Magical Girl's Knight Brother

Chapter 655 Black City in the Storm

Returning to the dream world through the reverse passage opened by Langya, Tang Zijun smiled and patted the body of Langya. It has to be said that Grelando takes very good care of it. Even though Langya itself does not need maintenance, she still takes time out of her busy schedule to wipe it down.

Before the slight dizziness from the time-space shift had completely dissipated, Tang Zijun and Chang Lei's boots had already stepped onto the familiar stone slabs of Black City, carrying the dust of another world and a faint magical aura.

The scene before me was still the old streets of Black City, the twisted buildings like solidified crystallizations of thought, and the air filled with a faint scent mixed with spices, magical dust, and the fragrance of some otherworldly plant.

However, an indescribable sense of tension, like an invisible spider web, enveloped the entire neighborhood.

Pedestrians still came and went on the street, students wearing cloaks hurried along, merchants carrying huge packages talked in hushed tones, and mercenaries dressed in various styles wandered around the street corners... On the surface, everything seemed normal.

However, some undeniable details still caught Tang Zijun's eye. The pedestrians walked faster, with an unconscious vigilance, less of their usual leisure, and when their eyes met, there was more evasion and wariness. Their brows were locked with an unyielding sorrow and a trace of barely perceptible panic.

The air seemed to be filled with a heavier sense of oppression, and even the oil lamps hanging on the walls seemed to have dimmed, appearing listless against the increasingly dark sky.

"Tsk, this godforsaken place... the atmosphere's off." Chang Lei's bloodshot eyes narrowed slightly, his tattered white tuxedo fluttering even without wind. His primal instincts as a glutton made him exceptionally sensitive to the negative emotions permeating his environment. "I remember the news we sent back before, Black City was doing pretty well, wasn't it?"

, 7

Tang Zijun did not answer immediately; his senses, like invisible tentacles, quickly swept across the surroundings.

He also felt the tension and unease permeating the air, like the oppressive low pressure before a storm, a pressure that seemed several times heavier than when he left.

Just then, an extremely strong and pure magical girl energy fluctuation, like a lighthouse in the night, carried a familiar sense of intimacy.

"Brother Tang!" A clear voice pierced through the noise.

Immediately afterwards, the sound of rapid wing flapping came from the air.

Whoosh~

Three figures descended from the sky like arrows, landing lightly and swiftly in front of Tang Zijun and Chang Lei, creating a small wisp of air mixed with magical dust.

The person in the lead was Qin Nan. Her iconic magical girl outfit was covered in dust. Her pretty face, which always had an energetic smile, was now tense. Her bright eyes were filled with the great joy of seeing her lover return, but even more so with anxiety and solemnity that almost overflowed.

She didn't even rush over or crack a joke as usual; she just looked at Tang Zijun and Chang Lei anxiously, as if she had a thousand words stuck in her throat.

The creature landing on her left shoulder was Little Grey, who was usually noisy and gossipy.

At this moment, it folded its colorful wings, turned its little head back and forth, and the usual playful smile was completely gone from its beady eyes, leaving only a unique wariness and unease about the tense atmosphere.

To Qin Nan's right was Heli, a winged girl with pure white wings. Her beautiful face was also shrouded in deep worry, and her clear eyes held a hint of weariness.

Tang Zijun frowned slightly upon seeing this. "What happened?"

Qin Nan gazed at Tang Zijun, paused for a moment, and then let out a long sigh.

Something did happen in Black City, and it was a very serious matter, but of course, these things couldn't be casually mentioned on the street.

In the center of Black City, the castle, constructed of solid stone, stood like a giant beast beneath the increasingly dark sky. On its towering flagpole, a banner with a fire fox and a silver wolf's head, symbolizing Black City, fluttered violently in the gale carrying the salty, sulfurous smell.

On the spacious terrace atop the castle, Desk's tall figure stood like a silent sculpture. His arms, covered in heavy armor, were crossed over his chest, and his cold gaze swept across every corner of Black City like a searchlight, especially towards the distant mines and the more expansive, ominous, dark horizon.

He is now a mainstay of Black City's defense system. The tension and the smell of sulfur in the air make his already resolute face even more hardened like iron. The defense work cannot be relaxed for a moment.

Below, in the council chamber at the heart of the castle, the atmosphere was even more somber, almost frozen.

Beside the enormous round table, Tang Zijun sat in the main seat, Scáthach leaned against the shadows beside her, and Chang Lei stood in front of the huge French windows, his scarlet energy patterns flowing slowly like restless lava beneath his tattered white tuxedo.

Tan Zhixin, Qin Nan, Tang Cao, Grilando, Xiao Xiao and others sat around, the air filled with magical dust, old parchment and a lingering smell of blood and gunpowder.

"It seems that quite a few major events have occurred in Black City during the few days I was away from the dream world..." Tang Zijun's voice was low and calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

His gaze swept over Grelando's tired but determined face, past the lingering ashes clinging to Heri's wings, and finally settled on the strategic map spread out on the table, marked with a variety of alarming symbols.

"It's more than just a big deal, it's downright deadly," Qin Nan couldn't help but say, speaking rapidly. "It's quite a coincidence, really. It's like those guys knew you were gone. While you were gone, this place was like it had been thrown into a blender, with one deadly thing after another happening, making it impossible to breathe."

Grelando unfolded the map, her hoarse voice heavy with worry, and began to give a detailed account.

"First, five days ago, in the direction of Ghost Mist Forest." Her slender finger pointed to an area marked with a huge mine symbol on the map. "A fully grown lava dragon, clearly in a state of extreme ferocity, suddenly swooped down from the clouds and attacked our third outpost on the outskirts of Ghost Mist Forest without warning."

"That wasn't an ordinary attack." Tangcao jumped off the stool, picked up Xiaobai, and came to Glorando's side. As a member of the defense team, she had a lot to say. "That guy was like a madman, spewing dragon breath like it was free, without even a skill animation or cooldown. But what's strange is..."

Her eyes were full of confusion. "That fire dragon didn't linger in the fight at all. I exchanged blows with it a few times, and then it ran away. Before our reinforcements arrived, it plunged into the depths of the mine like a fiery meteor. Our reconnaissance team couldn't even catch a glimpse of it."

"I couldn't catch up either," Qin Nan nodded, adding, "That guy was incredibly fast."

Chang Lei narrowed his blood-red eyes and let out a cold snort. "A fire dragon? Heh, looks like it's been driven to desperation by something even more ruthless."

His intuition has always been sharp.

"That's exactly what we suspected." Gloriand nodded, her expression grave. "Deep within the Ghost Mist Forest, something seems to have instilled in this powerful magical creature... an extreme fear."

"Then, two days ago, our scouts reported back from the river front that an unprecedented war seemed to have broken out there."

Grilando's finger slid along the river markings on the map, which resembled veins, and finally stopped at an area marked in dark red.

"It's not an external enemy, it's more like they're fighting among themselves. They're acting like they've gone mad. One moment they're patrolling side by side, the next they're drawing their swords at each other. Human mercenaries, church members, and even some guards from noble families are all involved."

She took a deep breath. "Our people withdrew in time, but they dared not get too close. According to the news that came back, there are distorted cult runes on the edge of the battlefield, as well as fragments of insignia of some noble private soldiers mixed in. It seems like a cult instigation, or a long-planned noble rebellion. The front line in the river basin is in chaos."

"Something strange has also happened in the forest." Tan Zhixin stroked the scales on Xiao Qing's body, her gaze pointing to the area on the map that was covered in a dark green color and marked with countless skull symbols, the Ghost Mist Forest.

"The native inhabitants of the forest—the tree spirits, shadow beasts, and monsters—have all recently surged out like madmen. They've bypassed our defenses and are migrating north. Rumor has it that some ancient being is awakening in the legendary 'Corrupted Heart' region deep within the forest. The magical flow throughout the forest has become chaotic and malevolent. None of the 'passengers' Katie sent in have returned with complete messages."

"And just yesterday..." Gloria's voice took on an unprecedented chill as she pointed to the deep blue area at the edge of the map, representing the boundless sea. "The last, fragmented message came from the observation post on the coast:"

...the tide...no...something...is coming up...the quantity...conch shells...

Then, communication was completely cut off.

She looked up, her beautiful face drained of color. "We've lost all our coastal observation points. The sea breeze no longer brings saltiness, but a heavy stench and... a low-frequency, unsettling conch shell hum. The sea creatures... have probably been affected too..."

"...But the most crucial problem is that we have no idea what exactly happened in the sea."

The council chamber was deathly silent.

Civil war breaks out in the river basin, ghostly mist awakens, fire dragons flee in terror, and the seabed undergoes a cataclysmic change... Black City seems to have suddenly become an isolated island in a storm, with deadly threats surging in from all directions.

Chang Lei whirled around, his bloodshot eyes blazing with red light, and an uncontrollable aura of violence emanated from him. "Is this some kind of planned memorial service for me? A farce on all sides?!"

He had originally planned to use the convenience of Black City to try and find clues about his mother and the stuttering girl, but now, trouble comes one after another.

Tang Zijun's expression remained calm and composed. He did not believe that the situation had deteriorated to the point of no return. Since Scáthach could still drink elegantly, it meant that the situation was still under control.

...