Badge in Azure

Chapter 216: Pan’s Turtle Shell (Part 1)

Chapter 216: Pan’s Turtle Shell (Part 1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lex sat up and crossed her fingers together. While displaying this uncommon magic gesture, she started reciting a spell. Some spells could never be released without saying anything, and those that could required long periods of practice to be able to do so.

Reciting a magic spell guided a person’s magic chords and activated the spell’s elemental frequency. Once the magic chords were familiar with the frequency of the elemental vibrations, the spell would take less and less time to cast until eventually, a person could release a spell without relying on any chants.

The water puppet was a spell that did not require any chants, and the fact that Lex was chanting such a lengthy chunk now showed that she had not really grasped the secrets behind this spell.

A white light shot out from between Lex’s fingers, and the water vapor in the air condensed together and formed a twisted image. A human-like figure almost two feet tall appeared before Lex. It was made from the condensation of water elements and its body was translucent, with its organs vaguely visible.

Saleen found it interesting. This thing seemed fun to play with, but what could it do?

The small man walked forward and clasped its hands together, shooting out an icicle that went straight for Saleen’s face. Saleen waved his hand and the icicle disappeared. The small man trembled before melting atop the wooden box, returning back into a puddle of water.

Lex let out a breath and smiled. “How about that? A puppet that can release magic.”

“It seems… weak?” Saleen asked suspiciously. The water puppet that Lex had created had lasted less than ten seconds, and even though it was surprising that it could release magic, it had only been a level-1 spell with very slow speed. Saleen had managed to wave it away even though he had not expected it.

“It doesn’t have to be. This spell originated from the First Dynasty and back then, many people on the mainland had the type of shenhe you have in your hands. The elements in the shenhe did not dissipate and the water puppets created were not destroyed this easily either. I need to familiarize myself with a new puppet each time I use it, and that is equivalent to learning a new spell each time. The spells that the puppet can release are also of the lowest level. If you use the water elements in your shenhe to create a puppet, it will almost be like…”

“Soul control?”

“It will almost have the same effect, but a puppet doesn’t have a soul. You can control the puppet to do whatever you want it to do, just like another you.”

“That doesn’t sound like there’s any advantage?”

“How is there no advantage? At least when you are controlling the puppet, you don’t have to be afraid of the spell backfiring. You can try out any dangerous spells you know. Once you have mastered it, it will almost be like you possess twice the combat power. But, of course, your magic chords will be used up twice as fast too.”

“Two grade-6 mages still aren’t a match for a sorcerer.” Saleen shook his head and said, “I think I shall focus on the present. The current cutter can at least be upgraded to a level-9 spell.”

“This shenhe might be the last one on the mainland,” Lex said regretfully.

“It is better to specialize in spells used in combat. I remember Master Faerun was the best at the Fireball spell.”

On the topic of Faerun, Lex had nothing to say. He had been her most loyal subordinate and also her elder. He had been her half-teacher. Even now, Lex still could not accept the fact that Faeurn was already dead.

However, Saleen was not wrong. Whenever mages conducted research, they would need to learn over hundreds or even thousands of different types of magic. However, in combat, they would usually choose the ones that they were most familiar with. From level-1 to level-9, there were less than a hundred spells that were popular, and there were only a handful in each level.

Saleen’s alchemy might have been terrible, but when it came to drawing magic arrays, magic patterns were the keys to techniques with alchemy equipment. Saleen had just learned the magic pattern on his clan badge and would now be able to use it. Once the calabash was processed, it would still need to be adjusted constantly to Saleen’s magic chords. To create such equipment would take at least three to five years.

In order for this equipment to unleash its true potential, decades would be required. Hence, Saleen saw no need to choose the water puppet since he was not sure when he was going to reach grade-6. Even if he reached grade-6, it was possible that he would not be able to master that Water Puppet spell.

On the other hand, he was very familiar with the Current Cutter spell, and together with the water elements in the shenhe and the powers of the magic pattern that he had just grasped, he could quickly organize his combat power.

This was not an era of peace, and even though there were only conflicts in the middle of the mainland, a war could spread throughout the entire mainland at any moment. Saleen had no idea how much longer he could train in peace, and being able to grasp whatever opportunities were available now was the most practical thing he could do.

This was a characteristic that was present in the blood of all Sikeqinya people. Some would have said that he was practical, while others would call him short-sighted.

In reality, the real reason Saleen was impatient was because of his badge. Once he grasped the powers of the badge, what would the shenhe be to him? It was but condensed elements which would not dissipate. It still required a mage to control it, and its powers were nowhere near the powers of lightning.

“Look.” Lex lifted her finger and Saleen followed it and looked in the direction that she was pointing in. A turtle over twenty meters long had floated up to the surface. Saleen became a little nervous.

The characteristics of turtle-like magic beasts were greatly varied. Some were docile but had incredibly powerful offensive powers, and even a giant sea serpent might not have been a match for them.

Nailisi was awake as well, and as she saw the turtle, she said excitedly, “Master, master!”

Lex removed the mute enchantment. Saleen asked, “What?”

“Kill that turtle to make a small boat. It will be much safer than these boxes.” Nailisi rolled herself over, her limbs stiff and a carnal look in her eyes.

“No, we have no idea what that is. It might be a magic beast with high value,” Saleen rejected Nailisi’s request. Turtle-like magic beasts not only had water-type properties, but during their long lives, hundreds of magic nuclei could form within their shells and they could bear all six types of elements. It would not matter if it was a low-grade one, but if this was a magic beast that was superior to grade-6, unless Saleen could manipulate the energy within his badge, they would not stand a chance at all.

“Master, do you still have that poison?” Nailisi looked indignantly at the giant turtle.

Saleen felt his heart flutter and he looked at Lex. Lex stared at the giant beast and asked, “Nailisi, how confident are you?”

“Twenty percent. With the poison, fifty.” Saleen did not have much poison left and the components of this medicine were complicated. Saleen had only succeeded in producing it twice.

“You have a plan, don’t you?” Lex saw Saleen hesitating and instinctively felt uneasy.

“What plan? That thing is very sensitive to changes in elemental vibrations. You all wait here and don’t do anything. I will poke it. If I miss…”

Nailisi trailed off as she caught the bottle that Saleen had given her, carefully applying it to the tip of her Dragon’s Tooth Dagger. She held the dagger between her teeth and started removing her clothes.

Under the moonlight, Nailisi’s skin had the glow of jade. Lex took a glance at Saleen, realizing that he was staring intently at the giant turtle in the distance, not intending to take a peek at all.

Nailisi removed all of her clothes. Taking off the bracelet that Lex had given her, she passed the bracelet that she had bought from Aini and the one that Lex had given her over to Saleen. She then took a plain rubber string and put up her hair, securing it behind her head. With the exception of the Dragon’s Tooth Dagger between her teeth, she had nothing else on her body. She sniffed with her nose to ensure that even her odor would not attract the giant turtle’s attention before saying, “Master…”

Saleen looked back and saw Nailisi’s naked body. He could not help but look at her rear. Luckily, she had not revealed her true form. Her tail which only demons possessed was hidden away from sight.

“Be careful. If you think there isn’t an opportunity, don’t try it. This magic beast doesn’t seem like the aggressive type.”

“Okay.” Nailisi placed the empty bottle on Saleen’s palm and whispered in his ears, “Master, do I look good?”

If Lex had not been by his side, he might have kicked her into the sea. But now, he could only nod reluctantly. Nailisi started giggling, and with a twist of her body, almost as if she did not have any bones, she slid into the sea behind the boxes.

The seawater was ice cold but Nailisi did not seem to mind. She dove down for over one hundred meters before starting to swim in the direction of the giant turtle. Her body and the seawater became one as many fish swam by her, not realizing she was a dangerous creature.

Keeping all of their aura inside of them was something that all demons needed to learn. No matter whether it was for the purposes of chasing after prey or escaping, this was the most important of all. The living things in the demon dimension needed to constantly be alert.

Saleen held his clan badge, unusually nervous. Attacking a creature that was not aggressive was dangerous in itself. Furthermore, they did not have their boat and these boxes would never be able to outlast a storm. The weather on the sea could change at any moment, and if they did not find land quickly, even Lex was not confident that she would be able to survive.

Lex brought out a rope from her god’s ring to prepare for the next step.

“Saleen, what did Nailisi say just now?” Lex asked unexpectedly.

Saleen was nervous and could not help himself, “She asked if she was pretty.”

Lex assumed that Saleen had a loose tongue and her face turned red. She looked at Sika, who had already woken up, and saw that she had a nonchalant look. At this, she was slightly troubled. Is this guy really a grown man? Walking around with two lady warriors, how ridiculous. Judging by Sika’s expression, she had already gotten used to it!

How would she have known that Sika had seen Nailisi’s true form and knew clearly that Saleen would never do anything to Nailisi. Thinking back to that giant mouth, sharp teeth, scaled body, and the sharp spikes on her back, even if Saleen was lecherous, he would not have any sexual attraction for her.

Lex did not continue to question it and took out her silver magic book. If Nailisi missed, they could not sit there and wait for their deaths.

Nailisi had swam out for over a thousand meters before slowly ascending. The giant turtle was just above her. Only when she had approached it did Nailisi realize that this thing was much bigger than when they had looked at it from afar. The giant sea turtle was more than half the length of the hunting ship and was almost the same width. Its four thick limbs were rowing in the water as it floated about leisurely, not realizing that Nailisi was there at all.

Nailisi knew she only had one chance to strike and started observing her prey. Demons had long lives, and thus had the best patience as well. Nailisi floated in the seawater, golden light gliding about within her blue-green eyes.