Chapter 479: Trouble

The “formalities” Kirk Weilen mentioned were well within Punk’s expectations. After all, the scale of the incidents he had caused during this mission was indeed too significant. Whether it was the Hoth Mountains now shrouded in volcanic ash or the giant hand projection of the Demon Sub-Lord appearing in the Raging Wave Sand Sea, these events were bound to attract the attention of all nearby legendary organizations with branch outposts.

The troubles Punk faced actually came from three aspects. The most immediate problem was naturally the questioning from within the Thought of Truth.

A single mission resulting in the demise of both the client and a Senior Mentor, Ben Lajie, would inevitably cause dissatisfaction even in as loosely structured and free an organization as the Thought of Truth.

However, this originally most difficult issue was no longer a concern for Punk.

Kirk Weilen’s earlier conversation with Punk actually included the doubts and warnings from the Thought of Truth. It was just that this old man who wanted to avoid trouble had suppressed the internal questioning from the Thought of Truth for the sake of his “peaceful and serene twilight years.” When Kirk Weilen turned and walked out the door, the trouble from this loose caster organization could be considered completely resolved.

The second trouble came from the ever-meddlesome clergy.

It must be understood that the Sleeping Dragon Volcano, ignited by Punk, showed no signs of returning to calm. This terrifying “dragon” had been spreading volcanic ash across the Hoth Mountains for two months. To this day, not only had the once frozen Hoth Mountains become a “Land of Flames,” but even the Minotaur Impact Plain adjacent to the Hoth Mountains, the “Toothfall Mountain” to the north, the “Red Rabbit Plain” to the south, and even the Red Sand Sea at some distance from the Hoth Mountains were all affected by drastic climate changes.

It was predicted that this region would inevitably fall into a state of widespread suffering for decades to come. Under such circumstances, it was inevitable that various Benevolent God Churches would investigate everything that happened in the Hoth Mountains.

Of course, due to the semi-public nature of the Thought of Truth’s mission system, the people from the Benevolent God Churches would certainly be able to discover that Punk had gone to the Hoth Mountains to carry out a “dragon slaying” mission. When that time came… would mountains of trouble come knocking at his door?

Before returning to the Thought of Truth, Punk had seriously and rigorously considered this question. After all, such matters undoubtedly concerned his own life and safety, and every potential danger had to be taken into account.

Fortunately… the answer Punk arrived at was—no!

That’s right, they wouldn’t. According to Punk’s prediction, those nearly enraged priests and paladins from the Benevolent God Churches simply couldn’t come to hold him accountable. The reason was very simple—because Punk was in the Gray Rain Country, and he was still a Senior Mentor belonging to the Thought of Truth!

It must be understood that the Gray Rain Country was a mage nation jointly ruled by branches of the Zhentarim, the Mage Guild, and the Thought of Truth. The legendary expert overseeing this Imperial Kingdom-level nation—”Incinerator” Ankazan Flamebrow—was an uncompromising Legendary Caster.As a mage nation guarded by a Legendary Mage, Gray Rain Country undoubtedly possesses a profound mage atmosphere. This atmosphere includes the pursuit of knowledge, a repressed and quiet ambiance, hooded pedestrians hurrying to and fro, and… indiscriminate exclusion of all divine spellcasters.

In fact, thousands of years ago, Ankazan Flamebrow had explicitly declared a prohibition against any divine spellcaster approaching within three hundred meters of Gray Rain Country’s borders. As words spoken by a Legendary Mage, Ankazan’s warning is undoubtedly permanently effective.

Thanks to this Legendary Mage’s undisguised contempt and aversion toward divine spellcasters, not a single divine spellcaster has been seen within the entire Gray Rain Country for millennia. For many children of the impoverished, priests and paladins are merely fictional legends from stories, while churches are definitively labeled as “dens of fraudsters.”

Doubt not—this is the deterrence of a Legendary Caster. Perhaps he lacks the power to change the entire world, but at the very least, the nation under his protection must submit to his will… Even deities must carefully weigh the warning of a Legendary Mage, especially since Ankazan Flamebrow is also one of the elders of the Mage Guild, and Gray Rain Country hosts key branches of three powerful Legendary organizations.

Unless some deity has gone mad, it would be impossible for them to risk conflict with three Legendary organizations over the fate of a few minor kingdoms.

Thanks to Gray Rain Country’s staunch opposition to divine spellcasters, Punk need not worry about leaving his Laboratory one day only to be confronted by hordes of divine spellcasters. As long as he remains in Gray Rain Country and holds his position as a Senior Mentor of the Thought of Truth, any Church seeking to punish evil and promote good must think twice.

It must be admitted that joining a Legendary organization has its benefits. At the very least, in matters like destroying one or two minor kingdoms—trivial “incidents” in the eyes of Legendary organizations—a member can undoubtedly receive support from their backing organization.

Indeed, it’s this kind of free assistance, somewhat akin to “a fox borrowing the tiger’s ferocity”!

Divine spellcasters from the Benevolent God Church are firmly barred by the mere mention of “Gray Rain Country.” No matter how passionately those justice-driven priests and paladins weep and wail, they cannot come to Gray Rain Country to question Punk, the “person involved.”

However, aside from the troublesome divine spellcasters, there is another formidable force that Punk must deal with: the true Boss of Gray Rain Country—the Mage Guild!

The Mage Guild is a Lawful Neutral spellcasting organization, a fact recognized throughout the Faerûn Plane.

The problem is… they themselves never admit to their neutral alignment. The Mage Guild’s external propaganda consistently and steadfastly positions themselves within the Lawful Good camp. Even though their actions generally have little to do with “goodness,” this “minor detail” clearly doesn’t hinder the thick-skinned members of the Mage Guild from glorifying themselves.The reputation of being “Good and Lawful” certainly had its benefits… For instance, many naive young mage apprentices, unaware of the dangers of human nature, would believe they had found their calling and eagerly sign countless unequal contracts with the Mage Guild—that “divinely treacherous spellcaster organization.”

However, the drawbacks of this reputation were equally evident. When it came to upholding “justice and goodness,” the Mage Guild, no matter how perfunctory, had to put on at least some semblance of effort for others—or rather, for their own gullible members. This token display was one of the Guild’s core policies, enforced even in the most remote branch offices. In Gray Rain Country, a land steeped in “rivers-and-lakes ethos,” they couldn’t afford to give anyone grounds for criticism.

Thus, Punk had long anticipated the Mage Guild’s “interrogation.” In fact, he was already weighing whether to concede some benefits and accept a few mild punishments in exchange for the Guild’s compromise.

(End of Chapter)