Crash!

Somewhere far from the Dragon Nest Tribe, in a rushing river, the utterly exhausted and drenched Edward grabbed onto a tree root on the riverbank. Using his last ounce of strength, he hauled himself ashore with a roll.

Having spent his final bit of energy, Edward lay flat on his back, soaking wet and disheveled, gasping for air as he stared up at the sky, his eyes seemingly devoid of spirit.

"Valen, my brother…"

Recalling that final moment, his hands involuntarily clenched into fists, nails digging into his flesh, and blood dripped down.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let you take such risks…"

Edward's eyes turned bloodshot, and his voice became choked.

Thinking back to that initial accidental friendship he formed with Brother Valen, and then how time and again during their adventures, Brother Valen took care of him, being more than a big brother to him, more like family.

But now, because of his own fault, that most respected Brother Valen found himself in the hands of that malevolent Blue Dragon, with little chance of survival.

And those mercenaries, after many days traveling together, had formed a profound friendship with him.

Yet now, it was all destroyed, everything gone!

Sorrow spread through Edward's heart like a small venomous snake worming through his veins.

He was too arrogant, thinking that he could deal with that orphan dragon with his wisdom. It was his stubbornness that led to this, leaving the entire mercenary squad, including Brother Valen, without survivors.

Indeed, in Edward's heart, those who fell into the hands of that evil Blue Young Dragon were destined to die, with no chance of survival.

The raid had caused heavy losses to the evil Blue Young Dragon's clan underlings, and Edward knew nothing good awaited those captured by the Blue Young Dragon.

"Rest assured, Brother Valen, and all the members of the mercenary corps, I, Edward, swear here and now, even if it takes my entire life, I will annihilate that evil Blue Dragon, strip its sinews and bones, and let it die in agonizing howls with the cruelest means for your vengeance!"

At this moment, Edward's Knight's Sword had fallen somewhere unknown, so he picked up a sharp stone from the ground, slashed open his right hand, allowing the crimson blood to drip onto the ground as he gazed resolutely upstream, swearing a blood oath.

After resting for quite a while, barely replenishing his energy, Edward roused himself, suppressing the endless guilt in his heart, and determinedly staggered northward.

For messing up everything, ultimately costing the attacks of his former companions, Edward felt profound regret in his heart, but there was one thing he was sure of, that if the Dragon Nest Tribe continued to develop, it would certainly sweep across the Barbaric Land of the Kawa Great Forest, becoming a formidable adversary to the Southern Countries.

From the lessons of this failed raid, Edward understood this point even more.

With just some wooden spear equipment, in merely two years, it had shown such formidable power. If given time to develop, that evil Blue Young Dragon could grow into a massive Beastman Empire, which wasn't impossible.

He needed to leave the Barbaric Land of the Kawa Great Forest and head to the Southern Countries, seeking the help of various kings and dukes.

He needed to tell them,

The crisis had arrived!

...

"A Half-Legendary Great Mage's legacy?"

After interrogating the captured mercenaries, the news left Austin both astonished and furrowed-browed.

According to the mercenaries, roughly six months ago, the blond noble heir Edward had come to find the Mercenary Captain Valen, and spent a hefty sum to hire them to venture into the Kawa Great Forest, supposedly seeking a Half-Legendary Great Mage's legacy.

Although the peril-laden Kawa Great Forest was a hazardous place, for the sake of gold coins, and also due to the decent friendship between the blond noble heir and Captain Valen, they accepted the mission to escort him deep into the Kawa Great Forest to search.

Even though the mercenaries said their raid on the Dragon Nest Tribe was purely accidental, when they found the place, they learned from small stray tribes about a Dragon Nest built by a Blue Young Dragon that had developed into a regional overlord within two short years. The noble heir Edward became curious and led his men to investigate, discovering the future threat of this Dragon Nest Tribe to the Human World, and eventually, tempting the mercenaries into launching a series of attacks, leading to this result.

On the surface, it seemed like a mere accident.

But Austin didn't think so. Simply put, the Kawa Great Forest's area was almost comparable to Austin's previous life's Russia, and the Dragon Nest Tribe's occupied territory was but a drop in the ocean, so how could they coincidentally stumble upon the Dragon Nest Tribe?

Unless from the start, their route was aimed in this direction.

Moreover, within the Dragon Nest Tribe's territory, a Mage's relic indeed existed.

Not long ago, Austin found a Red Crystal capable of activating the Flame Burst Technique and a ring capable of activating the Vine Technique within that relic, both handed to the Fox-faced Man Quik, greatly enhancing his power.

From the relic's condition back then, its owner left hastily due to certain matters, but may still have reached Half-Legendary status later, leaving behind extremely secretive matters, which by coincidence, ended up with Edward, eventually drawing in this squad of mercenaries.

It wasn't just possible; it had to be like this!

What Edward was searching for was certainly related to the legacy of that Gold Level Great Mage.

From the beast skin notes back then, Austin didn't glean much information, but from the sporadic phrases, it seemed that the Great Mage uncovered some astonishing secret, pushing the noble heir Edward to venture across mountains and rivers despite dangers, leading to the discovery of the Dragon Nest Tribe nearby, and triggering the subsequent series of events.

"Even if it was a calamity without reason, it's inevitable. Damn, what on earth did that Mage discover, and what did he leave behind!"

Gazing at the reservoir lake not far from the Dragon Nest Tribe, Austin's eyes grew deep and contemplative.

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