no longer felt powerless, regardless of the overwhelming number of demons.
The most powerful demonic creatures were swiftly dispatched by Yue Wu and Scheffiel, leaving the remaining weaker minions for the rest of the Knight Order to handle.
Amidst the demonic horde, Yue Wu moved as if strolling through his own backyard, dispatching monsters while observing Scheffiel, who was intently slaying demons. Her every sword swing was seamless, her continuous attacks leaving no openings.
Any demon that faced her couldn’t withstand more than three moves. Standing within the vast demonic army, Scheffiel was akin to an invincible War Goddess.
It was a pity her true nature wasn’t bloodthirsty, otherwise, she wouldn’t merely be a War Goddess, but a Female Asura.
“How are you feeling? Still got some fight in you, my dear Princess?”
Two minutes later, Yue Wu and Scheffiel converged amidst the demonic horde. Standing back to back, they surveyed the vast army of monsters surrounding them.
Yue Wu’s face was perpetually adorned with a playful, teasing grin. In stark contrast, Scheffiel’s expression had remained resolutely serious since the battle began, utterly unlike Yue Wu, who seemed to treat the entire affair with carefree indifference, like a detached bystander.
“It barely counts as a warm-up, but it is rather annoying.”
With that, Scheffiel surged forward, activating her dual-sword attack mode. Wherever her twin blades flashed, demon corpses were severed, leaving no creature alive.
“Since it’s annoying, let’s just finish the appetizer.”
“Dragon’s Divine Might!”
Yue Wu crouched down. An ancient, ornate ring, inscribed with the image of a dragon god, materialized on his finger.
He gathered the magic within his body, slammed his hand onto the ground, then curled it back up.
From that moment, a crushing aura of coercion emanated outwards from Yue Wu, its reach extending for tens of thousands of kilometers. Within this vast expanse, both the demonic creatures and the Knight Order felt an unprecedented pressure.
However, the knights remained largely unaffected. It was the demons who bore the brunt. As Yue Wu performed his next movement, the demonic horde seemed to be crushed by an invisible, colossal hand, instantly flattening them into mere pulp.