Published at 20th of February 2026 6:21 am

Chapter 2572: Crow

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

After confirming whose hands the weapon was in, Vay immediately inquired about the current location of Machusa’s husband.

As expected, the person nicknamed "Crow" was currently at the north of the third district, one of the three underground secret tunnels discovered by the Hero Squad. It’s rumored there are gold and various treasures inside, but it’s fraught with perils. Recently, nearly all the combat personnel of the Hero Squad have been stationed there permanently.

After confirming the location, before Angel could speak, the Black Earl directly commanded through the Mind Ribbon: "Vay, get someone from Endless Old Man’s side to lead the way, and you go bring ’Crow’ back."

Naturally, Vay did not dare to defy the Black Earl’s order and immediately began discussing with Endless Old Man.

After a while, Vay responded: "Endless Old Man has agreed, Machusa will go with me. But..."

Pausing for a moment, Vay said weakly: "Lord Chaowei sealed the entrance to the cellar, I can’t break it open."

Angel was silent for a moment, then softly said: "I only set a Magical Energy Array at the entrance to the cellar, do you understand what I mean?"

Vay: "Ah?"

Listening to the confusion from Vay’s side, a cold aura began to emanate from the stone slab embedded with the Black Earl’s nose. Although the Black Earl didn’t say a word, his displeasure with his descendant’s actions was already apparent.

Vay seemed to also sense the abnormal emotions of the Black Earl from the silence in the Mind Ribbon.

Under this oppressive atmosphere, Vay suddenly came to his senses: "I, I understand. I’ll open another exit somewhere else."

As a Wizard Apprentice of the Earth elements, opening an exit should be a simple task for Vay, yet he had gone to the cellar entrance. Such a silly move was no wonder the Black Earl was displeased.

As Vay left the underground, the Black Earl’s emotions gradually became calm.

However, there was still a slight silence in the air.

No one spoke, and no one spoke in the Mind Ribbon either.

After a long while, someone broke the silence: "All of you, have you found any clues? I think I heard something about a desk just now?"

Breaking the silence was Kaier, who was moving in and out of the upstairs room.

"We don’t know if there’s a clue yet, we can only wait until Vay returns." Angel asked, "What about you, have you discovered anything?"

Once this question was asked, Kaier seemed quite excited and began to describe his findings.

However, Kaier’s narration was all about relic culture, architectural styles, mixed with some uncertain personal insights.

And none of this was related to supernatural traces.

Two minutes later, Angel interrupted Kaier: "Besides these, have you found anything unusual or strange?"

Kaier honestly replied: "No."

Angel: "Then continue exploring, contact us if you encounter such situations."

At this moment, Kaier seemed to realize that he was talking about useless contents, a bit embarrassedly said: "Alright, I understand."

After that, Kaier did not speak again.

Although Kaier’s words were mostly irrelevant, due to Kaier’s interruption, the atmosphere now was not as awkward as before.

"Kaier is just like that, he gets excited around relics, his rambling is several times more than usual." Dox spoke: "Back when he came to the black market, discovering it was a huge relic, his excitement was comparable to now. However, he is just interested in relic culture, not so much in the so-called treasures within."

After Dox explained a few words for Kaier, the topic slowly returned to the right track.

Now, there were only two discovered supernatural traces: one at the top, an inscription card that no one wanted; the other was the hollow in front of them.

Unable to find other supernatural traces, they could only wait to see if Vay could bring good news.

Nevertheless, at this moment, they did not just wait for Vay’s return but scattered again, each looking for supernatural traces.

Angel and the Black Earl went upstairs, while Dox stayed at the mantel, researching the hollow.

After a while, Angel and the Black Earl searched the second and third floors, exchanging information, they confirmed neither had found supernatural traces.

Helplessly, Angel could only refocus on Dox.

"Why are you still standing in front of the hollow? Have you made a new discovery?" Angel asked.

Dox shook his head: "I’m thinking, and by the way, waiting for Vay to come back."

Angel: "... So you haven’t considered joining the search for supernatural traces."

Dox lazily replied: "You all went upstairs to search, there’s no shortage of me. Besides, I’m pondering, maybe I can ponder some inspiration."

If it was someone else, Angel might have sarcastically criticized or cared through Illusion Technique.

But Dox’s saying this, Angel could peacefully accept.

No choice, others’ Spiritual sensitivity was undeniably strong. Even he said, thinking might spark inspiration, what could he say?

"Have you thought of anything?" Angel asked.

Dox shrugged, spreading his arms: "If I had thought of something, why would I still be sitting here?"

Angel couldn’t refute, so he simply sighed and conjured a sofa with Illusion Technique, resting against the soft cushion.

Since it would be a while before finding other information, as Dox mentioned, they might as well wait for Vay to return.

On the other hand, seeing Angel seated on the phantom-like sofa, Dox immediately sidled up: "Give me one too."

Angel waved his hand, and a matching sofa fell beside Dox.

Dox immediately reclined on it, even lazily stretching: "So comfortable."

"You said you were thinking; what was your train of thought? Let me help you ponder." Angel decided to start from Dox’s inspiration, so once he sat down, he asked.

"Thinking is having information and data quickly swarming in the brain, capturing potential sparks among them..."

Angel: "Speak plainly."

Dox curled up without proper posture before speaking: "Forgot."

"Most of them are forgotten because there were no sparks. Later, I did think about another problem."

"What’s the issue?"

Dox: "Even if the lectern is a single pillar, the tabletop should be quite large. It’s really quite unexpected for the Hero Squad to have pulled it out and used it as a weapon."

As a Bloodline Wizard who fights with a sword, Dox is quite particular about weapons. He couldn’t imagine how they could wield that lectern in battle.

No wonder Mia mentioned that the Hero Squad members are rather flamboyant, from their attire to their demeanor. Just think, using a lectern in combat—if that’s not flamboyant, what is?

Upon hearing Dox’s lament, Angel was about to make a casual remark when a cold snort sounded beside them: "What’s so strange about that? As long as it’s effective, even an hourglass can be used as a weapon, just like a lectern."

The speaker was the Black Earl, who had flown down from above and landed directly on the armrest of the illusion couch where Angel was seated.

Angel could feel the aura of a couch potato emanating from the Black Earl. It was evident that he hadn’t found any other extraordinary traces in the higher levels.

"Using an hourglass as a weapon? That’s quite novel. Could it be some special alchemy tool?" Dox asked curiously.

The Black Earl was silent for a moment, seemingly lost in recollection. Seconds later, he spoke whimsically: "It’s not an alchemy tool; it’s just a simple hourglass. However, its materials are quite extraordinary—the top and bottom are made from the shoulder armor of a Uya giant, the funnel shell is crafted from Song of the Deep Sea Shell Gold, and the sand inside is Frost Cold Sand."

Most of what the Black Earl mentioned were extraordinary materials. Among them, the Uya giant is a branch of marine giant, and its shoulder armor serves as its outer shell, akin to human fingernails; they can grow and be replaced, thus aren’t particularly rare. Most of these materials available in the market are actually sold by the Uya giants themselves.

Frost Cold Sand, like the shoulder armor, is a low-level material. Occasionally used to craft cold-type tools, it’s heavier than ordinary sand, making it difficult to refine, which is why most alchemy apprentices don’t select this material, keeping its market price low.

However, Song of the Deep Sea Shell Gold is an extraordinarily scarce material, albeit categorizing as intermediate rank. It’s produced deep within the Song of the Deep Sea region, having significant uses for Ocean Mages. As the Song of the Deep Sea is full of ocean-line mages who consume much of it, this resource rarely flows to outsiders.

"Using Song of the Deep Sea Shell Gold for a standard hourglass funnel? Whose family is so extravagant?" Dox may not understand alchemy, but he recognizes the materials.

The Black Earl suddenly asked, "Do you really want to know who he is?"

Dox froze for a moment, and a sense of crisis suddenly surrounded him. Such obvious spiritual awareness was his first time feeling it since arriving at this relic.

Dox’s face paled as he hurriedly replied: "I don’t want to know; I was just asking casually. There’s no need for an answer."

Perhaps fearing the Black Earl might not notice his refusal, Dox added: "Really, no need to answer. I currently have no interest in learning who you’re referring to."

"Such a coward." The Black Earl snorted, but inwardly mused: This guy is indeed sharp; it seems his spiritual awareness is truly on the verge of becoming a real talent.

"I’m not being cowardly; I’m giving an earnest response from the heart."

The Black Earl didn’t care about Dox’s banter: "If you don’t want to know, then forget it. I don’t want to talk about that person either, as they are an old friend."

Old friend.

Just from this term, Angel and Dox understood that the person Black Earl mentioned, who fought with an hourglass, was certainly someone way beyond their reach, even if not at the Black Earl’s level of wizard, someone beyond the grasp of newly inducted official wizards like them.

Dox: "Ah, turns out it’s a big shot. No wonder. Not only fighting with an hourglass, but even using a feather pen as a sword wouldn’t be surprising."

Black Earl: "The person I mentioned was only an apprentice when fighting with the hourglass."

"An apprentice? So, how do you fight with an hourglass?"

Black Earl: "Regardless of the materials’ quality, just bash it hard. Ordinary attacks simply involve random bashing. Against slightly tougher opponents, one observes where the Frost Cold Sand settles in the hourglass and uses the heavier end to strike."

After hearing Black Earl’s description, Angel and Dox had only one thought.

Such a... rough and direct combat style.

However, for someone to possess such a "hardcore" weapon during their apprentice period, with deep sea shell gold inside, could it be someone from Song of the Deep Sea?

Angel pondered which figure from Song of the Deep Sea could be the Black Earl’s old friend... Could it be the Sea God?

As Angel thought about this name, a faint sense of crisis enveloped him.

The protection of the Blood Night Shelter behind Angel flickered lightly.

Angel quickly composed himself and stopped thinking about it. Only then did the feeling of impending crisis begin to dissipate.

At this point, Angel somewhat understood why Dox suddenly acted cowardly earlier. It seems the big shot cares quite a bit about past embarrassments and immediately detects when someone thinks about them.

Comparatively, Angel’s spiritual awareness is still much weaker than Dox’s.

Angel thought about who the individual was and only then felt the crisis. If it weren’t for the protective Blood Night Shelter, he would likely have been discovered.

On the other hand, Dox felt a sense of crisis directly, even before considering the identity, showcasing the difference between them...

But perhaps Black Earl recounting this story without naming the person is an intentional way of sharing the embarrassing tale. It seems deliberate.

Is this the true meaning of "old friend"?

Angel and Dox silently kept their reverence.

Time slipped away, and about half an hour later, the long-awaited voice of Vay finally transmitted through the Mind Ribbon.

...

Vay: "I’ve found the Crow; he’s now following us back."

Vay’s return marks the moment to determine whether the clue is effective.

Dox asked with slight anxiety: "Did you see the Crow’s weapon? Is there anything special about it?"

Vay paused for a few seconds before replying: "Well... sigh, you’ll see it soon enough."

Upon hearing Vay’s response, everyone immediately sensed another unexpected development.

But it’s hard to tell whether this twist will lead to something favorable or unfavorable.

In the silence among the group, Kaier, who hadn’t spoken for a while, suddenly said through the Mind Ribbon: "Crow? That’s Matilda’s husband, right?"

"Indeed. Why?" Vay responded, puzzled.

Kaier: "I remember Matilda’s son, whose attire was called ’Lightning’ by Mia. How come Matilda’s husband is the Crow?"

Everyone fell silent.

After a while, Angel softly uttered: "Perhaps he just admires Lightning a bit more than he admires Crow."

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