Chapter 378: Ambush

Chapter 378: Ambush

Charles led the crew to navigate through the rugged mountain path through a dense forest in pursuit of the Pope.

Though the Pope's speed couldn't match that of Ronker, his flight speed still surpassed that of ordinary people. If not for the mice's keen sense of smell, Charles would have lost track of the Pope long ago.

After a vigorous chase that lasted an hour, Charles finally caught up with the Pope on a small hilltop.

"What did you run?! Didn't you agree to follow my lead? If we can't cooperate, we should just split up and do our own explorations!" Charles vented his frustration at the Pope and his group of followers.

However, the Pope provided no response. With a grim expression, his full attention was at the foot of the hill.

Charles followed his gaze and spotted several houses nestled among the trees beneath. Dim light could be seen flickered from the windows of some.

"What happened? Did the figure from earlier run into one of those houses?" Charles asked.

"No I couldn't catch him. My attacks didn't work on him. There's something amiss with this island."

The Pope's answer weighed down heavily on everyone present. They knew the Pope's true strength; he was comparable with Ronker. If even the Pope had failed to deal damage, just what kind of entity were they up against?

Weister swallowed hard, seeking reassurance as he leaned on his companion for support.

Feeling the tension in the air, Charles then followed up with another question, "Was it a human or something else?"

"I don't know. It could be human, or maybe not. But if all inhabitants on this island possess strength comparable to mine, approaching them directly would be tantamount to suicide."

Charles retraced the events that had unfolded from the moment they came ashore. Based on the current circumstances, it seemed that the shadow figure earlier displayed no hostile intention. Perhaps there could be a chance of a peaceful interaction.

His previous encounter with the friendly Ropelings had shown him that not all moving entities on uncharted islands were necessarily hostile.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Charles asked the Pope, "What do you plan to do next?"

A hint of surprise crossed the Pope's countenance, and he slightly bowed toward Charles to reaffirm the latter's command.

"Haven't we come to an agreement on this previously? You are the overall commander. It's your call on our next step. I'll execute any order you give unconditionally," the Pope answered.

Charles's lips twitched slightly as he suppressed the vulgarities that were threatening to spill from his mouth.

Charles ignored the Pope's compliment and quickly verified the headcount with his crew before reattaching his shoulder strap.

"Given the importance of the surface exit to the Divine Light Order, I believe that those followers behind you are exceptionally skilled, aren't they?"

Charles turned his gaze onto the bald men standing behind the Pope. He needed to know their strengths and special abilities to utilize them in a suitable manner.

The Pope's face glowed with pride as he let out a chuckle. "Indeed, they might not be the mightiest among the Order, but they are definitely seasoned explorers of ten islands. For example, Laise is"

The mice's distress squeaks interrupted the Pope from elaborating further.

"Let's move!" Charles urged as he led the group toward the source of the alarm.

The frantic squeaks from the mice echoed in the air. They sounded as though they were in pursuit of a target. Suddenly, their squeaks veered away from the buildings and into the dense forest.

Charles raised his left hand and launched his grappling hook onto a tall tree trunk. He then swung himself through the forest like Tarzan.

Leading the charge, he was rapidly closing the distance between himself and the mice ahead. But just then, a black mist suddenly emerged from under a tree and enveloped him.

Despite being plunged into darkness, Charles remained calm. Utilizing his prosthetic, he propelled himself toward the canopy.

His crew and the Pope were not far behind and would catch up in just a couple of seconds.

Or so Charles thought

Unfortunately, his adversary seemed to have anticipated his move.

Clang!

The chain of Charles' grappling hook was severed in a precise strike, thwarting his maneuver.

Without any leverage in mid-air, Charles plummeted toward the ground. Before he could react, a semi-circular, elastic material descended and enveloped him from above in a snug embrace.

Bzzzzzt!

Charles drew his innate power, and electric arcs danced across his body, shooting outward in an attempt to break free. However, his lightning attack had proved futile against the insulating material that enshrouded him completely.

Just as Charles strained to maneuver his tentacles to break free from the encasement, a sharp, acrid scent of burning filled the air. The material trapping him started to dissolve into a thick, semi-liquid form that coated him like hot, molten asphalt.