Witch Redemption

On March 23, 10008 (Gregorian calendar), as the sun rose and a thin mist filled the air, the tranquility of the morning was broken by the sounds of fighting coming from the valley.

Since the army of the Desolate Ancient Kingdom attacked the fleet of the British Empire four days ago, all the allied forces have been engaged in fierce fighting, suffering heavy casualties in just a few days. It is said that the British Empire's allied forces, which should have been the most powerful, have been reduced to less than ten men, a truly lamentable situation.

"Flames engulf the walls!"

Esther Belluman, the white-haired old man, raised his thick, aged right hand, and surging pure white magic transformed into a blazing crimson lotus flame in his palm. With a sudden throw, this intensely burning flame rapidly erupted about three meters in front of him, exploding into a towering inferno several meters wide. The terrifying heat temporarily repelled the ancient kingdom's soldiers who were attempting to pursue him.

"Twenty more people have arrived?" the old man said in a deep voice.

In the past few days, the allied forces of the United Kingdom of Kazan have been completely wiped out due to two internal conflicts. He was originally considering whether he should help to eliminate his own country's allied forces, but he did not expect that the desolate ancient kingdom's decisive attack would come too quickly, without him having to take action himself.

Not only are they going to kill all the allied forces of the Kazan United Kingdom, but now they're even targeting this old man who can't even kill a chicken. Seeing this group of menacing soldiers from the desolate ancient kingdom, all dressed in gray-blue battle uniforms and carrying powerful equipment, charging towards him, he knew in his heart that they probably wouldn't let it go so easily.

"Don't be afraid, this old guy is all alone!"

After so many days of pursuit, the captain could clearly see that the old man had been hiding his strength all along, and his abilities were probably even more terrifying than they had imagined.

However, an order is an order, and they will never hesitate to die if the country commands them to.

Leading the charge, the man's battle armor shimmered with a magnificent light due to the magic he had unleashed, and with the enhancement of this light, his speed had reached its limit.

In less than a second, the mechanical greatsword he was gripping began to roar like a motor, and all the chain saw teeth started cutting wildly.

"Sword Slash! Gale!"

The sweeping mechanical greatsword was devastating, clearing away the endless wall of blazing fire with a fierce swirling storm, and in a single step it had already rushed to the old man's side.

Just as he was about to sever the old man's head, the other ancient soldiers following behind dared not be careless and all burst forth with unimaginable speed, cutting off all of the old man's escape routes in one fell swoop.

"Quick! Keep up!"

"We absolutely cannot let this old man create distance between us. His magic is very powerful, and there's no chance of winning if we create distance!"

Knowing that this old man from the United Kingdom of Kazan was proficient in magical spells, they stayed so close after discovering his whereabouts, afraid of falling too far behind.

"call--"

Faced with the attack that was so close at hand, the old man actually breathed a sigh of relief; at that moment, even his breath was radiating an unbelievable heat.

It seems they've all entered the attack range!

The old man's aura changed instantly. He took a step forward, raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. The blazing red lotus fire instantly spread across his arm and transformed into a blue-white high-temperature color, which then burst out into the air!

"Young people, let me teach you a piece of common sense! Never get close to a demigod-level mage!"

The soldiers of the desolate ancient kingdom, dressed in their "battle suits," were fast, but the old man named "Ether Belluman" was even faster. Long before the slash arrived, his fist, burning with blue and white flames, had already pierced through the man's chest. The intense flames directly roasted the poor wretch, and a burnt smell began to fill the air.

The mechanical greatsword fell silently, and before it hit the ground, the old man moved like a ghost, aided by numerous wind-based support magic spells, as if entering an empty field, tearing open the chests of those who surrounded him one after another.

There was no bloodshed throughout the entire process, but the attack that directly roasted a person to death was even more horrifying, not even giving them a chance to scream.

"Burn!"

Having broken through the defensive line, he swiftly grabbed the last ancient soldier by the neck with his right hand, while simultaneously disarming him with his left. Instantly, terrifying blue-white flames engulfed the man, reducing him and his armor to scattered ashes.

After that, the surrounding area returned to silence, with only a strong, acrid smell remaining in the air, and no other living creatures besides the old man.

The battle armor of the desolate ancient kingdom is extraordinary. It not only enhances the strength and realm of these soldiers, but also provides them with extremely formidable defensive power, allowing them to easily withstand ordinary magic.

Although Esther Bellman could use super-level magic to kill these guys from a distance, it would be too time-consuming and laborious. After thinking about it, he decided to lure the enemy in and wait until all the pursuers were close enough before using the Primal Fire to wipe them all out and kill them easily.

"Alright, I've calculated the time, it's about time we encounter this witch... Hmm? Who!"

...... ...... ......

To Li Lan's surprise, so many days have passed and Luo Lina still hasn't woken up. "Strange, logically speaking, Luo Lina's body should be fine, so why can't she wake up? Could it be a problem with her soul?"

Worried and helpless, Li Lan, who was anxiously hurrying on her way, became very distressed.

Despite their distress, the future seemed fraught with uncertainty. Since the beginning of the past few days, they had repeatedly witnessed soldiers from various nations, transformed into undead creatures, heading towards the heart of the snow-capped mountains. As the death toll rose, the atmosphere in this region grew increasingly oppressive.

"and many more!"

Suddenly, the two leading banshees, Ako and Arno, gestured for the humans and witches around them to stop. "There's a burnt smell. Is it in the valley?"

"Hmm, the barbecue tastes pretty good!"

The short, harbinger banshee, Ako, revealed her saw-like teeth, her appetite seemingly whetted. "I'll go check it out. You wait here."

A few minutes later, the banshee Ako, who had returned, walked through the valley with a white-haired old man. The old man was wearing a black mage's robe, but the sleeves of the robe had mysteriously disappeared, seemingly burned off by flames. Although he appeared to be a mage, he was shirtless, and his arms looked thicker than Li Lan's thighs, which was rather frightening.

What attracted Li Lan's attention even more than the old man's somewhat disheveled appearance was his expression and eyes, which looked extremely melancholy, as if he had no will to live.

"This guy is very strong! He might be stronger than me and Ako!"

Arno whispered a hint, and in an instant, both the witches like Li Lan and the human adventurers like Franklin became extremely wary.

This old man is a demigod-level powerhouse who has awakened his origin!

"Don't fight! Don't fight! He's an old acquaintance of Miss Roman, he's here to save the day!"

The diminutive banshee Ako waved from afar, then quickly walked up the hillside.

"An old acquaintance?" Li Lan was a little confused. This was the first time he had met this old man. How could they be old acquaintances? He couldn't recall any memories related to this old man at all. He couldn't possibly have no impression of such a distinctive old man.

“He meant no harm.”

The tall banshee Arno also spoke, then gave Li Lan a questioning look.

Banshees may not be the most intelligent, but their senses are incredibly sharp. They can instantly detect even the slightest hint of murderous intent from their opponents. Moreover, to some extent, banshees can even discern whether someone's words contain lies.

“We can talk,” Li Lan said, feeling a bit more confident with two demigod-level banshees in attendance. “You should step back a bit. Getting too close to him would be extremely dangerous.”

Li Lan couldn't help but take a few more glances at the old man's arm. Although he was an elderly man, his true identity was a demigod known as the "Undead," and he could not be regarded as a normal old man.

Muscles don't lie. With such strong muscles, no matter how old he looks, his explosive power is undeniable.

"You are the witch Roman Hydra?"

The old man stopped about thirty meters away and looked the elven witch up and down. It seemed that the real woman was much more imposing than he had seen in his illusions, and was not "skinny" at all.

"Yes, may I ask who you are? Do you know me?"

Li Lan opened his natal magic book. Even with two banshees guarding him, he still felt a strange sense of fear when truly facing this demigod-level old man. The closer he got, the more he could feel that this old man was like a volcano about to erupt, containing unparalleled power.

The old man bowed slightly. “Ether Belman, a great sage from the United Kingdom of Kazan, rest assured, I have no hostility toward you witches. Rather, I have never had any dealings with witches in my life.”

The old man spoke the truth. As a "magic explorer," he had immersed his entire life in magic since he could remember, never paying attention to rituals like witch summoning. To him, all magic obtained from witches was heresy; only what he himself comprehended was truly his own.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to wait until he was sixty or seventy years old to truly find the way to awaken his origin and become an "immortal," thus becoming an "elderly demigod."

"I have only a few questions for you. Whether Miss Roman Hydra can give me a satisfactory answer or not, I will not care. In fact, I would be happy to escort you all out of this place."

He seemed to be a very humble and easy-going old man.

"Although I don't know where you met me, I don't mind telling you as long as it doesn't cross any lines."

Li Lan truly believed in avoiding conflict if possible, given the old man's unbelievably powerful strength; even if she could kill him, it would come at a considerable cost. Moreover, as the old man had said, his arrival hadn't revealed any hostility.

"Thank you, Miss Luo Men is even more approachable than I imagined." The old man said politely, unaware that Li Lan was thinking the truth: if it weren't for his strength, would he need to be so easy to talk to?

"My first question is, Miss Roman, have you ever seen a necklace like this before?"

It was an exquisite and magnificent ruby ​​necklace, with a long, silvery chain adorned with a triangular, crimson crystal that seemed to flow with intensely fiery energy. This necklace was indeed one Li Lan had witnessed before; at the end of the year 10005 in the New Calendar, it was actually a keepsake left to the human magician Celine Belluman by her parents.

Before answering that question, I'd like to know your connection to this necklace.

Li Lan was very cautious. Although he didn't know where Celine Bellman would go after escorting Violet, Anne, and Sophia to the Viana Theocracy, he still had to provide Celine Bellman with some cover in order to prevent a scenario like "enemies seeking revenge".

After all, this guy is a true demigod-level powerhouse. If he really goes up against Celine Bellman, the outcome is predictable.

"I see. Is this witch worried about the current owner of the necklace? So she'll probably assess my relationship with the owner before answering, thus protecting the owner to some extent? Indeed, such an approach is understandable."

The old man pondered for a moment, then wisely said, "This necklace is called 'Aja Red Stone,' and it contains a super-level magic that I created myself. Originally, I gave this necklace to my son and daughter-in-law for their self-defense. However, hundreds of years ago, while on a diplomatic mission for the United Kingdom of Kazan, they encountered an accident while traveling to the United Duchy of Ries. They, along with my only granddaughter, Celine Bellman, perished in the Rune tribe on the border of the Duchy."

“After that, I have been investigating the truth behind the disappearance of my son and his family of three, but unfortunately I have come up with nothing. Fortunately, more than two years ago, you took over the Aja Red Stone. After I sensed the aura of the necklace, I immediately used the relevant fate magic to control some information about you. Then I traveled tens of thousands of miles to come here, just to meet with you and investigate the truth of what happened back then.”

The old man made no attempt to hide anything; he was quite honest, even eager.

Li Lan saw this longing in his clear, azure eyes—a longing so intense it was unbelievable.

"Granddaughter? Celine Bellman? This guy is Celine Bellman's grandfather?" Li Lan was astonished. He never expected that Celine Bellman's grandfather would be a powerful demigod, and that he could be traced back to him simply because he had personally received that token? Isn't that a bit far-fetched?

Li Lan thought for a moment, then said, "Since fate magic is so wondrous, you could actually investigate the last owner of the Aja Red Stone..."

"It's impossible because its last appearance was related to you, and everything after that was severed. I think Miss Roman eventually handed it over to some demigod-level being, right? No matter what kind of intelligent being it is, once it awakens its origin, it has already broken away from the scope of 'cause and effect' to a certain extent. The term 'undead' itself is contrary to common sense. If you want to forcibly capture the 'cause and effect' of someone above the demigod level, you must have a god-level being take action, or even the 'Goddess of Fate' from the age of gods personally take action."

Esther Belluman explained that he was expecting further response from the witch.

"I see."

This was incredible intelligence. Li Lan suddenly realized that this world was probably not so simple. Fate magic—it seemed he really needed to understand this wondrous thing. The main reason why Lorina quickly fell into danger after her escape was that she was captured by the fate magic of the desolate ancient kingdom, and it was unclear what exactly went wrong. Now, Li Lan's own whereabouts had also been captured by similar fate magic, which was not a good sign.

“I think I can answer that question. This necklace did indeed pass through my hands before being handed over to Celine Belluman…”

"What?!" The old man's eyes widened instantly. "Celine is alive? My granddaughter is alive? Then Hasana too..."

"No, Miss Celine's parents are long dead, and the relationships involved are extremely complicated. Even Miss Celine's current situation is probably not as good as you imagine."

Seeing the old man's incredibly excited state, Li Lan confirmed with the harbinger of death, Arno, that it was indeed not an act, but a normal reaction as a "human." Only then did he feel comfortable recounting what had happened back then.

In reality, Li Lan was merely passing through the Luen tribe back then. If it weren't for the interference of some organization connected to the Moon God, he wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state. In the end, it was a blessing in disguise; at the very least, he rescued three witches and even managed to bring a new ancient creator onto his side.

"That's roughly it. Miss Celine should have escorted the three witches to the Viana Theocracy in the end. I don't know what will happen after that. She might stay in the Viana Theocracy, or she might embark on another solo journey around the world. I never forced her."

Li Lan only gave a general overview, mainly concerning Celine Belluman, and avoided mentioning anything else. Furthermore, he appropriately concealed the fact that Celine Belluman had directly pledged allegiance to him, fearing it might upset the old man.

Despite the talk of loyalty, Li Lan was, after all, a progressive person in modern society, and naturally would not force Celine Belluman to do anything, but would always treat her as an equal.

"I understand, thank you."

Centuries later, the old man Esther Belluman was surprised to learn that his granddaughter, who had long since died, was still alive. Hearing this, he was overcome with emotion and tears streamed down his face. Li Lan was quite astonished.

Ultimately, this scene was rather heavy. For a dignified demigod-level old man to cry like this was an exaggerated scene that even romance novels wouldn't dare to use.

However, upon closer reflection, many separations and deaths in reality seem to reflect this, which is the true manifestation of the emotions of intelligent beings.

Having lived in this other world for so long, grinding his teeth and sucking blood, Li Lan had unknowingly forgotten that there should be kinship, friendship, or love among intelligent beings. All he felt was various kinds of interests and exploitation.

"Sigh," Li Lan sighed, and waited until the old man calmed down before asking, "That's all I know about Miss Celine. Is there anything else you'd like to know, sir?"

That's enough!

The old man's only thought right now is to find his granddaughter as soon as possible. He has no other thoughts. No matter how much hatred or resentment there is, it cannot outweigh his longing for his loved one.

"That......"

Li Lan wanted to say something more, but he suddenly sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere. Not only did the two female harbingers of death beside him stiffen, but the old man opposite him also suddenly changed his expression, as if facing a formidable enemy.