Chapter 93: Grand Magus Athena
Death Knight Karsus.
The most mysterious member of the Hero Squad. No one knew his true origins, only that he possessed a burly physique, long pale hair, and a skeletal warhorse.
Undoubtedly, he was a knight tainted by dark powers, unwelcome in the Heavenly Continent.
Rumors circulated that he was once the son of a powerful noble, born into a prominent family with a lineage of prestige.
Some said he was once impulsive and proud, brave and tenacious, with a handsome face.
Some said he once had a beautiful and accomplished girlfriend, and they were even on the verge of marriage.
Others said that after being tainted by dark powers, he had fallen, lost his mind, and killed his own parents, using their souls as sacrifices to pray for greater power…
In the Heavenly Continent, beings like Karsus were hunted by the Holy See and judged by the Inquisition. Yet, for reasons unknown, the First Hero, Jie Luo, had accepted Karsus and even allowed him to become a member of the Hero Squad.
He wielded a slender, silver-white longsword that shimmered with icy blue. It was a gift forged by the First Hero himself, using various precious materials, and given a beautiful name:
Frostmourne!*
Although his primary weapon was a lance… he still accepted Jie Luo’s gift. He had asked Jie Luo why he chose such a name for the sword, but Jie Luo didn’t answer. He still remembered the strange expression on Jie Luo’s face at the time.
Not only had he been accepted, but he had also been bestowed with a precious weapon.
From that moment on, Karsus swore that his life would be dedicated to Jie Luo.
But in the end, he could only watch helplessly as Jie Luo’s body was torn to shreds by that despicable and hideous Demon King, powerless to intervene.
In Karsus’s heart, the only one he recognized as a Hero was Jie Luo. No one else deserved the title. Because the Auville Empire and the Thirteen Sages were preparing to summon the Second Hero, Karsus left the empire in fury, wandering the wilderness alone.
Until he received Loseweisse’s message, learning of the possibility of Jie Luo’s resurrection.
Like Loseweisse, he loathed Qin Chu, who had stolen the title of Hero. But as long as it meant resurrecting Jie Luo, he was willing to endure his anger and disgust.
Benson had not only contacted Loseweisse but also others. Just as Qin Chu had calculated, except for Ekaterina and Loseweisse, almost everyone was too late to assist Benson.
Sylph, Eileen, Airi, and Athena were all in different directions.
Ronald was in the Demon Beast Territory.
The Mad Muse was too far away.
However, what Qin Chu didn’t know was that Karsus, in his first life, hadn’t shown his full abilities. Or rather, it wasn’t Karsus’s own power, but the ability of the skeletal warhorse he rode.
If the skeletal warhorse didn’t conserve its magic, it could maintain an extremely fast speed for a prolonged period when running at full speed, although it would enter a weakened state for at least three times the duration afterward.
It was this speed that allowed Karsus to arrive at Benson’s location before Loseweisse and Natia.
But, he was still too late. When Karsus arrived, he could only see the dried-up, cold corpse on the ground. Seeing Benson’s mutilated and battered body, Karsus trembled.
Suddenly, the tall and burly knight raised his head and let out an angry wail towards the sky.
Due to his identity, even within the squad, Karsus could sense the other members’ rejection of him. Ronald looked down on him, Athena, Eileen, and Airi disliked him, and Sylph treated him like a plague. Only the Shield Warrior, Benson, the Mad Muse, and Loseweisse were willing to interact with him.
Besides the Hero, Benson and Muse were Karsus’s closest companions.
But now, all that remained was a stiff corpse.
He was angry, he was sad, his heart was bleeding.
Benson’s death… was all because of Qin Chu.
No matter who had killed Benson, the culprit was the Second Hero, Qin Chu. If this guy hadn’t appeared in the Heavenly Continent, Benson wouldn’t have rushed back to the Imperial Capital and wouldn’t have been intercepted by Demon Beasts.
He couldn’t blame Loseweisse, as she was also trying to resurrect Jie Luo. He could only focus all his hatred on Qin Chu.
Qin Chu… kill him.
Karsus roared, the crimson flames flickering, and the skeletal warhorse beneath him let out an uneasy whinny.
…
Achoo!
On the other side, Qin Chu, who had already left the area, sneezed.
Perhaps it was because too many people missed him.
They were now in the borderlands, where the morning temperature was still quite low. The wind blew relentlessly, day and night, rustling the branches with a whooshing sound.
At this moment, Qin Chu and Ekaterina had stepped into the Storm Witch’s territory. The raging winds seemed to be the Witch’s signature, warning others to stay away.
There were no Demon Beasts here, no birds, no beasts. Aside from the howling winds, almost no other sound could be heard, as if it were a realm of death.
No enemies had appeared yet, but Ekaterina’s battle instincts made her feel a sense of oppression. She subconsciously gripped the hilt of her sword, her body pressed against Qin Chu’s, her eyes vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
Qin Chu closed his panel. Although his attributes had surged and his level had increased considerably, it still didn’t satisfy him.
It was the same before. After absorbing hundreds of Demon Beasts, his level had only increased slightly.
At that time, Qin Chu thought it might be because those Demon Beasts were too weak. But now, it was the Level 83 Shield Warrior, Benson. Qin Chu had expected to gain more after devouring Benson, but it turned out to be just this much.
Although his attribute values had increased significantly, it was far from reaching his goal.
“Shhh…” Shaye opened her small mouth, whistling a silent tune, her gaze shifting inconspicuously to the side. Her eyes were somewhat unfocused, darting around.
Anthea, perched on his shoulder, also abruptly turned her head away.
The Goddess’s Hair on his wrist shimmered faintly.
The small sprout entangled with Battle Origin and Demon Core within him also swayed slightly…
Suddenly, Qin Chu felt an itch in his ear, as if someone was whispering softly beside him. He pressed two fingers against his ear, and the initially vague murmurs became clear.
Angelica’s crisp voice rang directly in his ear.
Information Magic, a type of magic used for long-distance communication, somewhat similar to cell phones on Earth, but with poor signal and often affected by various factors, especially in areas with unstable magic.
“Master, I’m so glad you’re alright. Angelica missed you so much…”
“By the way, I have important information to report, Master. The Grand Magus Athena, a member of the Hero Squad, arrived in the Imperial Capital last night. With the approval of Wadsworth, Augustus, and Saint Monique, she will be serving as your magic instructor.”
“Athena has already moved her belongings to the palace and plans to live here, just like Ekaterina. Although Athena was very discreet, I discovered that she seems to have set up Eyes of True Sight within the palace!”
The Eye of True Sight could be imagined as a camera on Earth, a type of magic used for surveillance.
However, unlike a camera, the images captured by the Eye of True Sight weren’t stored but displayed directly in front of the caster.
Ordinary mages wouldn’t easily use this magic, especially not setting up multiple Eyes of True Sight simultaneously, as it would cause the images to overlap and become chaotic, even leading to strange illusions in the caster’s mind.
But for a Grand Magus like Athena, this shouldn’t be a problem!
Thinking back, in his first life, he had probably been living under Athena’s surveillance as well. She had seen everything he did, which further strengthened his resolve to deal with Athena as soon as possible.
“She expressed great interest in your recent elimination of hundreds of Demon Beasts, Master. After setting up the Eyes of True Sight, she immediately started inquiring about it. She’s also very curious about the relationship between you and Ekaterina. She’s deliberately befriending everyone who has frequent contact with you, Nikles, Martithes… even the guards who often accompany you on your outings, and of course, me as well.”
“She bought a large amount of fine wine and drank with the guards responsible for the palace’s security. In just one night, she became quite familiar with everyone.”
Qin Chu stood still, his eyes seemingly fixed on the raging storm ahead. But the roar of the storm didn’t disturb his tranquility. Only Angelica’s voice filled his ears.
Qin Chu’s emotions settled.
Athena, a very tolerant woman. This tolerance didn’t refer to her large breasts, although her breasts were indeed large, the largest among the women Qin Chu knew. But that wasn’t the point.
The point was that Athena possessed a charming and languid aura. Despite her high position and formidable strength, she was informal in her behavior. Coupled with her unique affability and tolerance, it was easy for her to gain others’ favor.
In his first life, Athena had a wide circle of friends, ranging from royalty and high-ranking officials of the Holy See to peddlers, commoners, and even slaves. She knew people from all walks of life.
Around Athena, a vast and astonishing social network had formed. Within this network, princes, princesses, nobles, restaurant owners, barflies, anyone could become a source of information for Athena.
By now, Athena might have already learned quite a bit of potentially crucial information from the palace guards.
She was truly an opponent to be wary of. It was conceivable that Qin Chu’s future actions would become more difficult. He had to find a way to avoid the Eyes of True Sight, as well as all the guards, and even minimize contact with others as much as possible, preventing Athena from uncovering his secrets.
Angelica’s voice came again: “Master, do you need me to find a way to get rid of those Eyes of True Sight?”
“No, I told you to be careful.” Qin Chu replied calmly, his voice not loud but carrying an air of authority: “Athena is extremely powerful. If you destroy the Eyes of True Sight, she’ll immediately discover it. Don’t be fooled by the lazy smile she always wears. When it’s time to act, she’ll be more ruthless than anyone. She’ll eliminate any obstacles without mercy.”
“If you want me to tear myself apart from the Hero Squad to avenge you, go ahead and do it. I’m probably not their match right now…”
“Hmm… I understand…”
Hearing the slightly cheerful yet reluctant voice, Qin Chu could almost imagine Angelica sticking out her tongue.
“If there’s nothing particularly important, try not to use Information Magic to contact me. Athena is very sensitive to magic fluctuations.” Qin Chu reminded her again.
“I understand. Then, Master, please be careful.”
***
Warcraft – a World of Warcraft reference – and I guess the Death Knights are also a reference (DK).
Frostmourne!*: Legendary sword wielded by Arthas Menethil, a central character in the Warcraft franchise. It is a powerful and cursed sword that plays a significant role in the storyline of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, The Frozen Throne.
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