Among everyone present, only Xiliya was the most sensitive to fluctuations in magical elements, and only she noticed something was wrong. After Masha blew the bone flute, a chaotic and violent turbulence of magical elements suddenly appeared centered on her.
“Stay away from her!”
Xiliya shouted loudly. Fortunately, her prestige among the City Guard was high enough that the two guards hesitated for a moment but still obeyed.
With a “thud,” Masha, who had lost her support, knelt down on the ground. Blood slowly dripped down her cheeks. It was only then that everyone realized Masha wasn’t just coughing up blood—blood was flowing from all seven of her orifices.
However, along with this elemental storm, a dazzling magic array appeared in front of Masha. A hunched figure faintly appeared in the center of the magic array.
“It’s summoning magic.”
Xiliya’s expression grew grave. She identified the type of magic array at a glance. That bone flute earlier must have been the magitool used for the summoning.
Calling it a “magitool” wasn’t entirely accurate. Each race developed their magical technology in different directions. For instance, the human Empire focused on the versatility and practicality of magic, leading to the research of numerous civilian magitools.
But not all races researched magic in that direction. For the backward Beastmen Clan, the type of magic they delved into the deepest was ritual magic, gaining power from nature through spirit communication, sacrifices, and other methods.
Thus, for the Northern Border Beastmen, their commonly used magic items were “sacrificial offerings.” For example, Samuer’s beast pelt cloak and the bone flute Masha had carried with her.
This kind of ritual magic was already prohibited in the human Empire, mainly because it was too dark. The more powerful the thing obtained through sacrifice, the greater the price paid…
Xiliya looked at Masha. Though blood was flowing from all seven of her orifices, the latter revealed a venomous smile.
“Twenty years—this is the cost of using this sacrificial offering: twenty years of lifespan. Samuer gave me this thing just as insurance. I never thought there would come a day when it would actually be useful.”
“Truly, life’s twists are unpredictable, Xiliya… But since it’s come to this, none of you will leave here alive!”
The figure in the magic array gradually became clearer. Xiliya was no stranger to that hunched form—it was the Beastman Priest she had clashed with before.
It made sense. Among the Northern Border Beastmen, who were naturally low in magical aptitude, only a priest proficient in sacrificial magic could create something like that bone flute.
A tool that could teleport the creator here… Xiliya narrowed her eyes as she sized up the hunched figure, already estimating this opponent’s strength in her mind.
A sacrificial offering capable of such an effect—even with such severe side effects—meant the opponent before her wouldn’t be weak.
The sudden unexpected situation made everyone hesitate to act rashly for the moment. By now, the Beastman Priest’s figure had fully materialized and teleported to the scene.
The Beastman Priest wore a large, dragging beast pelt, with numerous animal skulls clinking and clattering on his body. In his hand, he gripped a decayed staff—though it was called a staff, it looked more like he was using it as a crutch.
After teleporting in, the Beastman Priest didn’t stop his movements. He seemed to instantly understand what had happened. He pulled out various small bottles containing strange liquids from his bosom, either smashing them on the ground or smearing certain liquids and powders on his face.
Xiliya knew this was the combat style of ritual magic. Different magic systems varied greatly, and she could only vaguely tell that the Beastman Priest was applying buffs to himself.
“Madam Masha,” the Beastman Priest spoke, his voice hoarse like a crow on the verge of death. “Pleased to meet you—pleased to meet you. I bring greetings from Lord Samuer on his behalf.”
“Kill them—all of them,” Masha said viciously, spitting out another mouthful of blood. “Don’t leave a single one alive. They know my secrets now.”
There was no longer a trace of fear in Masha’s eyes. She was well aware of the strength of the people before her. Even the City Guard couldn’t stand against Samuer’s trusted aides.
“Lord Samuer said you still have use. You can’t die here, Madam Masha.”
The Beastman Priest clearly didn’t take the people before him seriously either. He leisurely helped Masha up and fed her some kind of medicine.
“Because you still have use, after I kill these people, I’ll leave you heavily injured too. That way, you can explain it as being attacked by the Beastmen Clan outside the city— it’ll be more believable.”
Masha shuddered and looked at the priest in disbelief. “You’re not taking me with you? Samuer promised me that if I was exposed, he would allow me to live in the Beastmen Clan’s territory!”
“Once you’re out of Camberlan City, you’re useless. Lord Samuer hopes you can still be of use.”
The Beastman Priest didn’t care about Masha’s thoughts at all. He slowly took a few steps forward, his wrinkled, green, ugly face turning toward the crowd.
Masha gritted her teeth and said no more. She should have foreseen this when she chose to collaborate with the Beastmen Clan.
At least, according to the Beastman Priest’s method, she still had a way to survive. If the City Guard captured her, under the charge of treason, she would have no way out at all.
Everyone present felt an invisible pressure. Whether it was the City Guard or Selina, they all wore grave expressions. They hadn’t expected Masha to be so ruthless even to herself. The hunched Beastman Priest before them didn’t look like an easy opponent.
“All of you, fall back—I’ll handle him.”
Xiliya’s expression was also serious. Unlike the others, she quickly adjusted herself into a combat-ready state.
Xiliya didn’t choose to have the City Guard soldiers help. These guards were just ordinary people, and numbers wouldn’t give them an advantage against a powerful mage. It was better to face him one-on-one.
As for Selina and Ximo, Xiliya naturally classified them as objects to protect.
As Xiliya chanted, a magic barrier unfolded in front of her. A gleam of cunning flashed in the Beastman Priest’s turbid eyes. He sniffed the air hard like a wild beast.
“It’s you,” the Beastman Priest realized with sudden clarity. “I recognize your magic aura. So it was you at the warehouse before.”
Masha was stunned upon hearing this. She then looked at Xiliya in disbelief, instantly realizing that Xiliya was the so-called vigilante the City Guard hadn’t identified!
“How is that possible?”
Masha’s gaze was like poisoned venom. She clearly remembered checking Xiliya with a magic crystal—she should have had no magic talent at all!
