Perhaps due to having the additional reinforcements of the Black Flame Emperor and Saul, casualties had been kept well under control. Although there were deaths among true wizards, the death toll hadn’t reached the warning line, and the apprentices hadn’t even used up all their reserves.

Therefore, Royer’s face had regained some smiles, and he could joke around with Saul.

“Looks like this black tide is still just a baby. I just don’t know how much preparation time the next black tide will give us—one year? Or five years?”

Saul didn’t respond. Before getting off work, he was cautious about discussing busy issues.

During this period, Alfonso had hardly left the seabed, but his mental power fluctuations remained stable without any changes.

This meant the underwater situation was under control.

But even so, Royer would still go underwater for a round every day, as if afraid that Alfonso might encounter some unexpected situation alone.

Starting from the fourth day, the new wave of black tide showed signs of weakening. Even the monsters in the sea weren’t as dense as they had been initially.

Saul had also sustained some minor injuries during these days of fighting. This was mainly because on the third day, there were particularly many mutated monsters simultaneously attacking the defense zones.

At that time, Royer was already tied up in one defense zone, but another was being attacked by two third-rank mutated monsters and could barely hold out for even a minute.

Saul fought his way through the tide of monsters all the way to the most remote defense zone, then withstood the attacks of one third-rank monster while concentrating firepower to eliminate the other third-rank monster first, before turning around and using his tentacles to directly drain the remaining third-rank mutated monster, thus preventing all the official wizards in that defense zone from being wiped out.

He sustained some minor injuries on his back, and the wizard robe inscribed with defensive formations was also half-torn.

However, although Saul’s rescue was timely, under the assault of two third-rank equivalent mutated monsters, the entire defense zone still had only one true wizard left.

In this small defense zone section, all wizard apprentices had died the moment they directly faced the third-rank monsters.

The sole remaining true wizard, following the Tribunal’s arrangements, automatically merged into the rear defense zone, completely abandoning the frontmost small group defense zone.

It seemed that Saul hadn’t been able to change the result of losing a defense zone, but the person he saved was a second-rank wizard which still had a very significant impact.

After resolving this small crisis, Saul returned along his route, also helping to clear many monsters along the way.

By the time he returned to Royer’s side, even the wounds on his back had completely healed.

Now, seeing that the battle was about to end, with both the number of monsters and the height of the black tide diminishing, Saul finally returned to shore and breathed a long sigh of relief.

At the same time, he habitually glanced at the sea surface—Alfonso’s mental power remained stable.

“Is this about to end?” Saul thought silently to himself, “Could my understanding of the diary be wrong? The cause and occasion of the three third-ranks’ deaths isn’t the black tide defense battle?”

He looked up and saw Black Flame Emperor Elo again.

Since no major crises had appeared these past few days, this emperor hadn’t formally taken action either, continuously monitoring the overall situation.

At this moment, Royer suddenly returned to shore as well, “Saul, you’ve worked hard these days. The tide is starting to recede now, the battle is basically over, with only some cleanup work remaining. You don’t need to work hard anymore—you can go back now.”

Saul’s heart suddenly jumped.

Could it be that the masks’ revel actually occurs when the ball ends?

Right, only when the masquerade ball ends is it time for the dancers to remove their masks.

Saul’s spirits lifted—now he definitely couldn’t leave!

“Since I’m already here, I’ll stick it out to the end.” Saul shook his head.

Royer looked at Saul, then suddenly changed his tune, “Then fine, with you here, these wizards feel more at ease.”

During Saul’s time here, besides killing monsters, he would occasionally save wizards who weren’t completely dead.

Once wizards in the defense zones suffered heavy damage, they would be dragged toward the deep seawater by monsters. With their defenses shattered, they would immediately be polluted upon entering the black tide.

Powerful wizards could still escape, but the pollution on their bodies was enough to make them lose all combat effectiveness, becoming lambs for slaughter.

Saul mainly treated these people.

He only specialized in treating black tide pollution, and the people here most needed treatment for black tide pollution.

Therefore, after four days of combat and treatment experience, Saul’s reputation within the entire Tribunal had reached heights that even their local third-rank wizards could hardly achieve.

He was almost on par with Royer and Alfonso.

So when Royer said other wizards felt more at ease, it wasn’t empty words.

However, after praising Saul, he added, “Then I’ll leave this place to you. When the black tide completely ends, the Tribunal will double the compensation for any materials you’ve consumed.”

“Next I need to go check on the major defense zones that other third-rank wizards are responsible for. Anyway, with Emperor Elo here, even if something happens elsewhere, nothing could possibly happen here.”

Royer laughed heartily and, without waiting for Saul to speak, directly transformed into a streak of fire and flew along the coast toward the distance.

Saul was completely bewildered by the other’s sudden operation.

How is it that when I don’t go back, Royer leaves instead? He’s leaving at the final moment—could he be going to remove his mask?

Saul breathed the foul-smelling air, his heart relatively calm. He looked at the Black Flame Emperor ahead, then at Alfonso’s stable mental power coming from the sea surface, thinking, It doesn’t matter. One ran away, but there are still two left. If I really can’t participate in the masquerade ball described in the diary, I can also have Mido come out after the black tide ends. At that time, with Nephret lacking three heavyweight third-rank wizards, Mido’s appearance would be timely rain. If Sander operates well afterward, he should be able to establish a firm foothold.

Having already prepared backup plans, Saul wasn’t anxious about Royer’s sudden departure and continued monitoring the situation in the defense zone that Royer had originally been responsible for.

Just then, his gaze unconsciously moved toward the seawater below the Red Sea Tree forest.

“Royer today… seems like he didn’t go underwater to check on Alfonso’s situation.”

“He went every day before, so why didn’t he go today?”

Saul’s brow furrowed bit by bit, “Is it because he felt there was no need to check today?”

His gaze moved to the Black Flame Emperor again, and his eyes suddenly widened.

“The Black Flame Emperor before me is very likely Stuart in disguise, so is the mental power coming from the seabed definitely from the real Alfonso?”

When Royer was making his rounds before, Alfonso was definitely there, but this time Royer isn’t checking—does this mean Royer knows… Alfonso isn’t there? Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs ɴoᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt

Saul’s brow gradually relaxed. He swept across the entire defense zone again, then suddenly took off from the cliff and dove into the sea surface like a cannonball.

Having been led once by Royer, this time Saul had no trouble finding Alfonso’s location on his own.

At this moment, Saul saw Alfonso still standing in the magic formation, focused on observing the mermaids scattered across the seafloor.

Saul quickly approached Alfonso, but stopped halfway there.

For no other reason than at this distance, with Saul’s powerful mental power, he could already sense the abnormality of the Alfonso before him.

The Alfonso before him was a completely fake mirror image!

The real Alfonso had long since left the formation, but his mental power continued to steadily broadcast toward the sea surface, creating the illusion that he was still on the seabed.

“This fake mirror image would be Alfonso’s mask. Now, he has already removed his mask. That is to say, his death is approaching!”

(End of Chapter)

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