The Devil's Cage

Words started to piled up in Kieran’s vision from top to bottom.

[Sub Mission: Fortress charge. (Perfect Completion)]

[Fortress charge: Lightning Fortress is blocking your path, you need to charge past it to fulfill your promise to Mary!]

[Note: The lesser the time consumed, the higher the dungeon rating]

...

[New chain sub mission discovered: Protect the king!]

[Protect the king!: Reach the imperial city of Warren, Riverdale in 3 hours, protect King James VIII from Jeanne James]

[Note: The less time you take, the greater your dungeon rating will be. It will increase even more if you manage to do it without King James VIII being injured by Jeanne James]

...

The first sub mission appeared when Kieran made the promise to Mary, just that the second one...

"Only after completing the first does the second pop up? A chain mission?" Kieran wondered.

Although Kieran wanted to ponder the question before him in detail because it was the first time he came across a chain mission, but his intuition told him what his priorities were.

[Night Owl Token] appeared in Kieran’s hand.

[Spend 1000 Points to summon Night Owl?]

"Yes!"

Kieran answered affirmatively.

Promptly, the palm-sized special carved token emitted a purplish shine.

When the shine dissipated, a tall, big, robust, red-eyed black horse that was far superior than common warhorses appeared before Kieran.

Since Kieran was connected with the Night Owl, it was quite tame when it was summoned and was rubbing its head at Kieran’s arm.

After Kieran fondled its head for a couple times, he leapt up onto the horse.

The Grand Master level [Riding] not only provided Kieran the skills to ride a horse but also allowed him to better communicate with one.

Although Night Owl only shared the looks of a horse and they were connected through a special link in their heart, it didn’t stop the Night Owl from giving out a snort.

"Hyak!"

Kieran cried heavily before the Night Owl’s limb muscle tightend, presenting a clear muscle line and following a burst of energy.

Bang!

After a heavy bursting sound, the Night Owl sprinted out like an arrow that had been let loose.

Its sprinting was not similar to a common horse’s galloping, more like gliding.

Kieran disappeared from the soldiers’ sight at Lightning Fortress within a breath’s time.

It was as if half a day had gone by before the soldiers reacted to what had happened and stared blankly at the empty area devoid of Kieran’s figure.

"Quick! Deliver the message to the imperial city! Someone has passed through the fortress! Lightning Fortress has fallen!"

Cries sounded one after another from the soldiers.

...

The imperial city of Warren, Riverdale.

The palace of Riverdale was absent of its former glorious and luxurious looks; all that was left was the sound of the wind and the cries of the cranes.

The architecture was still the same, the decorations were still intact, but the squads of guards appeared with flashing swords and blades in their hands. The whole palace was instantly shrouded with an awful atmosphere.

The gold and the silver lost its lustre, the gems had lost their dazzle.

A group of attendants were hiding in the corner with pale faces, shivering non-stop.

Donning a scarlet red mantle, Jeanne James walked into the place. Behind her was the military minister, Folly.

The middle-aged man who was over half a century old and still single was looking obsessively at the woman before him, Jeanne.

In fact, not only the military minister, most of the men who were following Jeanne shared the same gaze as well.

Although she had entered her early middle-age years, her face and skin were as tender as a fair maiden. Especially her eyes; the gaze from those two sapphire eyes could seduce one’s soul and force anyone who looked into her eyes to be unconsciously intoxicated in the feeling.

The military minister was not the first, and the men behind him were certainly not the last.

"Teacher! Fandral has left his Majesty’s room. I’ve also ruined his teleportation circle!"

A pregnant woman walked out from the corridor, showing great respect and looking elegant as she spoke softly.

"Nicely done!"

Jeanne praised her with a glance of her brilliant sapphire eyes and didn’t pay anymore attention to her.

Before this, she was her most important piece of chess in her plans, but now, the pregnant lady was just a slightly important leverage.

"Folly!" Jeanne said.

The military minister instantly waved his hand.

Promptly, two guards walked forth to the pregnant lady. She was very cooperative and followed the guards into the room that was prepared for her.

The moment she was sent to approach Fandral by her own teacher, she already knew what would become of her in the end, but...

She dared not resist. No one understood better than herself how powerful her teacher was.

Even her husband with the title of the strongest sorcerer in Warren could not face-off with her.

Fandral, at most, was causing some scruples to Jeanne before this, but now, he didn’t even possess such qualifications.

The pregnant lady touched her stomach; her face was showing a mocking and ironic smile aimed at herself.

"What an obedient girl. If my idiot brother could be as obedient as you, I’d be much happier now!" Jeanne could help but give out a laugh while looking at her disciple’s back.

Jeanne brought the laugh with her towards King James VIII’s bedroom.

An elderly man with a long, white robe was standing in her path quietly, blocking Jeanne’s advance.

"Foolish Whiter, you still wish to hold on?" Jeanne asked.

"With all due respect, elder princess, as you said, I am the foolish Whiter."

The elderly caressed his beard and said with a smile.

"You deserve more than just death!"

The old address of Jeanne made her wave her hand without any courtesy.

A figure who donned the same white robe walked out from the crowd behind Jeanne and pointed his finger at Whiter.

Instantly, an extremely unique and formless power spurted out from his finger and enshrouded Whiter’s body.

Whiter’s looks, which were already old to begin with, aged another 10 years within a breath.

Then, the figure behind Jeanne pointed his finger at her, and under everyone’s gaze, the once elder princess started to turn youthful again.

"Time is a merciless blade! A simple point to age someone rapidly! I couldn’t keep up with the powerful forces of the Sand of Time anymore!" Whiter sighed.

His never-fading smile led him through life and death with utmost resolution.

The elderly turned around and looked at the door behind him, as if his gaze went through the door and saw King James VIII who was lying in his sickbed.

Whiter said slowly and difficulty, "Your Majesty, I’ll have to return the debt of gratitude from the previous king to you!"

As Whiter finished his words, his body started to petrify, looking like a fossil that had been buried underground for hundred of thousands years. It started from his finger tip and rapidly spread to his arm.

The energy of life started to fade off from his body with an exponential speed that was visible to the naked eyes. What followed Whiter’s changes was the bedroom behind him; the rocks beside started to pile up to cover the bedroom’s outer layer as if the rocks were alive.

"You think you can stop me with this?"

Jeanne beautiful face gave out a smile that could turned every man upside down.

"Of course not, but it would be great to stall you for a while! Maybe... there will be a miracle?"

The elder’s voice got dimmer as he spoke.

"A miracle? Only the weak and ignorant will believe..."

Jeanne let out a cold grunt. She continued to mock the dying elder before her, but before she could finish, she was interrupted by a loud notice from the messenger.

"Your Highness!! Report! Someone just broke through the fortress!! Lightning Fortress has fallen, and the person is heading here as we speak!"

The messenger’s loud voice echoed before the royal bedroom.

Jeanne was quite shocked before her face turned red, as if she had suffered a slap.

The elder laughed. With his last breath, he said, "Behold, a miracle!"

Translator’s Thoughts

Dess Dess

The battle after this is quite entertaining