Above the mage

Chapter 810 The Valentis

Inside the longhouse.

The arrogant Olaf and the aloof Sunef were nowhere to be seen, leaving only God and the elder of the Tor tribe sitting around the fire.

The charcoal fire crackled softly, and wisps of white smoke slowly seeped out from the gaps in the beams and pillars, easing the previously tense atmosphere.

"I'd like to wander around Wolf Harbor a bit more, is that alright?" Gao De asked softly with a smile.

"Aren't you worried at all about your clan's War Mother?" The elder of the Tuo'er clan looked up at him and couldn't help but ask.

"And the elders don't seem to care about your leader at all," Gao De asked Tuo Er, not directly answering the elder's question.

"Our leader became famous at a young age and was invincible in the tribe from an early age. When he led his fleet out to plunder, he was also undefeated and invincible." When Olaf was mentioned, the elder of the Tor tribe had a look of absolute certainty and pride in his eyes.

"Furthermore, he has the remarkable feat of hunting down an adult frost serpent single-handedly with two axes. His combat strength has already reached the peak of his level, so there is no need for me to worry about him."

"I feel the same way," Gao De said calmly. "I am well aware of my clan's War Mother's abilities, so there is naturally no need to worry."

This is the truth, not a simple confrontation.

Sunafa wields the ultimate ice magic weapon [Blizzard], possesses extraordinary foundations with two five-rings, and is further blessed by the unique ancient bloodline of ultimate ice.

So what if Olaf is a renowned fighter?

Although his current area of ​​operation is still limited to the Nolan continent, Gao De dares to say that even in the entire mage plane, Sunefa is a T0-level talent monster.

For someone like that, there's no need for others to worry about the outcome of a battle between equals.

Faced with Gaode's confidence, the elder of the Tuo'er tribe was momentarily at a loss for words.

Sunefa is so young that it's hard for anyone to believe she can stand up to Olaf, who is a veteran of countless battles and has killed many people.

However, Gao De appeared calm and confident, which was by no means a blind arrogance or boasting.

For a moment, Tall, who had been absolutely confident that Olaf would win, began to have some doubts and was no longer entirely sure about the outcome of the match.

After a brief moment of thought, the elder of the Tuo'er tribe slowly stood up and finally agreed to Gao De's request: "Let me show you around."

,

"Langharf is closed off from outsiders year-round. Without my guidance, it is easy to be misjudged as hostile, which could lead to unnecessary fighting and conflict."

The location and sea route coordinates of Wolf Harbor are top secrets guarded by the tribe and will never be revealed to outsiders.

However, the interior of this core area has not been deliberately concealed; it is simply the ordinary territory where the tribe lives and dwells.

"Thank you for your trouble, elder." Gao De nodded slightly, showing perfect courtesy.

The two stepped out of the longhouse and walked slowly along the path.

The full panorama of Wolf Harbor is revealed.

Within Wolf Harbor, there are many open spaces.

In every open space, one can see young and strong tribesmen practicing weapons and naval combat skills.

This demonstrates the strong martial spirit of the Vikings.

As a pirate port that is not open to the public, the entire port lacks extravagance and is more like a military port that is on guard all year round.

This made Gaode's mind even more active.

The Vikings possess wolf blood, have superhuman physiques, and are all warriors.

Even Vikings who haven't awakened their wolf bloodline possess exceptional fighting skills and immense strength.

Their naval combat capabilities are honed through countless piracy raids across the seas.

If we can eventually subdue this remote northern port that has been closed for thousands of years and incorporate these wild and warlike Vikings into the Northern system, they will surely become the most elite and hardcore main force navy in the North, filling the gap in the Northern army's strength.

With the Irwinaya Mountains blocking the way, the only route for a large-scale invasion of the North is by sea.

In other words, once the navy is established, the military system of the North will be basically complete.

The two walked slowly and arrived at the frozen port dock once again.

Knowing that Gaode was interested in the wolf ship, the old man of the Tuo'er tribe specially took Gaode down to the dock this time.

Dozens of wolf ships remain neatly arranged on the air, their gun barrels standing tall, giving the quiet port area a solemn and austere atmosphere.

However, amidst the ominous atmosphere of the wolf-shaped ship, a particularly slender figure suddenly appeared, instantly catching Gao De's attention.

On the outermost edge of the reef at the pier, a petite figure sat alone, her back to them.

She faced the vast, frozen sea, as if whispering to the empty air.

"Who is that?" Gao De asked softly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He was certain from just seeing the back of the person that the other person was not a Viking.

The Vikings were born with large frames and robust physiques, a racial characteristic ingrained in their blood.

Even young children are much more robust and sturdy than the average person.

But that figure was extremely petite and slender, not because of her young age, but because of her slender frame and graceful figure.

Their skeletal proportions and body contours are completely different from those of the Vikings.

Following Gao De's gaze, the elder of the Tuo'er clan glanced at the figure from behind, then looked away and shook his head slightly: "That's a strange girl from outside the Central Plains. She's a Valenti."

"Valentines?" God was slightly taken aback.

The corresponding record instantly came to mind.

Having served in the Maritime Sentinel system for many years, he has long been well-versed in numerous geographical classics.

They have a systematic and clear understanding of the racial branches and characteristics of the people on the three continents.

The human race in the extraordinary plane is not a single race, but rather it is divided into many branches of races with completely different bloodlines, appearances, and talents, with differences far exceeding the distinctions based on skin color in the previous life.

The most common and largest group of people in the world, without any unique bloodline characteristics and with ordinary and regular physiques, are collectively known as the Lortherians.

This is the most basic and common background color of the human race in the entire plane.

The Ace people of the North are almost identical in appearance to the Lorther people outside, belonging to the same lineage.

The Vikings differed slightly from the Lorthians.

The Vikings had broad frames and robust physiques, making them natural warriors.

The Valenti are a unique branch of the human race found only on the continent of Midgard, and they are visibly different from the ordinary Lortherians.

All Valenti are born with corresponding externalized animal characteristics:

Whether it's soft cat ears, fluffy fox tails, thinly spread wings, aquatic fish gills, or even the heads of lions and tigers, these strange creatures come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own unique and extraordinary agility.

This is fundamentally different from the bloodline of Viking wolves.

Vikings possess a hidden wolf bloodline, making them powerful and physically extraordinary. However, this power comes from their inner bloodline, and they appear no different from ordinary people, without any beastly characteristics.

The Valenti people's animalistic physique is outwardly visible and innate, making it easily identifiable.

Because of their unique appearance, the Valenti people often face scrutiny and prejudice.

It's a bit better in the Midgard continent, but on the continents of Nolan and Terra, they are easily seen as outsiders and aliens, and are ostracized.

Therefore, the vast majority of Valenti people never leave the Central Continent and rarely set foot in the outer territories.

However, despite their unusual appearance, these people often possess extraordinary talent and strength.

The Valenti are all naturally attuned to the elements of nature, and their bloodlines are bound to the spirits of corresponding wild beasts, giving them unique talents etched into their blood that cannot be matched by acquired magical skills.

As is often said, even if a mage masters the art of flight, their flying posture and speed are far inferior to those of birds, because these are their innate skills.

That's the way it is.

The winged Valenti people may have been able to fly with their wings even when they were just learning to walk.

Once they reach adulthood, their flight speed and agility will surpass those of a third-circle mage.

The same applies to other characteristics.

This unique talent stems from the legendary origins of the Valenti people.

In the early days of the Central Continent, chaos reigned, order was nonexistent, and various strange beasts and creatures of the earth roamed freely.

Humanity's living space is in dire straits.

In times of crisis, a group of extraordinary mages who control the bloodline of their ancestors and can freely awaken their beast-like true forms rise up, and are known to the world as shapeshifters.

Through cultivation, they awaken their ancestral bloodline and become powerful Xiarui, capable of transforming into the corresponding Xiarui whenever needed.

Unlike mages who master transformation spells and temporarily transform into certain creatures, their transformation is an ability ingrained in their blood, not a magical transformation, and is far more powerful.

The shapeshifters, through their abilities, have created one peaceful place after another for the humans of the Central Continent.

Therefore, shapeshifters are highly respected powerful figures in the Central Continent.

However, the shapeshifters did not consider themselves superior because of this, nor did they bully the weak or establish their own kingdoms.

They chose to coexist peacefully with ordinary Lothars, living their normal lives among the various settlements, marrying, and having children.

The offspring born from their intermarriage are the modern-day Valentis.

Because the Valenti people possess some of the awakened ancestral bloodline of shapeshifters, they will exhibit corresponding animalistic characteristics after birth.

They inherited a natural affinity and extraordinary talent from their bloodline, becoming a unique and extraordinary human race in the Central Plains.

After mentally reviewing the information about the Valentis, Gao De suddenly grasped the key point and asked, "How come there are Valentis in Wolf Harbor... and aren't there few outsiders in Wolf Harbor?"

Upon hearing this, the elder of the Tuo'er tribe shook his head helplessly.

"This is a long story, and a bit strange. About six months ago, our forest patrol guards found her on the snowfield."

"She was wearing a thin linen dress, her lips were purple from the cold, and she was clutching a withered twig as a walking stick."

"It was during the worst of the blizzard. The guards determined that if they had come any later, the girl would have been frozen to death on the snowfield and melted away in the Arctic blizzard. They took pity on her and made an exception to bring her back to Wolf Harbor."

"Only after bringing her back did we discover that she was actually a Valenti from the Midgard continent."

"At first, we repeatedly questioned her about her background and whereabouts, asking her why she would venture alone into this snowfield where no one had ever set foot."

"Her answer was that she had followed the mournful cries and guidance of a wandering beast spirit, which was suffering from deep pain and torment, all the way north in order to find a way to soothe the beast spirit and relieve its obsession and pain, and finally arrived at this snowfield."

"When we pressed her for clues about the beast spirit, she just pointed to her side, convinced that the beast spirit had been with her all year round," Tuo Er said, shrugging.

"But in all of our sight and perception, there was nothing around her from beginning to end."

"We were suspicious of her at first. Wolf Harbor is closed off and won't accept outsiders, let alone Valenti people of unknown origin."

"So the leader had her watched for three months."

"But after three months of surveillance, nothing was found."

"This girl did nothing unusual. Her daily routine was extremely monotonous. She would spend her days muttering to herself in the empty air. In her spare time, she would sit alone on the dock and whisper to the frozen sea."

"She never set foot in any of the port's secret areas, such as armories, docks, and watchtowers, never pried into the layout of Wolf Harbor or the secrets of shipbuilding, and rarely even interacted with or spoke with any Vikings."

"If you think she has ulterior motives, why is she acting like this? But if you think she's normal, how did she find her way here all by herself?"

Our leader was worried, so he never let her leave Wolf Harbor.

"And she had no objection to this at all, and without any thought of resistance, she simply accepted the arrangement of being stranded in Wolf Harbor."

Hearing what the elder of the Tuo'er tribe had to say, Gao De's curiosity grew even stronger.

"Can we go take a look?" Gao De looked up, his gaze falling once again on the figure by the rocks at the dock.

"Of course you can, but let me tell you beforehand, don't expect to talk to her much."

"How so?" Gao De raised an eyebrow, somewhat curious.

"She's a bit..." The elder of the Tuo'er tribe stroked the stubble on his chin, pondered for a moment, searching for a suitable adjective, and after thinking for a long time, finally said, "Shy? Not entirely, but she just doesn't like to interact with outsiders."

"Let's go take a look first," Gao De nodded.

The two walked along the wooden planks of the dock toward the figure in the distance.

The cedar planks beneath my feet were thick and cold, and the soles of my boots made a deep, resonant sound when I stepped on them.

Gao De noticed that the other party's originally relaxed posture had become noticeably tense, indicating that they had already noticed their arrival.

Gao De stopped about six or seven steps away from her.

This distance is neither too close nor too far, making the other person feel invaded, and it also facilitates communication.

He glanced at the other person's clothing, which was quite distinctive.

First, he was wearing a hat.

That hat was unusually large.

From behind, it almost occupies the entire upper half of that petite body.

She wore a wide-brimmed, dark blue soft hat, the brim of which was twice as wide as her shoulders, with the edges hanging down softly.

The inside of the brim was lined with a band of light gray velvet, quite unlike the stiff leather hats commonly seen in the North.

The hat has a tall and full crown, with an irregular bulge on each side, as if something living inside is gently pushing against it.

Gao De immediately realized that it was the outline of her ears as they moved under the cover of the hat.

The ears were clearly very long, so long that even this enormous hat couldn't completely cover them.

Her coat was a dark blue, almost ink-black travel robe, with a circle of indistinct patterns embroidered along the edge, seemingly a kind of intricately intertwined swirling vine design.

What caught Gao De's attention the most was that behind her, at her buttocks, hung a fluffy, short, snow-white tail.

The soft, dense down gently adheres to the surface of the cold reef.

Judging from its shape, it looks like a rabbit's tail.

Gao De cleared his throat and spoke softly to the back of the figure who had clearly noticed his arrival.

"Hello there."

The big hat didn't turn around immediately.

But the ear under the hat twitched slightly.

Both long ears turned toward him at the same time, and the two tufts of silvery-white down at the tips of the ears stood up and then fell down.

"My name is Gao De, and I just arrived in Wolf Harbor," Gao De said again.

The owner of the big hat then slowly and reluctantly turned his head away.

Gaode finally got a clear look at her face.