Chapter 283: The Empty Lair (Part 1)

  "Hm?" Lancelot, who was walking, suddenly froze.

  The elemental fluctuations produced by High Priest Tima's immense magic also arrived at this moment. Stoic knew the action had begun over there, so he urged Lancelot: "High Priest has made his move, we need to hurry."

  "No..." Lancelot's expression was a bit strange. "Did any of you hear any strange sounds?"

  "Strange sounds?" Stoic was also stunned for a moment, shaking his huge bull head. "No."

  But Lancelot wasn't asking him; he was asking the other six Temple Knights. However, the six Temple Knights looked at each other and also shook their heads.

  "It seems someone is screaming, a woman..." Lancelot's expression was still very strange.

  Hearing this from the Paladin, the other Temple Knights' expressions also became strange. This indeed seemed like an inappropriate question to ask at this time and in this environment. The key was that the person asking the question also seemed very out of place asking it.

  Lancelot frowned and shook his head, very confused. He had indeed heard a woman's scream, faintly coming from an unknown direction, and it seemed to be the voice of someone he knew, even seeming to be... For someone like him, it was nearly impossible to have a perceptual illusion or make a mistaken judgment. But if his hearing and judgment were correct, then this matter seemed even more impossible in theory.

  "Let's just hurry and do what High Priest Tima ordered. After it's done, there will be plenty of women for you. I've heard those Drow are very good women for you humans. You don't need to worry, there will be many." Stoic was very impatient and somewhat annoyed. If he didn't know he was no match for them, he would prefer to communicate with these humans with his fists or axe. But now he could only try to communicate in a way they could understand.

  Lancelot nodded with resignation and didn't explain. This was indeed not the time or place to worry about such things. He continued to walk forward. "Rest assured, this is the only path from the Drow holy land to Othello. There's no way we'll miss it."

  Stoic grunted in a Minotaur's characteristic throaty sound, then turned and roared twice to the other Minotaurs in the Minotaur language. The Minotaurs' breathing subsequently became much heavier, and the wide passage seemed to be completely filled with the stench of Minotaur breath.

  In fact, since entering this huge passage, all the Minotaurs' breathing was heavy. They were all very nervous.

  There were fifty Minotaur elite warriors and ten Minotaur priests here, all the elites of their tribe. Especially the fifty Minotaur warriors led by Stoic; what they held in their hands were no longer ordinary battle axes, but huge pure steel battle axes with magic inscriptions on them. On these axes, without exception, were engraved armor-breaking incantations—special weapons prepared by High Priest Tima over many years. The immense weight, combined with the size and strength of the Minotaurs, made these weapons seem more suitable for chopping down city gates than enemies.

  And the combat power of the elite Minotaur warriors themselves was not to be underestimated. Although their combat skills might not match the seven Temple Knights here, in terms of strength and destructive power, they were absolutely superior. Even a rhino would have no chance in a test of strength against these Minotaur warriors. Moreover, with their years of combat experience, they would certainly not just engage in a test of strength with their opponents.

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  Even with such elite warriors holding such weapons, walking in a tunnel so wide it didn't seem like a tunnel, they couldn't help but feel nervous. The ten Minotaur priests seemed a bit better, constantly chanting in low voices what seemed to be scriptures of the Horned Demon sect, asking this legendary ancestral deity to grant them divine power and courage to face the enemy.

  To face that never-before-met enemy who only appeared in legends.

  This tunnel was different from most in Nighon. Not only was it very wide, but it was also well-constructed, more like a huge corridor within a luxurious mansion. The passage was not lit, like other places in Nighon, by only a few occasionally visible glowing crystals on the rock walls; instead, many luminous gems were artificially inlaid. Although the brightness was not like the daylight on the surface, it could already be said to be incredibly brilliant in this underground world.

  This passage led to the holy land of the Drow, the residence of their divine spokesperson, the Black Dragon Moriel. The Drow worshipped this huge, intelligent creature as a demigod, and it had always helped the Drow maintain the highest and greatest position in the underground world of Nighon.

  To destroy or completely defeat the Drow race, this divine spokesperson must be eliminated. This was something everyone in Nighon knew. But everyone also knew that to eliminate a giant dragon that should only appear in legends was something the residents of Nighon barely dared to think about, and if they did think about it, they wouldn't dare to act, because acting would be absolutely impossible.

  Except for that Evil Eye tyrant from several hundred years ago, High Priest Tima was the only one who dared to think of this and dared to put it into actual action. He first thought about it for over thirty years, then found a rare opportunity to start. He slowly made preparations for more than ten years, and only now, at this moment, was he using the power of the Church to bring it to a conclusion.

  Moriel's emissary was no longer in Nighon. This was news the High Priest had only recently received, and one of the reasons he decided to act at this time. The Drow elders had clearly kept this news secret, but the High Priest had received it from a human merchant who had dealings with them. Originally, the High Priest had also wanted to use this connection to contact Diya Valley and invite them to participate in this grand plan together, but later, that merchant contact died, and Diya Valley seemed to no longer pay him any mind.

  However, Diya Valley was not participating, but the Church had sent a Cardinal, holding the token and message from that contact. It turned out the Church was interested in helping the High Priest's grand plan, but there were corresponding conditions.

  As long as he could eliminate the Drow and unify the underground world, no conditions were a concern in High Priest Tima's eyes. Besides, in his view, these conditions were merely a formality anyway. The alliance between the two parties was quickly agreed upon, and it rapidly reached the point of implementation.

  The more than ten years of preparation were not a waste of time. Through a scheme he had set up more than ten years ago, High Priest Tima was certain that the Black Dragon Moriel's power had now weakened significantly. Everything had been rehearsed countless times in the High Priest's mind: dispatching troops, secretly surrounding the largest Drow city. Even the magic to be used had been specially researched and practiced over several years.

  Although this was actually the most important battlefield, High Priest Tima was clearly more suited to fighting over there. As soon as he made his move over there, the team composed of elite warriors here also led the Temple Knights into this Drow holy land. The priests and guards outside were nothing to the Temple Knights; they were dealt with without even the slightest sound being made.

  What they were about to face would be the most terrifying creature on this continent. Needless to say for the Minotaur warriors, even the Temple Knights and Lancelot were somewhat nervous. However, the humans and Minotaurs who had the qualification to walk on this path of no return were all top-tier warriors. Nervousness and fear were not a big deal for them; on the contrary, it made them even more excited.

  However, some time had passed since High Priest Tima cast that spell. In this long corridor, they were prepared at all times to face a huge figure coming towards them, but there was nothing at all. Let alone the legendary Black Dragon, not even a single bat appeared from the corridor.

  Sometimes, no movement at all is more terrifying than some movement. Stoic couldn't help but quicken his pace; Moriel's lair should be just ahead. He mustered all his fighting spirit and courage. He was going to fight the most terrifying monster on this continent in the name of the Horned Demon. He felt his blood was already boiling, his fighting spirit already burning hot.

  The Minotaurs' breathing became even heavier, and they all gripped their huge axes tightly. The Temple Knights were also a bit nervous. Still, nothing was happening. The only sound was the rumbling of dozens of hooves stomping in the passage.

  A vast cavern appeared at the end of the passage. The Minotaurs and Temple Knights stepped from the passage into the cavern. They had mentally prepared themselves to see anything, but when they actually saw it, they still couldn't help but be completely stunned.

  Because they saw nothing.

  This place should indeed be an environment where a dragon lives. Piles of various treasures and gold coins, and magic items. From a huge pool, the smell of sulfur wafted up. But here, let alone a dragon, there wasn't even a single Dragonfly.

  "What's going on? Where is Moriel?" The first to ask, directing his question to the empty cavern, was Stoic. He waved his huge axe and roared. "Where is the dragon?"

  Lancelot and the Temple Knights did not venture deep into the cavern, keeping themselves in a position near the cavern entrance. They also completely failed to understand this situation.

  "Could it be that the great dragon Moriel left her lair and went elsewhere?" Lancelot asked.

  "Impossible, impossible," the Minotaur warrior leader roared. "High Priest said her body should be very weak, unable to leave her lair for long periods of time."