Eternal Thief

Chapter 1564: Approaching the Sanctuary Gate (1)

Just like everyone, Ace and Eva looked at the open gateway of the Evernight Sanctuary, which was hovering above the Abyssal Plains like a looming guillotine, and the three Protector Envoys seemed like executioners as their last ’inviting’ words reverberated throughout everyone’s minds.

Eva gave Ace a meaningful glance, and Ace suddenly had a bad feeling about it, and before he could ask what she was up to, she suddenly turned towards the gloomy Dread Duchess.

She couldn’t help but sarcastically jeer, ”Master, are you sure they aren’t trying to kill us?”

Dread Duchess was already raging from what had just happened because she was one of those people who knew why the Evernight Sanctuary had opened ahead of its periodic cycle, for Nomad!

However, not only are the Evernight Kings making things difficult for Nomad, but they are now even changing the foundational traditions of the Evernight Council by inviting the whole Abyssal Plains under the pretext of giving Nomad unbiased treatment.

Now, hearing her disciple’s apparent demand for an explanation behind her sarcasm, she felt like she had lost all face today, and she didn’t even blame Eva for being blunt because she knew Nomad wasn’t an idiot.

He hadn’t said anything until now, probably because of our respect for her, which only made her even more disgruntled, and she wanted an explanation from the Evernight Devil King, her current patron.

”Don’t be disrespectful.” Dread Duchess sternly glared at Eva and couldn’t help but glance at Nomad with a hint of guilt and solemnly promised, ”I’m sure there has to be some reason behind these changes. But if you don’t want to participate, I can always put up words for you. I’m sure the revered Evernight Kings won’t be unreasonable considering what you’ve done for us.”

”She didn’t even believe in her own words. Tsk, tsk...I guess you need to choose now.” Eva couldn’t help but sneer through their special transmission because she was utterly displeased with the Evernight Council and wanted to teach them a lesson by emptying those mighty Evernight Kings’ treasuries.

Ace suppressed his urge to roll his eyes at Eva for stating the obvious, but he controlled himself, as he was used to things not always going according to his plans.

Furthermore, just because those mysterious factors thrown by the Evernight Council, he can’t give up on entering the Evernight Sanctuary, where he believed the clues regarding their mission lie.

He pretended to be touched by the Duchess’s words and politely replied, ”No, your highness, you don’t need to trouble yourself. I’m sure there should be a good reason for esteemed Evernight Kings, or what could they probably achieve by making things difficult for a minor character like myself?

”Furthermore, just as the Protector Envoys have stated at the start, I’m still an outsider who hasn’t joined the Council, nor have I earned my spot fair and square. That’s why the Council must be unbiased and uphold its reputation.

”As for undergoing a trial, so be it, haven’t I been given the same advantage as the members of the Evernight Council since I’m supposed to get an Evernight Invitation? That is enough for me. I’ll prove myself worthy of this opportunity!”

”You are indeed worthy of a King’s heir!” Dread Duchess couldn’t help but nod in approval as she had newfound respect for this young Abyss Wanderer.

”Learn from Young Master Nomad!” Dread Duchess couldn’t help but berate Eva, who seemed to have a peculiar look in her eyes as she looked at the self-righteous Nomad.

”As you will master.” Eva quickly agreed, with a hint of mischief glint that didn’t go unnoticed by the Dread Duchess.

Dread Duchess could only sigh in resignation, for only Eva dared to act in this manner in front of her, and for this exact reason, she felt warmth and love.

Nonetheless, she still couldn’t let this go, even if Eva and ’Nomad’ weren’t showing any nervousness and had to seek an explanation from the King Circle inside the Sanctuary.

After all, she was also returning to the sanctuary, and by every right, she held a high position within the King Circle, whether she was inside or not. She knew the King Circle inside had to be aware of this the moment the Evernight Kings made their verdict, and she was even daring enough to confront the Evernight Devil King about it once she entered.

There was no restriction on Evernight Dukes from entering the Evernight Sanctuary. As long as the gates were open, they returned as they pleased unless an Evernight King used their authority to restrict them.

”But where are our invitations?” Eva suddenly asked as she picked up a hint from Ace’s words.

After all, the Evernight Sanctuary’s gate was already open, and despite the Evernight Council almost making the Evernight Invitation useless, they still left some use for them. However, Eva and Ace still didn’t have them, and Dread Duchess didn’t seem worried about it.

This time, the Dread Duchess’s eyes shone with confidence as she sneered, ”Little girl, even if this was out of your master’s expectation, this doesn’t mean I’m clueless about everything! Let’s go, you’ll get your invitation.”

Without another word, the Dread Duchess waved her sleeve, and a dark and imposing warship appeared in front of them as if answering the Dread Duchess’s summons like a beast recognizing its master.

It tore its way into existence with a low, abyssal groan, as if space itself had been forced to make room.

Its hull was a vast, crescent leviathan of black abyssal steel and living bone, layered like overlapping ribs of some ancient beast. Veins of dull crimson light pulsed beneath its surface, not decorative but circulatory, as though the ship itself possessed a heart and blood flow.

Spines jutted from its prow like a crown of executioner’s blades, each etched with abyssal runes that radiated authority and slaughter in equal measure.

Along its sides floated fragments of shattered fortresses and chained asteroids, bound by invisible Qi-fields and rotating slowly like loyal satellites.

They were like trophies of remnants of conquered realms, sealed battles, and erased rebellions. Anyone with even a shred of insight could tell that this ship had drunk the blood of Half-Abyssal Kings!

At its center rose a command deck shaped like a black throne, draped in spectral banners bearing the sigil of the Dread Duchess.

Ace’s pupils contracted, and Eva was also astounded as she couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, ”...That’s a ship?”

But Dread Duchess didn’t answer, secretly pleased with her disciple’s reaction. Before either could react further, the Dread Duchess stepped forward.

The moment she moved, an invisible barrier unfolded from her presence like a second skin, silent, absolute, and unquestionable.

Ace and Eva felt the world soften around them, pressure vanishing, hostile laws retreating as if unwilling to brush against her authority.

With a single step, she crossed onto the deck. Ace and Eva followed, though in truth, they hadn’t moved at all. Space itself folded, placing them beside her as if the ship had always been beneath their feet.

The Duchess did not sit, but merely lifted her chin, and the ship seemed to have received an absolute command as it obeyed.

The abyssal leviathan shuddered once, then rose, smoothly and effortlessly, as though gravity had been an inconvenience it chose to ignore. The chained asteroids followed, rotating faster as runes ignited across the hull. With a sound like a thousand muffled screams being swallowed, the flagship surged forward.

It wasn’t propelled but directed with one thought of the Dread Duchess.

At that moment, Ace and Eva felt their stomach drop as the Abyssal Plains shrank beneath them, and the Myriad Hollows streets became threads. Soon, the capital of the Kingdom turned to shadow before storms parted instinctively before the ship’s path.

The speed of that ship was enough to give Ace and Eva a feeling of dread because if this chased them, they knew neither of them could outrun it!