Chapter 146: The Kaleidoscope Eye

In the Goblin City, the Second Knights Order launched their third assault on the teleportation array. The werewolf warriors howled fiercely, throwing themselves recklessly into defending their positions. Though outnumbered, the knights struggled to break through their defenses.

Suddenly, a flash of golden light streaked across the battlefield, causing the werewolf lines to collapse instantly.

Without hesitation, the knights surged forward.

“Lord Prophet!” Brook turned back, his face alight with joy at the sight.

Lin Lei, accompanied by the elves, approached calmly. “I need an explanation.”

Brook paused, then nodded slightly. He understood what Lin Lei meant — those four fruits were extremely important. Brook had brought them along, and now they had been endangered; he owed an explanation.

“Once this battle is over, I will give you an answer,” Brook promised.

“The Little Prince!”

“The Little Prince, save us!”

The fruits, tearful and desperate, saw Lin Lei and tried to run toward him, but a sharp glare from Lin Lei sent them scurrying away in fright.

“How terrifying!”

The werewolves chasing the fruits hesitated when they saw Lin Lei and his group but ultimately continued the pursuit. Those fruits meant everything to them.

With the elves and the First Knights Order joining the fray, the Second Knights’ advance quickened dramatically. The werewolves were routed like a collapsing mountain, and one teleportation array was destroyed.

“You despicable undressing fiend!”

“Run for your lives!”

The werewolf soldiers were left as naked lambs by Lin Lei’s swordsmanship, their defensive lines shattered one by one.

Lin Lei’s sword technique not only inflicted humiliation but, more importantly, could destroy armor. Even the most shameless werewolf troops, once stripped of their vital protection, had no choice but to retreat.

The paladins succeeded in destroying the second teleportation array.

“What’s going on with that teleportation array?” Lin Lei noticed a glowing teleporter in the distance. Unlike the usual light, it radiated a vivid crimson hue, like fresh blood, and was heavily guarded by numerous werewolves.

“That teleportation array is problematic. We need to deal with it first!”

Without hesitation, Lin Lei led the paladins charging toward the array.

The werewolves quickly assembled ahead.

“Solitary Sword Technique!” Lin Lei swung his sword.

A whirlwind-like silhouette appeared before the werewolf ranks.

Lin Lei’s sword energy struck the figure but vanished silently without a trace.

“You won’t destroy this teleportation array,” said a middle-aged werewolf clad in crimson armor etched with swords and thorns. Lin Lei’s sword energy was absorbed by the armor.

“Who are you?” Lin Lei asked. It was the first time he had seen the emblem of the Holy Lodi Empire on the battlefield. Ordinary werewolves never bore such markings; this man’s identity was clearly significant.

“Lord Prophet, he’s the commander of these werewolves, extremely powerful!” Brook warned, having just clashed with the werewolf. The enemy’s strength was terrifying.

Yet, this werewolf paid no attention to the other teleportation arrays—he remained here guarding this one. Had Lin Lei not come, they would never have encountered him.

“I’ve figured it out,” Lin Lei replied to Brook. This man harbored a terrifying power within, posing the greatest threat among all the werewolves. He was a warrior, meaning Lin Lei’s attacks might not be able to kill him.

“I am Philip,” the werewolf answered Lin Lei’s question but withheld his full identity.

Philip, having witnessed Lin Lei’s swordsmanship, was curious about his identity. “Those fruits called you Little Prince, but who are you really?”

With such a remarkable sword technique and humans’ paladins willing to follow Lin Lei’s command, Philip was convinced he must be someone of importance—perhaps—

“I am the eighteenth-generation successor of the Dark Culinary Guild,” Lin Lei said casually, naming the “Azure Song” sword, speaking nonsense. “Don’t block my way.”

“Dark Culinary Guild?” Philip frowned slightly—had he guessed wrong?

He had never heard of the Dark Culinary Guild, but Lin Lei’s expression didn’t seem deceitful. Perhaps it was like the Valkyries or the Seventh Intelligence Agency—a secret organization protecting the world from the shadows?

“Forget it...” Philip shook his head and waved his hand. His sword flew automatically into his grasp.

“Solitary Sword Technique!”

Lin Lei launched the first attack, a crescent-shaped arc of sword energy shooting toward Philip.

Philip nodded slightly. “Not bad!”

He pushed his sword forward; crimson sword energy clashed against the golden light.

‘Buzz—’ The two sword energies collided and instantly vanished.

“How is this possible!” Lin Lei’s eyes widened. His sword energy had been dissolved without even a ripple.

“This is getting too noisy; the teleportation array behind me will be in trouble,” Philip squinted. His sorcerers had arrived much faster than expected.

A rotting aura of death suddenly appeared in the air, and a group of werewolves clad in black robes emerged from the teleportation array behind Philip.

“Threat level medium, threat level medium... threat level medium!” At the moment these black-robed werewolves appeared, Lin Lei sensed their aura.

Each black-robed werewolf radiated a moderate threat level, comparable to the royal mages, and their aura felt remarkably similar—these were a group of mages.

Sorcerers—Lin Lei’s royal mages drew their staves, warily eyeing the black-robed werewolves. The sense of death emanating from them was all too familiar.

It was demonic power.

The sorcerers advanced cautiously as Lin Lei noticed the glowing red eyes beneath their hoods. Each black-robed mage carried a staff crafted from skulls, evoking chills.

“Evil mages!”

The royal mages confirmed their identities. “They are sorcerers wielding demonic power.”

The paladins were shocked and then grew furious.

During the ancient wars, some mages mastered demonic power; these were known as evil mages.

Their greatest difference from other mages was that their power grew by devouring life itself!

Every powerful evil mage commanded at least tens of thousands of crimson lives.

“Lord Prophet, did you see their eyes?” Brook’s tone was grave. “These evil mages possess the Kaleidoscope Eye, a high-level mage trait. To ascend to high rank, they must personally kill their most beloved and fashion their skull into a staff—supposedly to understand the true essence of life.”

Lin Lei stared at the bone staves in the sorcerers’ hands, a cold chill running down his spine.

“Those are the skulls of their loved ones?”

Others gasped in shock.

“Isn’t that a cat’s skull?”

“What kind of eyesight do you have? That’s clearly a dog’s skull...”