Splash
A slight buzzing sound was heard as the Shadow Tiger's head exploded, spraying a mixture of red and white matter all over Rhett's head, coating every strand of his hair in a terrifying display.
The knights beside Rhett, who were about to swing their swords, stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with shock. They were unfazed by their commander's gruesome appearance—after all, they'd witnessed far more bloodshed on the battlefield. What truly stunned them was how swiftly a high-level Shadow Tiger had met such a grim end, without them even getting the chance to strike.
As the lifeless body of the Shadow Tiger fell limply to the ground, the knights seized the opportunity to intercept it, preventing it from landing on their commander's head.
The two remaining Shadow Tigers, witnessing this scene, immediately halted mid-air.
Seeing Rhett's body cloaked in what appeared to be flowing sand, with the Mystical Power of Dissipation coursing through him so effortlessly, both orcs widened their eyes in disbelief.
"This... is that the Mystical Power of Dissipation?"
"And it's a perfected Dissipation! No, we must relay this information back. No wonder our comrades who carried out missions near the Sixth Legion recently suffered heavy losses, with entire squads wiped out. It turns out there's such a powerful figure here!"
One of the orcs looked grim as he glanced at his companion, his purple-black claws curling slightly, communicating with a hand signal only the two of them understood—retreat!
Orcs are not mindless; when vital intelligence needs to be reported, they will not hesitate to retreat.
These two high-level orcs, both of considerable status, naturally understood this principle. Realizing the situation had changed, they abandoned their attack on Rhett and decisively turned to flee.
Thud, thud, thud
At that moment, the Earth Dragon, which Rhett had summoned earlier, finally made its presence known. The massive rock dragon blocked the two Shadow Tigers' escape route along the creek bank.
The two high-level Shadow Tigers sneered in contempt. To them, an Earth Dragon was merely an obstacle, effective in group battles, sieges, or terrain manipulation, but something they could easily tear through with their claws, allowing for a quick escape.
Confident in the power of their claws, they charged forward, their muscular arms ready to strike. But just as they approached, Rhett's lips curled into a cold smile, and without a word, he activated the Mystical Power of Oscillation!
The earth elements controlled by Rhett emitted a force of oscillation from within, enveloping the surface of the Earth Dragon. The once bright yellow light became subdued and indistinct.
Rhett timed it perfectly. Just as the orcs' claws made contact, they sensed the Earth Dragon's transformation.
Realizing something was wrong, they attempted to pull back, but it was too late. The violent oscillation force spread out, instantly turning their arms into shredded meat, scattering in all directions.
The defensive capabilities of the Shadow Tigers paled in comparison to the Dragonkin. Even the Dragonkin couldn't withstand such an attack, let alone the Shadow Tigers. Facing the sudden explosion of oscillation, they had no means of resistance. With a scream, both were sent flying backward.
At that moment, dozens of arrows and radiant spells flew from the rear, their brilliant colors hiding deadly intent as they struck the two Shadow Tigers, inflicting further injuries.
Of course, it was Rhett's two earth spikes that ultimately ended the lives of the Shadow Tigers. This time, however, he did not let his eldest son, Tucker, help with the kill. The variables were simply too great. The Shadow Tigers had extraordinary physical resilience, vitality, explosive power, and speed. While Rhett could slay them, he couldn't guarantee the safety of others if he ceased his offensive.
Under the admiring gaze of his soldiers, Rhett waved his hand generously. "All troops, listen up! Drink the beast wine and prepare to return to the base!"
"Yes, sir!"
At the command, the soldiers swarmed toward the bodies of the two high-level Shadow Tigers. Rhett, on the other hand, took his time, conjuring a ball of water elements to wash his head and face. The smell of Shadow Tiger brains was too overpowering; he had been holding his breath the entire time. The first order of business after the battle was to rid himself of the stench!
A few minutes later.
As the soldiers continued to drink the beast wine, Rhett turned to look behind him, feigning curiosity.
A small green dot rapidly approached across the plain, swiftly arriving by Rhett's side. Rhett looked at the small-statured scout in light armor and remarked in surprise, "Tirus? It's been over a month since I last saw you. I didn't expect to meet you here. So, tell me, what intelligence have you gathered during this time?"
The scout called Tirus, looking somewhat excited, responded, "Commander Rhett, I have important news to report. A day ago, the orcs deployed five Saint-level warriors to launch a surprise attack on our legion, but our twelve Saint-level warriors suddenly appeared and caught them off guard, killing them all!"
Tirus spoke loudly, and all the nearby soldiers heard him. The atmosphere became eerily quiet—the news was so shocking that it took them a moment to fully process it.
But when Rhett confirmed the information, assuring them Tirus wasn't joking, the soldiers erupted into thunderous cheers!! Even Rhett smiled, closing his eyes for a moment to sense the earth elements around him, curious to see if the sudden death of five Saint-level orcs had made it easier to comprehend the Mystical Power.
After a moment, Rhett opened his eyes and fell into deep thought: "The death of five Saint-level orcs does seem to have caused a slight change; the process of comprehending the Mystical Power has become a bit smoother. But this change is so subtle that if it weren't for my strong affinity with the Mystical Powers of Dissipation and Oscillation, I wouldn't have noticed. For others, even Saints might sense something, but those below Saint-level wouldn't feel a thing..."
"It seems that five Saints are but a drop in the ocean compared to the entire orc race..."
He looked at Tirus, patted him heavily on the shoulder, and said, "Well done. After this battle, the orcs should become more cautious, and the pressure on the Coldstream Defense Line should ease somewhat."
"But I have another task for you. Go hide near the Cold Raven Valley and monitor all activity in the area. Report to me immediately if anything unusual happens!"
Tirus straightened up, responding with determination, "Understood, Commander!"
Rhett nodded and said, "Return to the unit, resupply, and then we'll head back to the Sixth Base together with the rest of the troops."
"Yes, Commander!"
The next day.
In a chilly valley, Rhett was leading his troops when he suddenly sensed something, stopping in his tracks. He glanced at a small hill to the left, waved his hand, and turned to the soldiers, saying, "All troops, rest here. Do not move without my command."
At his command, the entire troop came to a halt, some drinking water while others chewed on dried meat.
Rhett, however, walked alone towards the left, climbing over a hill to reach the peak, where he saw King Milan standing halfway up, with his back to Rhett.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on a great victory, annihilating the orcs!" Rhett hurried over, stopping behind the king and offering his congratulations.
King Milan turned around, suppressing the faint fluctuations he had been emitting, and looked at Rhett with a broad smile. "Rhett, I came here in person to thank you. It was your intelligence that gave us the upper hand, leading to an unprecedented victory in the last thousand years!"
Rhett modestly replied, "Your Majesty flatters me. I was merely a messenger. In fact, just two days ago, I received more important intelligence. I was planning to return to the base first, then head to the Coldstream camp to report it to you..."
King Milan was slightly taken aback, pushing aside the rest of his thoughts, and decisively asked, "More intelligence? Could it be that the orcs are sending more Saint-level warriors?"
"No," Rhett shook his head. "The informant said they witnessed your battle with the orcs and your pursuit of Ximan. From your perspective, Ximan might seem to have been dealt with, but in reality, that traitor narrowly escaped and deceived all of you."
King Milan's pupils narrowed slightly, his voice turning cold. "Hmph, Ximan, that traitor, is indeed cunning. We'll find him sooner or later!"
"Perhaps... you'll get your wish sooner than you think," Rhett said.
"Hmm?" Sensing there was more to Rhett's words, King Milan's expression changed as he asked, "Did the informant provide any additional information? Do they know Ximan's whereabouts?"
"No, but they mentioned something else that I believe might be related to Ximan."
"What is it? Speak quickly!" King Milan asked with urgency.
"The orcs plan to target our Alchemy Workshop, but the informant didn't know who would be sent. However, I believe that besides Ximan, who has mastered the Mystical Power of 'Illusion,' there's likely no one else suitable for infiltrating it." Rhett analyzed logically.
King Milan nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm... that makes sense. I'll focus on monitoring the Coldstream camp from now on. I won't let that scoundrel slip through my fingers!"
Rhett looked directly at King Milan and, with a serious tone, added, "There's one more crucial piece of information—the Blood God Cult Leader has set his sights on the canyon defense line and plans to launch an attack in the coming months!"
"What?!"
This news shook King Milan to his core. Ever since the failed ambush on the Blood God Cult Leader by five Saint-level warriors from the Kingdom of Rem, which forced him into retreat, there had been no news of him. But according to Rhett's intelligence, the Blood God Cult Leader was now targeting the canyon defense line, aiming to strike at a weak point while the main forces were concentrated at the Coldstream Defense Line.
"Alright, I understand."
King Milan took a deep breath, calming himself down, and said to Rhett, "The kingdom will not forget your contributions. Once the war is over, you'll be richly rewarded!"
Hearing this, Rhett didn't shy away and immediately expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
King Milan nodded, his gaze fixed on Rhett. He seemed about to turn away but then suddenly said, "Rhett, there's something I want to ask you. Did you find it difficult to comprehend the Mystical Power?"
"...What do you mean by difficult?" Rhett couldn't help but ask.
King Milan fell silent. Indeed, the speed and process of comprehending the Mystical Power cannot be easily compared across individuals. Only through the results tested in battle can one see the differences. Given Rhett's current achievements, which King Milan had heard of—the perfected Mystical Powers of Dissipation and Oscillation—his journey must have been smooth. After pondering for a moment, King Milan said, "I heard that your comprehension of the Mystical Power of Condensation is still relatively basic compared to the other two. Could you show it to me?"
"No problem!"
Without hesitation, Rhett dispersed his spiritual energy among the earth elements, activating their condensing power. In an instant, his upper body was covered in a deep, earthy-yellow rock armor.
King Milan slowly nodded, then flicked his finger, producing a small flame about the size of a fist, which emitted a crimson glow as it shot toward Rhett's abdomen at high speed.
The intense heat evaporated the surrounding air, causing it to warp. Startled, Rhett instinctively closed his eyes and tried to dodge, only to feel the Mystical Power around his abdomen being overwhelmed by the intense flames, quickly melting the rock armor.
But just after breaking through his defenses, the flame suddenly vanished.
The searing heat in the air dissipated as if nothing had happened, except for the small hole left in the rock armor on Rhett's abdomen, evidence of the attack.
Rhett blinked in bewilderment, unsure of King Milan's sudden action.
"Not bad. To cover half your body with the Mystical Power of Condensation at this stage is a modest achievement." King Milan looked at the damaged area and smiled in praise. Then, raising his hand, a small flame danced on his fingertip as he looked at Rhett and asked, "Rhett, do you know which Mystical Power I just used?"
"Should be... Melting?" Rhett guessed, recalling the terrifying temperature that seemed capable of burning everything, and responded.
King Milan nodded. "Yes, it's the Mystical Power of Melting, but I've only just begun to grasp it."
"Impressive. So this is the power of a Saint. Even a fledgling Mystical Power can cause such terrifying damage!" Rhett marveled inwardly, then asked the question that had been on his mind, "Your Majesty, do you know the fundamental difference between a Saint-level warrior and a high-level transcendent? Is it simply that Saints find it easier to comprehend Mystical Powers?"
"Saint-level warriors may seem distant to others, but for you... I don't think it's an unattainable peak." King Milan gave Rhett a deep look before continuing, "Given that, I see no harm in telling you some of the essential secrets of becoming a Saint."
Rhett's eyes lit up. "Please, Your Majesty, I'm all ears!"
Sorry for the delay, everyone.
Here's an update on the author's situation: My lymph node inflammation has mostly healed, and the pus has scabbed over. I still need to avoid strenuous activity, but it no longer affects my daily movements.
Tonight, I went out for the first time and caught up with a few friends I hadn't seen in a year, which caused the update to be a bit late. My apologies.