Chapter 269: An Alliance of Necessity

  "I understand, and Your Majesty must also understand that I understand." Marquis's words sounded a bit awkward, but his tone and voice were very serious and solemn. The meaning within these words was very clear, especially under the circumstances where both parties were well aware of each other's intentions.

  The current situation was indeed different from the past. The successive deaths of Eschol and the Tamika Knight represented that there were not many capable people left around the Pope, and yet the hilt of The Black Star had reappeared. At this time, scheming and suspecting each other would only be a futile waste of time and energy. The Pope saying such things in a private conversation like this had already expressed his meaning very clearly. For people like them, who were all complex and deep in their scheming, things like alliances, affections, and negotiations were all nonsense. The only thing that could attract everyone to come together was a common goal.

  "Good. It's good that you understand." The Pope smiled and nodded. In this situation, the question of trust or mistrust no longer existed. Being together for a common goal and common interests was always the most solid relationship. Since the other party had expressed his stance, the Pope could be certain that he was now a reliable ally. "You have no ambition for power. As for me, I have become numb to power... or rather, I have seen through power. From His Majesty Dracon, I knew that a person's ambition cannot be too great, otherwise, in the end, they can only be devoured by their own ambition." The Pope stroked the armrest of his large chair and smiled, "So I am already very satisfied with my current position."

  "Your Majesty is wise, and deeply understands the way of advance and retreat." Marquis bowed. It is not always difficult to reach a high position, but the difficult part is knowing where to stop. There are no shortage of examples of those who continuously climb higher only to fall and be shattered to pieces in the end, and there never will be.

  "I also know of Archibald's prophecy. At first, I didn't pay much attention to it. But the establishment of Oufu, and this recent string of events, have left me somewhat perplexed. But no matter what happens, at least I will not let this world change." The Pope was still sitting in that chair, and his expression hadn't changed much. But his voice was no longer so flat. His gaze was not sharp, but rather heavy and authoritative, not like a mountain or the sea, but that of the most powerful man on the continent. "Whether it's that beastman city-state, or that legendary Lich King. None of them should think of changing this continent from my hands. This is not just my will, but also the will of the countless believers on this continent."

  "Now, we might as well have a good discussion. I know you must know much information that I don't, and perhaps even things beyond my capabilities. And although these things may be of no use in your hands, if we all discuss them, it's not impossible that they might find a use..."

  "I am grateful for Your Majesty's high regard, and I will surely tell you everything I know." Marquis nodded, without the slightest hesitation.

  Naturally, no one outside the Pope's study could eavesdrop on any of the conversation, but it was not difficult to know that the Pope had summoned the new Cardinal Inham into the study for a secret discussion that lasted an entire afternoon. So, a day later, this news had already reached Sedros's hands.

  The message was still delivered by a tamed Dragonfly. This method of delivery was already the speed limit, second only to teleportation magic. After Sedros finished reading the letter from Celeste in the lord's hall, his brow furrowed deeply. After being silent for a long while, he found a lizardman messenger and said: "Tell Lord Bolgan to put the matter of capturing and taming Scale Ox as the top priority; everything else can be put on hold. Hmm... and also, have Lord Bolgan temporarily take over the duties of the city lord. I need to go on a trip."

  The depths of Lizard Marsh were no longer the wild and tranquil place of the past. A wide road had been forcefully driven from the edge of the Barbarian Highlands deep into the swamp, and the outermost swamp had been transformed into fertile fields, where large patches of crops grew.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Besides the united forces of the lizardmen and other beastmen of Oufu, no one else could accomplish such a difficult and massive project in this place that was originally a forbidden and perilous land. The plants, magically modified by the elves, could not only adapt to the swamp's soil, but their growth was so fast that they could bear large berries and tubers within almost a month.

  And these tubers and berries were not for the beastmen to eat; now, the beastmen's food was already the refined grains and meat produced on the highlands. Everything here was for raising Scale Ox.

  The Wyverns had already been mostly lost in the last battle with the church's allied forces. It seemed impossible to replenish them in a short time, so the focus of taming had now shifted to the capture and domestication of Scale Ox.

  The road had almost extended into the deepest part of the swamp. Here, the trees grew denser, the miasma in the swamp grew thicker, and the environment became increasingly harsh. If not for the fact that among Oufu's lizardmen there was a swamp lizardman who originally lived here, it would have been impossible to penetrate this deep, even with more manpower and resources.

  "My lord, they say this is already the limit. Going any deeper might encroach upon the territory of the Great God of the Marsh." The Half-Orc adjutant listened carefully to the lizardman chieftain's words, then translated them for Lord Bolgan.

  Lord Bolgan dismissively nodded his huge head. The hair on his head was still as messy as a forest, making him look even more uncivilized than the Half-Orc beside him.

  "Ah, they're probably talking about the legendary Hydra. Personally, I'd quite like to see a monster that only exists in illustrated guides..."

  The Half-Orc adjutant waved his arms anxiously, his ugly face contorting into a green mass: "My lord, that is a legendary deity to the lizardmen! You must not act recklessly."

  "Alright, alright, I know. The books record that this is a creature as difficult to deal with as the Behemoth. I don't have time to provoke it." Lord Bolgan waved his hand impatiently, then hesitated slightly, "But if we could steal a few Hydra eggs to hatch, like we did with those two young Behemoths, they would surely be a great fighting force when they grow up..."

  A loud rumble came from over there. The massive body of a Scale Ox crashed to the ground, splashing mud and filthy water into the air. An Ogre's giant axe had struck between its head and neck, but even with a finely crafted dwarf axe and the Ogre's great strength, it couldn't decapitate the Scale Ox in one blow. The countless other wounds on the Scale Ox's body were the main reason for its collapse.

  "There's still one elderly Scale Ox left, everyone be careful..." An Ogre warrior's roar was cut short as he was sent flying by a collision with this half-crazed, elderly brute. An Ogre, which was already a mountain of flesh compared to a human, had no size advantage in front of such a monster. Just yesterday, a werewolf had had half of its ribs shattered by a collision and then was burned beyond recognition by the corrosive gas sprayed from the Scale Ox's mouth.

  An Ogre warrior nearby let out a loud cry, rushed forward, and tightly hugged the neck of this elderly Scale Ox, whose scales had already turned jet-black. But the Scale Ox's two huge eyes, also jet-black, flashed. A faint black magical fluctuation surged from its eyes and swept over the Ogre. This Ogre, whose body seemed to be bursting with abundant energy, suddenly convulsed, then collapsed like an emptied sack.

  "Damn it, it's actually a Scale Ox King! Finish it quickly! I told you to be careful!" Lord Bolgan roared.

  An Ogre with a strange attire roared. He raised something resembling a giant staff in his hands. As he finished roaring in the Ogre's unique language, several werewolves and Ogres flashed with a red magical light. Magic was not just the privilege of high-intelligence races like humans. The Bloodthirsty Aura used by these Ogre shamans was no weaker than that of high-level mages.

  A string of clear and precise magical incantations was chanted from a werewolf's mouth. A Thunder Frost struck the Scale Ox's head, and the huge bull's head was instantly covered by a large mass of ice. Then this werewolf, holding a large, strange-looking long blade, charged forward.

  The long blade stabbed between the Scale Ox's ribs, and scalding hot blood sprayed out. This was a weapon made from the fingernail of a Behemoth, engraved with magical runes, and it was better at piercing the scales of these Scale Ox than the Ogre King's axe. As the scalding hot blood sprayed out, it also carried a burnt smell, which was the stench of its internal organs being seared by the flame magic attached to the blade.

  The Scale Ox let out a mournful cry, muffled by the ice. Before it could struggle, the weapons of the other Ogres and werewolves had already rained down upon its body. Blood and scales flew everywhere. Under the hacking and chopping of these beastmen, as if they were felling trees, the Scale Ox, with its thick scales and strong life force, could not hold on and crashed to the ground.

  The most powerful adult Scale Ox had all been killed. The rest were captured with varying degrees of injuries. Several young and female Scale Ox were then herded and captured by the beastmen. Capturing Scale Ox was always done in this forceful way. Only by killing the strongest few Scale Ox was it possible to make the rest submit. Even with the beastmen's combat prowess and high efficiency, this kind of work often resulted in casualties.

  The Ogre swept by the magic from the Scale Ox King's eyes was already dead. The death gaze of such a rare monster, once unleashed, could kill a Wyvern on the spot. The surrounding Ogres howled a few times and carried their companion's body away.