Chapter 274: Contact

Chapter 274: Contact

Jose bobbed up and down with the ocean waves. He heard every word spoken by the knights in front of him. That piece of driftwood was just a means to attract targets, and he had many more tricks up his sleeve. But when he heard that familiar language, he decided to wait a little longer.

He did not expect to hear a familiar accent on another strange land, even though this accent was a bit odd. Also, these people gave him a sense of déjà vu.

He had come across the ocean solely to find a girl. A childish question from two years ago had surprisingly triggered a reaction from the Pool of Foresight and caught the attention of the Priests.

“Who is the strongest person?” Just thinking about such a question seemed laughable, yet the Pool of Foresight had given a clear answer. So, the Priests began using the Pool of Foresight to try and obtain more information.

“Bring her back.” That was the mission of their journey.

He had asked in return, what if she couldn’t be brought back? The reply was still “Bring her back!” just in an extremely stern tone. Jose understood…

He was indeed suited for long ocean voyages. His ability allowed him to turn into a flow of water. Moreover, water was an indispensable part of life. As long as there was a water source nearby, things like fighting, spying, or escaping became quite easy.

Before coming, he had wanted to learn about this unknown Continent, but he hadn’t gained much. Time had worn everything away. When the Priests dug out the corresponding ancient texts from the corners, they turned to dust at the touch.

Desolate Continent—that was the clearest information obtained from the Priests. Fortunately, everyone in their group had some unique skills, and they managed to reach their destination without major trouble. Before departure, a Priest had given him a portion of the Pool Water from the Pool of Foresight. After arriving here, this Pool Water finally changed; an image of a young girl appeared within it.

The target might be right before his eyes, but Jose didn’t feel much joy. Because the Mana on this Continent was too scarce, making him very uncomfortable. This discomfort had started even while they were still at sea, but he hadn’t expected it to be this severe. The Mana he could once freely squander now needed to be used cautiously.

Luckily, their luck was good. Soon after arriving, they found a hidden natural harbor—a small coastal valley. There, they set up a Camp to recover from the fatigue of the journey.

A few days later, Jose recovered first and began scouting the surroundings.

He searched north for several days, finding no trace of people, only a river mouth. Then he turned south and continued searching along the coastline…

The people before him likely had no relation to the target they were seeking, but this group were beings he could communicate with. After following them for a while, Jose decided to show himself and give it a try.

…

In the valley Camp, Ruben was maintaining his weapons. Unlike the Wizards in the team, the changes in Mana here had little effect on him, and he couldn’t perceive those elusive things to begin with. Looking at the frowning Wizards beside him, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat amused.

Surrounded by mountains and forests, with no sign of human activity, they only needed to watch the sea. But for several days in a row, no ships appeared on the sea, which allowed them to relax completely.

Although they had temporarily avoided human traces, it didn’t hinder their information gathering. The surrounding mountains and forests were lush, but in their eyes, they seemed somewhat thin. Ruben specifically went into the forest and caught several prey. After comparison, he found that the animals here were much inferior in reaction, speed, strength, and size.

If plants and animals were like this, what about people?

Who is the strongest person? Ruben let out a chuckle and shook his head unconsciously.

“Ruben, what are you laughing at?” someone asked loudly.

Ruben looked up and said in a thin voice, “Who is the strongest person?”

Amidst a burst of laughter, a handful of sand was casually thrown at him. A man who looked like a Wizard suppressed his laughter and reminded everyone, “You may doubt the Priests, but do not doubt the Pool of Foresight.”

Ruben shook the sand off his body. “I don’t doubt the Pool of Foresight, but I doubt those Priests. Can they really interpret those prophecies?”

“Who cares? You saw it too, the Pool Water from the Pool of Foresight had a reaction here.”

Ruben pointed around. “You should also see, can this land really nurture such a person?”

That Wizard chimed in again, “Maybe that’s exactly why the Priests want us to bring her back. Anyway, such a child should be secured first. Moreover, the Priests said this branch is likely our lost kin. If possible, then guide them to return.”

Ruben raised the weapon in his hand to eye level. “That depends on whether they are worth it. And bringing back one child is always more convenient than bringing back a whole group.”

“Don’t show your attitude too early. We still don’t know what kind of group we are facing.”

Ruben was about to retort when someone shouted, “Jose is back!”

Jose jumped out of the water, and a wave of water transformed into clothing draped over him. Without waiting for questions, he spoke up, “I found something.”

“Speak quickly!” Ruben was somewhat impatient.

“I encountered a group calling themselves Dragon Riders.” Jose smiled. “What does that make you think of?”

As he spoke, everyone’s gaze turned towards a huge Monster on the beach. If a Dragon Rider stood here, they would surely exclaim—a Wyvern. But this Wyvern was far too large, its scales more ferocious-looking. It also had an extra pair of curved horns on its head. When it breathed, what dripped from the corners of its mouth wasn’t foul-smelling saliva, but flowing fire like lava.

Jose clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention back. “They mistook me for a Northlander, explaining that Facial Markings are a distinctive mark of the Northlanders. They seemed very afraid of the Northlanders, so they treated me with great respect and answered all my questions.”

Ruben interrupted with the question he cared about most: “Stop! First tell us, how is their individual strength?”

“Not worth mentioning.”

“What about the Northlanders? Those Northlanders who, like us, have Facial Markings?”

“I don’t know, but they mentioned a name—Grand Sorcerer Bran.”

…

The old Knight led his squad running quickly back. A Monster had appeared! He needed to deliver this news immediately. That person just now was definitely not a Northlander. Northlanders only have Facial Markings, but this person also had markings on his neck. That person came out of the sea; the smell of water on him gave him away.

He was just going along with the mistake…