The problems of Makase, Riki, and Okabe Rintaro were solved. A whole new world was waiting for them, waiting for them to open up a brand new future. As for whether this was a blessing or a curse, no one knew.
On the other hand, after a few days of waiting, Tang Hao finally got the pass from Grandis.
In the past few days, they basically stayed in the magic academy on the West Coast, learning magic from Sharan.
Although Tang Hao often mocked himself, Kirito, and Asuna as the three despicable people in the chatroom (Zoro: What about me?), the three of them did not have any special obsession with the ultimate swordsmanship. However, the three of them did not have any special obsession with the pinnacle of swordsmanship. They had never pursued the subtlety of swordsmanship. After all, this was not the world of martial arts novels. Whether a swordsmanship was powerful or not depended on the output.
Just like in the 1.53 chapter of FGO, those so-called Heroic Spirits and Swordsman Heroes boasted about their godly spear techniques and swordsmanship, but in the end, they could only bully Musashi who was an ordinary soldier in the early stages. When Musashi's fowling guns were upgraded to cannons, they were all chopped up like melons and vegetables.
In other words, Musashi's own output was too weak. If the protagonist of this special point was Brother Fei and the others, a light cannon blast would turn all the heroic swordsmen into ashes!
In Tang Hao's opinion, swordsmanship only needed to be fast, fierce, and accurate. As for the so-called moves, it was nothing more than the evolution of attack and defense. Nothing was better than actual combat. So after grasping fast, fierce, and fierce, the rest was how to increase the output. With enough output, a normal slash could be used as a light cannon, and ultimate moves could be used to attack a city. Under such attacks, what was the point of those fancy swordsmanship?
Even his One Blade of Shura evolved on the basis of speed, and the ultimate goal was to increase the output.
Therefore, in the past few days, Tang Hao put down his sword and devoted most of his attention to the training of divine power and magic.
Perhaps because he was a god, the training of divine power was very smooth, and he could already use some small skills such as prayers, blessings, and so on. As for the effect, it would have to be tested through actual combat.
But in terms of magic, things weren't going well.
Because of Binoche and Kerache's relationship, Sharan easily accepted their request and taught them magic knowledge. Even Celia learned some sealing, large magic circles, and purifying abilities from them.
Both Kirito and Asuna already knew how to use magic, and Sharan's teachings had opened up a huge path for them, allowing them to have a more comprehensive vision. Although they still couldn't convert this knowledge into combat power, it was only a matter of time. After all, both of them had a genius magician by their side.
Tang Hao was the only one who could not sense the magic power in his body.
Even Shallan found this very strange.
In this world, magic wasn't just a privilege for a small number of people. Everyone had the right to cultivate it. As long as one seriously comprehended it, anyone's body would be able to produce magic power. It was just that one's talent was different, and there were high and low achievements.
But Tang Hao couldn't feel the mana at all, as if the mana was repelling him. Even Sharan had never encountered such a situation before.
Could it be that magic in this world was repelling me because I wanted to fight against Herder?
Tang Hao couldn't help but think this, but he quickly denied it.
Herder the Weeping Eye, the Second Apostle, was also known as the God of Magic. She was the ancestor of all magicians because she was the first person to discover the elements of nature and use magic. However, she wasn't the creator of magic. Just like how Newton discovered gravity, magic had existed in this world from the very beginning.
It didn't make sense that magic that didn't belong to Herder would be directed at him just because he wanted to fight against her.
It was more likely … that he already had too much power in his body.
Spiritual Power and Divine Power, although they all came from the same source, and they both started and ended up in the Originator state, the current him was obviously too far away from that state. He couldn't even properly fuse these two powers, which caused his weak body to be a bit cramped. There wasn't enough space for magic power, so it couldn't be produced?
Well, after a period of fruitless attempts, Tang Hao gave up.
Then, the day after they received the pass, everyone prepared and set off for Sky City.
Sky City was located at the end of the West Coast and could be seen from afar. It was a giant tower that towered into the clouds, like a pillar of the world. It stood in the sky and pierced straight into the Sky Sea, with no end in sight.
Just by looking at it from afar, one could feel the majesty and grandeur of Sky City.
For Kirito and Asuna, Sky City gave them a special feeling, because … it was too similar to Aincrad.
Sky City was very high above the ground, and it was basically impossible to go up using normal methods. However, as a city created by a great magician, there was no shortage of teleportation circles here. There were also magicians who specially built teleportation circles to Sky City. As long as one passed through the teleportation circle, one could directly enter Sky City.
Of course, ever since the imperial army, in the name of investigating the transfer phenomenon, interfered with the right to enter and leave Sky City, these magic circles were also under their control. Without their permission, the possibility of using these teleportation circles was infinitely close to zero.
"Will the imperial army let us go?"
As they continued to approach, looking at the layers of checkpoints set up in front of them, as well as the dozens of heavily armored imperial army standing straight like javelins, Asuna asked in a low voice.
These imperial army didn't look like much individually, but when they gathered together, they revealed a murderous aura.
Kirito said: "We have a pass, they should let us go."
"Not necessarily." Asuna curled her lips. "Who knows what these arrogant guys will do."
These days, Asuna often stayed in the Magic Academy, but when she occasionally came out, she encountered the imperial army many times. It gave her the feeling that they looked down on the people of the Duchy. Their speech and behavior revealed a sense of superiority, and they were even more disdainful of adventurers.
"It's normal. The empire was founded by force, so they are used to having a domineering attitude. If you have the same strength as them, they will naturally be polite to you, but if you are too weak, of course, they will not put you in their eyes. Although the Duchy has a long history and a free culture, its military is precisely its weakest link, so it's not difficult to understand the imperial army's attitude. Not to mention, the empire has long had the ambition to invade the Duchy. "
"As for adventurers … the empire advocates iron-blooded military discipline, and there is a strict hierarchical system. The gap between civilians and nobles is almost insurmountable. In the eyes of the empire, people are divided into different classes. And adventurers are the freest group in the world. From the nobles to the civilians, there is no class distinction. Anyone can be a friend, and anyone can be an enemy. What they pursue is the joy of adventure and exploration, which is completely contrary to the empire's philosophy, so it's natural that the imperial army doesn't like them. "
This was Tang Hao's interpretation of this phenomenon, and it was also a fact recognized by a large number of people, but in Asuna's opinion, it could only be described as bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
Tang Hao didn't care about her opinion, after all, bullying the weak and fearing the strong was the instinct of all creatures, and he had to admit that the empire was really strong. If the Duchy didn't do something soon, it would be annexed by the empire sooner or later.
"What should we do if the imperial army doesn't let us pass?"
Hearing Asuna's question, Tang Hao smiled, "Then let's call them."
"No way?"
"Hehe."
A moment later, the group of four arrived at the checkpoint. Immediately, two imperial soldiers with halberds blocked their way. "Stop! You are not allowed to enter Sky City!"
Tang Hao smiled. "We have a pass."
"Let me have a look."
Tang Hao took out the pass from his pocket, but before he could hand it over, it was snatched away by the soldier. After carefully looking at it and confirming that there was no mistake, the soldier returned it to Tang Hao.
"It is indeed a pass issued by Queen Skadi. Forget it, you can go in." The imperial soldier nodded and stepped aside with his companions, but his attitude was still arrogant.
Tang Hao's furrowed brows relaxed a little. Although the other party's attitude made him a little unhappy, since it could be resolved peacefully, he didn't need to look for trouble. It wasn't the first time he realized that the imperial army was too arrogant.
However, just as Tang Hao put away the pass and was about to enter the checkpoint, a loud voice suddenly sounded in front of him.
"Stop!"
Tang Hao looked over and saw a woman wearing the imperial knight's uniform. Her face was cold, and she had short red hair. She looked very young, only about 20 years old, and she hurried over.
The two imperial soldiers immediately greeted her and saluted loudly. "Captain!"
The woman nodded and looked at Tang Hao. She asked, "Who are they?"
"Captain, they are adventurers who want to enter Sky City to investigate."
Adventurers, tsk, another group of annoying people.
The woman curled her lips and couldn't help but show her contempt and hatred for adventurers. "Tell them that Sky City is temporarily not open to the public. Tell them to come back in a few days."
"But … they have the pass of the Skadi Queen."
"It's the same. Tell them to leave quickly. Don't be a hindrance here."
"Yes …"
"Wait!" The two parties were not very far away. Tang Hao heard the conversation between the two imperial soldiers and the female knight clearly. Without waiting for the other party to inform him, he walked forward.
"What else do you want?" The woman cast an unhappy look at him.
Tang Hao sized her up and smiled. "If I'm not wrong, you should be a beginner knight of the empire, right? You became a real knight at such a young age. You should be very outstanding even in the empire. May I know your name? "
"What's your name? Why are you speaking so strangely? My name is Reni." Reni frowned and urged, "Sky City is now under martial law. If you want to take the risk, come back in a few days."
"Okay, Knight Reni." Tang Hao nodded and smiled warmly. "But can I ask you a few questions?"
Reni seemed to be a little annoyed, but one should not hit a smiling person. Tang Hao had a carefree smile on his face, so it was not good for her to lose her temper. She wanted to end this matter as soon as possible, so she said, "Go ahead."
"Thank you." Tang Hao turned his head and looked at the two imperial soldiers beside him. He smiled and asked, "You checked my pass just now. I want to confirm if it's fake."
"The pass is confirmed. It's real."
"Very good. Then …" Tang Hao looked back at Reni again. "The second question, are the empire's rules fake?"
"How dare you!" Reni shouted in a deep voice. "How can there be fake rules in our empire's military discipline? How dare you slander us!"
"I don't dare." Tang Hao smiled and shook his head. "But … since my pass is real and your rules are not fake, then I brought the pass according to your rules. Why did you stop us from entering Sky City? Don't you think it's strange?"
"You …"
Reni finally reacted. He knew that this guy had not given up on entering Sky City. That harmless smile just now was just a disguise. It was to find a loophole in Reni's words and put him in a dilemma … Indeed, adventurers are not good people!
"Why? Knight Reni also thinks it's strange, so you can't answer me?"
"Hmph!" Reni snorted. "Why should I answer you? I'm the captain here. I'm in charge of the access to Sky City. If I say we can't enter, we can't enter. I have no obligation to answer you! "
"Oh, in that case, can I understand that you are deliberately targeting us?" The smile on Tang Hao's face finally faded.
Reni knew that what he was doing was inappropriate, but now was not the time to worry about this. As a knight of the empire, it concerned the prestige of the entire empire. How could he compromise with a mere adventurer?
He immediately said forcefully, "It's up to you how you want to interpret it. Anyway, I'll say it one last time. Sky City is not open to the public now. If you want to adventure, you can come back in a few days. Of course, if you really want to go in, you can also try to force your way in. Anyway, aren't you adventurers the type who don't abide by the rules? "
Reni seemed to gradually lose his patience, and his face began to show an impatient look.
"Oh, force my way in …"
"President." Kirito and Asuna came forward.
Tang Hao waved his hand, turned his head to Asuna, and whispered, "Protect Celia."
Huh?
Kirito and Asuna were startled. Is he really going to force his way in?
Yes.
Reni was impatient, but Tang Hao was even more furious.
No matter how much he disliked the empire, at least on the surface, he still maintained a polite attitude and did not think of causing trouble. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since the Empire had set the rules of Sky City, he would follow them and mind his own business. However …
"I didn't want to do it, but since you don't even abide by your own rules, there's no need for me to talk nonsense with you …" With a flash of light, Tang Hao had already clenched the Penglai Jade Sword and pointed forward, "Show your health bar, Imperial Army!"
"You … really dare to do it?!"
Reni's eyes widened, and he looked at Tang Hao in disbelief. The Iron Wolf Knights of the Imperial Army were stationed on the West Coast. They were personally led by the legendary hero, one of the Four Sword Saints, Bain Bassett!
Just a few adventurers, two of them were women, and one of them obviously didn't have the ability to fight. Just these four people facing dozens of elite warriors of the Iron Wolf Knights … In this situation, he really dared to make a move?
In Reni's view, what Tang Hao did was simply courting death. After all, there were more than just a few dozen people of the Empire Army stationed on the West Coast. As soon as the alarm sounded, hundreds of soldiers would immediately come, and there would be people like the Sword Saints. Even the dozens of people present were the elites of the Iron Wolf Knights. Was it really not courting death to fight with them?
Even Reni was taken aback by this unexpected development. Looking at Tang Hao's sword movement, she almost reflexively stepped back.
Swish!
Fortunately, Reni retreated in time, and the sword only passed in front of her.
"This guy …" Reni was shocked and furious. He immediately ordered, "Stop them!"
Since Tang Hao attacked Reni, the imperial army guarding the checkpoint would certainly not sit idly by. With Reni's order, almost everyone rushed over. Tang Hao still wanted to chase after Reni, but his attack was quickly blocked by two imperial soldiers.
"President!" Kirito shouted and immediately wanted to help.
"Don't worry about me, let's go in!"
Tang Hao didn't even look back as he slashed with his sword.
Fighting with the Empire Army was a very unwise choice, and it was almost equivalent to courting death. Of course, he knew this, but even a clay figurine had some anger, let alone a human.
Forget about the previous rude attitude, they didn't even let them enter the Sky City after getting the pass. The Empire Army was clearly making things difficult for them, and they didn't even give them a reason. If he continued to endure this, would he still be a human?
Being bullied to this extent, if he still didn't fight back, what was the use of his strength!
As for the consequences … Who cares!
If he really angered him, he would directly activate the Death Talisman, who could stop him?
Clang!
The sword and halberd collided, making the sound of metal clashing.
The Iron Wolf Knights were led by the Sword Saint Bain. Even in the Empire Army, they were one of the best knights. Even the most ordinary soldiers in the Iron Wolf Knights had good combat power. If they were in any other army, each of them would be elite soldiers who could fight against ten enemies, and they were also well-equipped. Without using rune cards, it would be difficult for Tang Hao to defeat them quickly.
For example, at this moment, the soldier who blocked his attack only took two steps back.
But …
Tang Hao's eyes flashed, and taking advantage of the moment his attack was blocked, he bent his arm down and pointed the tip of his sword at the soldier's wrist. The latter felt pain and instinctively retracted his attack, leaving a big opening. Then the sword flashed, and without waiting for the soldier to defend, Tang Hao's Penglai Jade Sword had already cut open the armor on his chest, and blood splashed out.
Although these soldiers were strong and well-equipped, because they were all wearing heavy armor, their movements were a little slow … Perhaps for others, this slow speed was not enough to change the situation, but for Tang Hao, if you were slow, you would be finished.
In the Time Cabin, Tang Hao had been hunting rabbits for two years, although 90% of the time he was in the process of being abused.
Those rabbits were strong, but compared with their combat power, their most terrifying feature was their agility.
Each and every one of them was as slippery as a loach, jumping here and there. In the first half a year, Tang Hao couldn't even touch their shadows. If it wasn't for this situation, how could he have practiced the Swift Steps?
The Short Step was forced out by the rabbits!
In the constant battle with the rabbit, Tang Hao's forte lay in his quick attacks.
When the soldier fell, the others didn't even understand what had happened.
Because it was really too fast, almost in an instant.
"Stop him!"
These imperial knights were also the type of people who were not afraid of death at all, which was indeed commendable. Seeing their companion fall, they became even more courageous. In an instant, three to five people rushed up and surrounded Tang Hao, trying to take him down.
Of course, Tang Hao couldn't always maintain a fast attack speed. When there were more enemies around him, of course, his speed would also be affected, but … rabbits don't come one at a time, he was also very good at fighting many enemies at once.
Boom!
Just when Tang Hao was fighting with these imperial knights, a loud noise came from not far away. As the flames spread, two imperial knights in front of Kirito were suddenly blown away.
Compared to Tang Hao's fast attack, Kirito's side was even more ferocious.
With Binoche's buff, his current strength was even higher than Tang Hao's. The destructive power and suddenness of his Flame Blade was simply impossible to defend against.
In order to deal with him, Kirito also suffered the most attacks.
Asuna followed closely behind. She had to protect Celia, so she couldn't fight freely. She used the power of the Light Spirit to protect Celia, and at the same time, she ordered Kerache to activate the Ice Matrix. The Ice Matrix expanded with every step she took, and no one dared to get close to her.
It was only then that the Imperial Knights suddenly realized that these child-like adventurers were not as easy to deal with as they had imagined. Who would have known that there were two powerful Spellcasters hidden in the team!?
Finally, the alarm sounded.
Seeing that it was impossible to stop Tang Hao's attack, Reinier could only sound the alarm for help.
She knew that the situation had become a little bad.
Hearing the alarm, Tang Hao's face changed. The imperial army stationed on the west coast was not far from here, and they would arrive in ten minutes at most. If they hadn't entered Sky City by then, facing a large number of enemies and masters like Bain, the situation would become very serious. Perhaps they would have to fight to the death …
He must end this quickly!
Tang Hao took a deep breath. Fortunately, Kirito's performance was very good. He helped him attract a large number of enemies, so there were not many imperial soldiers surrounding him. Coupled with the sudden sound of the alarm, these imperial soldiers were also a little nervous. This was the best opportunity.
So with a swoosh, with the release of spiritual power, several figures seemed to drill out of his body.
This sudden turn of events scared the imperial soldiers out of their wits, and they instinctively spread out.
Tang Hao didn't want to entangle with them. Seeing the opportunity, he rushed straight toward Reinier.
Capture the leader first!
Well, from the point of view of the imperial army or other people, they were probably the thieves.
Then I'll change it to attacking the general first.
"Shit! Captain! "
Several imperial soldiers fought with Tang Hao's phantoms, but when they slashed at them, it was as if they were slashing at the air. Only then did they realize that they were tricked. When they looked again, Tang Hao had already gotten rid of their siege. They suddenly shouted nervously and hurriedly chased after him.
Splash!
At this moment, an ice wall suddenly trapped them.
Although Asuna wasn't the main attacker, she wasn't weak either. It wasn't difficult for her to occasionally do some auxiliary work.
And the imperial soldiers looked at the cold and hard ice wall around them and felt so uncomfortable that they wanted to vomit.
"You are really bold. Not only did you make an enemy of the imperial knights, but you also dared to come at me!" She was the commander of the battlefield. Although she didn't play a role, she still understood Tang Hao's intention. She couldn't help but laugh angrily. "Do you think you can stop this battle by capturing me? It's useless. The moment you attacked us, you have already provoked the empire. No matter what, you will become the empire's enemy, and you can't catch me! "
Although she was almost cut by Tang Hao just now, Reinier felt that it was just an accident. It was Tang Hao's sneak attack. In terms of strength, she was definitely above him.
"You talk too much nonsense. Eat this!"
Tang Hao shouted, and the phantoms appeared again.
"Hmph, what's the use of this kind of attack? I know the Illusory Sword Technique too! "
Reinier bowed and swung her long sword. Suddenly, a phantom flew out from her body and attacked Tang Hao.
The Illusory Sword Technique was a swordsman's skill. Different from Tang Hao's, this phantom had real attack power.
Tang Hao's eyes flashed. He didn't expect such a low-level knight to also use the Illusory Sword Technique. The empire's swordsmanship was indeed amazing, but … both the phantom and the speed were too inferior.
Ding!
Tang Hao reached out his hand and touched the sword. The originally crystal clear Penglai Jade Sword was instantly covered with a layer of holy light.
Weapon Blessing!
Then, he slashed out with the long sword and directly tore the phantom in front of him.
"Clergy?!"
Reinier's expression changed. As a captain of the imperial knights, she certainly recognized that this was the signature skill of a clergy, Weapon Blessing. However, wasn't this guy an adventurer? And …
"You are a clergy, why do you use a sword?"
This was something that Reinier couldn't understand. Shouldn't clergy use weapons like rosary beads and crosses?
"I am a clergy who likes to use swords. It's none of your business!" As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Hao had already rushed in front of Reinier. He didn't show any mercy just because the other party was a beauty. The Penglai Jade Sword directly greeted the other party's face.
"Evil!" Reinier scolded and immediately raised her hand to block. "You adventurers really like to play some evil tricks. I won't lose to you!"
Although Reinier's Illusory Sword Technique was average, her own swordsmanship of the empire was very outstanding. After all, she had graduated with the second best result in the Academy of Knights. Even in the empire, she was a rare talent. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been recruited by the Iron Wolf Knights and held the position of captain.
The two of them clashed with their swords. Ding, ding, dang, dang. Intense sparks flew.
Even Tang Hao's quick attack was still blocked by Reinier.
However …
So heavy!
Perhaps it was because of the weapon blessing, Reinier felt that Tang Hao's attacks were fast and heavy. Moreover, each sword was fiercer than the previous one. After dozens of head-on clashes, her arm was already a little numb. She couldn't help but feel a little panicked.
Based on this situation, she would definitely lose.
No, she was a knight of the empire. She definitely couldn't lose!
Reinier clenched her teeth and persevered. Gradually, her forehead was covered with sweat and her hands were numb and powerless. It was as if they weren't hers anymore. Even lifting her sword was extremely difficult. She didn't even have the chance to use her excellent swordsmanship.
Why … did this happen?
The answer was very simple. Of course, it was Tang Hao's deliberate action.
Although he didn't know which NPC this female knight named Reinier was, she couldn't be weak since she was an official under Bain. He didn't look down on her because of her age and gender, so he attacked quickly from the start.
Tang Hao's quick attack had an obvious weakness. He had to choose between strength and speed. If he used this kind of quick attack, it would inevitably cause his output to be weakened. However, he added the weapon blessing to his sword to make up for this weakness. Then, every slash was a head-on clash.
If Reinier didn't want to die, she could only desperately resist. However, the more she resisted, the more she fell into Tang Hao's rhythm. Under such crazy and fierce attacks, Reinier's stamina was slowly consumed …
Things like techniques could only be used when there was a chance. However, Reinier was suppressed by Tang Hao's speed and strength. She had no chance to use her swordsmanship at all. Almost everything she had learned was wasted, and she could only fight head-on with Tang Hao.
The empire's swordsmanship was not the type to fight head-on. Moreover, Reinier was a young woman. No matter how excellent her swordsmanship was, her stamina was always an unavoidable weakness.
Of course, continuous quick attacks also put a lot of pressure on Tang Hao. However, he knew that Reinier couldn't hold on for long. She was only holding on with her willpower. Once she collapsed, this arrogant female knight would completely become a fish on his chopping board.
So, how long can you hold on?
Clang!
Finally, after half a minute, Reinier's hand had completely lost all feeling. As Tang Hao slashed down, she could only barely stretch out her weapon to block. Then, the big sword that was not suitable for a woman to use fell to the ground.
The aftershock of the collision caused her to fall back violently.
As soon as her butt landed on the ground, Reinier struggled to get up. However, just as she raised her body, Tang Hao stepped on her stomach and pointed the tip of his sword at her neck.
He didn't step on her too hard. Although Reinier's arrogant personality made him dislike her, Tang Hao didn't want to humiliate a woman in this way. He just stepped on her so that she couldn't stand up.
Of course, this was only Tang Hao's own opinion. To Reinier, not only did she lose in battle, but she was also stepped on by the enemy. This was simply the seventh most humiliating thing in her life. Her whole face instantly turned red, and she was so ashamed that she wanted to die.
"Stop!" Tang Hao didn't have time to care about Reinier's feelings. He shouted at the battlefield, "If you don't want her to die, all of you stop!"
"Captain!"
The Imperial Army who was still fighting looked back, and their faces changed drastically. Some of them instinctively wanted to rescue Reinier, but Tang Hao gently pushed his sword forward. The cold blade pierced his skin, and Reinier instinctively screamed in fear.
The Imperial Army that rushed over helplessly stopped.
"If you want to kill me, then kill me!" Only Reinier didn't compromise at all. She said forcefully, "The Imperial Knights are not afraid of death!"
"Oh, is that so?"
Tang Hao was about to stab her. Reinier pursed her lips tightly, and the corner of her eyes trembled. Although she said that she was not afraid of death, no normal person was really not afraid of death. She was just being stubborn.
"Hehe, your body is not as tough as you say. You are obviously scared to death."
Tang Hao smiled and no longer paid attention to Reinier. He cast a glance at Kirito and Asuna, signaling them to enter the Teleportation Circle.
As long as they enter the Sky City, the Imperial Army can't do whatever they want. Then, they have to hurry up and repair the magic array of the Sky City, and half of the mission will be completed.
As for what happens after that …
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, several figures flashed through the Teleportation Circle at the checkpoint.
Tang Hao took a closer look and couldn't help but curse.
The one who came out of the Teleportation Circle was a silver-haired young man dressed like a noble knight, and he was also wearing gorgeous earrings.
Barnes!
One of the Four Sword Saints who were equally famous as Aganzo, Xilan, and Buwanga.
It hasn't even been ten minutes, how did Barnes appear so quickly?
Yes, the Teleportation Circle!
Since there is a Teleportation Circle that can directly enter the Sky City, of course, there is also a Teleportation Circle that connects to other places.
Tang Hao knew that he was negligent. Kirito and Asuna haven't entered the Teleportation Circle yet, but Barnes has already arrived. It will be difficult for them to go to the Sky City. Moreover, there was a black-haired man next to Barnes.
Although Tang Hao didn't know much about him, he also inquired about him in the past few days and knew that he was most likely the deputy leader of the Iron Wolf Knights, the master second only to Barnes, Hyde.
If he fought against these two masters … Ugh!
Just when Tang Hao felt that it was tricky, he suddenly smiled. Because it was not only Barnes and Hyde who came out of the Teleportation Circle, there were also two other people, Sarah and Golantis!
Sure enough, they still came.
During the previous battle, Tang Hao deliberately released his divine power and contacted the Church of Hendon Myre. This method was taught to him by Golantis. Although it was the first time he used it, since Golantis appeared, it meant that he succeeded.
This was also a backup plan that he arranged just in case. Even if he chose to force his way in, he didn't deliberately kill anyone. At most, he only seriously injured the Imperial Army, making them temporarily lose their combat effectiveness. Kirito and Asuna's character was even more unlikely to take the initiative to kill, so as long as they were not dead, there was still room for negotiation.
He is the God's Child, so Golantis will definitely protect him. With the Church of God's Child, the possibility of the two sides reconciling is even greater. There is no need to turn enemies into friends, as long as the Imperial Army can't find trouble with him openly.
After all, with his current strength, he is not strong enough to fight the Empire.
At least, not until he completes the mission.
As for Sarah's appearance, it was a real accident, but such an accident made Tang Hao more confident.
"Leader! Vice Leader! "
As soon as they saw Barnes and the others, the Imperial Army immediately shouted excitedly.
However, Barnes and Hyde didn't look at them. Their eyes fell on Tang Hao. After all, Tang Hao was still stepping on Reinier.
Tang Hao smiled, gently removed his foot, half-squatted down, reached out his hand to Reinier, and asked gently, "How are you? Do you hurt anywhere? "
When Reinier saw this, she was so angry that she almost fainted.
It's this, this seemingly harmless smile!
Previously, it was because she was deceived by his smile that she lowered her guard, causing her to fall into a dilemma. Now, he was playing the same trick again … This bastard, he was clearly the one who knocked her down and even stepped on her stomach. In the end, when the Guild Leader and Vice Guild Leader arrived, he immediately pretended to be friendly. He was really shameless.
Reinier was about to go crazy. If it weren't for the fact that her hands are weak, she would have probably pounced on Tang Hao and risked her life.
However, Tang Hao's action made Hyde relax. Then, he looked around again. Although many of his subordinates were injured and lying on the ground weakly, none of them really died. At most, they were only seriously injured, so his expression softened a little.
He is an expert, so he naturally knows that in such a chaotic battle, it is not easy to avoid casualties. In the end, none of his subordinates died, which is obviously the result of the other party being merciful. The message expressed in this is very obvious.
"Aiyo, it seems to be quite serious. This is going to be troublesome." Barnes looked around. Although he said so, his face was frivolous, as if he doesn't care about the situation in front of him at all.
"What exactly happened? Explain to me!"
In comparison, Hyde was much more serious. He walked to the side of the closest subordinate and found that the other's injuries are not serious, so he kicked him hard and asked.
Hyde has a bad temper, but he takes good care of his subordinates, so he is deeply loved by them. Hearing his question, this knight didn't dare to hide anything and truthfully told him what happened.
Hyde became even more irritated when he heard this.
"Reinier, get over here!"
Reinier just got up from the ground and heard Hyde's angry roar. She immediately shivered in fear, lowered her head, and carefully walked forward.
Hyde didn't look at her, but looked at the surrounding subordinates and scolded, "What are you all waiting for? Those who can move, hurry up and move those who can't move back for treatment. Don't you think you have caused enough trouble? "
"Yes!" The Imperial Army responded and immediately moved. Even at such a time, they still maintained discipline.
While the imperial army moved their comrades, Tang Hao led Asuna and the other two to Sharan and Grandis.
"You guys went too far," Sharan said in a low voice.
"We can't do anything about it. They provoked us first." Tang Hao spread his hands. "However, I thought they would question me first. I'm a bit surprised."
"Although Hyde is hot-tempered, he's very upright and never takes sides with his subordinates. Since he knows that you're not in the wrong, of course, he won't blame you. Besides …" Sharan glanced at Tang Hao and said, "We were talking about Sky Castle and mentioned you."
"I see." Tang Hao suddenly understood. No wonder Sharan appeared.
Grandis stood silently at the side and didn't say anything, but he gave Tang Hao a reassuring look.
Tang Hao revealed a faint smile. He knew that the two of them were on his side, so there would be no more variables. All that was left was to see what Barnes would do.
"Leader, Deputy Leader …"
Standing in front of Bain and Hyde, Reni lowered her head like a child who had made a mistake. Even her voice was soft, and her face was full of uneasiness.
"Look at what you did!" Hyde glared at her. "Tell me, what happened?"
"I …"
Reni wanted to say something but stopped. When Hyde urged her loudly, she said, "It's Her Royal Highness."
"Her Royal Highness?" Even Bain was stunned. "What does this have to do with her?"
"Not long ago, Her Royal Highness came to visit Sky City. The guards were careless and accidentally separated from her. Fiona and the others hurriedly went to find her and informed me about this, so …" Reni raised her eyes and carefully looked at the two's faces. "Sky City is so dangerous, and Her Royal Highness doesn't have guards around her. If adventurers go in at this time and encounter Her Royal Highness, who knows what they will do, so I …"
So this is the reason …
Hearing this from afar, Tang Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He didn't know whether this Reni was too straightforward or too stupid. Wasn't it better to have more people looking for the missing princess? Stopping adventurers … Uh, maybe it made sense. After all, the relationship between the empire and adventurers was a bit stiff. Ordinary adventurers probably wouldn't do anything, but if they encountered someone like Ghostsword, the princess probably wouldn't be able to go back.
Thinking of this, Tang Hao somewhat understood Reni's approach.
But understanding was one thing, agreeing or not was another thing. Even if he had a second chance, he would still make the same choice. As for the princess' life and death?
It was none of his business!
"Ridiculous!" Hyde scolded, "Even so, that's not the reason why you are good at changing the rules. You are just a junior knight. Who gave you the right? Since Her Royal Highness is missing, why didn't you inform us? "
"I wanted to inform you, deputy leader, but …" Reni turned his head and looked at Tang Hao. "As soon as I got the news, that guy came. I wanted to send them away first and then contact you, deputy leader. But that guy refused to leave and then attacked us. I didn't have the time …"
Blame me?
Tang Hao shrugged his shoulders from afar.
Reni saw this and gritted her teeth in anger. But in front of her superior, she didn't dare to lose her temper.
"Shut up!" Hyde glared at her. "This happened because of you, and now you want to cry injustice? If you don't tell us the reason, how can others understand you? Come with me! "
With that, Hyde walked towards Tang Hao. Although Reni was unwilling, she still followed him weakly.
"Apologize!"
"Huh?"
As soon as he stopped, Reni opened her mouth wide. Even Tang Hao was stunned.
Although Reni was the one who made the wrong decision, the final result was that the Empire suffered heavy losses. So many soldiers were injured. Even if he was in Hyde's shoes, he would at most be even. Yet, he actually wanted Reni to apologize to him. This … there was such a good person in the Empire?
Tang Hao couldn't help but suspect that Hyde was a traitor planted in the empire by the duchy.
"You want me … to apologize to him?"
Reni pointed at Tang Hao in disbelief. She was cheated, beaten, and stepped on, but Tang Hao was fine from the beginning to the end. In the end, she, the victim, had to apologize to the perpetrator. How could this be?
She refused to accept it!
Hyde said with a business-like expression, "The trouble you caused caused so many subordinates to be injured. Don't you need to take responsibility? And you drove away the person with the duchy pass. Are you trying to cause diplomatic problems between the two countries? "
"I …"
"I said long ago that you need to control your character. This time, you were only injured. If something like this happens again, many people will die because of you. It's fine if you don't want to apologize. Then scram back to the empire. I don't need subordinates who are impatient and only know how to cause trouble."
With that, Hyde turned around and said, "After returning to the empire, reflect on yourself."
"Wait, wait!"
Hyde stopped.
Reni gritted her teeth, and her face was filled with reluctance. But she knew that her deputy was a man of his word. If she didn't apologize, she would really be kicked back to the empire. In the middle of a mission, what was the difference between this and being expelled from the Knight Guild?
She had worked so hard and went through countless days and nights of training to finally become an honorable Knight. How could she let this happen because of this …
"Apologize … I apologize!" Reni felt so wronged that she wanted to cry, but her honor as a Knight still made her make a choice. She stretched out her hand with complicated feelings and said to Tang Hao, "I'm sorry, I, I was wrong … I hope you can accept my apology."
Tang Hao did not like this arrogant female Knight, but since she had apologized, there was no need for him to hold it against her. Anyway, he didn't suffer any losses from the beginning to the end.
Moreover, it was rare for the empire to have such a good person like Hyde, so he had to give him some face.
"It's okay." Tang Hao held her hand, smiled, and said earnestly, "In life, no one can be free from mistakes. You've learned this experience, so don't make mistakes again in the future, understand?"
He's educating me?
He's educating me!
Reni's eyes were instantly filled with anger. She wanted to crush Tang Hao's hand, but she didn't have the ability to do so. Even if she did, she wouldn't do such a thing in front of her team leader and deputy leader. She could only swallow her anger and retract her hand.
"Since the two parties have resolved their differences, let's let this matter go." Bain walked over with a smile. Then, he looked at Sharan and Grandis. "What do you think?"
The two of them hadn't expressed their opinions from the beginning to the end, but they were standing there with an attitude. Bain clearly knew this, so he didn't speak until now.
What a cunning fox.
Tang Hao said.
In fact, he was a little hoping that Bain would show his health bar.
Sharan said indifferently, "This is a matter between the two of you. Of course, I won't interfere."
"I'm just following God's guidance."
The two of them spoke indifferently, so others couldn't figure out what they were thinking.
"Team leader, it's time to deal with Her Royal Highness," Hyde reminded.
"Ah, yes, Her Royal Highness, Her Royal Highness … Sigh." Bain rubbed his head, looking like he had a headache. "Deputy Team Leader, what do you think we should do?"
Hyde said, "Her Royal Highness's whereabouts are unknown, and Sky City is so dangerous. We should naturally find her as soon as possible. I've decided to bring a team into Sky City immediately to ensure Her Royal Highness's safety."
"I'll go with you."
"That's … fine."
"But Sky City is so big, one team may not be enough …" Bain looked at Tang Hao and said with a smile, "Adventurer, I've heard President Sharan talk about you. Since you can defeat Reinier, you're pretty strong. Since you're going to Sky City to investigate, why don't you do us a favor and look for Her Royal Highness?"
"Look for Her Royal Highness … Sorry, I'm afraid we don't have the time." Tang Hao declined politely. Although there were good people like Hyde in the Empire, he really didn't want to have any dealings with the Empire. Moreover, he didn't know what Bain was up to. This guy was a dangerous person with deep thoughts.
"Is that so? That's a pity …" Bain looked disappointed. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something and said with a smile, "By the way, since your goal is the big magic array of Sky City, you need to go to the top of Sky City. There are many monsters on the way, and it's very dangerous. Moreover, it's your first time there, so you may get lost. Our imperial army has some experience in this area, so why don't we make a deal?
"I'll provide you with a guide and assistant, and on the way to the top, help us look for Her Royal Highness. What do you think?"
This …
Tang Hao was tempted. Bain's proposal was indeed good. He really needed an assistant in this area. The imperial army had investigated Sky City for a long time, so they were familiar with the route. If he had their help, he could save a lot of time on the way. However … how could Bain be so kind? This guy was very cunning, and it would be terrible if he sold him out.
"Okay, then let's help each other." Tang Hao nodded with a smile.
No matter what Bain was planning, he just had to be careful. This was obviously something that would benefit him, so there was really no need to refuse.
"With the help of the adventurers, I'll be much more at ease." Bain turned around with a smile. "Reni, I'll leave this matter to you. I'll go to Sky City with the deputy commander first. You guys rest here for half an hour, and then bring a team and the adventurers here. You must find Her Royal Highness."
"What?!" Reni's eyes widened. "Commander, you want me to be this guy's guide?"
"Yes, you don't get to know each other without fighting, and you have enough understanding of each other's strength. It won't be too difficult to get along with each other. It's much better than finding a strange knight."
Bain said matter-of-factly, but Reni was about to collapse.
What do you mean by don't get to know each other without fighting?
Although she did apologize, it was only because of the deputy commander's order. Didn't you see how hateful this guy was when he stepped on my stomach just now? How can I get along with such an annoying bastard!
"Commander, I don't want to go," Reni said boldly.
"Why?"
"I … I'm injured …"
Reni touched her stomach subconsciously. She wanted to say that her stomach was injured, but after thinking about it, she felt that it was too embarrassing. She changed her words and said, "In the battle just now, my wrist was injured, and I may not be able to deal with the battle in Sky City."
"Oh." Bain nodded. "So I gave you half an hour to rest. Your wrist is just weak, and half an hour is enough for you to recover."
"…"
Reni burst into tears. Was this also within your calculations? Commander!
"And you're just acting as a guide. The adventurers are very strong, and you don't need to participate in too many battles. This is an order."
"Yes, I understand."
Knights had to obey orders, and Reni couldn't find excuses even if she wanted to.
At this time, Hyde had already brought the team over. After bidding farewell to everyone, Bain entered the teleportation portal with them and headed to Sky City.
Then, Sharan and Glenys also left, leaving only Tang Hao and the other three, as well as Reni.
Tang Hao looked at Reni and revealed that harmless smile again. "Then, Knight Reni, please take care of me from now on."
Ahhh, it's this smile that makes me want to strangle him!
Reni cursed Tang Hao a hundred times in her heart, and immediately left in silence. She didn't want to spend time with such an annoying guy while she was recuperating.
"Sigh, I didn't expect it to be resolved in this way." After Reni left, Celia patted her chest and said, "When you suddenly fought with the imperial army just now, I really didn't know what would happen."
"Although I prepared a way out, this result is indeed quite unexpected." Tang Hao nodded. "Hyde is easy to deal with. Since Sharan said so, it shouldn't be wrong. But Bain … we'd better be careful."
"Bain, one of the four Sword Saints who killed Apostle Lucxi with Ganzo and the others in the Wailing Grotto. Isn't he a legendary hero?" Celia asked in confusion.
Tang Hao smiled. "He was a hero then, but no one knows whether he's still a hero now."
Celia was deep in thought.
Asuna's eyes lit up. "Then, he specially asked the imperial army to be our guide. Could it be that he's preparing to kill us in Sky City? After all, we defeated so many of their subordinates. If the news gets out, his Iron Wolf Knights will lose face. "
"You're thinking too much. If Bain was our guide personally, it might be possible. But Reni, that big-breasted, brainless idiot …" Tang Hao smiled. Now, he could tell that although Reni was a little arrogant and unlikable, she was actually a simple-minded idiot. If Bain really arranged for Reni to set them up, it was unknown who would be the one setting up the trap.
Half an hour later, Reni led a team of imperial army over. There were more than 30 people in total. Including Tang Hao and the other three, there were nearly 40 of them. They walked into the teleportation portal and marched toward Sky City in an imposing manner.
…
Sky City was a beautiful but dangerous place. Legend had it that it was the only passage connecting Empyrean and Arad Continent. However, since Empyrean was ruled by Apostle Bakar, he completely blocked the passage between the two worlds. Sky City disappeared because of this, and it only reappeared recently …
"This must be a sign of something, right?"
Celia guessed as she explained the origin of Sky City to everyone. Recently, she had read a lot of ancient materials, and had a clearer understanding of the Sky Castle. Of course, some of it was from Callie.
Not only were Reni and the other imperial knights listening to her, but even Tang Hao was listening attentively.
His memory of the DNF world was a little distant, and he had forgotten a lot about a novice dungeon like Sky City. The only thing that left a deep impression was … the Brahman Windbreaker, the black bamboo bracelet, the Lord of the Light City, and the GIF of the loli mage jumping up and hitting the Goblins on the chandelier.
As for the rest, even if he remembered them, they were all vague.
Moreover, understanding a world through a game was very limited. Even if you could know a lot of inside information that people in the native world didn't know, as for the specific details … Just like Skaha's age, the person who knew the most was Skaha himself.
Celia, Reni, and the rest of the Empire's soldiers added on, and Tang Hao's understanding of the Sky Castle became more comprehensive.
The Sky Castle had been investigated by the Imperial Army many times, and most of the monsters on the path they often took had been wiped out. Therefore, they did not encounter any danger along the way. Even if there were one or two enemies occasionally, Tang Hao and the others did not have to do anything, and the Imperial Knights could deal with them.
Every time he saw the imperial knights rushing to the front and eliminating the little Dragon People and Puppet Soldiers that appeared out of nowhere, Tang Hao was a little dazed … From enemies to comrades, it was indeed a little unbelievable to experience such a drastic change in half a day.
Of course, it was also unknown how long this comradeship could last.
"Speaking of which, how many levels have we walked?" The surrounding environment was changing bit by bit, and the air seemed to have become turbid, making people sleepy. Even Tang Hao couldn't remember.
"Many levels," Asuna said.
"How many levels is that?" Tang Hao rolled his eyes.
"Eighteen levels!" In front, Reni cast a contemptuous look, "That's why I said that adventurers are really useless. Even their memory is so bad."
Along the way, Reni rarely spoke to Tang Hao. Perhaps it was because it was a rare opportunity to strike him down, so he suddenly interrupted.
Tang Hao looked at Kirito and the others, "Don't you feel that the ground here is different? It feels very soft."
"Soft?" The three of them were taken aback. Indeed, because Sky City emerged from the sea of the sky, some of the spaces in it would have strange energy, such as gravity reduction and so on, which made it difficult for people to adapt to. But to say that it was soft, there was no softness at all. The ground here was very solid.
"Oh, not only do you have a bad memory, but even your senses are dull. You're really useless." Reni said again.
Finally, she found a chance to vent her anger, and she was very happy.
Tang Hao smiled innocently, "But I really think so, because … you see, stepping on the ground like this, it's soft, just like stepping on the belly of a woman about 20 years old. It's very comfortable."
Kirito: "… …"
Asuna: "… …"
Celia: "… …"
Are you a devil?
"You … bastard!" Reni's face suddenly turned red, and she was so angry that she almost vomited blood.
The Imperial Knights around them pursed their lips tightly, as if they wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. Although they had never fought with Tang Hao, they knew that Reni was once stepped on by Tang Hao … well, on the stomach.
Reni saw this and became even angrier.
Whose side are you guys on?!
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