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Chapter 47: The Bloodflame Shapeshifting Art
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 21:30:19 +0000 UTC“It's a pity. Unlocking the fourth Blood Vortex and cultivating Angel’s Thorn completely drained the life force of Addison and Winterburn. It seems I’ll need at least another ten days of effort to finalize the Agility Rune.”
“However, there’s actually a better choice than Swiftstep Technique or Spider Technique!”
The first page of the Vampiric Scroll〢〨 recorded the foundational Vampiric Secret Art, Bloodflame Aura.
On the second page was the record of the Bloodflame Shapeshifting Art.
As the name implied, the Bloodflame Shapeshifting Art did not actually allow for shapeshifting but only transformed the user into a blazing form of bloodflame!
Charlot didn’t particularly care about turning into various animals or different human appearances. What truly mattered was that by transforming into bloodflame, he could hover and drift in the air. It was not quite flying, but it was more than sufficient for travel.
...
During the midday break, Charlot was summoned by Lord Leo. The first thing Leo said sent a chill through Charlot’s entire body: “Byron and the Black Phoenix Dynasty have signed an alliance. This time, the goal is to lure the restorationists of South Seraph to assassinate Grand Duke Ferdinand!”
“Thus igniting the flames of war!”
Charlot faced the Evil God directly. His soul shattered and reassembled, awakening memories from his two lifetimes. As clear as if it had happened yesterday, Charlot Mecklenburg recalled the knowledge he had learned in his early years. Naturally, he was well aware of the historical enmity between South Seraph and the Behemoth Principality.
To put it briefly, South Seraph had been resisting the Fars Empire’s invasion and was on the verge of victory when the Behemoth Principality stabbed them in the back, leading to their downfall.
It had been nearly two centuries since South Seraph was destroyed. While its people had grown relatively compliant under the Empire’s rule, they still harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Behemoth Principality.
A certain rumor had spread over the years: one drunken patron in a tavern loudly proclaimed, “I’m from the Behemoth Principality…” only to be beaten to death by an angry mob of South Seraph natives.
Such was the depth of hatred between the two nations.
If the restorationists of South Seraph assassinated Grand Duke Ferdinand, the royal family of the Fars Empire would inevitably seek vengeance. The restorationists would stand no chance against the full might of the Empire’s army and would be forced to seek external aid...
The slight flutter of a butterfly’s wings could trigger a cataclysmic storm.
Sometimes, however, storms were orchestrated.
Although Charlot was a transmigrator with no loyalty to the Fars Empire, the thought of war breaking out—and the countless innocents who would perish—still left him deeply unsettled.
Before his transmigration, he had lived in a country that had enjoyed decades of peace. Having experienced such tranquility, he fully understood the preciousness of peace and the horrors of war.
In a low voice, he said, “I have not received this directive.”
Lord Leo replied, “Your rank is too low to be privy to the full scope of this plan. It’s no surprise.”
“However, you must fully cooperate with my actions.”
“If this mission succeeds, I can transfer you to my command and guarantee you a promotion by at least one rank.”
Charlot expressed his gratitude respectfully, but inwardly, he thought to himself: I must find a way to sabotage Byron’s plan.
How absurd that, as a fugitive, I’m actually contemplating helping the Fars Empire maintain peace.
Lord Leo, satisfied with Charlot’s attitude, gave a few more instructions before waving him away to prepare for their next move.
...
The team moved quickly, traveling for over two days before reaching Machubi.
Though the ancient Orc Kingdom fortress had been sacked by the Sherlock Dynasty and burned to the ground, even in ruins it retained an imposing grandeur.
The architecture of the Orc Kingdom was monumental in scale, with each building towering dozens of meters high. The fortress gates were especially colossal, and even after centuries of destruction, they still inspired awe.
Charlot, though fatigued, volunteered to inspect the area personally.
Whether it was his adventurer subordinates or Lord Leo himself, everyone saw Charlot as a reliable figure.
To the adventurers, their “leader” was courageous and hands-on in critical moments. To Lord Leo, this potential subordinate was diligent and unafraid of hard work—prime material for a personal attendant.
Charlot alone knew his true purpose: to verify the results of his recent research on the first page of Agmirlas Labyrinth.
Holding a magical alchemical staff in one hand and his Magnum Mauler in the other, Charlot strode confidently into Machubi. Once he passed through the collapsed fortress gates, which obscured the view from outside, he swiftly stowed away both weapons and retrieved his diary. Flipping to the page on Agmirlas Labyrinth, he placed the diary on the ground and muttered a soft incantation.
Nothing happened.
Just as Charlot began to feel disappointed, believing he had made an error in his research, a surge of consciousness rippled through him: Charlot Mecklenburg has discovered the ruins of Machubi, fulfilling the conditions to establish the first labyrinth. Machubi is undergoing labyrinth transformation.
Charlot watched as the first page of Agmirlas Labyrinth vanished before his eyes. He immediately sensed an intangible force emanating from the diary, spreading outward inch by inch and infiltrating the ancient ruins of the Orc Kingdom’s fortress.
The transformation began with the fortress gate behind him, which served as the focal point. From there, it spread deeper into Machubi. The same consciousness rippled through him again: The labyrinth transformation of Machubi will take eighteen days to complete. During this time, you must not leave this location.
Taking a deep breath, Charlot pocketed the diary and returned to the fortress gate. Standing within, he called out, “There’s no danger here. I even found a clean area suitable for setting up a camp to await Grand Duke Ferdinand’s arrival.”
Lord Leo gave a faint smile. “Excellent!”
Though he had heard rumors about Machubi’s haunted past, his confidence as a high-ranking Transcendent left him unshaken. Accompanied by two attendants, he stepped into the ruined fortress without hesitation.
Charlot immediately sensed another notification: Three NPCs added to the labyrinth. Transformation progress increased by 1.5%.
He was both astonished and thrilled. This unexpected development was certainly a boon!
The adventurers followed suit, entering the ruined fortress. Notifications continued to flood in:
Fifteen NPCs added. Transformation progress increased by 0.8%...
Twenty-one NPCs added. Transformation progress increased by 1.3%...
Thirty-four NPCs added. Transformation progress increased by 3.3%...
Total NPCs: 136. Transformation progress increased by 16.5%.
Exhaling deeply, Charlot finally felt assured that his research had been correct.
The ancient Orc Kingdom fortress was massive, once housing an army of 270,000 soldiers at its peak. Though only partially transformed, the labyrinth’s 20% completion was enough to trap anyone who ventured inside.
Lord Leo, a high-ranking Transcendent, instinctively grew cautious. His heightened awareness led him to survey the surroundings carefully, but he found nothing amiss.
What he couldn’t possibly realize was that the danger wasn’t lurking—it had already enveloped them.
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