Chapter 88 Chapter 87 Card Teleportation Portal
George was planning in a booklet, drawing and writing, saying, “This time you have 70 dragon-slaying points, are you sure you want to buy?”
“All in.”
“Suit yourself,” George said, raising his head to look around and asking, “Is there anyone else who wants to bid higher?”
Jenna immediately replied, “No.”
Eve Frostleaf shook her head, her eyes fixed on the translucent blue ice crystal on the table. Jima could sense that Eve Frostleaf had a special fondness for this object, but prioritizing a beautiful maiden’s favor over obtaining a life-saving extraordinary item, Jima unhesitatingly chose the latter.
She said, “Thank you all for not bidding.”
As she spoke, she reached out to grab the oval blue ice crystal, which had some blood on it. Jima took a cloth and wiped it vigorously, and the blue crystal began to shine, becoming clear and translucent.
Held in her hand, it was cold, and a chill seeped through her palm, penetrating into her bones.
Jima rarely experienced such sensations. For her, icy water was no different from water at room temperature; holding hot coals wouldn’t harm her.
She closed her eyes, extending her will into this extraordinary item. A wave of cold permeated her heart, an indescribable feeling surged within her; her soul resonated with the object. However, as a price, she had to give up another extraordinary item she had attuned with.
Because a single soul could only attune with three extraordinary items.
The Wish Compass, the Lucky Gold Ring, the Blood Horn Cup.
Without hesitation, Jima gave up the Blood Horn Cup. At that moment, her soul, amidst a wave of cold, understood the effects and side effects of this blue crystal.
“Approximately every four hours, it allows the user to encase themselves in indestructible ice, immune to all harm, until twelve seconds later. The user can actively shatter the ice and heal wounds while encased. It can only be used twice a day.”
“Side effects include a drop in body temperature and being surrounded by cold air. If used too frequently, it may lead to freezing and unforeseen consequences like being eternally trapped in ice.”
As the attunement completed, the blood in the Blood Horn Cup at her waist dried up, and the top of the oval blue ice crystal developed an opening. Jima rummaged through her chaotic dimensional space pouch for a rope and a hook, stringing them together and hooking them onto her belt.
The ice crystal hung below her belt, glowing with mysterious blue light.
Jima felt that this item matched her well, especially that chilling aura, which could neutralize her frivolous temperament.
Eve Frostleaf’s gaze toward her had a hint of melancholy.
Jima smiled at her.
Forget it, you long-legged silver-haired girl. You’re already cold enough; with this added on, you’d be a walking fire extinguisher, able to put out any fire.
Jima turned and walked away, not wanting to flaunt her spoils in front of Eve Frostleaf.
She moved to the side, where armed refugees were gathering in groups, happily returning to their homeland and dreaming of the future. Even though nearly half of them had died or been injured, it did nothing to dampen their joy at returning home.
A child named Daggi was practicing swordplay, wielding a wooden sword impressively; he had sworn to become a powerful warrior like George.
The dwarves huddled together, the campfire illuminating their bearded faces as they boasted about today’s battle.
Two ogre chiefs lay on stretchers, waving the “IOU” sheet Jima had given them, bidding her farewell. Behind them, spoils filled three carts.
But all of this was ignored by Jima. She cared only for the blue ice crystal she held in her hand; it belonged entirely to her, and looking at it felt like gazing into the sea.
She still remembered that the Troll King had a life-saving skill, which had directly caused the general’s action to fail.
Even George had no way to deal with it. With this, my life should be safe, right?
She thought to herself, muttering, “I’ll call you ‘Fridge’.”
The sky gradually darkened.
The dwarves promised to lead George and his group through the ancient and secret underground passage directly to the dwarven city, thus avoiding the peril of climbing over the mountains and facing a winding path.
After a day of fighting, everyone needed a break, so they decided to set up camp right where they were.
But George had things to attend to. The returning refugees told him that the trolls had gathered all the bodies in Town One, where an altar now stood amidst the great pile of corpses.
Jima suggested burning it all to solve the problem. The refugees fell silent, as Town One was the largest of the ten towns, and everyone planned to settle there.
George and Jima thought the same ridiculous thoughts. He didn’t care about resting and went to instruct the refugees on how to safely and effectively dismantle the altar.
Watching his back disappearing into the darkness beyond the firelight, Jima complained, “Honestly, how stupid.”
Jenna beside her said, “There’s nothing stupid about helping others.”
“It messed up my celebration plans.”
“If I’m not mistaken…”
“Exactly as you thought.”
Jenna’s face flushed slightly as she said, “It hasn’t been long since the last time.”
“Not long?” Jima said. “In my recollection, that incident seems to have happened a year ago, old enough to be written into history books.”
Jenna cradled her egg-shaped face, gazing at the campfire, deciding not to argue with the succubus about this matter.
Jima poked at the campfire and said, “Jenna.”
“Yeah?”
“If we fail and die, but the Demon King’s crown shards can never return to this world,” Jima said, “what would you think?”
Jenna replied, “I’m already prepared for the departure of loved ones, Jima. If it’s me, I have no regrets; our wills are all written.”
“Would you forever hate someone who betrays you?”
“I would hate them, but whether it’s forever depends on the betrayer’s actions,” Jenna said. “I’m not good at forgiving others now. Sometimes I think, my softness might have harmed others. I’m very sorry about Lord Is.”
“You didn’t say it, and I almost forgot about him,” Jima said. “I even forgot how he died.”
“I stuffed a glowing orb into his mouth.”
Jima wanted to say more, but her tail dragging in the snow suddenly lifted, and she herself stood up, a “branch axe lance” appearing in her hand.
Jenna instinctively grabbed the tower shield beside her, its surface painted with the walls of the White City, looking around: “What happened?”
Jima squinted and said, “The magical wind suddenly intensified. The magic in this area can now support the demons’ emergence.”
Jenna raised her right hand, a red glow appearing at her fingertips, shaking it.
A silver shadow among the distant dead branches moved; it was Eve Frostleaf, who was on watch, entering a state of alertness to scout the surroundings.
Moments later, a gust of wind blew, carrying her cool voice: “Nothing amiss nearby.”
A significant event was about to happen.
Jima remembered her glass bead, that little trinket that could foresee the future. Her tail curled and yanked the glass bead from her pocket, placing it before her eyes.
She saw a fiery sword rushing toward her, wrapped in dark spiritual energy.
There was no way to evade it; she would be struck by the sword.
Jima swiftly moved the glass bead aside, barely avoiding using her life-saving skill.
Jenna asked, “What’s going on?”
“I foresee the future, let me think…”
Jima lowered her head, beginning to think rapidly. She remembered that this glass bead would automatically predict danger in the future. At least that was what the deceitful master of shapeshifting had said.
She carefully recalled the scene she had just seen. It was a one-handed great sword used by an extraordinary being, its blade flaming red, characteristic of the demon race. Strangely, why did she have the feeling she would definitely be struck by it?
She thought back more carefully. Realizing that when the sword was thrusting toward her, the surroundings were receding, meaning she was the one charging into the sword.
A hint of memory came back.
Jima’s mind, not as clever as a genius, was racing to find the answer, feeling she was almost there but missing something.
At that moment, a bright fireball ascended into the night sky, its light dispelling the heavy darkness, illuminating the profiles of the two women who looked up.
This was an urgent danger signal from George.
“Quick!”
Without a word, Jima flapped her wings and flew up. At the same time, Jenna’s blessing fell upon her, and as soon as she took to the air, she saw a red oval teleportation portal appear on the toppled altar totem in Town One’s center.
The red light illuminated half of George’s body, and behind him, a dozen refugees were running away.
She flew above George, halting and feeling the immense pressure emanating from the portal.
Jima asked, “Have you tried attacking the portal?”
“It was useless.”
A silvery shadow landed on the roof beneath Jima.
What was on the other side of the portal? Why did this aura feel so familiar?
A flash of lightning struck in Jima’s mind as she shouted, “Not good, it’s the Demon King!”
Before the words left her mouth, a head wrapped in a heavy horned helmet emerged from the portal, its eyes glowing red, with a third eye on its forehead. Floating atop the helmet was a circle of crown shards, faintly forming a crown, with one piece missing.
It was the Eternal Chosen Marus, and this was their first encounter.
He opened his mouth to speak, and the entire helmet resonated: “Not surprising at all.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a three-eyed penguin poked out from the helmet. It was half stuck in the portal and opened its mouth, chattering at an incredible speed:
“Surprise! Surprise! A one-in-a-million surprise! I said, what if it lands in front of a hero? This portal is stuck! Stuck halfway—”
Before it could finish its rapid-fire words, the Eternal Chosen Marus raised his iron fist and punched it back.
The eyes of those present lit up; no matter how powerful the Demon King was, being stuck halfway was an invitation to be attacked.
“I already knew he would provide crucial information, so I endured his noise.” The Eternal Chosen Marus stood tall and leaned forward, one hand holding a fiery one-handed sword, pointing at George, “You killed Kima.”
The fiery sword tip rose, its blade covered in flames, pointing at Jima: “You enslaved his soul and extraordinary matter. A generation of heroes meets such a fate; I will kill you.”
As he spoke, all the houses in Town One resonated with his voice, echoing for several kilometers.
Clearly at a disadvantage, yet he showed no fear and easily decided to take another’s life.
Jima muttered, “Being half-stuck in a portal seems like something out of a classic scene from a yellow book, doesn’t it?”
