Genius Noble With System
Chapter 268: Arriving at the Transfer Portal (Correct - )

Chapter 268: Arriving at the Transfer Portal (Correct Chapter)

The fanatic agreed quickly as he didn’t want to feel the terrifying pain and started to lead him.

The rune he used was called the ’Soul Shackles rune.’ He bought it from the Sky Tower using his points.

This wasn’t just any ordinary rune; it was a high-grade control artifact he had acquired from the Sky Tower. Its effects weren’t limited to mere obedience. The rune created an unbreakable bond, chaining the target’s soul to Apollo’s will. Resistance would result in agony beyond what the fanatic had already endured.

In fact, he bought and prepared quite a lot of things with different uses for this trip.

He is a confident person, but he wasn’t an idiot to not prepare different treasures that could help and even save his life when he had enough status and points to buy them.

Both of them travelled for quite some time, and he asked some general questions, like asking his name and more.

"So, what’s your name?" Apollo asked casually, though his tone carried an edge that left no room for evasion.

The fanatic hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly answered, "Morrak. My name is Morrak."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly. "Morrak, huh? Tell me, Morrak, how long have you been guarding the borders of your precious Black Flame Sovereign Realm?"

Morrak clenched his fists as he didn’t want to answer all his questions, but the chill emanating from Apollo’s presence forced him to respond. "I’ve served on the borders for over two centuries. My clan has always been loyal to the Sovereign."

"Two centuries? Impressive," Apollo replied with admiration. "

But after some time they have to stop abruptly, as Morrak pointed toward a distant horizon where flickering lights could be seen.

"We have arrived that... that’s the edge of the five clan city’s territory," he stammered.

From the distant place, he could finally see the city and knew they had reached a place where people gathered, but there was still a problem that he had to solve.

Apollo then took out a black mask that seemed to have an aura that made it look weird. Morrak didn’t understand what the human was doing, but the moment he put it on, he was shocked.

Within moments, Apollo’s appearance began to shift—his skin glowed faintly like molten lava. Fiery red hair cascaded down its back, and its eyes burned with an inner light, just like Morrak’s. Even the faint, flickering aura of a natal flame seemed to manifest around Apollo, making him indistinguishable from one of Morrak’s kin.

"You... you look just like one of us!" Morrak stammered, taking a step back, utterly baffled. "What kind of treasure is this?"

He adjusted the mask slightly, smirking beneath it. His voice, though still his own, carried a subtle tonal quality that mirrored Morrak’s flame-infused cadence. "It’s called preparation, Morrak. Did you really think I’d wander into an unknown realm without the means to blend in? This treasure is called Shifter Mask."

But this also has limitations, as he cannot really use flames or fire law as he didn’t understand them or truly hasn’t changed his lifeform. His current change was just a perfect illusion, and when it came to fighting, he had to be careful.

Morrak’s confusion deepened as he took in the flawless transformation. "You... you even have a natal flame aura. That’s impossible! You’re clearly human!"

Apollo stepped closer, his flame-like eyes narrowing. "Impossible for you, maybe. But the world has many things that are not bound by your limits." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze piercing. "This little trick should make it easier to walk into your settlement without raising alarms. And you’re going to vouch for me if anyone gets suspicious. Understand?"

Morrak nodded reluctantly, still reeling from the sight. "Y-Yes, but the clan elders... they’ll sense something’s off if they probe deeper. They’re not fools."

"Naturally, but we aren’t going to meet all of them; we are just going to use the transfer portal. There shouldn’t be much trouble, right?" He said.

"Hmm." Morrak nodded with hesitation; indeed, there would be much trouble from his clan’s end, and the transfer portal isn’t controlled by five clans but rather by the power of Emberheart City. They needed to pay, and they didn’t care much.

Good," Apollo said, his tone sharp and final. His flame-like gaze burned through Morrak’s hesitation. "The less interaction with your clan, the better. Lead me to the portal, and keep your mouth shut unless absolutely necessary. Remember, if you slip up, you’re the one who pays the price first."

Morrak gulped, his anxiety bubbling up as he nodded. "Understood. The portal isn’t far, but it’s guarded by Emberheart city sentinels."

The pair walked in tense silence as they approached the towering gates of the Five clan’s city. The gates themselves radiated heat, ancient carvings of flames etched into the blackened stone, glowing faintly with ember-like energy. Beyond, faint silhouettes of buildings flickered in the haze of the ever-present heat.

Nobody stopped them as Morrok was leading him, and they easily entered the city. The Five Clan City was different from the outside as it was bustling with activity and filled with life as different people from five clans and other small clans made the place vibrant. However, all of them were alien life forms; not a single human was there.

So, he cannot show his true face in the middle of the city. They quickly went towards the transfer portal, which was bustling with activity. Clusters of flame-clad warriors were guarding the entire arena tightly.

The arena itself was constructed of obsidian and molten stone, with large flame-shaped statues marking its boundaries. At the centre stood multiple glowing archways, each one thrumming with energy, flames licking at the edges of their swirling vortexes.

Apollo’s sharp eyes scanned his surroundings, noting the subtle hierarchy evident in the city. Those from five major clans with more vibrant and powerful flames commanded more respect, their presence causing others to step aside.

Although Morrak wasn’t very strong, he was still a member of one of the five major clans that ruled this area for thousands of years.

Finally, they reached the transfer portal arena. It was a sprawling, open area, heavily guarded by flame-clad warriors whose auras were oppressive, even to Morrak.

The warriors stationed here were clearly of a higher calibre, their auras suffused with refined flames. Some wore elaborate armour forged from rare flame metals, their weapons pulsing with energy. They stood at attention, their eyes scanning every individual who approached the portals.