Recently, passers-by in front of Antoni's magic hut often saw that little girl named Debbie sitting alone on the steps in front of the store. The fifteen-year-old girl was very petite and held a huge sword weighing a hundred pounds in her arms. In contrast, that tiny figure seemed even more pitiful and solitary.
She often daydreams. Occasionally, a little face still full of childishness will show a look of grievance. Her eyes are fixed on the other side of the street, as if she wants to see some figure suddenly emerge from there.
The hammerhead hasn't come back yet? How pitiful! Look at Debbie. I don't know how much weight she has lost these days. It's so heart-wrenching to see her. How could that hammerhead just leave like that? Two passing aunts watched Debbie's figure from afar, whispering to each other, their voices filled with complaints about the sudden departure of the hammerhead.
"Don't you understand why you just leave like that?" " Another auntie pulled the other auntie's arm and lowered her voice, saying, "Tell me, the hammerhead must have been taken away. You know how honest that kid is. What kind of magician saw him and took him as his apprentice? Is that reliable?" This is clearly the work of that old fox, Bouska.
You're right. Recently, I heard that Busca's Magic store sells a large number of magic scrolls every day. There must be something fishy going on here. The other aunt actually knew very well in her heart, "Poor Debbie, it's not a solution for her to keep waiting like this..." It's been three months since the hammerhead went missing, hasn't it?
Exactly three months... Alas, Buska is ruthless. Even if the hammerhead is really tied away, what can a little girl like Debbie do? The city Lord's mansion surely won't meddle in such trivial matters. If we wait for a while like this, it might recover. Who knows, Buska might let go of the hammerhead."
At this point, the two aunts sighed at the same time. They both knew that if the hammerhead had really been taken away by Buska, he would probably have no chance to come back. Sighing and groping, they gradually walked away.
Debbie held the huge sword in her arms and continued to be lost in thought.
A moment later, a piece of paper was taken out of her bosom. It was a piece of parchment. Due to the passage of a long time, the paper was covered with wrinkles, but it was well-kept. It was exactly the letter that Stephen had given to Debbie through Buska. Of course, the letter suddenly appeared on the counter of the magic Hut. Debbie didn't know that it was sent by Buska, but she was very familiar with the handwriting on it. I don't know how many times I have read that passage in the letter.
From the first time she saw it, she was angry, then confused, then worried, and gradually it turned into the only hope. Deep down, perhaps she didn't believe the information in this letter was true. Her hammer was so stupid, how could it be valued by some super magician? Why defend world peace? With his virtue, it would be fortunate if he didn't need to be defended. Why defend world peace... But what could she do at this time?
She could only pin her hopes on this letter.
"Hammerhead, where on earth are you? Could you come back soon, please?"
...
Stephen is well prepared.
Near noon on this day, Buska and his son Kerry left the city in a carriage and made their way to Inta Mountain on the outskirts of Stan.
Yinta Mountain is a small hill. Those monsters with astonishing destructive power do not roam here. At most, some wild beasts will inhabit the mountain. However, in such an era, even wild beasts like bears and wild boars pose no threat to swordsmen at all. So, in general, Yinta Mountain is a very safe small hill.
In the early years, Bousca had been engaged in the prey acquisition business for a period of time, so he had a secluded residence on Inta Mountain that was used as a warehouse.
During this period, Stephen had wondered exactly where he was being held by Bousca. From that warehouse, which could only accommodate a ventilation hole the size of a fist, he could occasionally hear the chirping of birds and even see leaves falling from inside. So he guessed that the place he was in should be an estate full of trees, but he never expected that it was actually on a mountain.
The carriage stopped at the foot of Yinta Mountain in a thick forest. Bouska jumped out of the carriage, looked around cautiously a few times, and only after confirming that there was no one did he walk into the thick forest with some difficulty.
Kerry jumped off the carriage immediately after, tied the REINS of the carriage to a big tree and followed closely behind his father.
Compared to three months ago, Kerry looks much more down and out now. The injuries he suffered from Stephen's use of the magic scroll have healed, and even the burn marks on his face and body have been completely restored under the treatment of that famous light magician. However, he no longer has the same vigor and spirit as before. Due to the use of the War God for protection, his swordsman realm has dropped from the fourth stage to the third stage. And there is no possibility of recovery again.
What was even more fatal was that the news that he was beaten up by a second-order magician spread, making him almost a joke in Stan City. The once promising guard of the city Lord's Mansion was naturally dismissed. He still wore the armor distributed by the City Lord's Mansion Guard, but it was severely damaged and no longer lived up to his previous glory.
His father, who used to be proud of him, would always vent his anger and scold him at the slightest provocation, making him feel extremely depressed.
Thinking of that detestable and cunning magician being imprisoned here now, every time he came here with his father, he would feel an unbearable rage in his heart. He would tightly grasp the hilt of the long sword at his waist, wanting to give Stephen a severe scolding.
If I fight him again, I will definitely not lose to him...
Every time he always thinks like this in his heart.
What he doesn't know is that such an opportunity is coming soon.
"Boss, you're here." Deep in the thick forest, there was a flat area where a wooden house was built. After hearing footsteps, Locke hurriedly came out of the wooden house. Every once in a while, Buska would come here to take the magic scroll made by Stephen.
How has that guy been these two days? Buska wiped the sweat off his face. Although it was already autumn, the weather was still hot and dry.
"These past two days, I've been very well-behaved. I've completed all thirty magic scrolls on time every day." " Locke replied with a smile, "It's just that I still waste a few sheets of parchment."
"Humph! I won't mind those few pieces of paper. Bring me all those magic scrolls." Buska said, glancing at the small and stuffy wooden house with no intention of going in. Locke then turned around and shouted a few times into it, asking Quinn to take out all the completed magic scrolls.
Inside the wooden house, there were simple belongings. In one corner, there was a staircase leading down. After going down the staircase, there was a corridor. At the end of the corridor was the warehouse where Stephen was detained. Quinn was sitting on a wooden chair outside the warehouse, drinking wine in silence. When he heard Locke's cry, he muttered a few words. It was not clear what he said, but rather a rough "Bang!" He knocked twice on the iron gate beside him and said, "The boss is here. Take out all the magic scrolls you have completed!"
Saying this, Quinn got up and tidied up a box beside him. Inside were the scrolls that Stephen had completed a few days ago. Every night, Stephen would send the thirty completed scrolls out through the ventilation holes of the iron door. There were probably over a hundred scrolls densely packed in the alley. After Quinn picked up the box, he looked at the iron door in confusion, but there was no response from the other side.
He kicked the door twice more angrily with his foot, "Clang, clang", and shouted, "Send me the completed scroll. Don't you hear me?"
Still no response.
Quinn's face, which had been disfigured by Stephen's lightning attack, showed an angry expression. He put down the wooden box in his hand, opened the vent and looked inside the warehouse, continuing to shout, "Why are you pretending to be mute for me? Didn't you hear what I said? Give it to me quickly..."
The sound stopped abruptly because... There is not a single person in the warehouse.
The cramped warehouse was clearly visible. There were tables, chairs and beds. The pile of dilapidated garbage beside it. The dim yellow light from the magic lamp on the table could illuminate the entire space, but Quinn didn't see Stephen in it.
This made Quinn's face show great shock. In the morning, he had been sent in through the vent to have breakfast, but now why was he suddenly gone?
Is this underground or in the mountains? All around are hard rocks. How could Stephen, a second-level magician with no physical strength, possibly escape from here?
After a brief moment of hesitation, Quinn finally made up his mind. With one hand, he pulled out the long sword at his waist, and with the other hand, he took out the key to unlock the iron door, then walked in carefully.
In the warehouse where Stephen was imprisoned for three months, there was a suffocating and unpleasant smell in the air. Quinn nervously held her long sword with both hands and scanned the situation inside the warehouse.
You naughty boy, where are you? Don't even think about hiding... He shouted loudly and walked towards the bed. If there was one place in the entire room where people could hide, it could only be under the bed.
But there was nobody under the bed.
Quinn thought of the pile of junk hiding in the corner again, so he turned around and looked at the pile of junk.
His expression suddenly froze.
Previously, there was a rusty and tattered armor in the corner. Even Quinn had never paid attention to that kind of broken and old armor. But now, that armor suddenly stood up...