Chapter 246 “Curse of the snowy mountain”
There’s no way Du Wei would believe Rugaard is the type to show kindness. Nevertheless, as a human being, he should still do his upmost to save as many lives as he can.
“So then… … Begin!”
Following the announcement from Rugaard, the host of this place, dozens of hors.e.m.e.n began dispersing into the forest.
Looking over at Master Tartaglia, Du Wei gracefully bends his waist and shows a hand: “Master Tartaglia, please go ahead.”
Not even bothering to be polite, Tartaglia used those unusually white eyes to send an icy cold glare at Du Wei. Levitating into the air like a ghost due to his fluttering black robe, this Dark Mage then drew a skeletal bone wand to begin his chant. Although the distance between the two weren’t close by any means, but Du Wei can faintly sense an unnerving sensation coming off from the ma.s.s of black fog extruding out of that wand. It wasn’t just Du Wei. Everyone that had remained at the scene also felt it. Like death itself was in the air, the onlookers instinctively took several steps back to the point where the light hearted found cover behind their peers.
Under the crackling sound of the trembling ground, several skeleton soldiers began to make their way out from the dirt. First was the arm, then the head, then like dreaded ghouls breaking forth from their coffin, these unworldly fiends howled like they will feast upon this world.
Following another series of spell chants, the air in front of Tartaglia began to mend and crack. Like an exploding void from h.e.l.l, multiple death knights raced forward and broke through into the realm of the living. Extruding flames of pure darkness, these harbingers of death left no room for delusion regarding their ferocity.
In the face of such deathly abominations, many of the finely trained war horses under these generals began to lose it. The soldiers were quick to react to their panicking steeds, but they were utterly useless in calming the animals down.
Witnessing his own vile creations, Master Tartaglia’s eerie but prideful laugh permeated everyone’s tingling skin. Without delay, this dark mage waves his wand and summons all the undead creatures to his side. Uttering words that even Du Wei cannot understand, this pale old magician acted like he could communicate with the dead. Then with another wave of his wand towards the forest, all of the undead creatures reacted like they just received a clear and precise order.
While the five Death knights rode into the forest at great speed, the skeleton soldiers didn’t disappoint either. Taking advantage of their numbers, these lesser undeads fanned out in all direction of the wood to do their part.
With a face full of contempt, Tartaglia sneers a glance at Du Wei: “Duke, I’ll be heading out first then!”
Striking his arms downward, this Dark mage then flew into the forest like a ghost.
Watching this Tartaglia disappear into the forest, Du Wei’s face revealed a hint of gloom before covering it up with a smile: “General Rugaard….. This magic consultant you have sure is mighty!”
Rugaard faintly smiles in return: “Du Wei, no need to be polite. You are famed as the number one genius magician in this generation. Why not let us witness your amazing magic.”
Du Wei ponders the problem for a moment: that Dark Mage is capable of summoning multiple undead creatures at once to aid him. Also, large scale destructive magic is of no use here. So what can he do……
He could summon treant companions to help … … No! That won’t do. Those trees called forth by the Life Horn are too clumsy for such a complicated task. They might have been useful for labor intensive jobs, but finding some naked girls in a forest without harming them is too much.
Just as his mind got to this part, Du Wei’s face revealed a delightful smile.
Slowly levitating into the air, Du Wei suddenly whistles like he was summoning something. Just when Rugaard wanted to question him over his actions, a humming sound drifted over from within the woods.
Like it was coming from all directions, an astonis.h.i.+ng scene appeared before everyone’s eye when the noise finally came to an end. Birds! Birds of all kinds, ranging from hummingbird, cuckoo bird, yellow bird….. And even some owls known for their nocturnal lifestyle!
Despite their vast numbers, the hundred or so birds obediently gathered around Du Wei in a circular formation.
Under everyone’s astonished eye, Du Wei whistled a couple more times like he was communicating to these birds. Flapping their wings, these birds all took to the air when he was done and fanned out into the forest like they just accepted Du Wei’s command.
When the onlookers saw this, their faces only had one question imprinted on their forehead: what kind of magic is this?
They heard of magicians summoning magical creatures to their side, but never once have they seen or heard of a magician calling in so many animals to their aid.
What’s more, this guy acted like he could communicate with these birds. What, can he speak bird’s tongue now too?
But Du Wei’s shock to these people didn’t just end here.
After dispersing the birds, Du Wei howled like a wolf into the forest!
Before long, the forest replied with several echoing howls. Sporting coats of grey fur, several ma.s.sive wolves came running out of the wood to gather in front of Du Wei like he was the alpha.
Frightened by the sudden intrusion, several guards stepped in front of Rugaard with their weapons drawn. Though these wolves looked ma.s.sively strong, but their reaction showed they indeed hold certain levels of fear towards humankind. Baring their teethes at the soldiers, these wolves would growl here and there while nervously pawing at the ground.
Ignoring all of this, Du Wei crouched down and began communicating with these canines. Not sure what kind of whimpering language that was, but when these wolves heard him, the pack all charged into the forest without stopping…..
“HA-HA-HA… … Du Wei, you really widened our eyes today!” Rugaard took the lead in breaking the silence: “Du Wei, what kind of magic is this to be able to drive these animals to your call? I’ve heard of undead creatures and magic creatures, but never once did I hear a mage summoning so many regular animals…… You……”
Du Wei faintly smiles and bypa.s.sed the subject with a laugh: “I better hurry now. Master Tartaglia summoned so many undead creatures. If I don’t move fast, his summons will really take all the prey.”
At his word, Du Wei dropped down to his saddle and kicked his horse to move forward. Galloping at high speed, Du Wei left for the forest with Hussein closely at his back.
Once Du Wei’s figure completely disappeared into the forests, Rugaard’s face finally became somber.
“Father” Cybuster whispers from the side.
Raising a hand, Rugaard turns to look at his subordinates: “All of you can move down.”
At his command, all of the soldiers and generals had their face turn dark. Regardless of their mood, all of them rode away to leave the father and son duo alone.
“Father, you see……” Cybuster’s voice was deep and full of worry.
“Indeed, that sword is ‘Beauty under the Moonlight’. But then shouldn’t that sword be in Rodriguez’s hand? That youngster’s whereabouts had always been a mystery, forcing us to be fruitless in our search…..”
Cybuster coldly laughs: “If ‘White River’s Sorrow’ knew the sword is in the Northwest, he will definitely come s.n.a.t.c.h it. Humph…. Without ‘Beauty under the Moonlight’, his Shaman King status will never be truly recognized!”
Rugaard was silent for a while: “Back when Gu Lanxiu (Former Shaman King) left Snowy Mountain, I had always worried about one thing when he took the sword with him…….That is Blue Ocean. (Famed Scholar in the capital) Who knows how many layouts that guy secretly put in place. Although ‘White River’s Sorrow’ is strong, but there are many secrets that cannot be activated without the sacred sword of Snowy Mountain. I’ve always speculated the sword is in Blue Ocean’s hand, unfortunately, the spy I planted never found any clue…… In fact, I even wondered if Gu Lanxiu played dead like before, or if that Rodriguez is Gu Lanxiu’s newest disciple. Otherwise, how can ‘Beauty under the Moonlight’ fall into an outsiders hand…. But today, things got even more complicated!”
Cybuster thought it over and said, “No matter what, the sword is in this Du Wei’s hand now…..”
Rugaard did not reply, his eyes filled with complex and contradictory thoughts: “Do you think this Du Wei is a disciple of Gu Lanxiu?”
Cybuster smiled: “Father is so foolis.h.!.+ Gu Lanxiu’s been dead for decades, how old is this Du Wei? From what I see, this Du Wei more like Blue Ocean’s disciple. As to ‘Beauty under the Moonlight’, I say it was pa.s.sed on to him by Blue Ocean.”
“Humph!” Rugaard snorted: “Beauty under the Moonlight’ may have been difficult to take under Rodriguez’s hand, but now…… We must not lose sight of it while it’s under our eyes!”
Cybuster sneered: “Father, ‘White River’s Sorrow’ only managed to step up to Shaman King because you didn’t care for the post, yet why do you care so much about this sword?”
“What do you know!” Rugaard softly utters his words: “As the current head of the Northwest Army of the Roland Empire, I command over 200,000 soldiers and can loft around in the Northwest. Who can control me? Compared to that ‘White River’s Sorrow’ sitting atop of that bitter cold mountain, my life here is way better. However, the many secrets hidden inside that place still temps me…… Are you not temped too after I told you about some of those treasures?”
Cybuster sighs: “It’s just so infuriating…. That old fart Gu Lanxiu favored Blue Ocean and his brother so much, yet towards you……”
“Quiet!!” Rugaard suddenly snapped. Growling at his son: “You better listen! I’ve warned you many-many times! I may insult Gu Lanxiu, but you cannot! No one is allowed to insult Gu Lanxiu while standing before me! I forbid it, you understand!”
Cybuster did not reply. Slowly stepping back a few paces, he lowers his head: “Yes…. Father!”
Only then did Rugaard nod in satisfaction. Slowly turning to look up at the sky, this midget lets out a long reminiscing sigh: “No matter what….. Gu Lanxiu is after all….. My Teacher.”
Unbeknownst to Rugaard, a hint of lethal sharpness crossed Cybusters eye while the kid pretended to look dejected.
After a long moment like this, Rugaard finally continues the subject: “What magic do you think that Du Wei just used? Doesn’t it look like…..”
Only then did Cybuster raise his head to looking at his father: “I was wondering that too. To be able to drive so many normal animals to his side…… If I remember correctly, father, you said Snowy Mountain have a shaman craft called ‘animal speech, capable of communicating with any living animal in this world. But because of the difficulty of that skill, there hasn’t been anyone capable of practicing that art for hundreds of years. This Du Wei……”
“This is what I’m worried about!” Rugaard clenches his teeth: “This Du Wei’s talent is very high. At such a tender age he’s already earned quite the fame in the capital….. This alone is enough proof that he’s not weak! If he has ‘Beauty under the Moonlight’, then I’m wondering if he learned the stuff from Snowy Mountain…. If he did, then our problem is huge!”
“Then why don’t we make sure his life never leaves Watt City…..” Cybuster shows his murderous self.
“Cannot kill!” Rugaard suddenly reveals fear in his eyes: “You’re not a member of Snowy Mountain so you don’t know! Any member of Snowy Mountain can never kill their peers. If they do, they shall be cursed forever and live a life of misery!”
Cybuster apparently didn’t believe it and wanted to shrug the superst.i.tion away: “Father, you really believe such stuff?”
“Quiet!” Rugaard speaks coldly: You of course wouldn’t believe it! But look at that ‘White River’s Sorrow’ for example. Although I’m conceited, but I have to admit that character is the greatest talent Snowy Mountain have ever come across in the past several hundred years. Regardless of Shamanism or Snowy Mountain’s martial art, ‘White River’s Sorrow’ supersedes all of us in terms of cultivation speed. Can you imagine? For someone capable of defeating Gu Lanxiu with ease to be trapped atop of the Snow Mountain, how terrifying that curse must be! If not for that incident where he went off on a killing spree, I can guarantee ‘White River’s Sorrow’ will topple any Magister or Saint Knight across this continent……You remember it well and remember it hard. I may not know if this Du Wei learned Snowy Mountain’s Shamanism or not, but for the sacred sword, we must kill him! However, if we find out he did learn shamanism, then by all means, we cannot kill him!”
Cybuster grits his teeth, “If so….. Then that spell he used is clearly animal speech.”
“Then…. We can only come up with another option.” Rugaard thought for a moment: “If we must … … We can slightly give in to him. That is still within the acceptable level.”
“Even If we can’t kill him … … He is still within our territory. Father, we have hundreds of thousands of troops at our beck and call. I don’t believe he can flee with so many enemies around him. Even if he is a Saint Knight, he can’t possibly fend off the entire Northwest Army. As long as father doesn’t personally kill him, then the curse wouldn’t take effect.”
“No is no!” Rugaard suddenly became anxious: “Cybuster! You just don’t understand! There’s some things I can’t say to you right now! Anyways.. … You listen to me! As long as we can’t determine if he knows Shamanism, then we can’t lay a single finger on him. From today onward, you are in charge of his safety!”