Wizard: Adventures in Two Worlds
Chapter 55 - 055 Siege

Chapter 55: 055 Siege

When Carl returned to Black City, it was already several days later.

"Uncle." Within the stronghold, Ayala appeared despondent, forcing a smile. "You’ve arrived," she managed.

"It’s a pity about Hausman," Carl said. "But everyone has their day, sooner or later. You have to accept that. Those who are alive must also live well."

"Yes," Ayala nodded, her eyes still brimming with sorrow. "Old Lev died as well," she said slowly.

"Hmm?" Carl asked, surprised. "What happened?"

"Eve wanted to extract her family’s Dharma Seal. Old Lev was old, and his life force ebbed away when the Dharma Seal left his body," Ayala explained. "He... in the end, he didn’t make it."

"Actually, the Dharma Seal on Old Lev had already changed hands several times, and it wasn’t even clear if it could still be used. Eve was too impatient!"

A Dharma Seal cannot be transferred indefinitely; each transfer imbues it with the host’s essence, and after multiple transfers, it may become ineffective. However, the specific number of transfers after which a Dharma Seal becomes ineffective varies with each seal and host; there is no set rule.

It was apparent that Ayala harbored considerable resentment toward Eve.

"What about you?" Carl asked. "Was the fusion with the Dharma Seal successful?"

"No," Ayala said, her face filled with dejection. "Little Nan didn’t succeed either, but ’the Mute’ did."

’The Mute’ was a member of the team, a quiet, small-statured person who wasn’t actually mute. Carl glanced sideways, and ’the Mute’ returned an awkward smile.

It seems that success in fusing with a Dharma Seal, much like possessing Wizard Talent, is purely a matter of luck. You either have it from birth or you don’t, and it has no significant relation to intelligence, appearance, or Constitution.

"The Dharma Seal we obtained is called ’Shadow.’ It’s a unique Dharma Seal of the Shadow Alliance," Ayala introduced. "This seal allows one to be less noticeable in darkness, enhances one’s strength at night, and provides vision almost as clear as in daytime. In urgent situations, it can also make the body temporarily intangible to evade attacks."

"A fine Dharma Seal," Carl praised. Such matters concerned their trump cards, and the fact that they readily shared this information indicated mutual trust.

"There’s one more thing," Ayala said, looking up, her gaze complex. "The Shadow Alliance has an expert named Blood Thorn who possesses a rapier capable of devouring others’ blood. The person you killed that day must have been him."

"Blood Thorn?" Carl raised an eyebrow. "You mean I’ve offended the Shadow Alliance?"

"Yes," Ayala nodded. "Blood Thorn held a high position within the Shadow Alliance, but he was a very peculiar character and not well-liked, so it’s not certain that anyone will seek revenge on you."

His peculiar and sadistically violent nature was tolerated by the Shadow Alliance solely because of Blood Thorn’s strength. According to what Ayala knew, Blood Thorn’s strength ranked within the top five in the Shadow Alliance. Even possibly the top three! He was a first-tier powerhouse just beneath the level of a Knight, a noteworthy individual in all of Black City.

And such an expert... had met his end at Carl’s hands!

Ayala knew Carl was powerful, but she hadn’t expected him to be this formidable. Her gaze toward him couldn’t help but change.

Surprise!

Excitement!

...

"Understood," Carl said nonchalantly, his expression unchanged. "Are we going out today?"

"Going out!" Ayala nodded vigorously. "I still have many debts to repay."

"Big Sister," ’the Mute’ said, "it’s my debt."

Since the Dharma Seal was on him, naturally, it was his responsibility to repay the debts.

***

Walking amidst the ruins, Carl looked into the distance. "Today’s Black City seems quieter than usual," he observed. Normally, there would be traces of half-dead creatures nearby.

"Yes," Ayala nodded. "The day before yesterday, a group of mercenaries from outside arrived, reportedly with a formal Knight among them. They killed quite a number of half-dead creatures. Now, the market area is clear of aberrations."

"Mercenaries?" Carl asked. "Are they safe?"

"Well..." Ayala hesitated for a moment before saying, "Old Lev once said mercenaries only have eyes for money; they’ll do anything for it. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s best not to deal with them."

"Understood," Carl nodded. "Avoid them from a distance."

"Hm?" He paused.

The enhanced danger perception from the Poison Wolf Breath Technique sent a warning jolt through Carl, the hairs on his body standing on end.

"Be careful!" he let out a low shout, his figure flashing several meters diagonally.

CRASH!

An arrow fell from the sky, embedding itself into the stone pavement exactly where Carl had stood moments before.

WHIZ!

The sound of tearing air followed.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Arm-length arrows fell like rapid rain, their terrifying force easily piercing through earthen walls.

"Be careful!"

"Dodge quickly!" Ayala shouted, flipping behind Little Nan, who also raised his wooden shield in time.

THUD!

Accompanied by a muffled sound, Little Nan grunted, stumbling backward, his face showing shock. His wooden shield, made of copperwood, was extremely hard and even had a layer of iron sheet for protection. Now, an arrow had directly penetrated the wooden shield, the immense force making his arm go numb and causing him to stumble back repeatedly.

CLANG!

Carl swung his broad sword, deflecting the incoming arrows, and looked up in the direction they came from. The arrows rained down, not fired simultaneously, but one after another. It was only because they came so fast and thick that they gave the impression of an arrow shower.

So... one person?

If one person could suppress so many with arrows, then the skill of this archer must be incredible.

Fortunately, while many arrows flew, most were aimed at Carl; the others were only caught in the crossfire.

"You guys hide," Carl said. "I’ll go take a look."

As his voice fell, he suddenly burst forth, his toes tapping lightly on the wall as he launched himself towards the direction the arrows came from.

Eagle Body Step!

Fierce Wind Swordsmanship!

With a Constitution comparable to a Knight, his speed rivaled that of tigers and leopards, and he easily deflected the incoming arrows with his swordsmanship.

In just a few days, Carl had undergone earth-shattering changes. Now, if he were to face that rapier-wielder again, even allowing his opponent to replenish their vitality through blood, he could easily slay them.

「In the distance, on a rooftop」

Mei’s expression was serious. "He’s coming!" she warned. "Be careful, this person is very powerful. With his guard up, my arrows will hardly affect him."

BOOM!

Not far away, the ground shook as a bald Big Man, over two meters tall, leaped out from beneath the surface. The Big Man’s body was wrapped in chains as thick as a child’s arm, with large, spiked iron balls tethered to the ends. The iron balls struck the ground with a dull thud.

To kill Red Hair and Iron Fist, he definitely isn’t a weakling. The Big Man squinted, his gaze fixed on the distant, approaching figure. His mouth twisted into a cold smile. "However... four against one, he’s doomed today!"

"Lakin," a voice drawled from a corner where rats swarmed and squeaked incessantly. The Rat Woman, standing among them, spoke slowly, "Don’t be careless."

"Got it!" The Big Man, Lakin, grinned. Then, the earth beneath his feet exploded as he launched himself toward the oncoming Carl. In mid-air, he let out an angry roar. He flexed his arms, and the human-head-sized iron ball whistled through the air, trailing a gust of wind.

"Die!"

Ahead, Carl, who had just deflected an arrow, narrowed his eyes. He then leaped off the wall, swinging his sword down fiercely.