Nietzsche is Dead (Part 1)

  Gale's back stood his student, Walter, and the youngest of his disciples, Raphael. The two young men did not know what their respected teacher was muttering to himself, but Gale's mood was clearly bad, it seemed that the town of Dakar would inevitably be destroyed by the flood, they all stood there quietly, not daring to speak.

  Ge Lie stood on the city wall for a whole day, advising him to rest, he seemed not to hear, staring blankly in the direction of Du Ke Town from dawn till night. Until noon the next day, Xiao Mo, the governor of Xuya City-State, came to the city head for the third time, this time not to advise Ge Lie to return to the temple to rest, but to report on official duties——

  "I have ordered the soldiers stationed at Blackfire Pass to withdraw, and two of the stations' garrisons were able to evacuate in time. However, the water came too quickly, and the station closest to Ducktown is now surrounded by floodwaters, with an uncertain situation. Yesterday, you sent Kosman, the High Priest, to go to the station using a flying artifact to rescue people and investigate the situation in Ducktown, but Kosman returned halfway, saying that it was impassable."

  Raphael frowned and said: "How can Kosman be so irresponsible and leave the soldiers at the post station unattended?"

  Kor finally spoke up, he let out a long sigh and waved his hand, saying: "Can't blame Kosman, the cloud is too low and there's lightning, flying in the air at this time will become the target of thunderbolts, it will be life-threatening. I sent him to rescue people, not to send him to his death, he really can't reach the relay station."

  As they spoke, the distant thunder grew louder, and a thick layer of clouds spread out from the direction of the Xuya Plateau, almost pressing down on the city of Xuya. Raindrops also began to fall on the empty space above the city walls, and these raindrops were getting denser and denser. Xiao Mo asked anxiously: "If this rain doesn't stop, the flood will overflow from the Black Fire Forest and reach the foot of Xuya City. Currently, one-third of the entire territory has been flooded, what should we do?"

  "Turn around, as the governor, you should prepare for disaster relief immediately, more and more refugees will rush into Xuya City soon...... Huaileite, go to the temple to fetch two high-level air spell scrolls and that Azure Boat."

  Walter: "The Azure Chariot? Is that the artifact inlaid with Azure Aquamarine, which consumes four divine stones every time it's used?"

  "Right, it's in the back hall, in my private storage room. Hurry up and bring it here, I'm going to take a trip into the flood."

  Xiao Mo dissuaded in surprise: "Noble Great Divine Master, are you going to take the risk yourself? The Xiaoya City-State still needs you to preside over it!"

  Hua Lai Te also advised: "Respected teacher, let me go."

  Ge Lie shook his head: "Since I can't fly, I'll go by water. Only I can control the Azure Boat, none of you can. I want to go and gather news about an important friend and bring back the soldiers trapped at the relay station. This is an order, don't try to dissuade me."

  ……

  The Azure Chariot was a spindle-shaped magical artifact, also known as a law enforcement tool. It was only two inches wide and over a foot long, with a silver body and an azure water heart inlaid at the front end. There were two recessed grooves on either side, each already inlaid with four divine stones when Huo Leiting obtained it.

  It was a privately collected divine artifact of Song Lie, extremely precious, but no one knew that it was given to him by Nietzsche twenty years ago, and Nietzsche was also one of the best master craftsmen on this continent.

  Even a great divine magician wouldn't dare to fly in the sky where lightning is flashing, Ge Lie used an air god technique scroll to float on the water surface and shuttle through the strange shrubs of the black fire forest to save his magic power.

  The scroll can't actually save mana from a theoretical point of view, but it can store the mana that is usually cast through some means and use it at critical moments. Divine scrolls are written with divine characters according to specific requirements, and making them is much more difficult than casting the corresponding divine technique, consuming more mana, and not necessarily successful. Therefore, high-level divine scrolls are one of the most precious magical objects on the mainland, and only a great divine master like Song Lie can casually order someone to bring two.

  The water surface was very turbulent, surging with countless whirlpools and chaotic rapids, pouring over the black fire forest towards the direction of Syria City. Only those relatively tall and strange black stones were still exposed above the water surface, forming isolated islands one after another. The further forward, the more open the water surface became, the fewer the shrub-covered isolated islands, the higher the water level rose, and the faster the current flowed.

  Ge Lie moved against the current on the water's surface, and in open areas he could no longer use isolated islands or forests to conceal his figure. He became the most conspicuous target on the water's surface. In the low-hanging cloud layer, several flashes of lightning struck down towards him, but Ge Lie used his staff to deflect them, instantly moving his body to avoid being hit. Only a great magician could advance in such a way; anyone else would absolutely not be able to pass through.

  As they approached Duketown, the turbid water flow became more urgent, the swirling vortex grew larger, and the lightning that split the sky above became more dense. Although the road submerged in water was invisible, Ge Lie could still move forward along the original post route, and he finally arrived at the nearest post station thirty miles away from Duketown, where it had already become a vast expanse of water.

  In the midst of strong winds and thunder, Ge Lie's temple opened its detection technique to scan the surroundings, finally hearing a faint, hoarse cry for help. A small team of soldiers stationed at the post still survived, led by their captain, who climbed onto the highest boulder in time. The boulder was almost completely submerged in floodwaters, and twelve soldiers were clinging to exposed tree branches, crying out for help with hoarse voices. If Ge Lie had arrived a moment later, these people would have been washed away.

  Ge Lü floated to the vicinity of the giant stone, took out the Azure Boat from his bosom and threw it onto the water surface. This foot-long magical instrument spun in the water, and a shapeless boat suddenly appeared on the rippling water surface. The water surface retreated to reveal the hull shape, and the rain in the air couldn't reach its top, only flowing down from both sides. A bolt of lightning struck, and the electric threads split open around it, outlining the contours of this "boat". It looked like a long and huge jujube kernel, with space that could accommodate over a dozen people.

  With a wave of his staff, the ship's outline emitted a faint blue glow and finally appeared fully on the surface of the water. He shouted: "You quickly get on board, don't panic! Is the captain still there? Command the soldiers to sit steadily in the boat and not move... This is a divine artifact, you just jump up and that's it."

  Exhausted soldiers, under the command of their captain, nervously boarded this invisible boat with a blue glow, as if standing directly on the water's surface. However, they landed very steadily. Everyone was shivering, but the captain's commands remained calm and orderly. The twelve men sat down in two rows, no one making any unnecessary movements.

  Ge Lie looked at the young captain with a slightly approving gaze, floated to the bow of the ship, and pointed his staff forward. The Azure Boat did not turn back but continued to sail towards Du Ke Town, breaking through the waves. The captain was puzzled but didn't ask what Ge Lie, the noble divine magician, was thinking. He just made a gesture for the soldiers to rest well and not disturb Ge Lie.

  Less than ten miles away from Lidu Town, a mountain torrent was raging, and the Azure Boat had already begun to sway slightly. The shape of the Azure Water Heart at the bow of the boat in the void had appeared, and four white lights had also appeared on both sides of the hull, which were the four divine stones inlaid. Dense lightning fell from the sky, forming bright branch-like shapes, constantly striking the only object on the water's surface. The seemingly formless Azure Boat was protecting the people on board very well, and the lightning only drew out threads of electric light in the surrounding space.

  The town of Du Ke has completely disappeared, and all that can be seen is a vast expanse of murky water. Even the towering spires of the temple have vanished without a trace, it's unknown whether they were submerged or destroyed. The floodwaters are rushing in from the direction of the Xuya Plateau, flowing towards the southern Xuya Desert. Dark clouds like ink are shrouding the area, bringing torrential rains, making this place seem like a dark and endless hell.

  Even the great wizard didn't dare to fly in such a sky, and the strongest swimmer couldn't struggle for long in this flood. It seemed that no one had been left behind! However, Gale stopped his Azure Boat at a distance, still gazing at something in the storm - he didn't believe Nietzsche was swallowed by the flood without a sound.

  If Kierkegaard could venture to come here, then Nietzsche must have a way to escape safely. Has he left or is he still here? Kierkegaard had an indescribable strong feeling that Nietzsche was definitely still here.

  Just as he thought so, a series of thunder boomed in the sky, and a ball of lightning fell down, stirring up a spiral-shaped bright mark on the water. Song Lie suddenly sensed that there was a strong surge of magical power coming from underwater, and then heard a loud shout: "Divine spirit, you have finally appeared in the mortal world, I've waited for too long!"

  A figure suddenly broke away from the waves and flew out, with swirling winds around him, and the splashing water formed a huge crystal wing surrounding his body. He shot straight up into the sky, towards the thickest clouds and densest lightning, which was none other than Old Crazy Nietzsche.

  Nietzsche indeed did not die or leave; he somehow remained submerged underwater, only to burst out of the water and fly into the sky just as Song Lie arrived.

  The soldiers who had been quietly sitting on the Azure Boat suddenly let out a cry of surprise, and immediately felt surrounded by an opaque blue light that made it impossible to see or hear what was happening outside. This was because Song Lie had timely cast a spell to isolate their line of sight and hearing, not wanting them to witness this scene.

  With his keen eyesight, he could see the old madman in the distance, whose disheveled hair and beard were dancing in the air, and the staff in his hand was emitting golden light strips that shot towards the sky, his eyes wide open as he roared loudly: "Show yourself, Enlil, let me see your true form!"

  **

  PS: Today will continue to update twice, and add more updates before 12 midnight, asking for recommendations!

  Character Introduction in this Chapter——

  Hua Lai Te: Gao Lie's student, 6th rank divine technique master.

  Raphael: Gare's youngest disciple, 4th-level divine technique master.

  **