Read Novel Full Chapter 678: Pursuit! (3)
Chapter 678: Pursuit! (3)
"Hah... Hah... Hah... Finally, we’re out of that damn place," Erkan muttered with a grim expression.
Nethravel Valley was a place he never wanted to set foot in again for the rest of his life.
It was there that he had nearly died. It was there, too, that his soldiers had suffered—half of them perishing.
He hadn’t just suffered a loss. He had been humiliated to the core.
After composing himself, he turned to Thousand Faces and asked, "Where are they now?"
Thousand Faces narrowed his eyes and replied, "One kilometer from here. If we chase them now, we’ll definitely catch them."
Erkan’s smile widened. "Alright. I understand."
He raised his right hand and ordered, "Everyone! Nolan Lorian and Seira Lorian are ahead! Return to your positions and chase them down!"
The soldiers, who had looked exhausted moments ago, immediately perked up. With a thunderous shout, they replied, "Yes, General!"
***
Whoosh!
Nolan’s horse galloped at breakneck speed. It weaved left and right, effortlessly dodging the dense trees.
Seira clung tightly to Nolan’s waist. The fierce wind lashed against her face, making it impossible for her to keep her eyes open.
"Nolan, be careful! If the horse crashes into a tree, we’ll both die!" she warned.
Nolan gave a faint smile and replied casually, "Don’t worry, Sister. Don’t you trust my skills?"
Seira fell silent. She could clearly see how skilled Nolan was at riding.
Her earlier warning had simply slipped out instinctively.
As the horse sped forward, the sound of pounding hooves suddenly echoed from behind.
Both of them stiffened and instinctively turned their heads. Erkan and his army were chasing after them.
Although they were still far away, their presence alone terrified Seira.
"N-Nolan! They’ve caught up!" she cried in panic.
"Oh? How surprising. In that case, hold on tight." Nolan smiled playfully. "I’m going to speed up."
As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked the horse, and its speed instantly doubled.
"Damn it! They’re getting faster!" Erkan growled.
He turned to Thousand Faces, who was flying beside him, and ordered, "Attack them with your magic. But remember—don’t hurt them. Understand?"
Thousand Faces simply smiled, then shot up into the sky.
From his position, he could clearly lock onto Nolan and Seira, who were racing through the forest at terrifying speed.
"It’s truly sad to see a prince and princess reduced to fugitives," he muttered. "If I get directly involved, I’ll surely become a target of the Great Velmora Empire."
He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "But I’ve already stepped into this. There’s no turning back now."
He closed his eyes and raised his magic staff high.
"Infernum Sancta," he whispered.
Whoosh!
A fireball appeared out of thin air. It was enormous, nearly five meters in diameter.
However, unlike ordinary fireball spells, this one looked different. It burned a deep crimson, and an intense wave of heat radiated from it.
Anyone with sharp senses could tell it was terrifyingly hot—hot enough to burn anything to ash.
Thousand Faces smirked. "If they end up dying, it won’t be my fault, right?"
Without hesitation, he hurled the fireball toward Nolan and Seira at incredible speed.
Seira suddenly sensed danger from behind. When she looked up, her face turned pale.
"Nolan, we’re under attack!"
Nolan looked up as well, then gave a faint smile.
"Don’t worry. It’s nothing."
He raised his left hand and whispered, "Golem Hand!"
RRRRRMMMMM!
The ground beneath them shook violently. The next moment, a giant hand made of clay erupted from the earth and blocked the fireball.
The sight was shocking—not only to Seira, but also to Thousand Faces and Erkan in the distance.
"W-What? How is that possible?" Thousand Faces exclaimed in horror. "Nolan Lorian actually has magical power?"
All this time, he had regarded Nolan as nothing more than an ordinary man—the infamous trash prince.
Unexpectedly, Nolan had been hiding his strength... and the fact that he was a mage.
Once his shock subsided, a sinister grin spread across Thousand Faces’ face.
"But that’s all. Your opponent is me—Thousand Faces, the Celestial Mage! No matter how strong you are, you’re still no match for me!"
He tossed his staff into the air, then clasped his palms together.
"Infernal Bloom!"
Whoosh!
A giant flower made of fire formed in the sky. Its blazing glow lit up the dark forest, accompanied by a wave of scorching heat.
"Hahaha! Can you stop this one, Nolan Lorian?"
The fiery flower began to bloom, and the temperature soared again, burning everything within hundreds of meters.
"Come!"
He hurled the flower of flames toward Nolan and Seira.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted, and the raging fire instantly engulfed the surrounding forest.
Erkan and his troops had no choice but to stop. They watched the scene with a mix of awe and fear.
"Hit by an attack like that... they must be dead, right?" one soldier muttered.
The others nodded in agreement. Being burned by ordinary fire was enough to turn a person into ash, let alone being struck directly by a massive fire flower.
If their bodies were even still intact, it would already be a miracle.
The flames didn’t stop. They continued to devour everything around them. Since they were in a forest, the fire quickly spread in all directions, forcing Erkan and his soldiers to retreat as fast as possible.
"Thousand Faces, put out this fire now! Otherwise, it’ll burn down the entire forest!" Erkan shouted.
He didn’t want to be blamed by the royal family for setting the forest ablaze. Moreover, countless powerful monsters were hiding within it.
If he provoked them, the casualties wouldn’t be limited to his own troops—and that was the last thing he wanted.
Thousand Faces waved his hand, and the flames vanished as swiftly as a gust of wind.
The stench of burning lingered in the air. Black smoke rose and blanketed the sky, and nothing remained except scorched earth and piles of ash.
Thousand Faces landed to Erkan’s right and gave a faint smirk.
"What do you think? They’re definitely dead this time," he said proudly.
Erkan gritted his teeth and snapped, "You’re completely insane! I only told you to hold them off, not kill them! Now how am I supposed to explain this to His Majesty?"
Thousand Faces shrugged. "That’s not my problem."
"You..." Erkan wanted nothing more than to punch him, but he quickly restrained himself.
There was no denying it—he and his troops had made it this far thanks to Thousand Faces.
Erkan massaged his temples, about to speak again, when a soldier’s voice suddenly rang out beside him.
"L-Look! That white light... Could it be Prince Nolan Lorian and Princess Seira Lorian?"
Everyone, including Erkan and Thousand Faces, turned toward the direction he pointed.
In the distance, they saw a milky-white ball of light moving rapidly away.
Erkan’s eyes widened. "It’s them, damn it!"