Chapter 494 – Kane's Visit

In the main hall of Punk’s Mage Tower at the Gray Rain Country Truth Division.

Though it was high noon during the Scorching Sun Season, with even the perpetually damp Grey Mire Swamp basking in the warm glow of two suns, not a single ray of this warmth or brightness could penetrate the windowless stone walls of Punk’s Magic Tower. The hall remained perpetually dim and cold, illuminated solely by the glowing runes carved into its floors and walls. Vast as a secular palace, the chamber contained no artistic embellishments—its bare stone walls hadn’t even received a coat of paint. Under Punk’s “decoration,” the hall had been rendered so barren that echoes reverberated audibly.

There was no helping it—Punk had never rented this Mage Tower for entertaining guests. This was a Mage Tower designed for experimental research and defending against powerful foes. The trouble-averse Punk had no interest in adorning his residence with opulent splendor. Thus, even after over seven hundred years of experimentation at the Thought of Truth, his Mage Tower remained as “spotless” as when he first acquired it. While his laboratory was crammed with alchemical instruments, the hundreds of other rooms didn’t even contain a single piece of furniture…

Well, to be precise, that had been the case until ten minutes ago!

In fact, two roughly crafted chairs and a table now stood temporarily in the center of the hall, already occupied by two figures with distinctly different auras.

One was a tall knight clad in heavy armor, his golden plate mail radiating its own brilliant glow. Coupled with the long, gleaming golden Lance on his back and his short, light-streaked blond hair, this “Radiant” Knight stood in stark contrast to the Mage Tower’s gloomy environment.

Seated opposite the knight was a mage who couldn’t have been more suited to this somber setting—the mysterious black Mage Robe with crimson patterns, the menacing black-and-red staff, the ominous Magic Raven perched nearby, the emotionless cold countenance, and the azure pupils hidden within the hood’s shadows. All these features proclaimed the identity of a mysterious and powerful mage.

Undoubtedly, the two figures seated in the center of the hall were Kane and Punk, while the Magic Raven standing on Punk’s shoulder was Vector, who had regained much of his vigor.

In reality, only slightly over two months had passed since Kirk Weilen delivered the letter to Punk. For Master-Level powerhouses, two months was far too brief. Originally, Punk had estimated it would take Kane at least three to five years to find time to visit the Gray Rain Country Truth Division.

Yet, merely two months later, while still immersed in studying the Eerie Eyeball’s law energies within his Laboratory, Punk received news of Kane’s arrival—exactly as the knight had declared in his letter, the man had indeed come to the Thought of Truth to “visit” Punk under the guise of being “dear friends.”Punk couldn’t yet guess Kane’s specific purpose for rushing to the Thought of Truth Branch in such a short time… However, the knight who was usually extremely cautious in major matters now displaying such impatience undoubtedly made Punk harbor more suspicion and vigilance toward Kane.

Having traveled with Kane twice, Punk knew better than anyone the true nature of this “sunny boy” before him. Something that could make the usually careless Kane unable to restrain his impatience… was anything but ordinary.

Thinking this, Punk decided not to continue staring at Kane eye to eye. He went straight to the point:

“Kane, what’s your purpose in coming here?”

“…Oh come on, we’re old friends who’ve known each other for years. Don’t be so distant. We’re both long-lived beings with thousands of years of lifespan – you’re not still holding onto that minor conflict from centuries ago, are you?”

Though Punk’s expression remained as grim as ever, Kane was clearly unaffected by his attitude. The cheerful knight maintained his usual careless demeanor, speaking to Punk as if chatting with an old friend:

“Don’t always keep that cold face like everyone owes you billions of Gold Coins. Actually, I’ve come with truly great news – a chance for us to get rich together. After all, we’re the perfect partners with tacit coordination.”When mentioning ‘tacit understanding,’ Kane subtly glanced at the closed door.” Contrary to his playful smile, his eyes now held even more vigilance than Punk’s.

The knight’s meaning was clear – he wanted Punk to confirm the privacy of their conversation location, while also making it quite explicit that this meeting was no joke!

After staring intently at Kane for two or three seconds, Punk silently activated the shielding array he had prepared in advance.

“Alright, I believe my Mage Tower should be secure enough now. You know I’m a spellcaster skilled in alchemy and prophecy – at least within this Thought of Truth Branch, no one can place any surveillance under my watch!”

Speaking with calm confidence, Punk turned his gaze back to the knight before him. On his shoulder, the Magic Raven Vector also watched Kane cautiously with its beak tightly closed.

This was Punk’s territory, and the Thought of Truth was Punk’s organization, so Punk wasn’t worried about Kane posing any threat to him within his own Mage Tower. Given Punk’s full vigilance, the one who should truly be nervous was Kane.

After all, Punk’s current combat power was truly unmatched among his peers – he was confident he could retreat unscathed even when surrounded by two or three Master-Level powerhouses.

Under these circumstances, the person who really needed to worry about their situation was Kane, not Punk. In fact, Punk did entertain the thought of keeping the knight here permanently, since Kane had learned quite a few of Punk’s secrets in the Raging Wave Desert. Even if no one would believe what he might reveal, Punk wouldn’t mind taking action to eliminate potential troubles.It was just a pity that the “low-end configuration” Mage Tower provided by the Thought of Truth had no significant offensive capabilities. Moreover, Kane before him remained in a state of high alert, his nerves taut. At the slightest sign of trouble, this cautious knight would undoubtedly turn and flee. In that case, while Punk could easily defeat Kane with his own strength, killing the knight would be exceedingly difficult.

Kane was well aware of these two critical points, which was precisely why he dared to sit in the hall and speak face-to-face with Punk.

(End of Chapter)