Chapter 173: Sudden Moon Tide
Enzo casually replied. He then asked, "Why are the Monthly Dynasty people trying to assassinate you? Given your strength, you should not be much of a threat to them."
"You!"Mona, enraged, gritted her teeth, realizing Enzo's comment was a subtle jab at her weakness.
However she could not deny because it was the fact.
She pondered why the Monthly Dynasty would target her, but the information from the Shadow Corps about the Solar Dynasty's impending destruction troubled her deeply.
She didn't believe it.
However doubt lingered in her mind.
She looked at Enzo, thought for a moment, and threw a small pocket to Enzo, saying, "You saved me this time. This pouch contains one hundred gold Kafen, enough for a common person's lifetime. Also, you mustn't reveal this incident. Otherwise, I—"
Before she could finish her threat, she felt herself being seized.
Enzo shook his head slightly and said, "Miss Mona, you seem unaware of your situation. Moreover, as a princess of the Solar Dynasty, offering only one hundred gold Kafen as a reward for saving your life seems rather cheap."
Mona composed herself and asked, "What do you need then?"
Enzo released her and even adjusted her clothing with a smile, saying, "I have heard that the Solar Dynasty has some valuable treasures."
Mona immediately became anxious and refused directly. "No way! Those treasures are extremely valuable. Even as a princess, I'm not entitled to them. If you want those treasures, you might as well destroy the Solar Dynasty!"
Enzo felt a pang of regret. He had hoped to learn more about those treasures.
Now, he could only give up.
Having no other option, Enzo said, "The Solar Dynasty must have many recorded special spells and the like."
Mona nodded, "Indeed, there are such records. I can give you one if you want, but only one. Also, once you've learned it, it's best not to use it in front of other members of the Solar Dynasty, or they might cause you trouble."
This was a warning.
Of course, Enzo wasn't particularly concerned, nor did he care much about the special ability Mona mentioned.
He was only interested in understanding it and analyzing it through the Ring of the World to gain corresponding insights and augment the Ring's knowledge.
"Alright, go ahead."
Enzo agreed to the compensation in the end.
Mona, cursing Enzo's greed inwardly, remained rational and didn't provoke him further.
She then provided Enzo with a complex incantation and additional information, explaining, "To learn the Flame Giant Hand Spell, you need not only to master fire-related totemic abilities but also to gather Lava Ore and extract its essence. Only then will you be able to fully wield the power of the Flame Giant Hand Spell."
Mona gave a detailed explanation.
Enzo listened carefully and grasped the details instantly but didn't show it.
After sharing the information, Mona felt anxious and had no interest in continuing the conversation with Enzo. Even though she hadn't fully understood Enzo's relationship with Trelina, it no longer mattered. The fact that the Monthly Dynasty had dared to attack her was enough to highlight the seriousness of the situation.
This was a war between the royal clans of the Dark Night Forest!
And wars are extremely brutal.
Especially in the Dark Night Forest, if the Solar Dynasty were to fall due to war, other tribes and even different species might seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the Solar Dynasty and divide up the vast wealth accumulated over its long history.
Mona shuddered at the thought of how terrifying such a scene would be!
Now, she needed to return quickly and inform the Grand Commander of the Solar Dynasty about the attack she had encountered.
At the same time.
After Mona had informed about the Flame Giant Hand Spell, Enzo returned to the dilapidated three-story inn.
Once back in his room, he extinguished the torch on the wall and lay down on the bed to rest.
As the night deepened, the world fell into an eerie silence. The sounds of insects and the howls of beasts in the forest suddenly ceased. Under the hazy moonlight, a silvery mist appeared. When the mist appeared, it seemed to be accompanied by a flurry of footsteps, but the sounds soon faded away.
With the footsteps gone, a few more howls echoed through the night.
These howls sent a chill down one's spine and startled many people out of their sleep.
Enzo was no exception. He also heard a hurried knocking at the door and said, "Mr Enzo, open up quickly! It's me, Harvey!"
Enzo opened the door and summoned a fireball for illumination.
Harvey burst in anxiously, looking panicked and as though he had been greatly frightened. He said to Enzo, "This is serious!"
Enzo remained calm and asked, "What's happening?"
Harvey took a few deep breaths to calm himself but spoke rapidly, "Moon Tide has appeared! Moreover, this time Moon Tide has broken the old rules and appeared directly in the gathering place. Just now, in an inn on the northeast side of the gathering place, everyone inside vanished. Only one person, who was hiding in a cupboard, survived, but he's gone mad, continuously shouting things like 'I don't know anything' and 'Don't kill me'..."
Upon hearing this, Enzo furrowed his brows.
He asked, "Are you sure it just appeared?"
Harvey insisted, "Absolutely. The entire Flamingo gathering place is in chaos. By the way, I also found out that the princess Mona, who came with us, has left."
"Do you think she might know something?"
Enzo shook his head, saying, "I don't think so. She might have left for other reasons."
Harvey, now more relaxed, remarked, "But she's a princess from the Solar Dynasty. It's unlikely that the Solar Dynasty is in trouble, right? Honestly, Enzo, you shouldn't have rejected her…"
Upon hearing Harvey bring up the matter again, Enzo threatened directly, "I think I might need a new partner."
Harvey quickly shut up and said, "No, no, Enzo, I'll never bring it up again."
He then left the room.
The appearance of Moon Tide had indeed thrown the Flamingo gathering place into disarray.
Enzo looked out the window and saw the entire area illuminated by torches, with people gathering in groups.
Sometimes, sheer numbers can provide a sense of security.
Though not always.
This chaotic scene persisted until dawn. As the sun rose, concerns about Moon Tide diminished, as it was known never to appear during the day. Many people yawned and returned to their lodgings to sleep.
Enzo decided to take a walk around the Flamingo gathering place.
Harvey left the inn at first light, eager to find buyers for the two glass cups.
"Come and take a look! Freshly hunted supernatural creature flesh and blood—consume it and enhance your own strength!"
"Level 1 Potion, great value! Each potion only costs three gold Kafens!"
"Help us gather some intel!"
"..."
In fact, even without any disturbances, the entire Flamingo gathering place was bustling with activity.
This gave Enzo the feeling of being at the Crimson Star Tribe market.
However, the variety of goods sold here was far greater than at the Crimson Star Tribe market. Moreover, most of the sellers had Level 1 power, and the majority of them had likely advanced by absorbing supernatural creature energy, with only a few having gained their power through priest inheritance.
Such individuals would be considered core members in the Crimson Star Tribe.
Yet, here in the Dark Night Forest, even at the outer Flamingo gathering place, they could only act as ordinary traveling merchants or information brokers.
This piqued Enzo's curiosity about the forces within the Dark Night Forest.
What about those powerful royals?
While Enzo was contemplating, a middle-aged man running a stall suddenly called out to him.
The man had various items on display: beast bones and some peculiar plants emitting a faint supernatural aura.
"Hey there, you must be a Potion Master, right?"
The middle-aged man asked.
Enzo was surprised. He hadn't revealed his Potion Master identity since entering the Flamingo gathering place.
How did this person know?
The man introduced himself , "I'm Duke, also a Potion Master. "
Enzo nodded and asked, "Why did you stop me?"
Duke responded directly, "Are you interested in earning a lot of gold Kafens? With a bit of luck, you might even find some totem relics or powerful skills."
Enzo didn't agree immediately, his gaze cautious.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. Duke's offer seemed too generous, which likely meant there was a catch or even a scheme behind it.
Duke, aware of this suspicion, explained, "I control a totem related to perception. When you passed by, I sensed the surging life energy and exceptionally pure fire energy within you. Typically, ordinary supernatural beings wouldn't choose these totem abilities, but there's a special profession that does - Potion Master. Given the strength of your energies, I deduce you're a powerful Potion Master."
Enzo asked calmly, "And then?"