Chapter 324 - 285: Shui Yumo’s Answer (Part 2)

Chapter 324: Chapter 285: Shui Yumo’s Answer (Part 2)

Shire glanced at Pazani and sighed softly. He picked up the Naga Elder’s hide letter again and continued reading. The letter expressed deep gratitude that the goblins had provided them with the White Holy Stone, which would allow the Naga Race to place it around their egg hatchery and effectively protect the next generation. As for the Magic Potions, their reserves were indeed too low to continue supplying the Goblin Race. However, the letter came with the Magic Potion recipe. If Shire could obtain the listed ingredients, the Naga Race could brew the potions for his people.

"Luminous young leaves of Glowing Algae, venom of the Long-Nosed Sea Snake..." Shire studied the recipe on the letter, muttering to himself, ’Looks like these are all things from the sea. I can probably figure out a way to get them after Uncle Musa returns to Torch City.’

Uncle Musa had to take those brand-new weapons back to Torch City. This was the strategy he and Shire had agreed upon; they couldn’t let the weapons simply vanish in Plantagenet City, as that would attract the attention of the Third Prince. But once they reached Torch City, those useless, do-nothing officials wouldn’t pay them much mind.

’All I need to do is figure out how to set up another Teleportation Gate in Torch City,’ Shire thought as he continued to read the letter. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pazani slowly shuffling toward the entrance of the stone hut.

"Where do you think you’re going?" He set down the hide and looked at the Naga Prince, who offered an ingratiating smile. "It’s, uh, it’s time."

Shire frowned. He then noticed the Pocket Watch clutched tightly in Pazani’s hand. The moment Pazani saw him looking, he immediately hid it behind his back. "Clutching it that tightly... afraid I’ll hear it, are you?"

Pazani simply smiled without a word.

"Fine, you can go." Shire knew his habits; it was undoubtedly "quitting time" again. He waved a hand, dismissing the Naga Prince. As Pazani was about to slither out of the stone hut, Shire added a special reminder, "The Fortress is a bit crowded these days, so be careful. Especially around the elephants. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—their leader is incredibly strong."

"Elephants? How strong could they be?" Pazani asked, blinking.

"Strong enough to rival the Feathered Serpent Evil God," Shire snapped.

Pazani flinched, his dorsal fin collapsing flat against his back. Then, hoisting his large bag, he slithered out of the stone hut.

’Kill the Creator God,’ Shire thought after the Naga Prince had left. He picked the hide up from the table again, scrutinizing the ink. ’But you’d have to actually be *capable* of that, for fuck’s sake.’

’Asking a goblin like me to take down the Creator God... that’s like asking Ben Bo’erba to take down the Tathagata Buddha,’ he thought, shaking his head. ’I don’t know if this world has gone mad, or if I have.’

"Did you try using the Shui Yumo again?" Pazani asked as he slithered slowly, his eyes fixed on the ground, terrified the fine scales of his underbelly might brush against a sharp rock or splinter.

"No," Shire said without sparing the Naga a glance, walking with his hands clasped behind his back and his chin up. "There isn’t enough Shui Yumo anyway, and I only have two pieces of hide left. I still need to get some Magical Beast hides."

"I suggest you try asking a different sort of question. For example, ’When is lunch?’" Pazani said with a smile. "Many people who use Shui Yumo for the first time are just like you. They start by asking some huge, profound question and then get completely consumed by it."

"Hmph." Shire grunted noncommittally. His mind was completely elsewhere, and he automatically ignored the Naga Prince’s suggestion.

Seeing the Goblin Leader’s dismissive attitude, Pazani sighed softly and muttered to himself, ’He’s just like I was back then.’

He then ignored Shire, raising a hand to cast a Water Magic spell. A floating orb of water quickly condensed in his palm.

"That’s a pretty handy spell," Shire remarked, glancing at Pazani.

The two of them were currently in the middle of the column. At the very front of the exploration party were ten Centaurs.

The Centaur contingent was led by Oreco, their best Warrior. Evita couldn’t join them this time, as she had to oversee the construction of their village.

However, Shire felt that when it came to pure combat, Oreco was probably more reliable.

"It’s just a simple spell to conjure a ball of water," Pazani said with a laugh, patting the orb onto his skin. "I have to keep my body moist, so I need to do this often. It’s just that the temperature is a bit low right now."

Watching the Naga, Shire recalled the Elder’s letter. He hadn’t gotten a chance to ask yesterday after Pazani bolted. "Do you know the ingredients for the Magic Potion?"

"I don’t. Why?"

"It’s nothing. Your Elder’s letter listed all the ingredients for me. I was just wondering if there were any special requirements," Shire said, pushing aside a branch.

"I’ve never seen the Elder brew the Magic Potion, but I imagine it’s a standard process. He did, however, ask me in detail about my experiences with you. Afterward, he let out a long sigh of relief and seemed quite reassured."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"He said," Pazani paused for a few seconds, "’We finally met someone who isn’t trying to swindle an idiot.’"

The corner of Shire’s mouth twitched into a smile. "I’m surprised you actually came along. I thought all that talk about completing your trial was just for show."

Pazani carefully maneuvered around a low stump. "Hey, I know what’s what. Once I’m an adult, I get an extra three days off. Not like now, where the Elder is constantly dragging me off to do things. Sure, our people are a little short-handed, but a break is a break."

"Short-handed?" Shire glanced at Pazani.

"Yeah. You know about the salt deficiency; the lifespans of many Naga in our Race have become unstable. But the lack of salt is most dangerous for the next generation. Thankfully, you gave us plenty of salt, which has greatly eased the situation," Pazani said, waving his hands excitedly. "In the past, it was hard to guarantee the survival rate in the hatching pools, but I’m sure it will be much better this time."

"That’s good." Shire nodded. He hadn’t known that the Naga Race hatched from eggs. ’Seems every race has its own way of growing up,’ he mused.

"It’s just a shame those goblins destroyed the hatching pools. The Elder is leading a team to make emergency repairs right now." Pazani clenched and unclenched his fists, clearly annoyed.

"By the way, have the goblins from the Feathered Serpent Kingdom been harassing you again?"

"Not anymore," Pazani boomed with laughter. "From the moment they sent their troops to the moment they were defeated, right up until now, there hasn’t been a single raid."

"It seems their defeat dealt a significant blow to their numbers." Shire nodded. This information gave him a new perspective on the goblins of the Feathered Serpent Kingdom. ’It seems they weren’t attacking the Naga of their own volition. That could mean the Feathered Serpent Evil God itself needs the Naga.’

’Why would a Feathered Serpent want to eat a Naga? A peculiar taste? Or...’

Shire glanced at Pazani, who was raising his hand to cast another spell.

This time, however, a stream of pale yellow liquid flew out from the pack on the Naga’s back and condensed in his hand, forming a foaming, bubbling orb.

"What’s that?" Shire raised an eyebrow. ’Pale yellow, and foamy?’

"Oh, yesterday’s Light Beer," Pazani said casually. He then split the sphere in two, and one of the Light Beer orbs floated over to Shire. "Want some?"

"No, thanks," Shire said, waving it away. "You can control alcohol, too?"

"Yep. It’s a Water Magic spell I developed myself," Pazani said with a grin. He wiggled his fingers, and the Light Beer began to change shape in front of Shire, even twisting into a flowing figure eight.

’Sigh. What a great Ability. Such a waste not to be watering someone’s fields with it.’

"Chief!" a voice called out, drawing Shire’s attention. Oreco came trotting up to them, his hooves going CLIP-CLOP on the ground. "Fulu says there’s a strange feeling up ahead, but..."

"We can’t see anything."