Chapter 142. True and False Reports
“Absolutely true.”
Odyssey V answered at once, his tone sharp and decisive.
“My Ancestor saw it with his own eyes. That old serpent is shedding its skin within the Magic Serpent Fortress, and the aura around it has already begun to grow unstable. It is clearly a sign of an imminent breakthrough. If you keep dragging this out, we’ll all be finished together.”
After ending the communication, Odyssey V collapsed to the floor, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
The old man looked at him, his expression complicated.
“Whether we live or die depends on this gamble.”
Kroll II placed the Communication Crystal on the desk, his fingertips lightly tracing its smooth surface as his brows knit tightly together.
Odyssey V’s words were like a thorn buried in his heart. A hydra breaking through to Demigod?
If that were true, then this would not be a disaster for Silver Oakleaf alone. Every neighboring kingdom would be dragged into it.
Even if the Ancient Council killed that hydra by then, the Kroll Kingdom would probably no longer exist.
After pondering for a mont, he finally picked up another crystal and connected to William’s channel.
“William.”
Kroll II’s voice carried a trace of gravity.
“Odyssey V just sent word that there is an old serpent in the Hydra Clan on the verge of breaking through to Demigod.”
There was silence on the other end for a mont before William’s steady voice ca through.
“What do you intend to do, Father?”
“I do not intend to report it to the Ancient Council.”
Kroll II spoke frankly.
“If the information is false, and we report it rashly, we will only give others grounds to accuse us. We might even be charged with ‘disrupting regional order.’ The Kroll Kingdom cannot bear that risk.”
He paused, his tone probing.
“I was thinking... could we trouble Dragon Island’s Grand Elder one more ti? The Dragon Clan is the most sensitive to the aura of these ancient beasts. Perhaps he can tell whether it is true or false.”
William’s breathing clearly hitched for a mont.
The other end fell silent for a long ti, so long that Kroll II almost thought the signal had been cut.
“Father.”
William’s voice finally sounded again, carrying a hint of hesitation.
“We have already called upon Dragon Island’s goodwill once. During the last incident at the Magic Serpent Fortress, the Grand Elder already intervened. If we trouble him again...”
He did not continue, but the aning was obvious. The Dragon Clan’s goodwill was not inexhaustible. Every favor used was one less remaining.
Especially since the next aptitude test for the Dragon Clan’s hatchlings would not take place for another ten years.
If they troubled him this ti, then if they needed to borrow the Dragon Clan’s strength again in the future, even if William asked, there was no guarantee anyone would co. After all, Dragon Island’s Grand Elder was not William’s personal bodyguard.
Kroll II sighed.
“I know. But this matter is too serious. If a hydra truly breaks through to Demigod, then I fear the Kroll Kingdom will not survive long enough for the Continental Council’s reinforcents to arrive.”
He looked out the window. The sunlight was just right, yet it could not dispel the worry in his eyes.
“You only need to ask the Grand Elder whether he can sense any unusual activity in the direction of the Magic Serpent Fortress. I am not asking him to take action. I only need a definite answer.”
William fell silent for a mont, but in the end he still agreed.
“All right. I’ll try.”
After the communication was cut off, William stood atop the watchtower of Iron Skull Fortress, gazing in the direction of Dragon Island with tightly furrowed brows.
In the end, he drew that Dragon Scale from his robe. It glimred with a faint golden light and felt warm in his hand.
He took a deep breath and slowly poured the Mana within his body into it. The patterns on the scale lit up at once, as though a tiny golden serpent were swimming across its surface.
A mont later, the Grand Elder’s deep, steady voice rang directly in his mind like a great bell.
“Little William, what trouble have you run into this ti?”
William bowed respectfully toward the source of the voice.
“Grand Elder, forgive the disturbance. The situation is this...”
He relayed Odyssey V’s claim word for word, that an old hydra was about to break through to Demigod, his tone carrying a trace of uncertainty.
There was silence on the other end of the Dragon Scale for a mont. Only the faint sound of wind ca through, as though soone were flying swiftly through the upper sky.
After about ten minutes, the Grand Elder’s voice sounded again, carrying a trace of gravity that was difficult to detect.
“Little William... you really have hit the jackpot.”
William’s heart sank violently.
“In the depths of the Magic Serpent Fortress, there truly is an old hydra shedding and transforming. The energy fluctuations around it have already touched the threshold of Demigod.”
The Grand Elder’s voice ca through the Dragon Scale with a tallic weight.
“At that rate, given enough flesh and blood, it will fully break through in at most another month.”
William felt a chill run down his back. Forcing down the fear in his heart, he bowed again.
“Thank you, Grand Elder, for making the trip. I’ve truly troubled you.”
“It’s nothing.”
The Grand Elder paused, and a hint of amusent entered his voice.
“Would you like to take care of it for you while I’m at it?”
William shook his head almost at once.
“Thank you for your kindness, Grand Elder, but there is no need.”
The Grand Elder did not seem surprised. He rely gave a simple “Mm.”
“Very well. If there is nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
“My respectful regards, Grand Elder.”
William bowed again. Only when the golden light on the Dragon Scale had completely faded did he straighten up, his palms already slick with cold sweat.
He turned to look in the direction of the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom, his brows tightly furrowed.
So there really was a hydra about to break through to Demigod... now the matter had beco truly troubleso.
William imdiately connected to Kroll II’s Communication Crystal. The mont the crystal lit up, he spoke.
“Father, Dragon Island’s Grand Elder has already confird it. There truly is an old hydra in the Magic Serpent Fortress that is about to break through to Demigod. It is expected to complete its transformation within a month.”
The breathing on the other end suddenly stopped for an instant, followed by the faint sound of fingers tightening around the crystal casing.
Kroll II’s voice trembled in a way he could not conceal.
“Good... good, I understand, William.”
Before his words had even fully fallen, the communication was hastily cut off.
Less than an hour later, a fierce gale rose over the Kroll Royal Capital.
Escorted by six Legendary Powerhouses, Kroll II shot toward the central region of the Eight Kingdoms like a stream of light.
The auras radiating from them churned the clouds above, startling even the birds into scattered flight.
Two days later, they arrived at a plain shrouded in mist. From afar, a vast palace suddenly appeared before their eyes.
The entire palace was built of white jade, its soaring spires piercing the heavens. Countless glowing crystals were embedded into its walls, illuminating the murals until they seed almost alive.
The murals depicted people of many races and all manner of strange beasts, all prostrating themselves before the phantom silhouette of a human figure at the very top of the palace, as though singing the praises of so supre existence.
Kroll II led his n inside. Looking at the giant gate carved with ancient runes, he drew a deep breath.
A faint pressure filled the air. It was more restrained than the aura of Dragon Island’s Grand Elder, yet even more vast, and it stirred reverence in everyone present.
“Your Majesty, this place is...?” one of the Legendary Powerhouses asked quietly, his eyes filled with both curiosity and caution.
Though they stood among Legends, this was also their first ti setting foot upon this land of myth.
“This is the Oracle Conduit established by the Ancient Council.”
As he spoke, Kroll II stepped forward and took a fragnt from his Spatial Ring, pressing it against the giant gate.
The runes lit up instantly, spreading along his palm as the massive door slowly opened inward, revealing a deep passage beyond.
“You need not enter. Stand guard outside and wait. Even if any creature arrives, do not stop it. Pretend you saw nothing,” he ordered, then stepped inside.
The six Legendary Powerhouses exchanged glances and quickly ford ranks outside the gate, their eyes sweeping the surroundings in vigilance.
A faint echo ca from within the palace, as though countless ancient eyes were watching everything from the darkness.
Kroll II walked down the passage. The jade floor beneath his feet was polished like a mirror, reflecting his taut figure.
At the end of the passage was a circular hall. Twelve Coiling Dragon Pillars supported the do above, and at the center stood a stone platform bearing twelve seats engraved with different clan emblems.
Those were the seats of the twelve Permanent Councilors of the Ancient Council.
At this mont, the hall was empty, with only the sound of his footsteps echoing through it.
Kroll II walked to the center of the hall and bowed deeply toward the empty seats.
“The King of the Kroll Kingdom seeks an audience. This concerns a hydra breaking through to Demigod, a matter that endangers the safety of all. I respectfully ask the Council to render judgnt.”
His voice spread through the hall, striking the stone pillars and producing a deep humming echo.
A mont later, all twelve seats lit up at the sa ti. One after another, voices ca from the void, so ancient, so majestic, all carrying a weight that seed to transcend ti and space.
“Speak, King of Kroll.”
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