I Pioneered Scientific Magic
Chapter 42: Return! Turn this ship around immediately!

A few minutes ago, on the Sea of Mists.

A burly man tightly gripped a longsword in his hand, with a fierce intent to strike Loude, but as the blade descended, it suddenly stopped in its tracks. His once menacing expression contorted into one filled with doubt, and he cautiously inquired, "Mr. Loude, do you really want me to strike?"

"Quit the nonsense and strike!" Lame Loude gritted his teeth and extended his right hand, revealing a prominent flame mark on the back.

As he gave the order, Loude's heart sank, but he had no other choice.

From the very beginning, he had little confidence in the audacious and outlandish rescue mission by a certain wizard. So, when chaos erupted in the harbor town and all the plans they had made were foiled, Loude quickly realized that the wizards who remained in the town would soon meet their demise!

That's why, amidst the chaos in the harbor town, Loude took decisive action, gathering a group of men and making his escape.

Benefitting from the fact that the Church had devoted most of its efforts to dealing with Lynn and the others, they didn't have much trouble seizing control of this ship and loading it with valuables before setting sail from the harbor town.

The only concern that now troubled Loude was the flame mark on his hand. If that wizard realized that he had fled during a time of crisis, he might decide to drag Loude to hell with him.

For someone who knew little about magic, his only option was to sever his hand!

The burly man with contorted muscles hesitated to strike with the sword, and Loude's emotions fluctuated along with the man's hesitation. Finally, Loude snatched the sword in irritation. It seemed more efficient to do it himself!

"Boss, it's a signal, a signal!"

At the ship's bow, a sailor suddenly shouted, and Loude instinctively looked in that direction. A fireball was rising from the harbor's pier, exploding in the night sky.

Loude was somewhat surprised; he had assumed that the cunning and ruthless wizard was as good as dead. He hadn't expected the wizard to return to the harbor pier.

Thinking about it, he turned to the first mate, who held alchemical goggles.

"I saw many Black Armor Guards; they've all been deployed, and Archbishop Anluke is there too! It seems the wizard lords are surrounded..." The first mate swallowed hard and continued, "It seems we've been hunted all the way here."

Loude suddenly understood. They had been lured to the predetermined location. After a brief thought, he stated straightforwardly, "Fire a round of rockets according to the plan, and then we'll immediately set sail across the sea!"

Since the enemy had successfully led Archbishop Anluke and others to the agreed-upon location, Loude had no reason to be heartless. Firing a round of rockets from a distance wasn't much trouble, but offering assistance onshore was out of the question.

Loude couldn't believe that in this dire situation, the enemy could make a significant impact. There was no way they would instantly become great wizards, annihilating thousands of elite guards with their magic.

This was beyond the realm of the absurd.

Cut or not cut...

How much should he cut...

This was a question worth pondering!

Just as Lame Loude was about to make up his mind to act, the entire ship suddenly lurched violently. A deafening roar echoed in his ears, followed by an enormous, earth-shaking impact that sent him sprawling to the ground. His body rolled all the way to the base of the mast, and his head thudded against a crossbeam.

Loude's head was still ringing, and his clothes were drenched by the surging waves. After a while, he managed to sit up, clutching his aching waist and abdomen. He looked up and asked the first mate beside him, "What's happening? Have we run into a storm?"

However, the first mate, with a vacant look, didn't respond. He stared in the direction of the harbor pier and muttered to himself, "It's over, all over..."

"What's over?" Loude frowned, displeased. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt

Could it be that the battle at the pier had already determined its outcome, and the wizard lords were all finished?

Loude turned to look, and when he saw the scene before him clearly, he couldn't help but take a sharp breath.

He realized it wasn't the wizards who were finished; it was the entire harbor town!

A massive cloud of dust was rising from above the city, and the previously dim night sky had turned into a brilliant fiery red, as if something had torn through the darkness.

The once bustling and beautiful harbor had been reduced to rubble, with billowing smoke rising and a raging heatwave sweeping upward, turning the sky red. A dense rain of fire was falling from the massive dust cloud, creating a scene reminiscent of hell.

Loude swallowed hard, and his legs trembled slightly. Even though he couldn't see clearly what was happening at the pier from this distance, he understood that under such overwhelming power, the so-called Black Armor Guards and Church priests were insignificant.

Could it be that he had seriously underestimated the enemy, and they were, in fact, a deeply hidden great wizard?

The magic that the enemy referred to as "fireworks" was truly terrifying. Loude wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. The downfall of a harbor city was undoubtedly the most "spectacular" sight he had ever witnessed.

"Mr. Loude, should we turn back now?" a sailor stammered, asking.

But before Loude could respond, a dazzling death ray shot from the pier, crashing into the sea surface a hundred meters away, sending up a spray of waves several meters high. The ship with its billowing sails rocked violently once more. Loude immediately jumped up, shouting anxiously, "Turn back! Turn this ship around immediately!"

The sailors on board hurriedly adjusted the sails and changed course, not daring to waste a single moment. In their eyes, this was undoubtedly a stark warning from the wizard lord! If they didn't turn back now, the next spell might directly hit their ship!

Loude hastily changed into a more presentable outfit, and despite his still trembling legs, he put on his most welcoming smile, ready to greet the ruthless wizard lord. The idea of cutting off his hand was now far from his mind.

On the side, the burly man tugged on the ship's ropes, deeply grateful for his earlier judgment. He was relieved he hadn't gone through with cutting Loude's hand; otherwise, he might be the one who's now been killed!

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