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Chapter 475 476-Nula’s Task
Chapter 475 476-Nula’s Task
Chapter 475 Chapter476-Nula's Task
Opening his eyes, the chaotic battlefield came back into view.
Howard took a deep breath, the air filled with the unpleasant smell of blood and gunpowder.
Yet, Howard felt no revulsion.
This was a pure environment, free from excessive concerns and constraints, where one could only rely on the weapon in their hand.
"Come on."
Howard's gaze locked onto the wolfrat struggling to rise in the distance.
"Come on!"
The wolfrat let out a low shriek, blood pouring from its nearly severed hind leg, its crimson eyes, shimmering with golden light, fixed on Howard.
From those eyes, Howard read killing intent, anger, and excitement!
Excitement!
Howard was surprised to find a sense of excitement in the wolfrat's gaze.
Why was it excited?
Because it had met a strong opponent?
Because it had challenged its limits?
Could a mere spellbeast like the wolfrat harbor such complex emotions?
For a moment, Howard hesitated.
He began to ponder a question he had never considered before.
What exactly are the spellbeasts of this world?
The prevailing explanation is that wild beasts living in mana-rich environments can transform into spellbeasts.
This seems akin to a genetic change, for once an animal becomes a spellbeast, its offspring are also likely to be spellbeasts.
If they survive in the wild, a new species emerges just like that.
Throughout this process, the influence of mana plays a crucial role.
The simplest way to determine whether a wild beast is a spellbeast is to observe if it can produce mana fluctuations when it acts.
If it can, it's a spellbeast or a spellbeast subspecies.
If not, it's neither.
The so-called spellbeast subspecies are those beasts not yet fully transformed into spellbeasts.
They can use mana but cannot actively increase the mana within their bodies, with their strength varying with age.
So, what exactly is a spellbeast?
Spellbeasts are recognized by the vast majority for their high intelligence.
Some communities even worship certain spellbeasts as deities.
Yet, at the same time, spellbeasts are the targets for high-level awakened hunters who seek materials from them to enhance themselves, only to hunt more spellbeasts.
To humans, spellbeasts are both gods and prey, their identity shifting with human sentiments and the balance of power between the two.
"How capricious," Howard chuckled, his breath calming as his gaze fixed on the wolfrat.
"Then, let me give you a funeral of sufficient weight, even if you are an invader."
Life and death are often unrelated to other matters; they are not usually commodified.
However, when they do become commodities, it signifies that turbulent times have arrived.
With a shriek, the wolfrat howled, its three good legs powering its movement, the electricity on its body dimming, its form wobbling.
It was indeed at the end of its strength after berserking.
When it chose to berserk, it chose death.
But Howard remained vigilant.
Until the battle was over, anything could happen—an insight he had gained through his own blood and flesh.
...
In Rodel City, on an unnamed street, a slender figure hurried along.
While Howard was engaged in a bloody battle atop the city walls, Nula had vanished.
But her disappearance was not out of fear, nor was it an act of confusion hiding in the shadows to protect Howard.
A single dinner, though touching, wasn't enough to compel Nula to such extents.
She had left because of a mission.
A sudden task, deeply intertwined with the current monster tide siege.
Logically, a monster tide shouldn't appear so readily.
Although Rodel had faced several monster tides before, those were instances of either a single type of beast or spellbeast population explosion, not like this time, where countless different types of wild beasts and spellbeasts congregated to form a monster tide - a first of its kind.
Each species of beast or spellbeast has its habits, not to mention many are natural enemies of each other.
Without a significant external force at play, their gathering would be an impossibility.
Moreover, it's highly unlikely for the beasts to initiate an attack on Rodel of their own accord; this place is neither a migratory route for any creature nor does it sit atop any special mineral veins.
Therefore, the most plausible explanation is that certain individuals orchestrated this monster tide.
But what could their intentions be?
That was the purpose behind Nula's action.
The alarm bell of the Rodel branch guild of adventurers had not yet ceased.
The streets were now devoid of pedestrians, save for the occasional army or adventurer rushing by, perhaps carrying blood-stained weapons or bearing groaning wounded.
Even within Rodel City, Nula could clearly hear the shouts of battle and the stench of blood permeating the air.
This was hardly good news.
The escalation of the conflict meant only more deaths would follow.
Having been on the battlefield, though not on the front lines, the widespread death had profoundly altered her views on life and death.
It was after her experience on the battlefield that Nula undertook the mission to investigate and guide Howard, conspiring with Dorek on the Lorinda incident.
Indeed, the Lorinda incident was orchestrated by her and Dorek.
This truth had yet to be disclosed to Howard, and depending on circumstances, she might never tell him in her lifetime.
Nula's steps momentarily faltered, concern prompting her to glance back at the city walls.
Gathering her focus, she continued forward.
Her hands held ample intelligence, including the suspected orchestrators of the monster tide's locations, names, and physical descriptions, except for details about their strength.
Even Nula's direct superior couldn't grasp the exact capabilities of the gang.
This didn't mean Nula couldn't overcome them, but it implied complications might arise.
Nula was uncertain whether eliminating the perpetrators would halt the monster tide; otherwise, Rodel would need to consider evacuating its populace.
According to the latest intelligence from her sources, the monster tide seemed to be expanding, with a second wave potentially amassing.
Undoubtedly, this was bad news.
The current monster tide was already stretching Rodel's city guard and adventurers thin.
If the scale of the monster tide were to double or more, Rodel's chances of holding out were nearly impossible.
"Never thought it'd be my turn to play the savior of the world. Nobody said anything about doing a Savior's job when I signed up!"
Muttering to herself, Nula caught sight of her destination.
She looked up at the large stone building in front of her, not much different from the neighboring inn, and stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"Time to get to work. Howard better not die on me during this time!"
Pushing open the stone building's door, Nula proceeded with light steps.
Entering the first-floor lobby, Nula was greeted by a scene resembling ruins.
Tables and chairs lay overturned on the ground, covered in a thick layer of dust, looking just like any abandoned building that had undergone drastic changes in a very short period, to an extent that was hard to believe.
Faced with this situation, Nula was not surprised, or rather, she was past the point of being surprised.
Her intelligence had led her here, and so far, her information had never been wrong, which meant there had to be something she hadn't noticed.
She made her way through the second floor, then the third and fourth floors, and even the attic.
Nula searched nearly every room in the building but still found nothing of note.
Returning to the first floor, Nula observed the ruin-like scene of the lobby, her brows furrowed in frustration.
In a city like Rodel, where space was at a premium, for a building to remain vacant for such an extended period was abnormal in itself.
If it weren't for some power shielding it from the covetous eyes of hungry wolves, this building would have transformed beyond recognition long ago.
So, where could those unnoticed mechanisms be hiding?