Water Magician-Chapter 537: The Leader

Editor: Tseirp

Jun Luo was retreating while fighting at the rear.

The gray goblins swung their clubs wildly.

Since goblins were only as tall as a human’s chest, their clubs were not particularly large either.

Thus, their attacks were not very powerful.

However, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

Even for the experienced Jun Luo, continuously fighting multiple opponents at once was no easy task.

Still, with the swordsman Loso on his left and the scout Chunk on his right, he only had to deal with enemies in front of him.

That was what kept them going.

At that moment, far in the distance… beyond the swarm of goblins—he saw a person.

…Or so he thought.

“A person?”

Had someone heard Jun Luo’s murmur?

As expected of a scout. Chunk also turned his gaze beyond the goblins.

“It looks like a person.”

With just that, Chunk returned to battle.

Being a scout, combat was not his primary role.

That meant he did not have the luxury of observing while fighting.

And yet, the fact that he was holding his own against a horde of goblins showed that he was a first-rate adventurer.

With Jun Luo, Chunk, and Loso holding the rear guard, the party fought off the goblins attacking from the flanks as they pressed on toward the village.

“This is the last hill.”

Jun Luo said to Chunk and Loso.

Everyone except the three of them began running downhill.

A quick glance revealed a sturdy fence surrounding the village.

“You two, go! Jump inside the fence!”

At Jun Luo’s signal, Chunk and Loso sprinted forward.

Once he confirmed their movement, Jun Luo also broke into a run.

The goblins, not far behind, rushed down the hill after them.

Jun Luo felt a pang of regret for leading the goblins straight to the village—but he also knew it was the right choice.

Fighting in the village was better than fighting in the wilderness.

The fence had been built before they left, making it an easier place to defend.

Seeing the well-constructed barrier reassured him that his decision was not a mistake.

Besides, within the lower-ranked squads, those two should be there as well.

He wasn’t sure exactly how strong they were, but…

Just as he was thinking that, Jun Luo stumbled on a rock.

In an instant, he realized he had twisted his right ankle.

“Damn it!”

But it was already too late.

He tried to get up immediately, but his right ankle wouldn’t support him.

And the goblins were closing in…

“.”

Spears of ice flew over Jun Luo, piercing through the goblins that had been charging toward him.

At the same time, a black-cloaked swordsman appeared, hoisted him onto their shoulder without a word, and ran.

Without stopping, they rushed into the village… inside the fence.

“UOOOOHHHHH!”

Cheers erupted.

Those who did not cheer shed tears.

They were overjoyed not only that Jun Luo had been saved but also that they had survived.

The calmest of them all was the swordsman who had carried Jun Luo.

After setting him down, they handed him a potion.

“You’re Jun Luo, right? Looks like you’re mostly fine apart from your ankle, but you’ve got bruises all over. Must’ve been the goblins’ clubs…”

“Yeah. You’re Abel, right? There were just too many of them. What about the others…?”

“Some have minor injuries, but everyone made it back. You led them well.”

Abel nodded as he answered.

Indeed, all sixty members of the frontline unit had successfully retreated to the village.

As Abel carried Jun Luo into the fenced area, the goblins suddenly halted.

They were not hesitating over whether to continue their pursuit.

Rather, it seemed like they were waiting for something or someone’s command…

“That…?”

The one who murmured was Deputy Governor Fu Ten.

His gaze was fixed on the hill Jun Luo and the others had just descended.

There, something other than goblins stood.

“A person…?”

This time, it was Abel who spoke.

Standing beside Abel were Ryo and Fu Ten.

They had also heard his words.

“It looks human, but… something seems mixed in.”

Ryo replied.

“Mixed in? That phrase sounds familiar.”

Abel tilted his head, trying to recall.

“Hm, ah! That’s right, Duke Helb!”

“Now that you mention it, Ryo, you said the same thing when we saw Duke Helb.”

“Yes. And that person on the hill gives off the same feeling as him. Like a mix of a human and something else.”

Ryo nodded repeatedly.

Fu Ten, who had been listening, glanced at them and asked.

“Do you know what that is?”

“I’m not certain. But… I think I might have encountered a similar being before.”

Ryo gave a vague answer.

He wasn’t confident enough to say for sure.

“It clearly seems to be controlling the gray goblins… did the one you saw before do the same?”

“No, they weren’t controlling anything.”

Ryo shook his head at Fu Ten’s question.

Then, he made a suggestion.

“Shall we call out to it and confirm?”

“Can you?”

“Probably…”

“Do it.”

Fu Ten granted permission.

Ryo took a sharp breath…

“Illusionkin! Why do you attack us?!”

His voice rang out powerfully.

A commanding tone, honed through years of kendo practice.

The figure on the hill visibly flinched.

‘Illusionkin’—that was the term Djinn Pastra had used to describe Duke Helb on the Blue Island.

Ryo had come to believe that it was the name of their kind.

“I ask once more! Illusionkin! Why do you attack us?!”

Ryo’s voice echoed again.

The man on the hill seemed to realize he had not misheard.

He slowly began to descend.

The gray goblins before him parted to the sides like the sea splitting.

He was probably around 180 cm tall, slightly taller than Ryo.

His imposing figure was accompanied by long, white hair that reached down to his waist.

Yet, he looked very young, no older than twenty.

His face was well-formed—handsome by any standard, East or West.

However, he also had the look of a strong-willed man.

The white-haired man descended past the frontmost ranks of the goblins and stopped just ten meters from the village fence.

“Hey, robed man, how did you know I was an Illusionkin?”

The white-haired man questioned Ryo. Arrogantly.

Instead of answering, Ryo turned to Fu Ten, bowed with great formality, and announced.

“An Illusionkin has arrived.”

“O-okay…”

Fu Ten, taken aback by the sudden report, nevertheless acknowledged it.

He knew that asking “What is an Illusionkin?” at this moment would be a mistake.

Ryo was clearly trying to provoke the one before them…

“It is foolish to answer a question with another question. I asked you earlier. Why do you attack us? Should you not answer that first?”

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Against the Illusionkin’s rough words, Ryo responded with excessive politeness—almost mockingly so.

“Why should I answer your…”

“Illusionkin! The one I encountered before possessed impeccable manners and commanded absolute presence. Even as an enemy, I could not help but admire them. Compared to them… are you truly an Illusionkin? How disgraceful. Utterly shameful. If you are an Illusionkin, then you should conduct yourself with more elegance.”

“You bastard… no, wait. You… you’ve met another Illusionkin?”

“Of course. That’s why I recognized you for what you are.”

The Illusionkin’s eyes widened in shock, while Ryo let out a mocking snort.

“So I’m not the only one? That damn leader—so he’s sending others to Darwei too?! ‘Go measure the strength of the Darwei people’, my ass! What a load of crap!”

The Illusionkin seemed to be enraged at his leader as if he had misunderstood something.

Listening to this, Abel shook his head internally.

(Ryo’s interrogation wasn’t even that skillful… is this Illusionkin just unbelievably stupid? Probably. Poor guy.)

Even though Ryo had successfully extracted information, he received no praise.

How unfortunate.

“Well, no matter. Illusionkin, my name is Henoheno Moheji. What is your name?”

Ryo shamelessly used a fake name.

Abel was quite shocked but managed to keep it off his face.

“Fine. I’ll tell you my name. I am Garibech. Remember it well, Henoheno Moheji.”

“I shall remember, Garibech.”

Thus, the negotiations concluded.

Garibech, without ever answering why he had attacked, led the gray goblins back to Tiger Mountain.

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