Why must the devil be Defeated?
Chapter 367 - 364 ’Have you seen my Little Fox?

Chapter 367: 364 ’Have you seen my Little Fox?

Dark Temple.

When Shane arrived here once again, the place was shrouded in a pitch-black evil aura, as if enveloped by a swirling dark fog, rendering the inside completely invisible.

The flat land that had previously been a part of the Beastman Race’s territory now resembled a dark abyss, with only the fluctuating evil energy visible.

"This evil energy..."

Shane hovered midair, gazing down at the land of evil energy below, a surge of dark, negative emotions welling up inside him.

It was a feeling that made him want to rage uncontrollably, and to destroy everything around him.

"Well, well..."

Shane’s expression became somewhat serious.

Despite having the Level-up Skill "Abnormal State Resistance," he realized that even he was slightly affected by the evil aura, which clearly illustrated the potential danger of entering it.

"Could it be that this is the authority of the Evil God Lilith, the evil aura that once turned the ancient lands into a hell?"

Shane couldn’t help but think this.

Moreover, Shane also speculated,

"It seems that the seal is about to be broken. The Evil God Lilith has not yet broken through, but her power has already begun to interfere with the outside world through the loosening seal."

Should he go in?

Shane pondered.

But while Shane pondered, there seemed to be some other movements occurring nearby.

"Huh?"

Shane saw people arriving one after another, his eyebrows raising in curiosity.

Among the arrivals were members from the Duke Sterling Domain’s First Knight Order and the female knights from the Broken Blade Knights.

Lady Cape led the Broken Blade Knights, approaching from one side but suddenly halted, instructing everyone to stop a certain distance before the land of evil energy, their faces showing solemn expressions.

Clearly, the princess from the Empire noticed the strangeness of the evil aura and prevented her knights from recklessly approaching.

On the other side, the men from the Duke Sterling Domain’s First Knight Order also drew close and were similarly halted by a middle-aged knight leading them.

Shane shifted his gaze to that soldier-like middle-aged knight.

The aura emanating from the man was extraordinary, his every action decisively brisk, and his Level even reached eighty-eight, making him the highest leveled individual present, inevitably catching Shane’s attention.

Near him were Lymco and another Level 80 middle-aged knight, standing beside him like aides, clearly indicating his leadership role.

Shane did not know who he was.

However, what was certain was that he was from the Sterling Family, and he was the leader representing Duke Sterling’s Domain in this incident.

Now, this leader, just like Lady Cappelen, first stopped the knights’ rash approach, then locked eyes with Lady Cape.

Their gazes collided, sparking with visible tension, clearly indicating a lack of harmony.

That was only to be expected.

One was the responsible party sent from the Kingdom, the other from the Empire, clearly on opposing ends, making their current discord quite normal.

According to what the gate guard had mentioned before, these two knight orders had clashed multiple times previously, even schemed against each other in the shadows, clearly demonstrating their discord.

At that moment, the two knight orders confronted each other.

"You’ve arrived quite promptly, Captain Yuri."

Lady Cape spoke coolly.

"Princess Cappelen, you’ve also arrived quite swiftly."

Yuri responded indifferently.

Both were there to investigate and solve the odd occurrences in Cosmos, and now that something strange had emerged in Cosmos, they naturally had to arrive as soon as possible.

However...

"Now that you’re here, why not go in?"

Lady Cape aggressively confronted Yuri.

"Why do you stop here, Your Highness?" Yuri, seemingly indifferent to Lady Cape’s taunt, said, "Normally, with your style, wouldn’t you have already led your people in?"

"I do wish we could." Lady Cape snorted coldly, "Unfortunately, I might take the risk myself, but these female knights cannot just rush in recklessly."

"So Your Highness has also perceived the threat of this evil aura?" Yuri glanced at Lady Cape, asking for advice humbly, "If so, what do you plan to do about it?"

"What? Trying to fish for my strategy?" Lady Cape suddenly smiled, her tone teasing yet mocking, "I am more interested in knowing what the illustrious leader of the Duke Sterling Domain Knights plans to do about this situation."

The two just looked at each other, both snorting and turning away their gazes.

Obviously, their exchange was merely probing, trying to discern if the other was aware of the origins of this evil aura, and what actions they intended to take regarding the situation.

But both were quite unfamiliar with this so-called evil aura, having no idea what it was or its connection to the mysterious movements, and naturally, they could not immediately decide on the most appropriate course of action.

"Uncle," Lymco leaned in and whispered to Yuri, "this evil aura seems very peculiar, and the knights just standing here seem somewhat emotionally disturbed, now becoming somewhat distracted. What should we do?"

"Should we rush in, General?" Sona suggested impulsively, "We also have Magic Potions equipped to enhance our resistance to abnormal states; taking those might rid us of this irritating feeling, right?"

Hearing this, Yuri did not act rashly.

"Let’s not hurry," Yuri spoke calmly, "I feel this evil aura is very dangerous, and it’s uncertain if Magic Potions would be effective. It’s better to observe for a while longer."

"Understood," Lymco agreed, nodding before falling silent again.

"What a hassle," Sona remarked with a frown, seemingly holding a different opinion, yet obediently following orders without impetuousness.

The First Knight Order began conversing with each other, discussing their next course of action.

By contrast, all the female knights from the Broken Blade Knights quietly awaited Lady Cappelen’s commands.

Lady Cappelen gazed thoughtfully toward the Evil Land ahead.

"It looks like this is the tribal camp where Iris and her people stayed, right?"

She recognized her friend’s homeland.

As a friend of Iris, despite being an imperial princess, Lady Cappelen had once been invited by Iris to visit this place.

Though it had been a long time ago, Lady Cappelen still vaguely remembered it.

"After the incident in Cosmos, when I came to this city, I never entered here."

At that time, Lady Cappelen, concerned about her friend, wanted to check on her state immediately. However, she encountered her friend before getting to this place. She learned from her friend that the Beastman Tribe had been attacked by the Old Demon Clan Faction, and their people were involved in a mysterious relocation phenomenon and were missing.

Therefore, her friend, along with some Beastman Priests, had left Cosmos, seemingly pursuing the thieves, leaving behind only a few Beastman Priests as guardians, and the tribe no longer existed here.

Thus, Lady Cappelen never visited again.

Who would have thought, upon returning here, such strange anomalies had occurred.

"Could it be that all this strangeness is caused by some problem that arose with the Beastman Tribe?"

Lady Cappelen couldn’t help but ponder over this.

She didn’t know what secret existed within the Beastman Tribe.

However, since the Holy Daughter of the Beastman Tribe had been stationed here with her Priest Group for a millennia without ever leaving, perhaps there really was a secret here.

And that secret seemed to be the cause of all this.

With these thoughts, Lady Cappelen’s gaze at the Evil Land changed.

"If this is the source of everything..."

Then, Lady Cappelen had no choice but to enter.

After thinking it over, Lady Cappelen devised a plan.

"Activate the mobile Barrier."

Thus, Lady Cappelen gave the order.

The imperial Valkyrie prepared to protect herself and her companions with a mobile Barrier and then enter.

On the other side, the First Knight Order also reached a decision.

"Send a small team inside to scout, and have them all take Magic Potion, which enhances resistance to Abnormal States," Yuri decided.

Thus, both parties simultaneously commenced their actions.

But just as they were about to enter the Evil Land...

"I advise you not to go in, or you will wish you were dead,"

When such a voice echoed from mid-air, everyone’s faces turned pale.

"Who...!?"

Yuri called out sharply, his knights immediately entering alert mode, drawing their weapons.

"Be on guard!"

On Lady Cappelen’s side, the female knights spontaneously reacted, shielding Lady Cappelen in the middle and drawing their weapons.

Everyone then looked toward the sky, spotting the figure descending from above.

And then...

"It’s you...!?"

Lymco’s eyes widened, fists clenched tightly.

"You...!"

Lady Cappelen, too, narrowed her pupils, exuding a harsh aura as she stared at the figure.

Shane landed on the ground, in front of everyone.

"Don’t mind me, I just came to ask a question,"

Shane spoke as if he were just a passing traveler, as if everyone in front of him were just hospitable locals, slightly embarrassed.

"Excuse me, have you seen a Little Fox that ran away from my home?"

Shane’s words clearly reached everyone’s ears.

"A...Little Fox...?"

Everyone present heard this seemingly innocuous inquiry, and one by one, they were flabbergasted.

A Little Fox?

What Little Fox?

Do you keep a fox at home?

Did you come here just to search for a pet?

Everyone was baffled by the wind.