Chapter 275: Escape from the Town

After Penny’s final instruction, her dreamlike figure shimmered and transformed into a circular archway of light.

Saul knew at once—this was the only way out.

He hoisted the old madman onto his back, suppressed the inexpressible sorrow in his heart, and sprinted toward the archway.

The moment Saul leapt through it, a blinding light shot directly into his eyes. It burned painfully, forcing tears to stream down his cheeks.

And just as Saul left the clock tower, the blood tide abandoned Angela’s corpse and surged forth again, flooding the room.

As he passed through the portal, Saul seemed to hear a voice faintly calling out twice—”Brother…”

The next step he took landed him squarely on cracked, parched earth.

When he looked up, he found himself in the middle of a barren wilderness.

The horizon was beginning to pale with light.

Dawn had arrived.

Just as Saul was wondering how to take care of the old madman, a familiar harp melody drifted from behind him.

He turned around—there, reclining beneath a sparse, scraggly tree, was Victor.

No—Kismet!

“Damn it, walked right into him!” Saul’s heart clenched.

Before sending him out, Penny had specifically warned him to avoid being caught by Kismet. She had even sent him far from Grind Sail Town to make his escape easier.

But she clearly hadn’t expected to drop Saul directly into the enemy’s hands.

The brief melody came to a close, and before the final note vanished, Kismet sang a haunting coda, filled with winding turns and wistful flourishes.

“In dreams… a farewell, for now…”

He set down his harp and tilted his head toward Saul, his eyes narrowing with a smile that carried a vague, unreadable sorrow.

“Congratulations, Master. You’ve obtained the past.”

Saul’s heartbeat quickened. He had a feeling—Kismet was acting again!

In fact, before Penny had sent Saul out, two others had arrived at the formation of graves outside Grind Sail Town, seemingly intent on entering.

One of them wore an outrageously sexy maid outfit, yet moved with the grace and dignity of a noble princess.

Behind her trailed a pale-faced apprentice wizard.

He was clearly trying not to stare at the maid’s long, shapely legs, but every time he accidentally glanced in that direction, his face would twitch painfully, and he’d wrench his gaze away.

Wright followed behind the maid, holding a small bundle in his arms.

That maid was a puppet he’d brought back to the Wizard Tower. The soul within had once been a high-ranking member of the Land Drifters. But after being incinerated by Lady Yura’s attack, that soul had been reduced to ashes.

All the goods sent by the Land Drifters had naturally been confiscated—after all, they had violated the rules first by sending a spy into the Tower.

After the battle, Lady Yura, who moved like a living shadow, inexplicably chose to enter the puppet’s body herself. She then set off with Wright, strolling leisurely back as though on a spring outing.

Every time Wright remembered that the soul inside the puppet was the Tower Master’s wife, his heart would flutter with excitement. But the very next second, the reminder would make his liver tremble with fear.

So his eyes spasmed like they were having seizures, darting about restlessly.

“This town feels… odd,” Yura murmured, pressing a delicate finger against her chin.

“Yeah, looks like a curse source is being cultivated here,” Wright finally steadied his thoughts when it came to business. “But it’s strange—why would there be a curse source in a place like this?”

“I doubt it’s a true curse source,” Yura said, gazing into the town.

Grind Sail Town was eerily silent.

No voices. No insects or birds. No smoke rising from chimneys.

But for a place nurturing a curse, this wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary.

Then, Yura’s nostrils flared slightly. A heavy, cloying scent of blood seemed to hang in the air.

“Let’s go take a look. Don’t go in yet.”

The two approached the gates of Grind Sail Town. Yura placed a hand lightly on the door, as if to probe the situation inside.

But the moment her hand made contact, she jerked it back as if burned.

“What’s wrong, my lady?” Wright asked quickly.

“…I hear the sea.”

“…Huh?”

Just as Wright was about to see what she meant by a “sea in the desert,” the town gate creaked open slightly.

And then—

Countless streams of blood surged toward the opening. But when they reached half a meter outside the gate, they halted—as though solidified, stuck like jelly.

“Weird. It’s just blood, isn’t it? Why won’t it flow out? Someone must be controlling it,” Wright thought, mentally firing off a barrage of questions.

Just then, Yura grabbed Wright’s shoulder and pulled him back five or six steps.

“Something’s coming.”

As soon as they stopped, Wright saw a shadowy figure staggering toward them through the blood.

He immediately went on alert.

“Heh, must be someone trying to escape after going in earlier. But that cursed domain clearly isn’t easy to leave. And this blood carries powerful corruption—he might not make it even if he escapes…”

Just as Yura was preparing to watch the show, she suddenly fell silent, eyes locked on the approaching “lucky survivor.”

“That silhouette looks familiar,” Wright said, beginning to recognize the figure too.

At last, the shadow broke through the wall of blood. His face emerged before them.

“Billy?!” Wright gasped.

Billy looked terrible—utterly wretched.

He had made it halfway through the blood curtain, but the crimson sea clung to his skin like glue, stretching and distorting every time he tried to break free, until finally it snapped with a wet pop, accompanied by a furious screech.

Billy was a powerful Third Rank apprentice—among the most promising candidates for becoming a True Wizard.

The moment he’d entered the blood sea, he’d realized Penny had lied to him.

Not that it surprised him much.

He had studied curses deeply for his poison research—even performed countless live experiments, including on himself.

So he understood: the red beam did point to the exit. The only real problem… was the blood sea, the curse’s most lethal weapon.

If he could endure it, he could escape.

But when he finally pushed open the gate, Billy realized he had underestimated not the sea’s lethality—but its stickiness.

The farther he ran, the harder it pulled him back.

Worse still, he’d already exhausted every last drop of magic and used up all his protective scrolls.

“Ghh-uh!” he groaned, skin tearing with every step.

Yet even so, after making it three or four meters beyond the gate, his body was starting to be dragged back again.

One slip—and it was over.

He lifted his head, his face grotesquely twisted—

Then, his eyes lit up. Two people!

Wright—and the puppet.

Especially the puppet!

He recognized the soul inside instantly.

“Help… me…”

That flicker of hope gave him a burst of strength. He thrust out a bloodied arm, reaching toward the puppet.

“Don’t touch me,” Yura snapped, frowning.

At the sound of her voice, Billy actually flinched and drew back his hand.

But his bloodshot eyes remained locked on her.

“Please… save me…”

His lips were mangled; every word was a struggle.

Yura looked like she was going to scold him again, but seeing him obey her command to not touch her, her expression turned curious. Her eyes lingered on the threads of cursed blood clinging to him.

“You know, I’m not a Second Rank anymore,” she said lightly. “I can’t touch that stuff.”

“Please… save… gray matter… with me…”

Billy could barely speak. He knew Yura was his only hope now, and he prayed that he was still of some use to her.

Yura brushed a lock of hair from her chest and smiled.

“I’m no Gorsa—I can’t cleanse a curse. But… I can transfer it.”

The moment she said that, Wright—who had just been enjoying the show—broke into a cold sweat.

Without another word, he turned and flew off into the distance.

(End of Chapter)

If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.