Chapter 174 (1/2)

Chapter 174

Chapter 174: Mother Earth's Eure walked with a confident gait, his lanky ar by his side He had a slight hunch, which made him look a bit shorter than he actually was, but he still stood well over seven feet Even before he had walked close enough for me to make out his face, I already kneho he was

How could I forget the retainer that had killed the lance I replaced?

“Uto,” I said cal insides

His dark lips split into a sinister smile “hello, boy wonder”

“Retainer Uto,” Olfred greeted with an unnaturally stiff bow

I restrained e to let out a scoff at the lance Despite the turn of events, I was actually relieved the retainer that had come was Uto Unlike Cylrit or any other Vritra, his nored the dwarven lance as he crept closer to ine how excited I a along “I was actually expecting a different retainer”

I could see Olfred react out of the corner of aze was level withht you would”

With Realmheart still active, I could clearlyand popping chaotically like his very nature But even without it, I could feel the pressure in the air around hi the air out of s

‘The two humans,’ Sylvie reminded from within my cloak

The two subordinates of the petrified Sebastian were in a fit of spasms as they stared wide-eyed at Uto They didn’t knoho he was; their bodies were only able to feel thein front of theht elsewhere,” I said siaze back to the Vritra

Uto tilted his head “Fight? Why do you think that a lesser like you is worth my time at all?”

“Because you’re here,” I answered, losing my patience “If all you wanted to do was kill me or capture me quickly, then I’m sure Olfred with a few of your soldiers would have sufficed”

The retainer didn’t answer, his gaze looking… unahter “I can see why so many of you try so hard to keep your motives hidden For times like these when it should be a surprise”

He turned around and esture “Lead the way”

“Retainer Uto!” Olfred blurted “Lord Rahdeas’ instructions were to deal with this one cleanly to et the chance to finish as he let out a nasally screaround beneath Olfred, skewer the lance’s nose

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“Do you think I give a lesser’s ass about what your traitorousover his shoulder before he continued walking toward the door

I checked up on the two subordinates They were unconscious but still breathing As I made my way toward the entrance I had come in from, I checked on as many of the slaves as I could Most of them were out cold and the ones that were conscious were probably in a state no better off than the ones that weren’t I took one last look at Olfred, who had erected a stone pillar below his feet to get high enough to dislodge his nose from the black spike

Despite my suspicions, this short trip had been filled with a faint hope that my doubts weren’t true Now that they were, it was difficult to wrapinside ht I had gotten a little better in this life, but apparently not quite enough

I broke one of the three beads that Aya had given e trapdoor by the entrance Olfred’s eyes greide as he saw this, knowing exactly what it meant

OLFRED WAREND

I cursed, berating myself for the turn of events To think she would be nearby There was no tiun to heal, I descended into the ground The earth obeyed, parting beneaththat served as a cover

I dropped to the underground floor below, causing several of the soldiers around to shout in surprise

The underground level I had er than the prison structure above it Here, thousands of soldiers were able to rest on standby

“Evacuate the pree chamber walls

A lanced at one another while others blatantly ignoredfor the same cause, but because this was the continent where I had been born, they saw ap in power and experience

I repeatedthe earth around us to quake We had no ti toward the stairs leading back up to the surface I helped theht artifacts hung all around the walls started to burst one by one, I kneas too late

I cursed, erecting a dozen hts around me, but the chamber had darkened to a near pitch-black state

Yells of confusion from the soldiers bounced off the walls that once served as protection and cover Now I feared these men were in a prison

I shroudedout pulses throughout the underground cha her

“Co soon If you flee now, I can ensure that you’llwith her I felt no ren descent, but they were part of a bigger plan and ti out If Aya escaped and was able to notify the asura—Aldir—of my betrayal, it would be easy for hi the artifact I was bound by, but at this point though, I ht do here

“So caring”

Her whisper brushed against ht pro arc of lava launched in the direction of Aya’s whisper only for it to crash into the far wall The attack scattered into glowing sparks upon i up the darkened room for just a second That’s when I noticed it

Mist

The entire underground cha mist that almost seemed to have a mind of its own And within this mist, chaos ensued

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Sporadic flashes of spells lit up the vast chaainst the intruder, but even those becaot to work

“I have to thank you for trapping this ain, this time beside h with your tricks and illusions!” I roared “Coht me face to face! Have you no shame as a lance?”

“Shame?” Aya’s voice echoed in unison from at least twelve different locations at once “It’s a matter of common sense, dear Why would I throay one of the few advantages I have?”

There was a levity in her words that caant in this situation She was always like that No ounce of seriousness in her ever-present facade

“You leaverid of a lance will at least make up for round, creating chasms all around the floor and walls of the chamber that lit up a fiery red The temperature withinround expanse

Thewhile my senses became sharp Aya’s spell worked much like the mist present in the Forest of Elshi+re, except it also served as an anchor for her to freely and near-instantly traverse