Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 2042 2014. Blood Lake

"Even the pine needles here are golden yellow? It's really beautiful."

Margarita gently brushed aside the pine branches blocking her head and spoke with great interest.

The bloodstains left by Torina were in this small valley, so Margarita didn't even need to leave the valley.

Even without seeing the golden Yatan Plateau and the magnificent golden trees that stretch to the sky, the plants on the Yatan Plateau that had been imbued with power and turned golden were already enough to amaze her.

She wasn't unfamiliar with pine trees; aside from a few withered and dead needles, the entire tree should be evergreen year-round.

But on the Asian Plateau, no matter what kind of tree it is, the leaves must turn golden yellow.

This allowed Margarita to experience the novel feeling of entering another world for the first time.

The bloodstains used for teleportation were hidden by Torina behind the statue in a small ravine.

It was a large pool of blood that looked enough to bleed an ordinary person to death.

However, at least five or six hours have passed since Lan En and his group re-entered this small ravine, but the bloodstains are still very fresh.

The blood on it still showed a clear, liquid reflection, instead of turning dark due to hardening and oxidation.

It even gave the impression that this pool of blood was so vibrant it seemed about to surge up on its own.

Without a doubt, this is a pool of cursed blood. It contains the power of the Mother of Truth.

To be honest, Margarita has never seen anything like it before: using blood as a portal.

Despite her hedonistic nature, Margarita remains the youngest dean in the history of Aretusa Academy and a renowned archmage and researcher.

The appearance of a new spell system excited her.

Margarita crouched beside the bloodstains, while Lann and Marlenia stood opposite the bloodstains, separated by a small statue.

Although the Valkyrie was somewhat bewildered by what had just happened, she naturally became serious now that she had begun tracking her brother's whereabouts.

She looked at Margarita across the bloodstains and whispered a spell she couldn't understand to the ground, while her gold-and-silver-adorned arms made various hand gestures in response.

Amidst the bloodstains on the ground, a small clump of blood floated up into the air, hovering in front of Margarita, and changing shape in response to her gestures.

It seemed that various forces and spells had begun to interfere with and measure the floating blood without anyone noticing.

Beneath the winged helmet, Marlenia frowned slightly.

She had never seen such magic before, nor had she ever felt this strange sensation.

Her current feelings did not stem from the intimate actions between Margarita and Lann earlier. She was a calm and sharp Valkyrie, and this matter would not trouble her for long.

She was feeling a sense of alienation, a kind of...

Before Marlenia could figure it out, she felt a pressing sensation on her prosthetic arm.

Looking down, she saw that Lan En was gently pressing down on her prosthetic hand.

"Relax, Marlenia." His tone was gentle and his movements were soft, which made Marlenia, who was feeling uncomfortable because of the foreign feeling, relax almost immediately.

The prosthetic hand, made of pure gold, was so precise that Marlene could even feel the warmth of Lann's palm through it.

“The spells Margarita uses are not common in the borderlands. The magic used in these spells is corrosive and can cause distortions. Overall, they are quite dangerous. As a golden demigod, it is normal for you to react to them.”

"But don't worry, although the power she uses is quite dangerous, she never makes a mistake."

The Golden Law is a law that makes the world as perfect and eternal as gold. The golden demigods born under this law also each carry some characteristics of the Golden Law.

Although Malenia suffers from the putrefaction disease due to her birth, she can still sense that the power of chaotic magic is not benevolent.

Marlene accepted Lann's explanation. After all, the border region has a long history, and the origins of magical research can be traced back to ancient times. Who knows what obscure schools of magic might have been created by some magician in some remote corner?

Most of the magic in the borderlands is based on sapphire.

Putting everything else aside, just look at the pyroxene on the clothes of the Faded Alperich in the Round Table Hall—they were blood red.

This type of pyroxene has only been seen on him.

Neither the Caria royal family nor the Reyalukalia Academy possesses such a thing.

The current Marleneia considers the gemstones on Margarita's jewelry to be a unique type of pyroxene.

“Yes, I never make a mistake,” Margarita said with a light laugh amidst the spell composed of magical medieval ancient words.

He casually changed the incantation and casting gestures, and a band of light, shimmering with a mesmerizing glow, floated out from the blood, drifting aimlessly towards some unknown direction.

While Margarita was investigating the bloodstains, the Valkyrie suddenly spoke up: "You are also a Faded One, Lady Margarita?"

"The Faded Ones?"

Margarita, clearly unaware of the meaning of the title, asked curiously.

But when she took a moment to look up, she saw Lann standing behind Marlenia, gesturing to her with his eyes.

So, although she had no experience in other worlds, Margarita quickly reacted based on her trust in Lann.

"Of course, what else?"

Although Marlenia and Margarita barely made eye contact, the people of the borderlands were extremely sensitive to the golden light of blessings. Even Lann's amber eyes, which glowed in the dim light, were keenly recognized by them as not being the golden light of a blessing.

Not to mention the eyes of a normal human being like Margarita.

Although Marlenia didn't press the matter further, she wasn't the type to pry into other people's affairs.

But Margarita immediately changed the subject.

"I found it!"

With Michaela's whereabouts at stake, Marlenia immediately stopped caring about everything else.

Margarita controlled the levitation spell, causing the small blood clots she had separated to re-integrate into the large pool of blood.

The ethereal band of light that had just appeared above the blood clot seemed to have become much clearer and thicker due to the increase in the amount of blood.

The general direction is southeast.

“The technology and power in this blood are wondrous,” Margarita said, standing up. “This blood seems to be unified under a more powerful whole.”

"The blood that is separated is also connected, so this connection can be used as a gateway to teleportation. Or, to put it another way, by spreading this blood, it is like opening a series of teleportation portals."

Lan En immediately understood: "A centralized teleportation network centered around a powerful collective force?"

And the center of that power is undoubtedly the external deity, the Mother of Truth.

Marlene didn't quite understand their discussion, but she didn't care at all.

"Can you find out where it is?"

The Valkyrie's voice had taken on a chilling edge, like a blade.

Clearly, the people who kidnapped Michaela are on the other side of the blood portal. And she's ready to give those kidnappers a piece of her mind!
"Forget finding its location, I could directly use the power of this blood to teleport there. However..."

Margarita crossed her arms, supporting her heavy chest. She first looked at Lan En's reaction before frowning and speaking.

"Judging from your expression, you're thinking of teleporting over there to seek revenge? You'd better think this through. If you teleport over there, you'll most likely end up in someone else's lair."

“No hesitation,” Marlenia said, her prosthetic arm flexing. “We should get to their lair. I will… leave no one alive!”

Is this woman very capable?
Margarita frowned; her impression of Marlenia was still limited to her extraordinary size. She hadn't had time to learn much more from Lann after arriving.

However, seeing that Lan En didn't seem worried at all, Margarita had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

"This will take a lot of effort. Whew!"

Margarita muttered under her breath as she took a deep breath.

This was the first time she had opened a portal using only her own magical reserves, without any chaotic magic available to manipulate from the outside world.

This is also a challenge for her.

As chaotic magic filled the area, the pool of fresh blood on the ground began to churn on its own!
The blood, which appeared to have been replenished from somewhere, has turned this pool of blood into a fountain!

"Step in!"

"Margarita suddenly said."

Without the slightest hesitation, Lan En waved and jumped onto the Qilin, the fluffy ball pounced over and hung on his shoulder.

The Witcher bent down and scooped Margarita into his arms.

Marlenia had already stepped into the fountain of blood, with Qilin following closely behind.

Lan En held the sorceress in his arms tighter, while simultaneously forming a [Quen Sign].

He held up the spherical golden protective shield.

Even so, upon entering, Lan En still smelled an extremely strong, yet seemingly sweet, scent of blood.

It felt as if the smell would seep into the brain and internal organs through the nasal cavity.

His vision was completely covered by a gushing fountain of blood.

Stepping inside felt like being inserted into a smooth blood vessel, flowing along with the blood.

Until the next blood vessel rupture, the transmission process was slightly deflected under Margarita's control and squeezed out.

“Be careful,” the sorceress warned from Lann’s arms, “using blood as a portal means we’ll land in blood too. I don’t want to… Ugh!”

Before Margarita could finish speaking, she suddenly gagged.

The gagging was caused by the smell.

When I entered the Blood Spring just now, the gushing blood was blocked by the spherical Quen sign.

At this moment, the blood was sliding down the spherical outer wall of the protective shield.

As a result, Lann removed the spherical Quen and switched to a close-fitting, always-on state.

Immediately following, an even stronger stench than during the previous transmission, but without any fragrance, and even mixed with the smell of excrement and rotting flesh, assaulted the nostrils!

What came into view was not another pool of blood... but a whole lake of blood!
(End of this chapter)