[Vol. 8] Chapter 306: Legendary Rank Is Already Outdated!
The transport team that Violet and the others hid in entered through the east gate. Even though the palace defenses had weakened a lot, since outside the whole city was busy searching for assassins, the inspection was still very strict.
Luckily, Nitila and her group had prepared well in advance. It seemed they secretly bribed a few palace guards on duty, which allowed them to enter safely.
It looked like even in a highly centralized and iron-blooded empire like Aust, corruption could not be completely stopped.
By the way, not many people directly joined the infiltration this time. As far as Violet knew, there were only about seven or eight in total. Besides her group, the others were all top experts from the Sea Tribe Alliance.
Back then, Nitila had paid a heavy price and used the power of the [Book of Truth] to fix some mistakes and key problems in their training. This not only made their strength grow quickly but also solved many hidden dangers that could not be avoided before. It was a huge favor, so now these experts were willing to risk their lives for the princess.
These strong people, including Alex, had all reached the true Legendary level or even higher. No wonder the Sea Tribe Alliance could fight evenly against Austre in the Eastern Sea, they truly had the strength and background to do so.
Although many of them managed to break through partly thanks to Nitila’s help, the changes in the environment of the Origin Realm, and the rising energy levels, even in today’s five great nations, Legendary level was still the highest group of powerhouses. It was one of the main standards to measure the strength of a country or a faction.
At this moment, those powerhouses, including a certain Daughter of Truth, were hiding separately in different wagons, carefully suppressing their aura. They just needed to wait until the convoy reached its destination, then the mission could officially begin.
Originally, Nitila did not plan to personally join this operation. Even though, with the [Book of Truth], she was actually the strongest in the group, the princess had problems with her legs in the past, and her body was not fit for direct combat. The original plan was for her to stay behind, provide support, and wait for the investigation team’s results before deciding the next step.
But the sudden appearance of that priestess completely ruined her plan. Violet not only healed Nitila’s paralyzed lower body, removing the price she had once paid, but also merged her own blood with the [Tear of Light] to create a [Forbidden Words]. When it fused with Nitila’s merfolk pearl, it directly caused her body to evolve on a species level.
The power of the [Forbidden Words] was mysterious and unpredictable. Only Nitila herself truly understood what had changed, and Violet did not ask too much. But according to the princess, after that, she could use the [Book of Truth] to an even greater extent. Although the cost was still large, she no longer needed to pay the irreversible price like before. She had truly made the divine artifact part of her own power.
This may sound simple, but the meaning behind it was far from ordinary.
So, to be safe, the princess changed the plan. She let her sister Valda command from outside, while she herself entered the palace with the priestess and others to investigate the mysterious tower said to be holding many captives.
Through their spiritual sense, the outside scenery kept changing. Although it was called the Grand Imperial Palace, in truth it was no different from a medium-sized city. After more than half an hour of winding around, the convoy finally stopped near a warehouse.
The palace guards took over from the convoy soldiers and began moving food supplies into the warehouse. At that moment, Violet and the others quietly slipped out with the help of their inside contact and regrouped in the agreed corner.
So far, everything had gone quite smoothly, but everyone knew that sneaking in was only the first step, the real challenge was still ahead.
Because they had already discussed the whole plan outside, the group didn’t waste time talking after meeting up. They only exchanged glances, then let Nitila lead in front, moving toward the target area by following the route shown on the map.
The palace was heavily guarded. Compared to the imperial guards, the real dangers were the imperial priests and the almost everywhere-present advanced magical technology of the empire. Even though the Sea Alliance had planted insiders who tried their best to design a safe route, they couldn’t reach the true upper circles of power, so what they knew was not necessarily the full picture.
That was why the princess was especially cautious along the way. In her hands, the [Book of Truth] gave off a faint glow, constantly checking and adjusting the path. Thanks to this, they managed to avoid hidden sentries and surveillance devices from the priest halls several times, escaping without real danger.
With her pet dragon mixed into the team, Violet had already spread out her spirit power to sense every small movement around them. But she didn’t interfere with Nitila’s choices or actions, she just quietly followed along with the group.
To be honest, the existence of this team wasn’t that important to her. Yes, they were useful to some extent, but if they couldn’t even handle the most basic tasks, then there was nothing more to say. They might as well quit early and mind their own business.
If they were discovered outside, there was at least a chance to escape. But if useless people went into a place like this, they wouldn’t even know how they died. Violet was not here to babysit anyone.
Luckily, their journey stayed smooth. Soon, they passed through tall walls and deep courtyards, and the outline of a tower slowly appeared before their eyes.
“This should be the place.”
When they were still several hundred meters away, Nitila, walking in front, raised her hand to stop the group. She stared at the tower, more than ten floors tall, that gave off a heavy, invisible pressure. Her expression grew serious.
Around the tower wound layer upon layer of black chains. One end of each chain was fastened to the sharp corners of the tower, while the other end seemed to sink directly into the ground, extending who knew where. It looked like a huge beast bound and sealed into the earth.
There weren’t many guards under the tower, but a huge glowing barrier covered the whole tower and the black chains from top to bottom. On the surface of the barrier, strange shifting runes flowed, half-visible, half-unreal, as if cutting off the inside completely from the outside. Even the imperial guards and priest hall members who protected this place all stood outside the barrier, unable to go inside.
“I can feel it… the [Book of Truth] is trembling. It’s resonating. There must be something similar inside that tower, and of very high rank.”
The book without words shone faintly like breathing. Hearing the mermaid girl’s murmured realization, the priestess also nodded slightly.
In fact, she too could sense a similar presence, even more clearly than Nitila. It was the pulse of divine power. To be exact, it was the vast energy of [Origin Power], the very foundation from which divinity is formed.