Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2358: Chapter 2359: Chains

At this critical moment, Baro caught sight of the inclined surface of the road in his peripheral vision. He pushed hard in the opposite direction and rolled down along the slope.

Just as Baro rolled away, the bone club came crashing down.

With just one swing, the smooth ground opened a large hole, dirt flying and a thunderous roar echoing.

Baro didn’t have time to marvel at the power of this master; after dodging the blow, he immediately got up, aiming to escape while the bone club was still embedded in the ground.

However, just as Baro turned around, he saw a massive fist swinging toward his face.

The master didn’t attempt to pull out the bone club stuck in the ground, as Baro expected; instead, he flashed directly in front of Baro for close-quarter combat.

Years of pirate combat experience allowed Baro to barely dodge the punch, but he also lost the opportunity to escape. Helpless, he had no choice but to engage in a tussle with the master.

The master’s strength was immense, each attack like a cannonball hitting Baro. After only a few seconds of resistance, Baro heard cracking sounds coming from within.

His arm bone was directly cracked by the punch!

Faced with this human-shaped beast, Baro became increasingly fearful and powerless as the fight went on. But the master was different; he seemed to thoroughly enjoy this abuse. His eyes grew more and more excited, resembling a deranged man who had taken a secret drug, more so than Renko, who could still restrain his emotions.

One side was inherently timid, while the other grew more courageous with each battle. In such a fight, even if they were evenly matched, the latter would have a greater chance of victory, let alone when they weren’t evenly matched.

Even when he wasn’t injured, Baro wouldn’t have been able to defeat the master. Now, carrying a woman who wasn’t light, he had no chance of being the master’s opponent.

Moreover...

Baro could already hear the footsteps behind him growing closer; he knew that the pursuers were almost upon them.

If he couldn’t break through soon, they would surely be attacked from both front and rear!

Faced with this situation, Baro knew he had to make a decision. He looked at the woman slung over his shoulder, his lips tightly pressed beneath his bearded face.

Gritting his teeth, Baro took a deep breath and, in the gap between exchanges with the master, suddenly pushed the woman toward Little Birch.

”Take her and run, leave this to me!”

In a choice between spiritual faith and himself, Baro chose to sacrifice himself.

Birch: ”Cap... Captain Baro, I, I...”

Before Birch could finish speaking, Little Flea pulled him up. ”No more talking, the pursuers are coming. We have to do as Captain Baro says, run to Dock No. 4, and maybe there’s a chance!”

Birch looked at Baro, who was already trapped in a fierce battle, and nodded.

As he prepared to flee with Little Flea, Birch walked over to the woman’s side, supported her, and dragged her onto his back.

Little Flea initially wanted Birch to give up on her, but seeing Birch’s determined eyes, the words stuck in his throat.

”Go!”

Just as Little Flea was pulling Birch, ready to cross the bridge first, the master’s arrogant laughter came from behind: ”You think you alone can hold me off and let them escape? Dream on!”

Laughter accompanied by a barrage of punches echoed from behind.

Birch couldn’t help but look back, and that glance petrified him. He originally thought they might have a chance to return and call for help for Captain Baro, but reality was harsh. In just two or three seconds, Baro was beaten to the ground.

The reason the master hadn’t chased them was because Baro was holding onto his leg tightly. The master’s bone-crushing punches repeatedly crashed onto Baro’s head, making him a bloody mess, yet Baro didn’t let go.

”Cap... Captain...” That single glance made Birch feel as though his chest was clogged, a suffocating sensation.

Little Flea also saw this scene, and despite admiration, he didn’t forget their mission.

”We will avenge him; we must. Don’t stop now, we still have a chance. Run, run fast!” Little Flea urged Birch not to look back, tightened his hold on him, and rushed toward the bridge.

Birch also understood that returning now would only mean certain death, so he steeled himself and began to accelerate.

However, they hadn’t run far when a violent whistling sound came from behind.

Birch instinctively turned around to see the master pulling out the bone club and hurling it in his direction.

”Turn around quickly!” Little Flea shouted.

There was no way to dodge in time; if the bone club hit, Birch would either die or be grievously injured!

The only option was to turn around and use the woman as a shield to absorb the impact. Of course, this meant the woman’s certain death.

But compared to this woman’s life, Little Flea valued Birch’s life the most.

He shouted desperately, but Birch seemed dumbfounded, standing there motionless.

In less than a second, the bone club came flying, striking Birch’s chest.

Little Flea and Baro, who was a bloody mess in the distance, both shouted ”No” in unison.

But it was too late; the immense force not only crushed Birch’s chest inwards but also sent him flying like a cannonball, tracing a parabola as he fell from the bridge into the lake.

The blooming water sprayed up, rippling across the surface.

Water vapor and the smell of blood seeped into Birch’s airways. His brain seemed to register a crisis management directive, numbing his sensation to pain. The only perception remaining was how cold the water felt, and his body seemed beyond control, sinking deeper into the frigid depths.

Yet, in reality, Birch hadn’t sunk to the bottom. He floated on the surface in a spread-eagle position, eyes glazed, ready to close at any moment. That sinking sensation wasn’t of his flesh but of his consciousness and soul nearing expiration.

In the final moment of life, Birch felt an unprecedented serenity, even amidst the pervasive cold.

Birch realized he might be on the brink of death.

He felt somewhat unwilling, but the center of his brain that controlled emotions seemed to cut off the sense of sadness, and this unwillingness quickly vanished, replaced by a sense of release.

Living meant being trapped on this cursed island for a lifetime, a fate worse than death; perhaps dying was better.

With this thought, Birch’s ”descent” quickened.

However, just as Birch felt he was about to reach the bottom, a warm support came from behind.

”It’s not time to die yet; go back.”

It was a woman’s voice.

This thought flashed through Birch’s mind, and simultaneously, he felt as though his ”sinking self” could move. He turned his head, hoping to see who was speaking to him.

But he saw no one, only endless darkness below him—death’s deep pit, the soul’s end.

And the warmth, that support, came from a coiled chain, faintly glowing with white light.

The chain was very long, extending not downward, but hanging down from above.

Birch looked up, yet still couldn’t see where the chain originated.

As Birch pondered in confusion, the chain slithered like a snake, wrapping around his body and pulling him up fiercely.

Soul and consciousness, dragged back from the void of the death’s path, poured back into his body floating on the water.

Sensation of pain returned, searing agony overwhelming, so intense it drew tears from Birch’s eyes.

Through blurred tears, Birch vaguely saw a graceful figure rising from the waters below.

Delicate hands touched Birch’s sunken chest, a faint white glow enveloped it.

Warmth washed over him again; even the pain in his chest began to slowly diminish.

When it subsided to a certain extent, a gentle female voice spoke, ”There is only so much I can do. Hold on, death doesn’t mean the end; it could just be another cycle of suffering. Living, that’s what matters.”

Compared to the white light from his chest, Birch felt that the female voice echoing in his ear had even more power.

It was the true source that supported his soul from falling into despair.

Birch wanted to open his eyes to see who was speaking, but in his blurry vision, he saw only a shadow flit past, obscured by a veil.

...

After Birch was struck by the bone club and fell into the lake, the little flea collapsed, kneeling on the ground in utter despair.

In the distance, Baro, who was grabbing onto the old man’s leg, also seemed to lose strength, releasing his grip and lying down at the old man’s feet. Blood and tears mixed together, flowing down.

Birch was dead, Renko also had virtually no chance of survival, and he himself would follow soon.

Everything stemmed from curiosity.

Everything also stemmed from admiration for Mr. Asbel.

Baro didn’t regret saving Asbel; he regretted his recklessness. The moment he saw Asbel, a rush of blood went to his head, and he recklessly took her away, which led to the current consequences.

In fact, he could have acted with more forethought, making everything more perfect.

However, now, nothing could change it.

Death was approaching.

Just as Baro was about to embrace death, the little flea was in despair, and the old man laughed wildly, a sigh suddenly echoed in everyone’s ears.

”What a long-missed sight.”

Everyone looked towards the sound only to see a graceful woman in soft armor, walking on the water like a goddess of the lake, emitting a faint glow, heading towards the land.

”Mr. Asbel...” Baro murmured the name of the newcomer dumbfoundedly.

The old man and the little flea looked astonished. Wasn’t she the woman they took out from the pigsty? How could she stand on the water, and even her injuries had healed?

”Even on a lost deserted island, you can see pirates slaughter each other, such a nostalgic scene... and indeed, so detestable.”

The lazy, hoarse voice coupled with her leisurely stroll between the lake and shore gave an air of calm composure.

”Who are you?” The woman, seemingly weak, gave the old man a feeling of facing a wild beast.

She slowly walked ashore, step by step, stopping ten meters away from the old man.

”Who am I? Wasn’t it this man... named Baro, who spoke my name?” she said casually, ”However, whether you know it or not is meaningless now.”

Although there was no strong aura, the old man unconsciously took a step back.

”Because what use is it for the dead to know?”

The moment her words fell, the old man’s face suddenly changed, for he saw the woman’s figure flicker slightly, as if a phantom swayed, and then a black hole like an abyss appeared on her chest, from which a dark chain extended.

”You, you are... you’re a w...witch...”

Before the old man could finish his words, the chain pierced through his chest.

Yet, no blood flowed from the old man, and there was no hole in his chest, but he felt an indescribable pain as though his soul was being torn apart... no, it was not as if.

The old man vaguely felt his soul genuinely shatter into two parts.

As his soul shattered, his body collapsed, and disbelief lingered in his eyes as he fell heavily to the ground.

When the old man was about to fall into endless darkness, he faintly heard a cold voice next to his ear.

”I can let you die knowing. I am called... Nausicaa.”

The old man’s soul shattered, leaving him dead.

...

One Hit Kill!

The old man’s sudden death was unexpected by everyone present.

Everyone was stunned.

And, what astonished them the most was how that dark chain appeared?

Who exactly is this woman called Nausicaa?

The little flea was bewildered, the pursuers were frightened, only Baro looked at Nausicaa with eyes full of admiration: ”The King of Blackberry, forever the... King of Blackberry!”

Indeed, only Mr. Asbel is worthy of claiming the throne of the Blackberry Sea Area. She remained so powerful that one couldn’t see her limits.

As a blind admirer of the King of Blackberry, Baro felt fortunate that at the brink of death, he finally saw this one.

Even if he died, it would be worth it. The spiritual pillar would forever stand in his heart, the belief would endure till death.

Besides, the culprit, the old man, had also perished.

”No regrets in death...” Baro gazed stupidly at Nausicaa, feeling the gradually cooling blood, he softly murmured.

Nausicaa seemed to have heard Baro’s murmuring; she turned to look at Baro.

”No regrets in death?” Nausicaa chuckled softly, ”I don’t believe there’s really such a thing as no regrets in death. To be without regret, you have to live.”

Nausicaa walked beside Baro, extending a hand to cover his nearly shattered head: ”So, live on.”

The faint light gradually fused the fragmented bones back together.

Until the grievous wound began to show signs of self-healing, Nausicaa retracted her remaining magic power.

In this warm healing, Baro only felt his brain becoming dizzy, somewhat uncomfortable yet strangely comforting.

His consciousness began to cloud, as if he would fall asleep at any moment.

Nonetheless, Baro resisted the drowsiness, opening his eyes to look at Nausicaa: ”Tha... Thank you, Mr. Asbel, can you, can you... save Birch too... and Ren...”

As he spoke, Baro’s sleepiness intensified, and before he could finish his words, he fell into unconsciousness.

Looking at Baro on the ground, Nausicaa sighed softly.

Since she arrived on this island, although she had been unconscious, her spiritual sense had always been probing around her. Therefore, she knew all of what Baro had done.

She also knew that everything before her was all due to Baro’s effort to save her.

Even though Baro did not need to save her, she would have ended up fine in the end.

But regardless, Baro’s sincere intention was felt by Nausicaa. So, even if Baro’s efforts were futile, Nausicaa would still save him.

After Baro’s breath stabilized, Nausicaa heard dragging sounds from behind; it was the little flea dragging Birch up from the lake.

”You’re the little flea, right? I heard you were a ship doctor. I’ll leave them to you, I’m going to check on... Renko’s side.”

Nausicaa smiled at the still-dazed little flea, then turned, walking toward the end of the dark path.

What others couldn’t see was Nausicaa’s extremely pale face, facing away from everyone.

Her only left hand supported her chest, a feeling of powerlessness continuously rising up.

”The power of the chain is about to end, I don’t know if it can still hold up...”