Cycle of Destiny

Chapter 31 Attacked on the Way Home

The caravan departed at noon, fully loaded with goods, heading southwest from the capital. After unloading and selling the goods, they loaded up with local specialties and returned to the capital.

Because the goods were plentiful and valuable, they employed many guards. They were also willing to provide shelter to travelers heading in the same direction, charging a fee as extra income.

Harry paid a few gold coins for a carriage, and a caravan servant served as his coachman.

He was wearing the mage's robe Cavill had given him, but his wand was long since broken and discarded. Beside him was a bundle containing some gold coins, dried meat, and a leather pouch for water. Sitting in the bumpy carriage, the softness of last night still lingered in Harry's mind.

Ovinia was initially very aggressive, and Harry knew that if he couldn't come up with a good explanation, the marriage would fall through.

He repeatedly emphasized that this matter had nothing to do with him, but Ovinia wouldn't listen. Finally, he gritted his teeth and told Ovinia about becoming a disciple of the Holy Mage.

At first, Ovinia wasn't entirely convinced by Harry's words, until he produced the magical robe made of luminous silk. Although Ovinia didn't understand magic, she could tell from its appearance and feel that the robe was extremely expensive, something even a nobleman like Harry couldn't afford.

Harry then vividly recounted his life at the magic academy, hiding and concealing his failures and pain, and making some scenes that never happened seem real—of course, some parts of the story were true, but not many.

In his story, because of his talent, he was highly sought after at the magic academy, and he lived up to expectations, becoming a formal magician in a very short time.

Afterwards, he collected magical materials in the Dark Forest, experiencing countless near-death experiences, but the gains were worthwhile, as he grew into an intermediate mage through these battles.

All of this was achieved in just two years!

When the Holy Wizard returned to the academy to spread magical knowledge, he was completely terrified when he saw Harry.

The holy magician said, "I have never seen such a talented and diligent young magician. Become my disciple, and your future achievements may not be inferior to mine."

To make the entire apprenticeship ceremony appear grand and formal, the Holy Mage even organized a large-scale magic test. Harry shone brightly in that test and became the Holy Mage's only personal disciple.

This magical robe made of wood-silk was a gift from the holy magician to him upon their first meeting.

After achieving such great success, Harry could no longer suppress his longing for Ovinia, so he was eager to return to the capital. Although he was nearly killed by the Elf Prince on the way, none of that mattered. He wanted to share the good news of being accepted as a disciple by the Holy Magician with his beloved, because that was what he wanted to do most.

Even the priestesses of the church requested a meeting with him through Veranica. Harry didn't specify what they discussed, but he hinted to Ovinia, "We talked about some very important things."

The magic academy had virtually no communication with the outside world, and information was very scarce. Harry wasn't worried about being exposed at all, and it was also a fact that he had become a disciple of a holy magician.

As for the goddess, he didn't say anything wrong, and Ovinia knew her limits, knowing what could and couldn't be said.

In addition, Harry doesn't need to think before he lies, and he can make up a very long story very smoothly, with no logical flaws. He will also add some details to enhance its credibility.

Ovinia completely believed his story, and she quickly weighed the pros and cons in her mind: should she choose the title of viscount, or invest in the future of a magician?

A magician's status is certainly not that noble, but if he is a disciple of the holy magician Odel, then it's a completely different story. Harry will surely become a powerful magician in the future.

Powerful strength will bring a large amount of gold coins. Now the nobles of the empire are also beginning to show a pragmatic tendency. With abundant assets, glory and nobility will not be far off.

Even the goddess herself received Harry, which suggests that Harry's future achievements are destined to be extraordinary, far beyond what an ordinary viscount can compare to.

But she had already portrayed herself as someone who questioned a faithless man, so she couldn't stop.

After Harry finished telling the whole story, she questioned him again about what happened between him and that woman, but this time her tone was noticeably softer.

Harry insists that there is no room for anyone else in his heart but Ovynia.

I was just looking at her alone, so I kindly chatted with her and danced with her. She said she felt a little dizzy and wanted Harry to help her to the guest room to rest for a while.

I was naive and agreed without thinking much, but as soon as I closed the door, the woman started taking off her clothes and saying how much she liked Harry.

But Harry firmly rejected her and kicked her out. He told her that he already had a fiancée and loved her deeply, and that he could not accept anyone else.

Unexpectedly, after being rejected by Harry, the woman became enraged and, upon returning home, attempted to tarnish Harry's reputation in this way. She believed that if she couldn't have him, she should destroy him, and she could only silently bear the blame that wasn't hers.

Ovinia was touched by Harry's sincerity, and her stern rebuke turned into a warm comfort.

Ovinia's figure was alluring, and Harry was very pleased with the story he had made up. He was in high spirits, and a relationship that should have ended in arguments and a breakup turned into tenderness before his lover left.

Afterwards, Harry put his arm around Ovinia and said smugly, "Darling, I'm the last person who would do something like that. Of course, I wouldn't mind taking a bite of the tenderest part of a lamb's neck, but what's the point of roasting lamb when it's cold? She's so old, I would never do that with her under any circumstances."

Harry had intended to stay a few more days, but Ovinia told him that there were too many rumors circulating outside, and he should leave tomorrow and wait until the whole matter had completely subsided when he returned to the capital, at which point he could stay a little longer.

Harry couldn't refuse her, so he had to agree.

Afterwards, Ovinia left Harry's room under the cover of night, not wanting anyone to know that she had been there and stayed for so long.

So Harry left the capital as planned and it would take him about ten days to reach Orion.

The caravan had traversed this trade route many times, following a fixed itinerary each day. They knew exactly which route to take, where to resupply, and how long it would take to reach the inn for their rest.

Although the days spent in the carriage weren't pleasant, Harry could use the time to hone his meditation skills. Even though his magic would dissipate, meditation was still very useful to him.

Normally, when a magician is still in the apprentice stage, because the magical power he can generate in each meditation is limited, he must accumulate magical power for a long time before he can cast his first spell. However, once he casts his first spell, the efficiency of his meditation will increase significantly.

Furthermore, meditation expands his mental space, allowing him to absorb more magic power faster. Combined with improved meditation skills, this leads to a significant difference in meditation ability between magic apprentices and full-fledged magicians.

A magic apprentice spent three months accumulating magic power before unleashing his first spell, only to discover that when he became a full-fledged magician, he could meditate and generate the same magic power in just over ten hours.

And as his magic level increases, this time will be greatly shortened.

Previously, these things didn't mean much to Harry, because after meditating for a day and a night, he would find that he didn't have much magic left, so he could only choose monster meat as a way to obtain magic.

But things are different now. His consciousness space can now hold the magic power of a fourth-level mage, and he has been practicing meditation techniques.

Now, he meditates for more than ten hours during the day, and even though his magic power is constantly dissipating, he can still retain the magic power of a second-level mage when he arrives at the post station at night.

Although this magic would soon fade, this meager amount gave him some confidence. It helped him pass the time during the day, hone his meditation skills, and even get a good night's sleep.

After five or six days of this, with the caravan making stops and starts, it crossed a gentle hill in the afternoon heat.

The scene before me suddenly changed—the road narrowed abruptly, winding its way into a deep valley nestled between two mountains. The trees in the valley were no longer the broad-leaved trees of the outside world, but rather a vast expanse of dark coniferous forest. Tall, straight pines and hemlocks stood like silent guards, their canopies intertwining and almost completely obscuring the sky, casting only dappled, fragmented light on the muddy road.

The air suddenly became cool and damp, filled with the scent of decaying leaves and moss.

Harry sat in the slightly swaying carriage, trying to ease the boredom of the long journey. It was a moment of peak concentration for him…

call out--!

A sharp, piercing shriek shattered the silence of the valley without warning!

Then came the second, the third... In an instant, the sound of arrows piercing the air rose densely from the forest on both sides, pouring down like a sudden rain!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Move towards the center! Raise your shields!" The caravan leader's hoarse roar rang out almost immediately.

The guards of the caravans were all professionally trained and had experienced similar situations before. They reacted very quickly and immediately moved towards the wagons loaded with valuable goods upon hearing the order. Their heavy iron-clad wooden shields or cavalry round shields were raised to protect their vitals.

The sound of arrows piercing shields and wooden planks of the carriage was continuous, interspersed with muffled groans or screams, indicating that the guards were slow to react or that the shields had not covered the area where the arrows struck.

This volley of arrows came quickly and went just as fast. As soon as the rain of arrows stopped, the sound of hurried footsteps and low shouts came from the dense forest on both sides of the hillside.

A dozen or so figures darted out like leopards hunting for prey. They wore coarse gray-brown clothing suitable for movement in the mountains and forests, with a haphazard style, but their movements were surprisingly coordinated and ruthless.

The weapons in their hands were also varied—two-handed greatswords, battle axes, maces, and even rare curved cleavers, all gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the dim light filtering through the forest.

Without any shouting or threats, these people silently rushed straight towards the caravan's guard circle, which had just regained its footing.

The battle escalated to a fever pitch in an instant. The ear-piercing sounds of metal clashing, roars, howls of pain, and the muffled thuds of blades cutting into flesh mingled together.

The caravan had a considerable number of guards, and their individual martial arts skills were quite solid. However, once they got into the melee, they discovered that the attackers were all quite strong, and the guards were at a significant disadvantage.

Harry was awakened when the arrow attack began. He lifted the curtain on the side of the carriage and saw a guard roaring and swinging his sword at an attacker charging at him.

The attacker neither dodged nor evaded, but instead swung his slightly old but gleaming battle axe upwards, and a layer of clearly visible pale blue light suddenly burst forth from the axe blade!

Clang! Crack!

The guard's longsword snapped in two, but the battle axe, still brimming with power, embedded itself deeply in his chest, sending him flying backward.

Battle aura! And it's extremely condensed battle aura!

Harry's pupils contracted sharply. His gaze swept rapidly across the battlefield, and his heart sank—almost every one of the dozen or so attackers had an aura of varying intensity rising from their bodies during the battle, gray, light blue, earthy yellow... Although the colors and attributes differed, they undoubtedly indicated that they were at least formal warriors. Among them, five or six had solidified battle aura, and their radiance was significantly stronger, definitely at the level of intermediate warriors!

Among the caravan's guards, only the leader and two or three mid-level warriors could barely muster their fighting spirit to resist. The rest were like children in front of strong men when faced with the powerful strength and speed enhanced by the opponent's fighting spirit.

The defensive line was torn apart instantly, and the rout occurred like an avalanche. Guards fell one after another, and the attackers, like tigers among sheep, slaughtered with efficiency and ruthlessness.

Harry had originally intended to use his magic and the guards to defend against the attack, but seeing the opponent's overwhelming strength, he made a quick decision.

He ripped open the carriage curtain and jumped down from the still slowly moving carriage.

The moment his feet touched the ground, a series of rapid, short syllables burst from his mouth, his right index finger tracing an arcane path in the air. Magic was rapidly drawn and channeled from his mage robes. A light, ethereal force instantly enveloped his legs.

Gale Technique!

Harry glanced one last time at the caravan that had become a slaughterhouse, then turned without hesitation and sprinted into the depths of the dense, dark jungle, in the opposite direction from where the attackers had come from!

With the help of magic, he moved with astonishing speed, leaping over the roadside rocks and bushes in just a few steps before disappearing into the deep shadows.