Chapter 285 - 266: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, the Oriole Is Behind, but Who Is the Mantis, and Who Is the Cicada?

Chapter 285: Chapter 266: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, the Oriole Is Behind, but Who Is the Mantis, and Who Is the Cicada?

On the battlefield, where the smoke and dust had yet to settle, the putrid stench of blood and the acrid smell of sulfur intertwined, lingering long after.

The Flayed Giant Dog that had been sent flying earlier seemed to have its spine broken. It was spasming and twitching in some nearby ruins, clearly having lost the power to fight.

But Jon had no intention of moving in for the kill. He simply sat atop his Mechanical Warhorse without a word, as if waiting for something.

From what he knew, even with Evil Magic rituals, it was not easy to create monsters of the same caliber as the Evil Eye Lizard and the Flayed Giant Dog. It often required the sacrifice of the souls of several Low-tier Evil Mages or a great number of living beings.

If his predictions were correct, the person hiding behind the scenes wouldn’t be able to bring out any more forces to deal with him for the time being.

And if his opponent didn’t want their plans to end in failure, they would have no choice but to send someone else to take the field—

Just as he was having this thought, a series of monotonous and sudden claps rang out from the surrounding shadows.

"CLAP, CLAP, CLAP."

Afterward, a tall, slender figure slowly paced out.

A velvet robe, deep purple bordering on black and embroidered with the Heta family’s thorn crest, enveloped his pale, bloodless frame. As he walked, the hem of the robe swept silently over the sullied blood on the ground, yet remained utterly unstained.

"My respects to you, Sir Jon. Even my master has taken notice of the light you display amidst this mire."

The moment he saw the man, Jon recognized him—Nasir Atherton, Count Nerva Heta’s trusted High Tier Mage Consultant, an individual designated as a high-danger target in the Resistance Alliance’s intelligence.

But he didn’t respond, merely fixing the man with a cold stare.

Nasir seemed utterly unconcerned by the silent pressure. He stopped and gave a slight bow, his movements as elegant as a Night Owl preening its feathers. His face held a smile of perfect, restrained politeness.

"By my master’s order, I am here to cordially invite you to Red Crying Castle."

"A banquet that will determine the future of Heta County, and indeed the entire Northern Territory, has been prepared. My master awaits the pleasure of drinking and conversing with an outstanding talent such as yourself."

"Your master?"

Hearing this, Jon finally spoke, his voice laced with undisguised mockery.

"Do you mean Nerva Heta, the one holed up in his castle, lost in his ridiculous pipe dreams? Or is it the... *others* hiding in his shadow, wielding Evil Magic and commanding these filthy abominations on his behalf?"

The smile on Nasir’s face didn’t change in the slightest; not even the corners of his eyes moved. It was as if he were wearing a meticulously painted porcelain mask.

He merely brushed a speck of non-existent dust from his velvet robe and said lightly,

"Why trouble yourself with such things? Power is its own authority. What influence does its origin truly have on the outcome?"

"What matters is that my master’s admiration for you, and his sincerity, are both quite real."

His gaze slowly swept across the devastated battlefield around Jon, pausing on the massive, headless corpse of the Evil Eye Lizard and the still-twitching Flayed Giant Dog. It finally came to rest back on Jon’s face, which was as hard and cold as a sculpture, as he added meaningfully,

"However, I must remind you that my master’s patience is limited."

"The banquet has begun. If the guest of honor fails to arrive, even the finest wine will grow cold. It would be wise to make your decision soon."

’Limited patience?’

A cold smirk touched Jon’s lips.

’That old schemer has been lying in wait for who knows how long, refusing to show his hand. Since when did he have "limited patience"?’

’That kind of bullshit might fool some clueless rookie, but trying to play mind games with a cynical veteran like him, one who’d seen more than his fair share of bizarre villains? He could forget it!’

He couldn’t be bothered to feign civility with this posturing charlatan any longer.

Before the man had even finished speaking, Jon abruptly raised his left hand!

"HUMMM—!"

[Integration Seal]!

An invisible force field, woven from the Sixfold Power, descended upon Nasir like a giant hunting net.

Nasir’s pupils constricted, but his movements were anything but slow. With shocking flexibility and agility, his entire body seemed to glide backward out of thin air, as if he were a weightless phantom, evading the Dharma Seal’s range.

"Hmph. What a shame."

Now that a fight had started, as a veteran Official Level Mage, he naturally had to display a commensurate level of Power.

Almost before Jon’s next spell could form, Nasir’s counterattack struck first.

His withered, claw-like fingers jabbed out like lightning from within his fluttering sleeves. The Magic Power gathering at his fingertips instantly transformed into three eerie green rays, each as thin as a silk thread yet incomparably sharp!

Like poisoned stingers, they viciously shot toward three separate targets: Jon’s throat, the elbow of his sword-wielding right arm, and the vulnerable knee joint of the Mechanical Warhorse he rode!

Jon’s expression didn’t flicker in the slightest, as if he had already anticipated this turn of events.

The light of the Dharma Seal in his left hand swirled, instantly changing form. It solidified into a deep blue Light Shield before him, blocking the swift rays of Magic.

At the same time, he slightly raised [Broken Abyss] in his right hand. The ground instantly ruptured, and thick shards of Golden Rock Crystal erupted from below, relentlessly pursuing Nasir’s flitting figure!

[Limestone Impact]!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!—

A Perfect Level weapon Skill was on par with most Magic. More importantly, using weapon Skills didn’t interfere with spellcasting!

And so, with Broken Abyss in one hand, Jon controlled the crystal impacts to corral Nasir, while his other hand continuously cast all sorts of Arcane Magic in an attempt to intercept him.

Meanwhile, Nasir employed some kind of strange Secret Technique, his body flitting erratically through the surrounding ruins as he constantly changed position. He casually cast instant spells like Red Flame Beam, Frost Skill, and Spiritual Shock, all while continuing to run his mouth.