Chapter 395: "Old Friend"

The desert was vast and barren, with scarce food and rare water sources. One could travel for over ten days without spotting a single plant or animal, with nothing but endless yellow sand stretching as far as the eye could see… Yet, even in such a desolate land, within this sea of sand, numerous races and lifeforms struggled to survive. The rabbit-rats Punk had already turned into stew were one example, and now the massive structure Punk encountered was another.

Indeed, after a full day of travel, a tribal encampment as large as three human cities combined appeared before Punk!

This tribal complex appeared quite underdeveloped. The outer perimeter of the encampment was merely enclosed by tall wooden fences, which clearly showed signs of enduring harsh weather over time. Numerous strange decorations hung from these fences—piles of animal bones, several perforated rocks, and even some tattered clothing were placed along the tribal barriers. These items transformed the originally neat fences into a cluttered makeshift shelf, making the solemn “city walls” appear somewhat ridiculous.

“A tribe dwelling in the desert, with the custom of placing deceased clansmen’s belongings on their fences… If nothing unexpected, this should be a Goat-headed Tribe. Only these uncivilized goat-headed beings would build such settlements to thrive in the desert.”

Drawing from his vast knowledge, Punk instantly identified the true nature of the tribe before him.

However, merely encountering an ordinary Goat-headed Tribe wasn’t enough to make Punk halt his journey. These uncivilized goat-headed creatures were far from hospitable; speeding away upon encountering them was the wisest choice.

But now, what truly compelled Punk to abandon his plan of flying directly over the tribe was…

“The aura of battle! A clash between Master-Level powerhouses, roughly at the tribe’s center. One seems to be a warrior-type, while the other… appears to be a shaman?”

Sensing the presence of two Master-Level experts, Punk’s initially relaxed expression gradually turned serious. With two Master-Level powerhouses suddenly appearing within his perception range, he couldn’t simply fly away nonchalantly. The moment they entered his perception range, he had likely entered theirs as well. Recklessly using spells might be misinterpreted as a sign of aggression. The most peaceful approach in such situations was for both Master-Level experts to cease using spells or Battle Aura, proceeding cautiously on foot until either leaving each other’s perception range or engaging in combat.

Now facing two clearly battling Master-Level powerhouses, Punk found it immensely troublesome but had no choice but to discard his plan of swift flight. Flying directly over their heads at this moment could easily be mistaken for an attempt at ambush, potentially drawing focused attacks from both combatants.There was no other way. To avoid provoking conflict, Punk had no choice but to halt his spellcasting to prevent agitating the two powerful combatants locked in fierce battle. Simultaneously, he began walking in the opposite direction to distance himself. At this moment, Punk had no intention of getting involved—he simply wanted to quickly exit the combat zone, circumvent the area of conflict, and continue his pursuit of Ovakain.

However, when trouble comes knocking, evasion is often futile. Punk was well aware that once he stepped onto a battlefield, remaining detached would be nearly impossible. No matter how intensely the two combatants had been fighting, the sudden appearance of a powerful unknown figure in their perception would inevitably stir additional thoughts.

The weaker side would hope to seek assistance, while the stronger side would fear the weaker side succeeding in securing aid. In any case, a “peaceful and friendly” scenario where “the fighters continue their battle undistracted, and the passerby casually goes on their way” was simply impossible.

As expected by Punk, almost the instant he appeared within their perceptual range, the two Master-Level combatants began moving swiftly and synchronously toward his location.

Within the vast tribal structures, the terrifying aftermath of the battle quickly shifted from the center of the tribe to Punk’s vicinity. Massive fragments of houses, mixed with sand ground into powder, flew into the air as relentless roars thundered like lightning in mere seconds. Soon, after devastating every block in their path, the two powerful combatants successfully relocated the battleground from the tribe’s center right before Punk.

Watching the battle’s residual forces tear apart and scatter everything in their path like a tornado, and observing the roaring collapse of fractured space, Punk could only let out a soft sigh.

Clearly, neither combatant was willing to ignore Punk—a powerful variable of unknown allegiance. Thus, Punk’s initial plan to remain uninvolved had become unrealistic.

“I’ve long heard that this desert is rather chaotic, with tribes, humans, and magical beings almost constantly warring over a few oases. It seems the rumors hold true. In a way, Ovakain’s choice to flee into this Raging Wave Sand Sea was quite astute. The turmoil here not only aids a low-profile fugitive in obscuring his tracks but also hinders a high-profile pursuer at every turn… Ovakain truly lives up to being a rare spellcaster dragon.”

Facing the approaching clouds of dust and roaring spatial distortions, Punk had no choice but to sigh resignedly and begin preparing his spells. In his hand, the tip of the Emerald Staff started gathering the glow of magic. No one could predict how the two soon-to-appear Master-Level combatants would react, so necessary preparations for defense, attack, and even escape had to be made swiftly.

The speed of Master-Level experts remained as unstoppable as ever. Just as Punk completed his spell preparations, the two Master-Level combatants—who had unknowingly destroyed countless structures and plowed deep furrows into the ground along their path—finally reached the fence.

In the next instant, accompanied by a deafening roar, a golden figure violently shattered the fence and burst out of the tribe.”Golden Sparkle” was the perfect description for this fellow. Even at such an incredible speed, Punk’s keen eyes managed to capture the figure of this suddenly appearing knight.

Bathed in the scorching sunlight, it was easy to see that the armor worn by this knightly figure was almost entirely gleaming gold. His short hair was a brilliant golden hue, and even the lance in his hand was a striking gold color.

Without the slightest hesitation, this “Golden Sparkle,” who had just flown sideways out of the tribe, charged straight toward Punk. Accompanied by the earth groaning under the strain and the grating sound of twisting, shattering space, the guy casually greeted Punk as if nothing were amiss:

“Wow, I’m so damn lucky! Punk Cyan—my old friend, it’s been over five hundred years and you’re still not dead? That’s great! Now not only are we both standing under this brilliant sunlight again, but we can also fight side by side once more. I gotta say… this is just too cool~!”

(End of Chapter)