《My Girlfriend is an S-Class Adventurer》


 Chapter 1 Where All The Misery Began

    <strong>¡ª Oukiwa, Empire of Broteforge, Year 512. ¡ª</strong>


    "The sun asked the moon to marry him. And the moon said: I don''t know, I don''t know. Give me a break. ?"


    A lousy band was ying frantically in an even worse tavern. Deep in the tavern, a quartet of guys is gathered because they had another sessful day.


    "Aaahh! We should go get someone to fuck."


    "We? You say that like you want to have group sex." replied a short boy whose sses were already old and worn out.


    "Why not?" continued Zack: "We''re brothers, so it''s okay!"


    "Luke, Zack is acting weird." The boy warned Luke as he crawled away from the big guy. "Why do you have to drink so much? Ergh!"


    Bam! Zack hit his head on the table as he fell asleep. Luke mentally thanked himself for not having to interfere. He was already trying hard enough to keep going in such a stinky ce.


    "Hey, John! Have you ever thought about bing an adventurer?" Ynosuke, who had a harlot on each arm, eximed to the bespectacled boy. "You have a very innocent look for your profession."


    "Naah! The robberies in Oukiwa are worth much more. The guild here has too many strong adventurers for people like us to try topete with, and the Dungeons¡­ in the end, we will close the day full of injuries and without a penny in our pockets."


    "Hahaha! What about you, Luke? Have you ever thought about bing an adventurer?"


    "Yeah, I''ve never seen you in trouble. You must be as strong as a ss-B."


    Luke knew that adventurers swam in money. From the moment you get a ss-A certification, you won''t have to enter a Dungeon ever again, if you don''t want to, because you could make fortunes just protecting noble families.


    However, the main advice Luke heard from more experienced thieves as a child was:


    "Never steal from an adventurer."


    "Don''t ever get near an armored dude''s bag of coins."


    "If the person has a knife, know that they are ready to kill you if you try to steal it. So don''t even think about stealing it."


    He had already set aside two of those three pieces of advice, but there was still one that he wouldn''t even think of crossing off that list.


    "No." Luke replied to his friends.


    When he smelled with his sense of smell something so rotten that he had to cover his nostrils. His ears picked up three loud footsteps about to enter the tavern, Luke knew something was about to happen.


    <o>,m The tavern door creaked as it opened slowly. Nheeeec! The bard''s band stopped ying. Apanying a fat man; two huge men had to stoop to enter the establishment. Both were wearing all-ck armor with sharp details and carried ymores on their backs.</o>


    "We are looking for someone capable and everyone here, minus possible thieves and the mediocre bards, is invited to take the test to be bodyguards for the Strogueher family. Those who are interested should appear tomorrow at 1 pm at the main gate of the Strogueher family''s second mansion."


    Everyone was surprised by the announcement, after all, a bodyguard earned hundreds of coins a year and all he had to do was to apany someone during some trips and special asions. It was the perfect job for someone who wanted to get rich.<sub> </sub>


    However, the person would have to deal with thieves, kidnappers, maniacs, and many other types of people from the fringes of society.


    Luke and his friends went out the back door before the man entered, but they could hear the call perfectly.


    "Let''s go home." Ynosuke said to Luke, who nodded in agreement.


    Ynosuke was not as strong as Luke, so when he got the warning signal, he grabbed John and left Zack to be carried by Luke.


    This one went much closer than the quartet would have liked. They didn''t like to be in ces where there might be a mess, and the three strong steps were a signal enough to leave. If not for the rain, Luke might have sniffed out the man''s unpleasant smell a little earlier.


    The robber duo ran for a few blocks, carrying their friends. John insisted that he could run alone, however, his only good skill was opening locks that no one else could, otherwise, he was about as useful as a child.


    When Zack finally woke up from the turbulence, they were able to walk to the main street like normal people. It was much emptier than usual, because of the torrential rain.


    The winding alleys of Oukiwa had already turned into real traps because of the mud puddles. If they had not stolen a wagon during the afternoon, the quartet would take advantage of all this temporal chaos tomit petty thefts.


    John, while drying the lenses of his sses, asked the other three: "What do you think? Couldn''t this be the big opportunity we''ve been looking for? The Strogueher''s must have a safe with lots of gold coins."


    "What happened?" Zack asked confused. He was already fully sober after the little nap and just as predicted, he had a huge bruise under his eye.


    "A messenger from the Strogueher Family announced to everyone in the tavern, that they are looking for a bodyguard..." Ynosuke exined.


    "The Strogueher Family?" The big red-headed man inquired, impressed. "They are really rich."


    "Yes, yes! They are the official spokesmen for the Guild here in Oukiwa."


    "I agree that we should take this opportunity to infiltrate there, but Meredith is too pessimistic to allow that."


    "That''s four against one! And if we include Matthew in that, it''s five to one! She won''t be able to not take it."


    "It will be four against two. I don''t support that." Luke said as he took off his hoodie.


    "Luke, we will soon run out of work in this town. It seems like every week they discover another mining Dungeon here and there are more and more adventurers waiting for Tower-type Dungeons. Soon there won''t be any space for thieves."


    "Ynosuke, the fact that there are more and more Dungeon is great for us, because there will be more and more weapons and stone merchants, and maybe if Oukiwa grows to the point of bing an Industrial City, there will be a chance for us to rob some Gene Store one day."


    The group continued discussing the possibilities until they reached the harbor area. Huge ships docked there, so there was a great amount of movement of people day and night. It was the perfect ce for thieves to hide.


    Meredith had lived for a long time hiding in dark alleys, so she believed that this was the perfect ce for experienced thieves to hide. She had also grown tired of the misty forests. This was also why she now only orchestrated the robberies and took care of the gang''s finances.


    The shed where they lived could not be called ''home sweet home'', however, it was a warm ce where they could eat and rest. The aroma of the meat and vegetable stew, that they were already ustomed to, aroused the appetite of the four as they entered the warm warehouse.


    "Have you finally arrived, you sons of bitches?!" Meredith shouted angrily.

 Chapter 2 Home Sweet Home

    Arge basin of hot water was the only thing Luke needed after a tiring day. Yes, he was hungry, but it wasn''t as if he looked forward to eating the same stew every day.


    The sound of water falling on the wooden floor of the bathroom, crackled loudly. Sshhhhh!


    Perhaps because he was half-wolf, Luke sweated much more than most, and the fur on his tail also needed to be washed quite often to keep it silky, so he was the only one among the men in the pack who bathed every day.


    The others, even after arriving soaked from the rain, preferred to leave this kind of thing for the weekend or when they were very tired. Besides Luke, Meredith was also the only person in the gang who took a bath every day, because she is also a half-beast and has the same problems.


    From the cold winding in through the window, Luke felt that the rain would continue until the next day. Which also meant that it would be another day that he would have his skills reduced.


    While trying to scrub his own back, Luke dropped his soapstone on the floor, and it slid toward the door. Someone coincidentally knocked on the door at the same moment. Knock! Knock! Knock!


    "Luke, is everything okay?" Meredith asked.


    "Yeah, I''m just finishing up!"


    The girl opened the bathroom door to check if everything was okay. They had known each other for years, so they were intimate about it, and she was already too stressed to have to wait long for her shower.


    However, to bnce the scales of the universe, if Luke as a thief was a professional, as a man he was someone with a total of zero experience. Therefore, he was also someone who was very shy when alone between four walls with a woman.


    "Go quickly and leave some water for me. Ah, you dropped your soap! Let me get it for you." Meredith, who was wearing only a towel, went into the bathroom to pick up the soapstone from the floor.


    The half-wolf took a brief look at his childhood friend''s breasts, blushed, and after taking a brief look between his own legs, gave himself a punch so hard that it made him fall off the stool he was sitting on. That was the way he found to control himself.


    "Did you slip?" Meredith asked worriedly, seeing Luke in that situation.


    He remained inexpressive as he nodded, and in the end, stretched out his arm for her to return the soap.


    The girl, who had known Luke for over sixteen years, had only seen him so embarrassed in this kind of situation. She knew he was nervous because his two wolf ears were as red as a Samurai Pepper.


    Faced with a rare opportunity, she proposed: "Luke, will you let me wash your back?"


    The boy arched his eyebrows, pondered, and after a few moments, replied:


    "No, I can do that for myself."


    The half-wolf, having grown up on the streets, had a habit of wanting to look strong, so even though he wanted a beautiful half-naked girl to rub his back, he couldn''t admit it.


    Meredith, seeing him look vulnerable for the first time in a long time, felt she had just found a new hobby. Since she was determined to see more of those reactions, she decided to ckmail him.<sub> </sub>


    Leaning forward a little, she asked as she waggled her tail: "If you''re not going to let me wash your back, I''ll have to pay you a little visit in your roomter."


    Without hesitation, he stood up and sat down with his back to her. He had no choice but to ept it, in the moment the half-fox leaned over, it felt like her towel was about to fall off and, in those milliseconds, Luke imagined a reality where that happened and got so turned on, that he almost had a nosebleed.


    As Meredith began rubbing the soap on her friend''s back, she remembered how full of scars he was. There were marks from de cuts, w cuts, open wounds, and even bites, not only on his back, but all over his abdomen. It was amazing that he was still alive, being so unlucky.


    Luke''s whole body showed his experience. Even though he was about to turn twenty in just a few months, he already seemed to have lived a long time, both by the look in his eyes and by his reactions to every kind of situation.


    Except when Meredith would yfully y with her breasts on his back, and internally amuse herself with the little shakes the boy gave.


    Sshh! "Okay, I think I''m done." spoke the half-fox after throwing some water on Luke''s back.


    "Thanks." He replied, getting up.


    "Hey, hey, hey! Let''s hide the Big Bad Wolf, please?"


    "You say that now?" Luke, who already had realized that his friend was having fun with his reactions, questioned looking into her eyes.


    "Okay, I admit that I deserve to be judged¡­ You can go, now it''s my turn to take a shower."


    Luke quickly exited the bathroom and closed the door. With his ears nearly purple, his brain about to go fuzzy, and his heart racing, he leaned against the wall so as not to faint by the variety of possibilities of things that could have happened in this bathroom.


    "Hey, Luke! Haven''t you changed your clothes yet?! Come on down! Matthew has arrived with good news!" said Ynosuke at the foot of the staircase leading to the second floor.


    "I''ll be right down, hold on."


    Now, the only thing Luke could think of was what he was going to say to try to convince his friends that the n to rob a gene wagon was dumb, even for the best gang of thieves in Oukiwa.


    A Noble Family like the Strogueher, besides having their own fortress within the city, also has dozens of personal guards, outsourced guards, and also Adventurers at their disposal. For them, it would be easy to protect a gene load from six thieves.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 3 The Beginning Of The Plan

    "What took you so long?" John, while clenching his eyes, asked Luke who had just arrived in the kitchen.


    He saw the half-wolfing up to take his daily shower and shortly after, he noticed Meredith''s disappearance. For a moment, he was shocked at the idea that the two were dating, however, he decided to remain quiet.


    "Ann... I was brushing my tail." Luke replied nervously.


    John had decided not to say anything, but that didn''t apply to the other four, who now stared at the half-wolf with dirty looks.


    "What is it?" Luke questioned, trying to y dumb. At the same time, his racing heart almost came out of his mouth.


    "You... and Meredith? Since when?" A short, handsome man asked. He had a beard andrge hair. Among his brown strands, there was a considerable amount of white hair. He was also missing his left arm because of a lost in a tavern bet.


    "Me and Meredith? An... What are you talking about, Matthew?"


    "Forget about it, guys. We have more important things to discuss. And you guys know that Luke is not like us." Ynosuke appeased the situation for Luke''s side.


    "True."


    "Makes sense."


    "Could be, right?"


    Nevertheless, Ynosuke whispered in Luke''s ear afterward: "Just avoid having sex in the bathroom, bro. It must be ufortable."


    Pretending not to hear Ynosuke, Luke asked Matthew: "What happened? John said you had good news."


    For a few minutes, Matthew recounted his entire day. He is the kind of person who doesn''t spare even the smallest details when he is going to tell some story, so everyone listened patiently.


    "Then, around six o''clock, I was discouraged that I hadn''t found any useful information, so I went to buy a moon muffin to try to distract myself, and next to the stall were two guards. While buying my cookie, I overheard one of them say that the Strogueher family has requested a gene supply for three months from now."


    "Really?!" yelled the big Zack.


    John stood up and tapped the table. Tum! "No fucking way! A gene pack here for Oukiwa?! These guys are underestimating us!" John said excitedly.


    <o>,m Luke and Ynosuke remained quiet.</o>


    "What about the handsome guys over there? Do you agree with this robbery?" Meredith, who had arrived at the end of the story, asked the two.


    Ynosuke stood up, looked at the girl, and said: "In my experience, the wagons are protected with five or six guards. That factor triples because we are talking about the Strogueher family. This will be a gene supply, meaning we can take the tripled amount and triple it again."


    "That is, in the best-case scenario, we would have to deal with forty-five guards at once. And at worst, it would be more than fifty-four." John said.


    Luke still tried to count multiplication on his fingers, however, he was easily lost. He never had the chance to study mathematics.


    "Each of us would have to deal with at least nine guards. Since I can''t fight, I would only go to open the carriage locks."


    "Wouldn''t it be easier if we robbed the whole carriage? Then we''d get all the genes." Zack proposed.


    It wasmon knowledge that stealing an entire wagon was dumb. Outside the city, most of the roads are dirt, and inside, the only streets that could hide the wheel tracks would be the main ones, which are always packed with adventurers.


    Zack was as dumb as he is big, so he was ignored.


    "Nine guards is too much stuff for any of us except Luke." Meredith said as she pulled up a chair at the table. "We can try working with another gang. But thest one didn''t work out, because you guys betrayed them when you found out they were vers."


    Silence hung over the room. All six of them knew that they didn''t work well with other gangs, which was also why they opted for smaller robberies.


    "What if we infiltrated the family by being bodyguards?" Zack said as he put a spoonful of the stew into his mouth. Everyone looked surprised at the big guy as if for the first time in his life he had a good idea.


    "How would we do that?" Matthew asked, confused because he knew that bodyguards were difficult for noble families to hire.


    Usually, the security for these families is done by retired knights, and when many security guards are needed, they hire some outsourced security service.


    However, as if by fate, a messenger from the Strogueher Family had announced that they were looking for someone capable to be a bodyguard.<sub> </sub>


    "Okay. That''s good, but why did they announce that in a tavern like the Lemon Barrel?"


    Everyone thought for a while and Meredith was the first to think of an answer: "They are probably looking for some talented young knight. Some days of the week, it gets crowded there with young peopleing out of the academy and going for a cheap drink. But they must have got the hours mixed up because, at night, only the merchants and coachmen drink there."


    *


    The next day, Luke woke up a littleter than usual, the group had been discussing until dawn the possible ns to steal that shipment from the noble family.


    Through his bedroom window, he could hear the shoutsing from the fish market that was set up every Tuesday in the harbor. Luke was not excited about today, in fact, for the first time in years, he felt he would have a bad day.


    He washed his face, brushed his teeth, cleaned his ear, and took off the clothesline of his characteristic thief''s uniform that was based on just a brown tunic and a ck cloak over it, which had a hood big enough so that it could hide his ears well.


    Luke was the only one against the n to steal the gene wagon, which surprised everyone, after all, Meredith also refused to draw much attention, but even she believed that this was too perfect an opportunity.


    Since all that mattered in the gang was democracy, Luke had to ept. He knew that the chances of something going wrong were absurdly high since this was the main noble family that runs the city.


    Therefore, he made a deal with everyone: he would be the only one to take the test for bodyguard; if he didn''t pass, everyone gave up this n.


    The gang epted this condition, not least because Luke was the strongest among them, so there was no need for the others to try too. If Luke didn''t seed, none of the others would evene close.


    Even though Luke was the only one in the gang who would know the true oue, he didn''t think of frittering away or limiting himself, because that would be the same thing as betraying the trust that everyone ced in him.


    And since the chance of Luke failing was huge, he didn''t worry too much about it. He just decided that he would do his best, even if he doubted that he would stand out among the dozens of aspirants that would show up.


    During the drizzle, the half-wolf walked to the second mansion of the Strogueher family, without requiring any help. The ce, which could be seen from any high point in the city, looked like a municipal building.


    Just as he expected, when he reached the street of the indicated ce, he saw more than a hundred aspirants. He was upset because this test would probably drag on for the whole day, but since they had stolen two bags of coins the day before, he was unconcerned about the lost time.


    As he walked up the street from the mansion, Luke heard manyments that pleased him:


    "Have you heard? That S-ss Knight who retiredst week is here."


    "Really? I''ll get his autographter."


    "An S-ss in Oukiwa? That''s something I never expected."


    "Yeah, the first Dungeon here was discovered less than 10 years ago, so there aren''t many high-ss Adventurers."


    "Hey, did you hear? The Champion of the Tournament of Legends showed up too!"


    "The Champion?! What the hell is going on here?!"


    The Strogueher family messenger didn''t even in his wildest reveries dream that making that announcement in a third-rate establishment would attract so much attention. He certainly underestimated what a bunch of drunks is capable of doing.


    The Matriarch of the Strogueher family, Ayumi Yamazaki Strogueher, was so furious that she was about to fire Jonathan for such a grotesque mistake. She had nned something more discreet and secure, but now it seemed that half the city''s Adventurers and Mercenaries were at her Mansion''s door.


    "Jonathan, if there is no one I like among everyone in front of my house, I will make sure you never get a job in Broteforge again! Now go, get out of my way!" She shouted at the chubby man, who was cold sweating.


    In all his years working for the family, he never imagined that Lady Yamazaki, would treat him this way when he made his first mistake. As he walked out one of the side doors of the main hall, Jonathan sketched his characteristic perverted smile, as if he had loved receiving insults from the Matriarch.


    The old guard who watched the whole scene quietly, also noticed the fat man''s expression when he left. However, the guard didn''t tell on him because he understood the situation, he didn''t want the woman to waste any more of her time with this scumbag.


    Ayumi had long golden hair that extended to knee height and although her body was beautiful, and she had huge breasts, everyone felt she must be older than she looked, not least because someone young would not have the chance tomand such a prestigious family.


    "Oliver, today you will have the chance to personally choose who will or not enter this house." Ayumi said, returning to theposure she usually have.


    Oliver, the guard, nodded in agreement and said: "Yes, ma''am. Any preferences?"


    "You know what it is."


    The big guy, wearing his huge obsidian armor, marched into the backyard of the mansion.

 Chapter 4 The Selected Five

    Luke approached the mansion, but he chose to stay across the street. As soon as most of thepetitors entered, he would go.


    Because he didn''t know what the test would be like, he feared it would be some kind of performance, and if it was something like that, he would rather not have to perform in front of dozens of people. Not out of shame or shyness, he just preferred to keep his identity and abilities a secret from as many people as possible.


    Right in front of the gate, there was a giant man who stood over two meters tall. He had long hair, several scars on his face, and wore huge armor, the fundamental characteristics of Tanks. The giant man was serious and kept his eyes focused on the main door of the mansion.


    No one dared toe within a meter radius of the man, and a few people were whispering:


    "Is this the Dota? He''s even bigger than they say."


    "The S-ss really is on another level. Just looking at him makes me intimidated already."


    "But isn''t it overkill to wear armor like that for a test?"


    "He can do whatever he wants. He''s an S-ss, he has already won that job offer."


    Some people woulde close just to look at the man and then leave. Luke couldn''t tell if they were fans of the Dota or quitters.


    The half-wolf had also never seen such a strong person in his life. To be an S-ss, you didn''t just need talent and strength, you needed experience, mental strength, money, and many other factors that few people on the continent could achieve.


    It was also rare to see an S-ss because most spent weeks or months inside Dungeons. There was even one man who spent several years lost inside a deep Dungeon, which was not that unusual, but since he was the only one to make it out alive after so much, he was idolized as a hero.


    Even Luke, who had no interest in Dungeons or adventurers, knew that he had to respect this kind of person.


    When everyone heard the main door of the mansion open, arge man stepped out, everyone knew that the time hade and the buzzing began. However, when Dota stepped forward, everyone shut up.


    The old family guard, who was already bald and no longer had the strength to enter a Dungeon, needed to choose someone worthy to rece his post when he became even older. There were many good candidates among the younger bodyguards of the family, but none of them were ideal.


    The moment the gates opened, Oliver spoke loud enough for everyone on the street to hear: "Good afternoon, everyone! Is everyone who wants to participate in the Test present here?"


    "Yes!" The crowd shouted, and otherters joined in the roar.


    "All right. I will exin what will ur here: Only five people will enter through this gate, and I, personally, will select them."


    Everyone present was surprised but did not protest because they wanted to be chosen.


    "First, you were at the back. Introduce yourself from there ande over here." Oliver said to a boy standing across the street.


    "I-I''m Wace! Knight r-recently graduated from the Noble Academy of Oukiwa. Identified as Rank D." shouted the young man in golden armor. He seemed to be a bit nervous.


    The crowd looked back in surprise, after all, a ss D had just been chosen while an ss S was right in front of Oliver. Wace approached the gate, looked fearfully at Dota, and walked over to Oliver.<sub> </sub>


    ? "I see you are not carrying any weaponry. So, you possess a Panspermia Weapon, right?"


    "Y-yes." Said the boy and summoned his Weapon of Panspermia, which was a shiny, silver spear whose de was made of a semi-transparent crystal.


    All Luke knew about Panspermia Weapons, was that they were very expensive, and their values depended on their levels. They were: Common, Umon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary.


    The half-wolf couldn''t tell what level the one Wace showed was, but he knew it was something good because everyone there seemed impressed.


    "Very well, leave that to me, and you may enter." Wace was undecided for a second, but he handed it over and went through the gate. "Now... the next one will be... you here on the left. That''s right, you!"


    A girl with short hair and light armor was so happy to have been chosen that she couldn''t hold back her excitement. "Yeeey!"


    "Come on, introduce yourself."


    "My name is Atth and I have recently moved to the continent of Broteforge. Ie from the Melki Empire to the south." The girl walked over to Oliver, and unlike Wace, she carried a sword in her scabbard instead of a Panspermia Weapon.


    After the girl, a boy simr in appearance and manner to Wace was called. He carried a bow and his quiver was packed, if not for the fact that the rain had increased, Luke could tell he was ready to hunt after the test.


    The fourth person to be selected was a woman standing on the right. She had brown skin and had gray hair. She wore a bold blue dress and arge red cape on her back. The only parts of her body that were covered by some kind of armor were her two arms and the part of her chest near her neck.


    The beautiful woman checked her heel before she started walking towards Oliver. Just lifting her left leg, all the men around her stared at that smooth skin. Luke almost made a face of disgust when he noted the voracious gaze of the boys.


    "Get out of here!" Oliver shouted to those who looked adamantly at the woman''s legs.


    About five men after the head guard''s order, grumbling and babbling.


    "Introduce yourself." He ordered as the woman approached.


    "I am Ste. I was rated Rank A after the Tournament of Legends, which I won." And then she handed over the great sword she carried and joined the other three who were waiting on the other side of the gate.


    Some people at that moment left, after all, there was only one more person left toplete the five the guard mentioned and there was still the S-ss Knight left. So, they believed that they would never be chosen. Nevertheless, Luke was still there on the other side of the street.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 5 Weapons Of Panspermia

    At the same time as several other people left, many chose to stay; after all, the S-ss Knight should have been the first and not thest. However, these people were shocked when Oliver pointed to a man across the street.


    The one who was not wearing any giant or shiny armor, quite the opposite, the person chose was wearing robes, and the ck cloak that covered him was not even very waterproof, so it was letting some water through.


    "Come forward!" Oliver ordered the hooded man.


    Luke removed his hood and just said: "My name is Luke." However, his wolf ears said much more about who he was than just words.


    Even the old guard was perplexed. "Come over here, please." Oliver knew that his judgment instinct was not broken, even after years since he hadst entered a Dungeon, but he still needed to check closely if he had made the right choice.


    As Luke approached, he saw the man named Dota remove his sword from the ground. "Why not me?" The S-ss asked Oliver. His voice sounded like a rumble of thunder.


    Oliver was undeterred; from the moment he opened the door and recognized the huge knight, he knew this scene would happen. So, he made it short and sweet. "You don''t meet the required standards."


    "What are the requirements?" The raindrops that fell on his armor broke without making a sound, which was a sample of what his great armor could do.


    The old guard listed without stammering as he looked into the S-ss eyes: "Strength, presence, ss, and age."


    "That''s ridiculous. I''m a Tank! I could defend this entire city from anything!"


    "The job is not to defend the city. If we wanted to defend the city, we would hire a whole army, not one man."


    "Forget it, I''m going for it." Dota elicited his sword-like Panspermia Weapon and walked down the street. The crowd began to spread out as well, now that all five had been chosen.


    Luke, who had remained quiet during all the confusion, approached the guard.


    "Are you carrying any weapons?" Oliver asked.


    "No," replied Luke, but he noticed the guard''s arched eyebrows. "You can search me if you want." He said, raising his hands in the air.


    The half-wolf had been through so many situations like this since his childhood that he now knew how to act. The guard searched him and asked: "Panspermia weapon?"


    Luke gave him a look as if to inquire ''Really?'' and replied: "No, I don''t have a weapon that costs thousands of silver coins."


    "Why don''t you have a weapon?"


    "Why would I have one?" Luke wasn''t trying to be rebellious or anything, he didn''t understand why everyone was wearing weapons and armors in a test that would take ce in the middle of the city, and before Oliver could refute with another question, the half-wolf spoke up, "I don''t need a weapon. My hands are enough."


    Since Oliver saw no reason not to release his entry, he let him pass. In the end, he still trusted his <Killer Instinct> skill.<sub> </sub>


    Three of the four other chosen ones looked curiously at Luke, but only one of them felt like approaching as they walked to the entrance door.


    "Hey, hey, I''ve never seen a canine-type half-beast before! Where are you from?!" Atth questioned excitedly.


    The half-wolf knew that his type was rare, as was Meredith''s, and this was one of the factors that made their friendshipst for so long. As children, both of them had to shave their tails every week so that they wouldn''t get bulky and attract attention when they went begging, but now they didn''t have to go through that anymore.


    "Ann... Born and raised in Oukiwa." Luke lied. In reality, Luke knew he had not been born in this town.


    "I''ve never heard of a half-beast in the Oukiwa Academy." Wace intruded into the conversation; however, he kept his distance.


    "I never went to Oukiwa Academy." This statementing from Luke surprised everyone because the Oukiwa Noble Academy was where all the young people of the city studied.


    Atth did not want to disturb him anymore, so she distanced herself from him. As they entered the house, Oliver said: "Follow me and don''t touch anything."


    Luke imagined that the house would be full of servants, but there was no one. The few pieces of furniture that were in the ce were covered in stic and white cloths.


    The five were guided into arge empty hall, which was over fifty feet long and at least ten feet high. The windows of the room were huge, which lit up well even while it was raining on the outside.


    "You five will fight here. Thest one standing will get the spot." As everyone got his attention, Oliver would be happy with any oue. "However, there are three rules that you cannot break. Number one: No killing blows. Number two: Don''t use magic, and Three: Don''t attack me."


    "Attack you? Why would we do that?" Wace questioned, confused.


    "I''m with your weapons, some of you might want to steal." Oliver carried a pouch on his back, where he ced the physical weapons and the Panspermia Weapon. "This pouch prevents the invocation of the Panspermia Weapons, so don''t think about that either."


    This was the exact reason why the Panspermia Weapons were so famous and expensive. They didn''t need constant repair because they repaired themselves when elicited, were versatile, and were also very strong. If they evolved, even ordinary ones would be even more expensive and unique.


    "Otherwise, you can cause any damage to this room, because soon this mansion will be demolished. Just avoid making too much noise." Oliver said.


    Luke didn''t understand, but he didn''t care either; after all, his fighting style was pretty quiet.


    "We''ll fight with what weapons, then?" Ste, the champion of the Tournament of Legends, questioned.


    The old guard dropped the bag of weapons on the floor, and from inside his armor, he pulled out five ss orbs. "I will lend each of you an ordinary knife-type Panspermia Weapon. I know proficiency is a great factor to analyze, but for today, I want to know about you and the skills in which you excel."


    And then he handed each of them an orb. Even Luke, who had never held a Panspermia Weapon in his hand, knew how to summon it just by touching it. He was amazed and contemted gathering money to buy one.


    The old guard, before shouting, checked that he had a reasonable margin of the distance between the chosen ones. "Ready? Don''t forget the rules! Three, two, one and start!"

 Chapter 6 Stella, The Champion

    Five chosen people were locked in arge rectangr-shaped room, and only one could emerge victoriously.


    If magic hadn''t been forbidden by Oliver, Ste knew she would have finished off all the others in the first ten seconds. Since she had been practicing with weapons for the past few months, she felt that this would be an excellent opportunity to train.


    Atth knew that everyone there should be quite capable; however, she still believed that no one would be as formidable as she was, so she didn''t hesitate too much to run to the nearest opponent.


    Wace, when he saw the short-haired girl running towards him, prepared to receive her and activated his knife-type Panspermia Weapon. If he could make a choice, he would have liked to fight first against the half-beast, but Atth was certainly a formidable opponent.


    When Atth got within a meter of Wace, she used her <Morning Perspicacity> ability, which allowed her to teleport behind the boy.


    The ng of the knife colliding with Wace''s armor resounded throughout the hall. Timm!


    "Holy shit, that''s not fair!" Atth shouted and used the <Night Perspicacity> skill to get back to where she was two seconds ago.


    There is a difference between physical and magical gene abilities. While physical skills give you a small advantage, magic skills can literally destroy buildings with a move, so only they were forbidden.


    When Wace heard the girl''s nk and scream, he turned back, and when he saw that she was no longer there, he understood what was happening. The man''s body barely reacted in time to turn around again, and when he did, he saw oneing toward him. Wace was quick and put his arm in front of the de; the sound of tearing flesh was not that unusual to him. Cratch!


    Despite having almost his entire body covered in armor, the joints were still a weak point and practically a target today, so Wace was not scared when he was stabbed. Quite the opposite, Wace drew his arm back, and since the knife was still stuck, Atth lost her only weapon.


    ''Was she really going to kill me? She''s crazier than she looks.'' the ss-D thought.


    Wace took the knife from his left elbow, turned it into a sphere again, and threw it out of the room through an open window.


    "Now you''ll only have your hands to fight with!"


    "And you think that will be good for you? Hahaha!"


    Atth knew that her opponent was already aware of her teleportation abilities, but she would not have gotten this far being a prudent girl. Wace and Atth looked each other in the eye, and so one began to run towards the other.


    "Aaaaaarghh"


    "Aaaaaah¡ª"


    Their screams began in unison. However, Atth had been hit by something while running, which interrupted their shouting.


    "Not taking too long there, are you?" said Ste to Wace, after throwing the boy archer at Atth. "That way, you''ll be defiling the honor of the Noble Academy." She was debauching Wace.


    "Why did youe this way?!" He eximed angrily and, without much thought, shed with his knife in Ste''s direction.


    The woman sidestepped easily and, with the same sidestepping motion, took the opportunity to grab Wace''s arm, which was holding the knife. At that moment, she applied so much force that the boy''s arm bone made a loud noise. Crack!


    "Arghhhhhhh! Damn you! I''m out, I''m out!" Wace screamed in desperation as he watched the bone in his own arm stick out.


    "Have you given up yet?" Ste asked sadistically and summoned her Panspermia weapon.


    "No finish!" Oliver shouted from across the hall.<sub> </sub>


    "Hmph! All right."


    ''As expected from the Champion, she is adamant and fierce at the same time. Not to mention I''ve forbidden spells so as not to cause damage to thend, if it weren''t for that, I think this would be over by now.''


    The Archer and Atth stood up, looked at each other, and without saying anything, they both understood what should be done. They joined forces to defeat the Champion.


    The archer had no experience with a melee weapon, so he was intercepted easily by Ste. Then Atth, who was already struggling to fight Wace, had no chance at all against the grey-haired woman and was promptly thrown against one of the walls.


    "Resist guys, I don''t want to look that strong in front of my employer, otherwise he will throw a lot of work behind my back." Ste teased the fallen participants on the floor.


    "Fucking sadist... Pruft!" Atth spat some blood in Ste''s direction.


    The foreign girl was the only one to get up because Wace and the archer continued to lie on the ground. The two boys had already given up on the job opportunity.


    Just as Ste was about to finish off Atth, and Oliver was about to stop the test so the girls wouldn''t go too far, a thought popped into the heads of everyone present: ''But where is the half-beast?''


    Luke seemed to emerge from the shadows of the Champion, coincidentally in the ce to which Atth nned to teleport. However, the yellow eyes of the half-wolf convinced her that this was not a good time to do that.


    If Ste had been a little slower, she certainly wouldn''t have reacted in time to use her <The Opposer> ability that created a barrier around her. The only time she needed to use this was in the final of the Tournament of Legends, and she only needed it because her opponent was an archer with wings; otherwise, she would never have used it.


    The half-wolf was thrown far away but remained firmly on the ground. Luke knew that the fact that magic was forbidden in the test was a great advantage for him, considering that his skills were exclusively meleed.


    "Hmph! You''re strong." Ste said to Luke. "You''re probably a ss B with lots of experience in underground Dungeons, aren''t you?"


    In reality, Luke had never entered a Dungeon in his entire life. He didn''t like tight ces, especially ones with the smell of death.


    "Why do you say that?" Although he had missed his big chance to end it all, he was confident that he would beat her anyway, so he had time for a little chat.


    "You hid your presence as I''ve never seen anyone else do. Surely, you''re the type who goes in front of the group to check before entering any room, aren''t you?"


    ''I hid my presence?'' Although he knew he wasn''t weak like most, Luke still didn''t understand any of theseplicated concepts.


    "Stop the exercise, you don''t have to fight anymore. I''ve already decided who will be hired." Eximed Oliver.


    Confused, everyone approached him. The ultimate confrontation was about to happen, so why did the guard interrupt?


    It was probably because he saw that continuing the battle would not show anything more. All five of them had already shown what they were good at and what they were not.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 7 Emerald Eyes

    "Everyone positively surprised me. Some more, some less. However, be assured that I will refer you when other families need it." Said Oliver.


    Nobody thanked him for it, and only the sound of the winding through the windows could be heard. Everyone just wanted to know what the results were, so they could leave. The formalities didn''t matter.


    "Ste, you were magnificent. If you continue on this path, you will reach the S-ss one day. But you stillck a lot of experience. You had chances to finish the test, and you kept ying."


    The woman nodded to Oliver, knowing that the old guard was right. With that, the result was obvious.


    "Luke only showed one skill and appeared for a few seconds of the battle, yet he still managed to surprise me more than anyone else."


    "Hmphh!" Luke snorted bored.


    All the other fourpetitors looked at him in shock. ''Hmph?''


    When he realized the blunder, he had made, he inquired:


    "Does all this mean I''ve been approved?"


    "Yeah?" Oliver spoke up, also surprised by the half-beast''s behavior, because he had seemed super calm and steady until then.


    "So, I got the job?"


    "Yes."


    Luke was happy that his friends would be happy, but internally, he seemed disappointed; after all, his true identity waspromised for the first time in his entire life.


    "Then, I''m leaving." The half-wolf proved at that moment that he never had a formal education.


    "What?" Everyone eximed in surprise.


    "You''re keeping that here, aren''t you?" Luke asked as he held out the orb of the Panspermia Weapon.


    "Y-yes." Oliver picked up the orb, still a little incredulous.


    "If you need me, you can find me at the same bar that the fat man made the announcement, a partner of mine works there! Bye!"


    The five of them were stillpletely dumbfounded by that abrupt way of behaving from the half-wolf.


    "Hey, wait!" The old guard shouted before Luke could even reach one of the doorknobs. "You''re kidding, right? Or may I assume that you never worked with the big noble families?"


    "I''ve never worked. Why? Do I have to sign a contract?"


    "Frankly... this guy, really?" Atth questioned Oliver''s decision.


    Soon after, the guard hurried the others out of the mansion. Luke, who was already mentally stressed, didn''t feel that his day could get any worse.


    After all, he had talked more the night before than he had during the entire month and tried every way to argue against the n to steal the gene wagon, but no one listened to him. Even Meredith, who was generally the most rational of the bunch, seemed to be blinded by the possibility of getting the millions that a few dozen genes would be worth.


    However, in this crazy n, not only were they messing with the wealthiest family in Oukiwa, but they would be messing with the high-rank adventurers who were eagerly awaiting the merchandise.<sub> </sub>


    "Follow me, please," said Oliver, after closing the front door of the mansion.


    Luke just nodded and started to follow the guard. The path they took was strange because they had to go through three smaller halls until they reached anotherrger room. At the end of that room, a person was sitting on a chair.


    Ayumi Yamazaki was surprised at who Oliver brought. Her eyes literally sparkled when she saw the half-wolf enter the room. Her eyes met with those of the half-beast, and her body warmed.


    The blond woman in the chair had beautiful and seductive eyes. They were both glowing like emeralds, and that intense green stood out even more in that gray environment.


    "Arara~... Oliver, leave us alone." The Strogueher family Matriarch said, cing her right hand on her chin.


    Luke was intimidated at the time she made the request to the guard. If that hadn''t been the famous Ayumi Yamazaki herself, he wouldn''t have hesitated to ask Oliver to remain in the hall.


    The double door made a hollow noise when it closed. Tum! The sound echoed through the entire room.


    "What is your name?" Ayumi questioned.


    "Luke Lange." The half-beast replied while feigning disinterest and looking up at the painted ceiling of the hall. It didn''t matter to him whether they knew his real name or not; after all, he hadn''t any identity papers or a residence in his name.


    "Do you know why we are looking for another employee, dear?" She inquired as she smoothed her right leg.


    The half-wolf looked at her and saw that the woman was cross-legged in a white silk dress. At first, he found it too strange, for even he was a bit cold.


    "Annn... I don''t care what the job is; I''ll do it." Luke chose to lie. Luckily, his lies almost always worked on people he had never talked to.


    "I like that," Ayumi said and brought the same hand that was smoothing her leg to her lips. This startled Luke a little, who looked away. "How old are you?"


    "In a few cycles, I''ll be twenty."


    "That''s great. I won''t ask any more questions, after all... for this job, I don''t care about your past, I just needed someone who met all my requirements, and to me, it looks like Oliver got it right this time."


    "What does that mean?"


    "You mean you won''t work as an honorary family member. But yes, you will earn as well as any of our best guards."


    To Luke, it didn''t matter what the job would be, because he believed he could deliver, so and because they were talking business now, Luke put his shyness about women aside and questioned:


    "Let''s discuss my pay. How many silver coins will I earn per month?"


    Ayumi smiled as the half-wolf''s vivid yellow eyes met hers again. Luke was considering trading for something close to two hundred silver coins so that he could at least cover the expense of renting the shed.


    "We can pay five hundred silver coins. How about it?" She liked the boy''s boldness. ''He sure is greedy. He decided on sry before he knew about the service. These young men are quite energetic these days.''


    Luke was not shaken by getting almost triple the offer he had in mind. "Very low¡­ If I work carrying bags of fish in the harbor, I make that same amount in two weeks and still get a bonus for the employee of the month."


    "Very good, very good. I admire that you know so much about wages at your age. Will ten gold coins be enough? That''s almost half of what Oliver earns."


    "I don''t believe so."

 Chapter 8 Fear

    Ayumi was dumbfounded for a second after hearing the boy''s denial. "You said it won''t be enough?" She questioned as she straightened her spine in her chair.


    "A thousand silver coins is enough for me; I don''t need ten gold coins. Wanting more would be disrespectful to the other bodyguards."


    Although Luke was a thief and hated tediously working hard, he respected those who worked honestly, even though he always robbed the city guards. And he didn''t understand economics as well as Meredith, but Luke knew that each gold coin was worth the equivalent of five hundred silver coins, so they had high value.


    "So, what kind of service will it be?" The half-wolf questioned the Matriarch, who gave a charming smile after hearing this.


    *


    <strong>¡ª Three days passed after the day of the test. ¡ª</strong>


    The Strogueher selection was a recurring topic, mainly because they rejected an S-ss, but the result passed on to the public was not the truth.


    "Did you hear that the Champion of the Tournament of Legends was hired by the Strogueher family?"


    "Ah, man! This life is so unfair! I wish I had been born as rich and talented as her."


    In Oukiwa''smercial center, two street vendors were chatting during a rest break.


    "Excuse me, sorry to disturb your rest. Are you still selling thatmunication ne?" Matthew asked the dwarf, whose eyes sparkled, as that would be his first sale of the day.


    "Yes, yes, yes!"


    "I want to buy si¡ª"


    "What are you doing?" Meredith questioned after pulling Matthew.


    "Uff! I''m just buying."


    "We can''t afford sixmunication nes, you know that..." She said, trying to keep calm in public to not attract attention. "Not to mention those trinkets suck. Let''s go."


    The dwarf watched his first client of the day leave, and as he looked to the side, he saw his brother eating the rest of his snack. "Waaah! Why did you do that, idiot?!"


    Meredith dragged Matthew to a little busy alley and inquired, concerned:


    "Why do you want to invest so much in all this? In this n¡­"


    The man, who already had several gray strands in his beard and hair, looked both ways before answering. "For the same reason that everyone epted the risk of the n. Jess finally wants to start something serious, and she asked me to get out of that life. But I''m not leaving, after all these years, with nothing."


    "Psst. What are you two arguing about in public?" John asked. He came looking for his friends.


    "Matthew was looking to buy sixmunication nes¡­" The half-fox exined the situation.


    "But that would cost about eighty percent of what''s in our safe. We can''t risk that much. Forget about it, let''s go home... Luke is waiting for us to say goodbye."


    When they arrived at the shed, everyone heard Zack''s loudugh echo through the house. "Hahaha! Wasn''t that a good one, Luke?" His voice came from the kitchen.


    Meredith, Matthew, and John went over to see what was going on, and for the first time in their lives, they saw something they had never expected to see.


    "Hehe! It was really good." Luke said with a smile on his face.<sub> </sub>


    Most of the time, the half-wolf was the quiet, grumpy type; he worried easily and rarely went out for fun. The day at the bar was the first time he agreed to go out after a robbery.


    Everyone in the group thought he was too serious, yet they always insisted on inviting him because he gave the group an air of security, as if any problem could be solved when he was present. For a long time, the gang had leaned on Luke''s back, and this time was no different, and everyone knew it.


    "Luke, are you really going?" John asked as he entered the kitchen.


    "It''s been three days, and I couldn''t convince you guys that everything is okay?" The half-wolf asked. "I''m just going to the neighboring town; it''s not like I''m leaving the maind."


    "Yes, but you will be living under the same roof as the Strogueher, who is our target."


    "You know that if they suspect anything, you will die." Matthew was the most pessimistic and the most real.


    "I know," Luke said and started looking at the woodstove. "But do we have any other choice? You all can''t take this life anymore, and there''s never been a greater opportunity than this to get rich, very rich."


    The silencested for a few seconds, and just as Meredith was ready to rebut again, the shed door opened. "I''m home!" shouted Ynosuke from the doorway.


    "We''re in the kitchen!" warned Zack.


    When Ynosuke appeared over the kitchen doorway, he held a thin and long package covered with cardboard. The long-haired man looked at Luke and said nothing, just held out the package with both arms to the half-wolf.


    "What''s that?" Luke inquired.


    "Open it, and you will discover," Ynosuke replied with a smile.


    Everyone was quiet and waited anxiously for the half-wolf to open the present. Then Luke opened the package. When ced on the wooden kitchen table, to the others, it seemed much heavier than it looked while Ynosuke and Luke held it.


    The wooden table wobbled when the half-wolf ced the package on it. He slowly unwrapped the gift. When opened, everyone could see a sword whose hilt looked like a dragon''s head, and the de was capped by a cheap sheath.


    "I''ve never seen you using a weapon, so I assumed this one would suit you," Ynosuke said, looking shy for the first time since joining the gang. "Sorry, I don''t have a belt to carry it."


    "Thank you very much, Ynosuke. That is a beautiful weapon." Luke thanked him. Among thieves refusing a gift was not allowed.


    "Come on, open it soon," Zack asked, eager to see the de of the sword.


    Without dy, Luke rose from his chair, raised the sword high, and drew it. The slightly curved de of the sword, and very sharp, gleamed in the dim me of the woodstove.


    At that moment, Luke knew that he would have to make some modifications to make the weapon suit his fighting style, but he decided that he would definitely use it.


    "Thanks again so much; it will be very useful inside the Dungeons."


    "Ah, man... I can hardly believe she hired you to enter the newly discovered Dungeons in Vasconcelos." John said, upset. He had always wanted to enter a Dungeon; however, he was too weak to enter an even F-ss one.


    "I will go only to protect Ayumi''s daughter. I''m not going to battle against bosses," spoke Luke, trying to appease John.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 9 Zimm!

    A bull in the middle of the road stopped the carriage, which was carrying Luke to Vasconcelos, from moving forward. The bull, enraged, was desperately trying to hit the coachmen who were trying to scare it off.


    The half-wolf did not interfere. Although Luke had already epted the contract and the payment in advance, he was still reluctant and thoughtful about what would happen from this point on.


    In his memories, he still remembered the conversation he had with the blond Elf, Ayumi Yamazaki, on the day of the selective.


    "You will be the bodyguard for my daughter, who has just turned twenty." Ayumi rified that day at the mansion. She was surprised by the boy''s graciousness that she didn''t ept an astronomical sry, but she was still thinking of some way to reward him.


    "All right, just that?" For Luke, protecting a girl was nothing, as long as they were not often left alone.


    The Matriarch brought her right hand up to her crossed legs again and said: "No if that were all, I would have assigned one of my personal bodyguards. You will be part of her group for the expeditions into Dungeons and protect her with your life if necessary."


    "Are you sure about that? The Dungeons in Oukiwa are famous for having many ores and few monsters. I don''t think it''s the best ce to make expeditions."


    "The expeditions will not be to the Oukiwa Dungeons, but will be to the one recently discovered in Vasconcelos."


    Although Ayumi''s face was very famous in Oukiwa, even Luke had never heard that she had a daughter. The half-wolf was certainly surprised that such a shy selection process, would be for something so inconspicuous.


    But even if this contract didn''t marry perfectly to the theft of the gene wagon, Luke still knew that he could get valuable information from the Matriarch''s daughter, so he continued as if there were no problems.


    More other contractual matters were discussed with thedy after Luke epted. However, the half-wolf did not get the warm reception he had hoped to receive from his friends. The only one who agreed to go along with the n was Matthew, and everyone knew why.


    "Yes, Luke is going away from us and will have to face the dangers of the Dungeons, but it will only be for a little while!" Matthew tried to convince everyone to continue with the n.


    Since democracy was everything in the gang of thieves, all he had to do was convince two more people. In the end, almost everyone was convinced that it would be better to continue with the n.


    Luke was given a choice between living in the Strogueher mansion in Vasconcelos or renting a room at a local inn. Vasconcelos was a rtively small townpared to the huge Oukiwa, so the half-wolf knew that the inns there would not be that much better than the depot where he slept, and the mostfortable ones would cost him a lot of money.


    So, he opted for the mansion; in this way, he could send arge portion of the money to his friends and stay informed about the Strogueher family.


    And here he was, heading for Vasconcelos. The trip would only take one night if he went by boat, but since Luke had never sailed on a boat before, he feared he would get seasick. By carriage, it would only take twelve hours long, so it wasn''t too much of a problem. And he certainly wasn''t anxious to get into one of the stinky Dungeons.


    The bull on the road had almost killed one of the coachmen with its horns. Luckily, the second coachman managed to get the animal''s attention with a p on the ass.<sub> </sub>


    Luke finally interrupted his reverie when his ears detected footstepsing from the woods parallel to the road. If it were not for his experience, the half-wolf would have died at that moment.


    With a millimeter''s movement, Luke easily dodged an arrow that came from the bushes to his right. The hum of the force of the arrow breaking through air resistance sounded like music to Luke, who as a child had dreamed of bing an archer. Zimm!


    Another arrow was fired, but from the low noise, this one was not in the direction of the half-wolf. Zimm! The bull, who had previously been engaged and seemed unruly, was grazed by the wrong arrow, whose target was one of the coachmen.


    Luke briefly tried to carefully count the number of heartbeats in the forest, but the bull''s bellowing, the rustling of the trees, and the despair of the coachmen were too loud.


    Balthazar, the leader of the Revengers, who were a group of gypsy thieves, had left everything prepared for this afternoon robbery. The stretch between Oukiwa and Vasconcelos was newly built, so it was the perfect route for a robbery.


    Aiming for a high reward with no casualties, Balthazar even bought a bull to serve as a distraction. ''I can''t take a loss; I can''t take a loss.'' That''s what he thought.


    However, the old thief Balthazar, whose bounty on his head was already over five gold coins, felt a chill run down his spine so intense that he was forced to use his <Safe Harbor> skill to make sure everything was okay. Even at the end of the woods, while he was justmanding the assault, thanks to his skill, he could feel the enormous murderous intent emanating from that half-beast servant.


    An archer in the woods, who was called Zed, had shot two arrows simultaneously, and was in shock when he saw the half-beast deflect the first one, and even more when he missed the second target.


    The half-beast in the carriage was very close, and the arrow was fast and urate. It was not to be possible to block it, much less dodge it. Zeld''s knees gave way when he realized he had missed something he had been practicing for so long. He was sure he would die when he saw a gray shadow leave the carriage ande toward him in steps so fast that he could barely hear.


    Other quick arrows were fired in Luke''s direction by three other archers standing in the trees.


    Luke, once he identified at least four archers, decided to eliminate them first and then take care of the rogues, who were the fastest and most worrying. However, he changed his mind when he heard someone, who seemed to be desperate, distancing at the end of the woods.


    With light movements, the half-wolf ran as a quadruped so that it could propel himself much more strongly.


    When Zeld saw the shadow pass beside him, first he felt terror; next, he almost pissed in his pants. In the end, he felt only relief that he had been spared, I mean... before he saw three of his friends fall from the trees, all dead with small knives in their necks.


    Luke killed almost all the archers in a matter of moments. For him, it was somewhat easier than expected, considering that some of them had skills he envied, yet they made the mistake of staying together.


    When the half-wolf attacked with his group, the whole n was well-thought-out, and if the execution wasn''t perfect, it wouldn''t be worth the effort.


    Ignoring the rogues, Luke rushed as fast as he could to the panting that was getting farther and farther away.

 Chapter 10 Arriving In Vasconcelos

    "Haa... Haa... I believe I managed to escape in time." Balthazar said to himself when he had arrived in an open field. The sight of a purplete afternoon sky made him think that everything would be okay.


    As long as two or three archers could get away with some rogues, the old thief believed he could round up more misfits toplete the gang.


    But next, he heard the bushes behind him moving and then heard a loud noise, which was the half-wolf crossing the nts. In a few seconds, Luke made it through the woods and reached the open field.


    "Wait, Wait! I''ll give you all my money!" Balthazar eximed in fright as he backed away.


    The half-wolf didn''t answer him; after all, he wasn''t doing it for money. This was necessary to help and protect his gang. Luke was only preventing the number of thieves in Oukiwa from increasing, which would draw the attention of the noble families and the adventurers.


    As he had done with the archers, Luke killed Balthazar with ease, for he was just an ordinary thief. The rogues he had encountered on the way back required a little more effort, but all three were eliminated as well.


    It wasn''t Luke''s intention, but he managed to profit eighty pieces of silver from these thieves, which was good. He also recovered all the throwing knives he had used to kill the archers.


    Although he knew he had let one get away, he didn''t regret this because it was a child. Zeld ran so hard that he felt that his lungs would explode. This was surely the scariest moment he had ever been through.


    When the half-wolf returned to the carriage, both coachmen were terrified, but they were alive. The two horses carrying the carriage, which were already frightened in the presence of a half-wolf, became even more so when the bull appeared. Luckily, both carriage drivers were quite experienced and managed to calm them down.


    "Can we go to Vasconcelos now?" Luke questioned after getting into the carriage and closing the door.


    "Y-yes, sir." said the chubbier coachman. The other, skinnier one, just nodded and gave an inaudible groan.


    The half-wolf realized that he needed to be more polite from now on, as he was going to live in a mansion and didn''t want to create antipathy with anyone, not enough for them to suspect his loyalty.


    "What are your names?"


    "I am Albert Jognart." The fat man spoke and soon set the horses to go again. Thwack! The whip cracked.


    "I am Alonso Jognart." The thin man said. He seemed to be a little more rxed. "And you are just, Luke?"


    "Do you wish to know my full name?"


    "Y-yes."


    "You can call me Luke Lange."


    "Nice name your family has." The fat man, who was sweating profusely,plimented.


    He didn''t know that Luke had copied that name from a missing woman he saw on a poster. In a way, he envied that woman because his mother and father never looked for him; however, that didn''t affect him today, not as much as a child.


    "Are you two from Vasconcelos?"<sub> </sub>


    "Yes...we didn''t use to do this kind of service, but our little market broke, and now we needed to work."


    Luke was surprised because he could have sworn that both coachmen were quite experienced. As the half-wolf was not very ustomed to making conversation, he soon closed his mouth, and this silencested for a few hours.


    When night fell, the wagon drivers hit the brakes and switched seats. Now you could understand why they were working in pairs. While one rested, the other continued the journey. If it were not for the road built six months ago in a partnership between the Oukiwa and Vasconcelos guilds, this kind of carriage trip would never be possible.


    Since the Matriarch of the Strogueher family had plenty of political and industrialpetition in Oukiwa, with the recent discovery of Dungeons in Vasconcelos, she chose to expand the business to this other city.


    Several members of the Strogueher family were irritated by this because it risked the market-leading position they had in Oukiwa, but Ayumi was already thinking about the future.


    Nathalia Strogueher, the Matriarch''s daughter, had been eager since she was eighteen to enter a Dungeon. As she had not yet finished learning all the main skills, her mother asked her to enter only when she hadpleted her training.


    So, she learned everything that the old swordsman ss-B had to teach. Since she could not attend a school like the Academy of Nobles of Oukiwa, she would have to start from ss-F, which was disappointing to Nathalia, considering that she was rated as ss-D by her instructor.


    That was why, to help her reach ss-D faster, Ayumi decided to hire someone. Several famous names crossed her mind, but none pleased her enough.


    It would have to be someone who would not only sacrifice his own life but would also not be bold enough to flirt with Nathalia.


    When Luke appeared in her vision, Ayumi believed she had found the perfect candidate. A scowling boy, strong enough to catch the eye of Oliver''s sharp eyes and too serious to be a gant. Ayumi only feared that her daughter would fall in love with this half-wolf.


    ***


    p From the top of a small hill, the three men in the carriage could see, in the middle of a huge valley, a shining city. It might not have massive walls like Oukiwa and no polluted streams, but it still looked like a city where industries had already established themselves.</anda>


    It was dawning. Luke predicted that it would take them less than half an hour to arrive, considering the twelve-hour estimate. Since he hadn''t slept all night, fearing more attacks by thieves or, worse, cannibals, he just wished he could get to the city soon. When very close to Vasconcelos, the Strogueher mansion could be easily identified. A house set apart from the others, with a beautifulbyrinth in the front yard.


    ''Is this a pce?'' Luke thought as he approached.


    The house had at least a hundred windows that seemed as big as the front door of Oukiwa''s bank. On the panes of ss, there were several drawings of people that the half-wolf could not identify who they were; if he could take a guess, he would say they were saints or family heroes.


    The carriage stopped in front of the huge staircase, and the carriage door was opened by a kindly smiling maid, who had soon volunteered to carry Luke''s bags. He did not allow her to do so; after all, his luggage was only a few clothes, weapons, and money.


    With his watchful eyes, the half-wolf could see out of the corner of his eye that a girl with white hair and pointed ears was watching him from one of the panes of ss near the main door. For some reason, just a nce at her was enough for luke''s heart to start fluttering.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 11 The Girl With Red Eyes

    The half-wolf''s heart was palpitating with nervousness. He even found it strange, because that was the first time, he had ever felt this anxious. Tum dum! Tum dum!


    ''Maybe thinking all night about this wasn''t that of a great idea'' He assumed.


    After a few moments of looking at the man through the window, the white-haired girl realized that this wasn''t a new chef; at least, it didn''t look that way from his clothing. Since the man was wearing a hood, she could not initially identify him, until Luke removed it and showed his wolf ears.


    The maid, who insisted on carrying the man''s luggage, just took two steps back. She knew that the new bodyguard would be a half-beast, but knowing this didn''t quell her fear about the old stories her parents told.


    With his sight and smell, Luke scanned the mansion and ground in a few seconds. Although it wasn''t his job, he wanted to ensure he would be safe by the months he will be there.


    "May I meet all the employees of the mansion?" He questioned the maid.


    "Of course. But since it''s still early, not all the staff has arrived. We have different cooks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not to mention the various guards. There are also other servants like me, but we vary our hours as well."


    Inside the Mansion, Nathalia didn''t even have to look at the half-wolf too long; his heavy presence was intimidating, even more so than her instructor. Aiming to be courteous, she quickly straightened up and went into the main lobby to receive him.


    When Martha, the maid, opened the door, so Luke could enter, he was surprised by the presence of the girl, who was already waiting for him. Somehow, he hadn''t heard her heartbeat until he saw her.


    ''Skin white as paper, hair as white as the moon.'' That''s the analogy Luke thought at the moment he saw Nathalia for the first time. The girl''s eyes were vivid red, and she seemed to be, in a way, a little innocent.


    Even when she tried in every way to look more like a grown woman should look, Nathalia couldn''t, because her arched eyebrows and gentle gaze were still there. In contrast to her mother, Ayumi always seemed ready to pounce.


    "Good morning, nice to meet you, Miss Nathalia Strogueher." The half-wolf greeted her.


    ...


    "Madam, the young bodyguard is greeting you." Martha alerted Nathalia, who seemed mesmerized by something.


    "May I touch it?" Nathalia asked as she pointed to Luke''s ck ears. She had never seen a half-beast up close before.


    Luke, who normally only let Meredith touch his ears because he might also fight back, was hesitant to allow it. While his tail was a weak point because it hurt so much when pulled, a half-beast''s ears were a weak point because they provided a little pleasure when stroked.


    "As long as you don''t pull them or stroke them, it''s fine." He spoke.


    Nathalia, a little shy and curious, nodded to the half-wolf. He had to lean a little because the girl was shorter than he was. With her right index finger, she touched it for a second and then stepped back.


    "They are... cute."


    "I use some special products," Luke replied. Because his hearing is an important element of his abilities, he prefers not topromise it for anything, so he sanitizes his ears very well.


    "Yawn! You have finally arrived. Did you have any troubleing?" A pretty woman, who was walking down the stairs from the second floor to the first, asked after yawning.


    Luke looked in the direction in which the voice seemed toe and saw a woman with long, golden hair. Ayumi Yamazaki was wearing a sweater so tight, the half-wolf feltpelled to look away when he noticed that the woman''s breasts were almost jutting out.<sub> </sub>


    "Yes, we had some problems at the very beginning of the trip, but they have beenpletely resolved." Luke was blushing a little. ''Even Meredith wasn''t as bold as that woman'', he thought quickly.


    "Mom..." Nathalia sounded more disappointed than embarrassed. "This is the second time in the week you''vee down in a sweater. The first was with the City Market delivery man and now with my bodyguard."


    "So, does that mean he''s approved by you?" Ayumi approached her daughter and whispered: "You had told me you wanted to test him before, and now you''ve approved him? Don''t give in to the flesh temptations being so young, my daughter."


    Nathalia swallowed her own words, turned around, and said to Luke: "If you''re not too tired, I would like to test you in advance."


    The half-wolf nodded and began to follow her. With a nce back, he saw that the maid, Martha, and the Matriarch, Ayumi, were watching the two of them with narrowed eyes.


    Luke, who preferred to not be alone with the youngdy, chose to invite them. "Aren''t you twoing too?"


    "I will go for my breakfast," Ayumi said. She was still looking pretty sleepy.


    "Then I must serve you." Luke got surprised, as he would have to be alone with the girl.


    "What are you waiting for? Come on!" Nathalia''s voice echoeding from down the hall.


    The mansion walls were filled with different art, from paintings, statues, and nts, to ded weapons. So, Luke felt poorer and poorer as he walked through the house.


    "How old are you, Luke?"


    "Didn''t your mother tell you?"


    Nathalia merely denied with her head and continued on the way.


    "I''ll be twenty soon."


    "What?" Nathalia said, astonished. "There''s no way you''re younger than me."


    "Why do you think that?"


    "Well, you had just moved to a new town and were chosen by my mother, so I didn''t expect you to be under twenty-five. How did your parents let you leave home so young?"


    "I don''t have parents, so it was easier. Annn... I was living with some friends in a boarding house."


    "Living with friends must have been nice." Nathalia said wistfully. Being from a wealthy family, the girl never had the chance to make great friendships.


    The half-wolf didn''t extend that topic too much because it could be a tactic to discover more about his past. He couldn''t really trust a Strogueher.

 Chapter 12 Testing You

    After a few minutes of walking inside the mansion, Nathalia and Luke finally reached their final destination.


    There was a huge hall with three training dolls, which varied in size. There was a dummy that was only five feet tall, another that was six feet tall, andstly, one that was two and a half feet tall.


    "What will this so-called test be like?" Luke questioned as he entered the hall, which seemed to be specifically for sword training. He could deduce this because there was a shelf with various types of swords.


    There were curved swords like the one he got as a gift from Ynosuke, and alsorge des like ymores and other types.


    "Simple fencing, how about it?" The half-wolf didn''t hide the confused expression he had gotten, and Nathalia realizing this, began to exin: "The goal is to touch the opponent with the saber. Every time you are touched or that you touch me, a point will be scored. Is that clear?"


    "I believe I will understand it better in practice," Luke said and dropped his luggage bag on the floor beside the door.


    Nathalia smiled and walked over to the vase where some wooden swords stood. They both didn''t understand the difference between saber and sword back then.


    "Take that!" The young woman warned as she threw a wooden sword at the half-wolf. The boy caught it with ease. "Let''s make it the best of three."


    Although he was a little nervous, Luke felt he would be fine if provoked. Since he felt that Nathalia wasn''t the kind of woman who usually did that, he became more rxed.


    Nathalia moved to one side of the room, and Luke walked to the other. It was still early, so not much light wasing in through the enormous panes of ss in the room; however, they could feel the cold wind entering.


    "Do you need a count?" The youngdy asked.


    "No. You cane."


    ¡ª At the same time, in the twisting alleys of Oukiwa. ¡ª


    Zeld, an eleven-year-old teenager, who had joined the Revengers Thief Gang less than a year ago, arrived in desperation at a busy tavern. As he was only a child, he was received courteously by the young nobles in the ce.


    That day, legends about ''The Beast'' of the Oukiwa Woods began to spread like a gue through the city.


    *


    "Ah, how can you be so quick?" Nathalia, frustrated, asked Luke. She could barely make the attack movement before she felt the quick touch of the sword tip.


    <o>,m "You had said it was best of three, and it''s already five to zero. I don''t know what it''s like here in Vasconcelos, but where Ie from, things don''t work that way." Luke teased her.</o>


    Nathalia smiled and reinvested against the boy. The half-wolf made all the girl''s attempts fail disastrously with minimal movements.


    He didn''t want to humiliate her. He was just enjoying the moment to have some fun too, because the girl was not bad at all.


    Although the youngdy looked very pretty with a ponytail, nothing could take the half-wolf''s attention away from her feet, which moments before denounced where she would attack. The half-wolf made the same mistakes as a teenager, he thought about giving some hints about this. And was surprised that the ss-B instructor did not point out these mistakes of the girl.


    With quick blows, Luke aimed to hit the girl''s shoulder like the other times. However, Nathalia wasn''t an idiot who would be caught without realizing her own mistakes. The young girl changed the support of her left foot for the right one at thest second, which made her manage to dodge. But only dodging and not attacking.


    Since both teens were too fast, the shock was inevitable. Nathalia''s head hit the half-wolf''s rigid abdomen. The wooden swords flew into the air and made a noise hitting the ground. Tock! Tock! Luke couldn''t support the girl''s weight with only one foot on the ground, which caused them both to fall to the ground as well.


    Now they were both on the ground, and Luke felt something firm and, at the same time, fluffy in his hand. When he opened his eyes, he saw the embarrassed expression of the girl, who didn''t know how to react.<sub> </sub>


    Looking down a little, Luke could see the girl''s huge breasts pressed against his body. When he realized he hadn''t identally grabbed her breasts, the boy almost sighed with relief.


    ''So, where''s my hand?'' The half-wolf thought and continued to squeeze.


    Because they were so close to each other''s faces, the girl didn''t even have to ask very loudly. "Guard, can you take your hand out of my butt, please? This way, I can''t get off." Luke quickly removed his hand from that soft spot and felt like he was about to pass out. "Thank you." She thanked him with a flushed face.


    They stood up, and the mood was still awkward. The half-wolf''s ears were almost purple with embarrassment.


    "Sorry about that. Would you like to continue the test?"


    "Just one more time, please." She said, still with a little embarrassing red face.


    They pulled away once more and focused on the duel. However, the girl''s psychology had been so affected by the groping Luke had given her that she forgot to dodge the half-beast''s attack when the test resumed. At the moment she remembered, she moved as fast as she could.


    The movement of the wooden sword was so fast that it hit her breasts even with the deflection. Luke Lange perceived this and tried to correct the attack too. They both stopped the duel, and she saw some of the fabric of her shirt fall off, which allowed Luke to see, for a brief second, that the bra Nathalia was wearing was red.


    "Lady, your shirt."


    Without hesitation, she turned her back to him. "I think this was... productive. You''re approved. Do you have any tips for me to be better? I feel like I''m making some mistakes that I don''t realize."


    "Yes, but I think it''s better to talk another time, right?"


    "N-no... you can tell me now. No problem¡­"


    "Your feet..." He pointed at the girl''s feet.


    "What''s wrong with my feet?"


    "N-nothing. I just meant that your stride is giving away your attacks. With monsters, there is no problem, they are dumb as animals so they can''t realize it, however, I also know that monsters are not the only dangers inside Dungeons."


    "What do you mean?" Nathalia asked as she turned back curiously.


    Many years ago, Luke got aware of how dungeons were dangerous, without having to step inside one.


    "Forget about that for now... Come here, I''ll show you your mistakes."


    From that moment on, Luke began to give Nathalia tips on improving points that the girl''s instructor never noticed. Soon after, Martha called him to show him the rest of the house and introduce the staff.


    However, on this tour, Luke found a ghost from his past, someone he never expected to see again.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 13 Childhood Flashback (Part 1)

    <strong>¡ª Oukiwa City, Ten Years Ago. ¡ª</strong>


    Five children were climbing the immense wall of a dead-end street.


    "Can you climb Sarah?" A child with short brown hair asked almost from the top of this wall. This was Matthew, The Fearless One.


    "Y-yes, I guess so." The thin little girl with pink hair shouted. She was still on the ground, and internally, she was afraid to try to climb. This was Sarah, The Nice One.


    Luke, The Dark One, was also almost at the top of this wall. Meredith, The Shrewd, was also very close. However, Shiro was worried about whether Sarah would be able to climb alone, so he was waiting for her to start.


    With Shiro''s help, The Nice One could scale the wall that was supposed to be just over four meters high.


    "Do you think this is really gonna work out well?" Shiro, who was big and robust, asked Matthew, the gang leader at that time.


    "Yes, I followed him. We''re not that far away."


    The quintet was now on top of a building, near the Central Pce, a ce where the great families gathered and formed a council to setws, punish criminals, and approve projects.


    However, it''s obvious that the Central Pce was not the target of a bunch of kids.


    Last week, Matthew had followed an old trinket merchant, who had a warehouse full of things, which could be junk or precious items.


    For the kids, who were not yet brave enough or strong enough to do big heists like robbing a wagon, this was an excellent opportunity, because the depot was enormous, and they were small, which gave them an advantage.


    For them, it was a bit difficult to walk on the roofs, whose aluminum tiles were hot from the burning summer sun, and also because their old shoes slipped quickly on the metal.


    "Sarah, I know you wanted toe, just don''t dy us," Matthew said as he bnced on a steel rail. If he wasn''t a skinny child, the rail would break the way down in the first step.


    The pink-haired girl looked at Fearless with anger, because she knew that he was only acting this way. After all, she was against this n. Sarah believed that robbing merchant depots were a mistake because they could pay dozens of strong mercenaries.


    Matthew, who was going ahead, jumped under a small alley. "Here! Quick..."


    After the jump, he hid behind a wind exhaust fan. Luke and Meredith jumped as well and hid. Shiro threw Sarah over the alley, and she made almost no noise as shended.


    "What did you see?" The half-fox asked Matthew.


    "I think I saw someone." Matthew peered around but didn''t see anything that looked strange.


    People on the streets were walking with normality. The guards, who were wearing cadet uniforms, were chatting andughing loudly as usual. That was just another peaceful day in the Upper Town, the wealthy part of Oukiwa City.


    The quintet kept walking along the rooftops until they spotted a roof with windows to let in the sun. Without looking through the windows, Luke warned: "There are five guards."


    "Sigh..." Matthew huffed in stress. There wasn''t supposed to be anyone there. "Are we gonna try it anyway?"


    In response to the boy''s question, Meredith began opening the window.


    ¡­


    Inside the deposit, the guards were talking. "Have you guys heard? The Landfords want to challenge Strogueher on the purchase of that new Dungeon, can you believe it?"<sub> </sub>


    "The Landford''s have a great leader, who is experienced and a ss-B adventurer, no doubt that they are trying to gain even more power."


    "Hmph... ss-B? The Strogueher has much more firepower. After all, they''ve bought two Dungeons in just six months, so they''re certainly swimming in money."


    "Why are you arguing about that, suckers? In the end, they''re gonna win, and we''re going to stay poor."


    "HAHAHAHA! That is the truth!"


    Suddenly a loud noise came from the warehouse ceiling, where the guards were standing. TUM!


    "What was that? Who''s there?!" One of them shouted.


    As the thought of checking the high shelves crossed hispanions'' minds, two knocks on the wooden gate could be heard. Knock, Knock!


    Four of the guards turned their attention to the door, and one was still staring at the shadows the shelves made in the back of the shed, where the sunlight could not reach.


    The moment a guard opened the gate to see who it was, he saw a little girl with pink hair and a gentle gaze.


    "Hello, sir! Did I scare you? We knocked twice, but no one answered, so we had to throw a stone at your roof!" said Sarah.


    This guard, disgusting as he was, soon found his attention captured by the little girl, who was only nine years old at the time.


    ? "And I''m her older brother," Shiro said, and he leaned against the wall beside the gate with his thick hands.


    The guard''s countenance changed at this moment. The weak smile he was showing gave way to a sour expression. "What do you want?" He spoke angrily.


    The attention of the other four guards was taken by the conversation at the door. "Ah! Was it just those children? Holy shit... I freaked out."


    "Let''s spit it out, I don''t have all day to listen to you two."


    "Have you ever heard of the Order of the Word? We are a small cult, which is gathering followers still¡ª" TUM! The gate was shut tightly by the guard, who went muttering to hispanions.


    "What did they want?"


    "They were from some crazy cult. I have no interest in such things."


    "Don''t they have anything else to do? In this heat and still have the nerve to go out knocking door after door."


    "What about us? We are stuck in here while our boss is probably having sex..."


    Meanwhile, in the shadows of that shed, a naked-tailed half-wolf stared intently at the five big men. He knew that he definitely would not win in a fight against any of them.


    Since there was not a good ce tond, by jumping out of that small window, Luke was the only one who made it into the shed. Since his fall made noise, the only escape tactic they had, which was called ''Word Order'', had to be used sooner than expected.


    Among so many items that looked valuable on those five high shelves, a glint caught the half-wolf''s attention.


    ''Can I reach it?'' He thought before he acted, the faint glow was high up, and if the sunlight hit it, the guards would surely see it.

 Chapter 14 Childhood Flashback (Part 2)

    Luke wasn''t a greedy boy, so he understood that a few valuable things in hand weren''t worth as much as his curiosity healed. And if he didn''t go to that faint blue beam, he felt he might die of curiosity.


    With this in mind, the boy carefully left hisrger bag on the floor and began to climb up the shelf. The ce was very dusty, which made the half-wolf''s sensitive nose itch, but by then, he had enough self-control of his own body to avoid sneezing.


    One meter, then two meters, three meters, four, and five. Finally, he was almost reaching therge box when the light came out as a window partially illuminated it, the glow could evene from a ss bottle, but that didn''t matter to the half-wolf.


    Matthew and Meredith were arguing outside the shed because she wanted to go inside to help Luke, but Matthew was brilliant and knew that the fall would alert the guards again. Sarah and Shiro were also arguing near the shed.


    "We have to distract the guards. That is our only function."


    "No, that has never worked twice. They''ll ignore us."


    "Then let''s break down the door!"


    Shiro looked surprised at Sarah, who was usually pretty coy and hardly spoke, but now she was even suggesting breaking things. "No... they would kill us."


    Sarah looked over from head to toe and said: "If you are afraid of the guards at this size, imagine me. But, I still want to go there, I want to help our friends."


    At the top of the second shelf, the half-wolf managed to dodge the light from a skylight and reached the lid of the wooden box.


    The guards were talking loudly and were all sitting around a small table, which was just across the aisle between the second and third shelves.


    Luke knew that if it wasn''t for him there, anyone from his group would have already been spotted by the quintet. Careful not to cast any shadows with the sun that hit the box, the boy slowly opened the box''s lid. The bluish glow intensified a little more.


    Into the box maybe was a magic jewel, a piece of the sea, an ice dragon heart. A Lot of extraordinary possibilities went through Luke''s mind when he saw the small stone, almost transparent.


    Hypnotized by that deep blue, the half-wolf unconsciously brought his hands to the silver tiara where the sapphire was held. When he touched it with his fingertips, Luke felt his consciousness whiten, and then, he felt as if he had been pulled out of his own body.


    While somehow he was floating in the air, Luke saw time stop, or rather, it was much slower. At the table where the guards were ying cards, Luke saw that they were ying ''Luck or Fight'' in the deck version. He also saw the millions of light fragments that invaded the shed through the skylight and overtook him, as if he were a ghost.


    "Who are you?" A fearful voice asked the half-wolf, but his mouth couldn''t answer. "I don''t think you''re the right person..."


    After that, Luke''s consciousness returned so fast that he felt nauseated, dizzy, and weak at the same time. The boy didn''t think much of it and let go of the tiara.


    ''What was that?'' He quickly peered in the guards'' direction, who were acting in the same way as before. ''The guards didn''t notice that?''


    While holding on to a part of the shelf to not fall from dizziness, Luke took a cloth from his pocket and tried to touch the tiara again.


    With sweating and trembling hands, he touched it, and nothing happened. However, since he didn''t want to test whether the cloth was the reason, he just put the tiara in the small pouch attached to his belt.


    In therge box, there was nothing else.<sub> </sub>


    ''If this is one of the cursed objects that Matthewmented, maybe it will not be worth that much.''


    The half-wolf carefully reached down and picked up the pouch he had left on the ground. Aiming for even more money, to not have to repeat the theft another day, he picked up several trinkets that were around and filled the bag halfway. He could have filled itpletely, but he wouldn''t be able to climb up to the skylight on the other side of the shed.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the wooden gate of the shed again, which caught the guards'' attention and allowed Luke to pass through a small hall.


    Two and three. Knock! Knock!


    "I wonder if it''s still the children?"


    "Let''s ignore them! I''m winning!"


    "I don''t know, it might be the boss, better answer it."


    The same guard who answered earlier stood up, sighing, and went to the gate. The wood creaked as it opened. Nheeec! "What do you guys want again?" He questioned when he saw Shiro and Sarah.


    At this point, even from the entrance, it was not hard to see Luke climbing the fifth shelf, which was well lit by the sun. Sarah saw this and started to say: "I''m sorry about before... I don''t know how to ask this... but we are very hungry. It''s been over three days..."


    By now, Luke was very close to the skylight. Matthew saw him and broke into arge smile. When Shiro and Sarah saw that he would make it out in time, they started running before he finished speaking what they were discoursing about.


    The guardian, who turned to his friends with a confused look, noticed a small all-ck figure that was ready to jump up to the skylight. "HEY! YOU! STANDING THERE!"


    Luke, who was startled by the man''s thick and too-loud voice to his sensitive ear, missed the jump.


    Luckily, Matthew caught his hand, preventing the half-wolf from falling. The gang leader pulled Luke up and shouted to Meredith: "Run, run!"


    However, much to the misfortune of the little quintet of thieves, Oukiwa was a town packed with greedy adventurers. From the street next to the shed exit, a group of adventurers saws the children start to run and got the opportunity as it had fallen from the heavens.


    "Shit! Some adventurers saw us!"


    "I won''t let go of all that money!" shouted Luke, carrying six pounds in the bag on his back, he didn''t seem to get any slower.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 15 Childhood Flashback (Part 3)

    In Oukiwa, there was aw that the heads of convicted thieves were as worthy as the heads of a C-ss monster. Since thatw was passed by the council, robberies have decreased stratospherically.


    "I''m not letting go of all that money!" shouted Luke.


    Even knowing the strictw against thieves, the half-wolf knew that everything in the bag was the best profit they had made in months.


    "Why don''t you want to let go? Nothing is worth our lives." Matthew shouted too.


    Luke hesitated to say the reason loudly.


    ''Maybe because I have a cursed item with me and many trinkets of value?''


    At that moment, the young half-wolf believed that the tiara was one of the items which Matthew had already told about, and it could be potentially valuable.


    The three ss E adventurers running along the parallel street to the right made the trio of children think of jumping to the other street on the left, but there were two warehouse guards there.


    The three children knew that this conglomeration of buildings would end up at the City Market za, and the city guards would be there, making the escape impossible.


    Knowing this, Luke braked and said:


    "Stop, we''re heading to the guards."


    "And what do you wanna do?" Meredith said breathlessly. She was desperate. "We have no other option."


    The half-wolf, without saying anything, stretched out therge bag to The Fearless and The Sagacious.


    "W-what? We-we''re not leaving you behind!" Meredith eximed.


    At this moment, Matthew as leader understood what Luke wanted to do and took the bag, which weighed down on the thin boy''s shoulders.


    "Meredith, Aunt Yoelona didn''t nickname me as '' The Dark One'' for nothing. You know that." Luke wasn''t going to sacrifice himself; he was going to free his friends.


    Meredith, whose red hair was short, looked down and nodded. "Find us in the usual alley."


    "Now go fast! Run without looking back!" Luke spoke after looking at the fire-haired girl with confidence.


    The Fearless and Sagacious started to run in the direction they came from, but Luke continued to run in the direction of the za.


    The Guards and the Adventurers thought about turning around to follow the other children too. However, when the half-wolf raised his fist with the tiara and the sun''s re hit the blue jewel, the radiance turned the whole area blue for a few seconds.


    The greed of the three adventurers and the two guards warned them that the tiara was worth more than anything that might be in the bag the other children carried, or even more than any reward that might be paid by some thieves.


    Getting what he wanted, Luke stopped running and jumped into one of the alleys between the buildings. Although he knew he could escape if he threw the tiara among the pursuers, Luke wasn''t willing to do that yet.


    Confident as he was, Luke jumped from the 20-foot height and fell into arge trash container. When he raised his head, he already saw the pursuers running toward him, with extremely frowning eyebrows.


    "Drop it, brat!" One of the adventurers shouted.


    "No! Throw it to me! I''ll let you go!" One of the guards shouted, with a fake smile on his face.


    Neither group would let Luke get away with this, and he knew it.


    The half-wolf waited for them toe closer and used the limited space in the alley to his advantage. Also, taking advantage that the guards were fewer in number and unarmed than the adventurers, he propelled himself up the wall and leaped over them.<sub> </sub>


    The adventurers, rushing forward, pushed the guards, who fell to the ground.


    However, when Luke thought he had just gotten rid of two pursuers, he was faced with two other guards from the warehouse, who started running towards him at the moment appeared on the street.


    The half-wolf kept the tiara in his pocket to stop it from glowing and propelled himself upward, aiming to reach the sill of a second-story window. He made it, but that gave the other guards time to get up. Now there were seven pursuers after him in total. Climbing with the maximum pro-efficiency he could, he reached the rooftops again within a few seconds.


    ''Shit... if it was only three, I could try to wound their feet and run away afterward, but against seven it''s impossible.''


    Luke was also already getting his chest aching from fatigue, making his situation even more difficult. He knew that his only chance to escape with the tiara would be in the middle of the City Market crowd. For this reason, he ran all the way there through the roof.


    Near the streets of the Market, the pursuers were slowed down by wagons transiting and carrying merchandise, and this allowed Luke to jump off the rooftops into a dark alley again.


    Since he was wearing a hood during his escape, Luke believed that his face wouldn''t be recognized if he removed his cloak.


    The City Market za was crowded with adventurers going after the Quest Board.


    On this board, anyone could offer rewards in exchange for the adventurers'' service, but first, they needed the Guild''s approval to do it. In other words, this wasn''t the best of ces for a thief to be, there were so many adventurers, but it was still better than fighting seven men.


    As he saw the beautiful giant fountain in the middle of the za, and the huge amount of stalls and tents, Luke knew he arrived in the City Market. There was no sign of the pursuers, he believed he had managed to escape, took off his hood, and sighed with relief.


    "Uff!" The half-wolf''s chest hurt so much; he could have sworn he ran for hours.


    Blending in with the crowd of merchants, adventurers, and various kinds of people, Luke actually managed to escape without getting hurt, because the adventurers werete arriving at the za.


    "Aaah! Did he run here?"


    "I don''t know, that little brat was fast."


    "It was a boy, no?"


    "No, I think it was a girl. The body was pretty."


    "Urgghh! You''re sick man, it was a kid."


    It took a few minutes before Luke finally made it to the poor part of Oukiwa, a ce called Lower Town.


    Nevertheless, two streets before he made his way to thebined alley, the half-wolf sensed that stares were peeking at him. Although it was afternoon, the streets were too empty for normal, and he was already finding the atmosphere strange.


    Everything was so quiet that he could hear his footsteps; this was not normal even for the suburbs.


    Not wanting topromise his four friends, Luke braked and spoke up:


    "Your people would just rather silence our groans of hunger, than let me get away with a little money"


    From the shadows of an alley, arge man stepped out.


    His armor glistened against the sun and turned a color simr to his orange cloak.


    "I am alone, I just want the tiara. If you give it to me, everything will be fine."

 Chapter 16 Childhood Flashback (Part 4)

    "I am alone, I just want the tiara. If you give it to me, everything will be fine."


    Luke, who at that time wasn''t capable of listening to people''s heartbeats yet, didn''t dare to believe in that man with the macabre smile.


    "Come on,e on. Don''t back down, hehe. I don''t want to hurt you, you know that. I just want the tiara."


    "What''s so special about this thing?" Luke asked, suspicious.


    "Besides the beauty?"


    "Yes, besides the beauty."


    "You must already know... It''s not a normal tiara."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It was found in a Dungeon, kid. But do you know about the particrities of Oukiwa Dungeons? No, no. You must not know. The Dungeons of Oukiwa are predominantly mines."


    "And...? How is that rted to the tiara?"


    "Mine Category Dungeons have no relics, and a curious fact about that tiara... it was found on a Secret Floor in the Sheltered Halv?y Dungeon, which means it may be a cursed relic."


    Luke felt that man was telling the truth, but his instincts still declined to believe in what this Adventurer said.


    "Why was it in a merchant''s warehouse then?"


    "Because he is a dumb seller, who bought it at an auction and doesn''t know its real price and usefulness."


    "You are willing to trade it for how much?" Luke opened his belt pouch and took out the tiara, which had a faint glow in the shadows.


    "Trade it? HAHAHAHA You still don''t understand what''s going on? I''m here buying time and you''ve fallen like a duckling. I can''t me you, you''re just a kid."


    At this moment, Luke jumped back and grabbed the dagger hidden in his boot.


    Seeing this quick reaction and the angry look in the half-wolf''s eyes, the man in armor could only apud him.


    p! p!


    "You are a very interesting boy. Who knows, maybe I''ll take you and the tiara, how about that? Hahaha Just kidding! You''re just a disgusting half-beast. If you eat a Monster Core, you''ll probably die."


    Luke ignored the homey''s taunts because he wasn''t afraid of him. If Luke was fast enough, he could just run away from the alley where his friends were, and everything would be fine.


    The man couldn''t be much faster than him in that armor; that''s what Luke judged. When he was ready to do just that, he heard:


    "Huf... why do you have to be annoying? You can bring her." The man in armor gave the order to someone behind him.


    Then, Luke saw two shadowsing out of the same alley where the mane from. One of these shadows wasrge, and the other was smaller.


    When the sound hit them, Luke saw that the smaller shadow was his pink-haired friend, Sarah. But he did not recognize the man who had a knife at her neck.


    The Sympathetic One, which was Sarah''s nickname as she was friendly and sweet to everyone, was teary-eyed and had a scary look. Since Sarah was alone, at that moment, Luke already deduced that the worst had happened to Shiro, The Protector.


    " Bastard..."Luke, who was usually always calm, said to the man in armor. "I''ll give you the tiara."


    "Hahaha! I said you had no negotiation." The man spoke proudly and stepped forward to take the tiara from the half-wolf''s hands.


    "AAAAAAH!" Luke saw in slow motion Shiro appear from the alley on his right and crash into the man who was holding Sarah a hostage. BOOMP!


    " WHAT?!" The man in armor turned back, surprised.


    Luke ducked down quickly, picked up the knife he had dropped on the ground, and threw it at the orange-d man''s face.


    To react to the half-wolf''s attack, John summoned a Sword-type Weapon of Panspermia and managed to block the dagger.


    Tiim! The ng of the de-to-de encounter showed the guy that those kids were not messing around.<sub> </sub>


    "AAAAAAH" Shiro shouted as he punched the other man incessantly. However, his punches soon stopped having any effect.


    "Pick her up and run!" The half-wolf shouted to Shiro.


    The teenager didn''t hesitate to follow Luke''smands, so he pulled Sarah by the arm and ced her on his back.


    Luke threw his old cloak at the man in armor, which was instantly cut off to buy a little more time for both of them.


    "Kid, give me the tiara."


    Convinced the thing was too worthwhile to hand over for no particr reason, Luke began to run. To him, that thing could be worth tens of gold coins, no... hundreds! That tiara could secure Sarah''s dream of owning a flower shop and Shiro''s dream of having a stall in the City Market.


    For these and other reasons, Luke ran among the alleys of the Lower City; he ran like crazy.


    Nevertheless, with his keen ears, he knew that there were now not just two men chasing him, but almost ten.


    ''They were just ying before.'' Luke thought, enraged.


    When the footsteps moved away, Luke knew something was wrong. He groped his pocket, and there was nothing. Somehow, he had let the tiara fall out of his open pocket while running frantically.


    Following his own footprints, he found a spot where they met up with the footprints of two other people and headed down a smaller alley.


    "Ungh¡ªAhn..." The half-wolf heard a low moaning from that alley.


    When Luke looked down the alley and saw Shiro crying, with a knife stuck in his shoulder and another in his thigh, Luke''s eyes widened, and he ran to his friend.


    As soon as the big boy saw Luke, he took his hand out of his mouth and stopped himself from blocking out the sound of his crying. "I couldn''t do it, Luke. I couldn''t protect her. Ugh..."


    "What happened to you? Where is Sarah?"


    "I couldn''t... she saw a blue glow in an alley, and she knew it was precious immediately. It was a beautiful tiara. Relieved, that we had managed to lose the men and also that we had found something, she smiled at me... But the next second, I saw she fell apart in midair."


    "Fall apart? What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Luke knew she had picked up the tiara he had dropped.


    "It turned to a shiny dust, and the wind blew it away, ca-"


    At this moment, Luke hugged him while he med himself internally. "We''ll find her; she''s not dead. That tiara, she''s special..." Luke''s ears twitched when he heard the footsteps of the pursuers again. "Come on, they''re in the area. We have to go to the alley."


    "No, go first. I''m too weak to walk. Go get Matt''s help to carry me."


    Knowing that he wasn''t strong enough to carry the huge Shiro, Luke obeyed and sneaked silently to thebined alley. However, when Matthew, Meredith, and Luke returned to where Shiro stood, there was only an immense pool of blood.


    That day changed the lives of the three gang members, and after many years of searching, the trio was sure that both Shiro and Sarah were already dead, there was no clue left for them to follow.


    ***


    ''That smell... it would be impossible not to remember.''


    For that reason, it was certainly a wonder for Luke to finally have found Shiro at the Strogueher Mansion in Vasconcelos after he had even given up hope that he was alive.


    Even though it had been ten years, Luke could recognize the salty smell of one of his best friends even if he didn''t have a nose.


    "Shiro!?" Luke questioned incredulously as he looked at the huge man in armor in front of him.


    "Luke?" The Protector, which was Shiro''s nickname, also seemed to recognize The Dark One, as a huge smile appeared on his face, and his eyes sparkled with happiness.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 17 An Unexpected Reunion

    Despite being much older, Shiro''s face didn''t change much. His slightly thin eyes, broad chin, and benevolent gaze were the big guy''s main traits.


    "Shiro!?" Luke questioned incredulously, as he looked at the man in front of him.


    "Luke!?"


    Shiro, skeptical that what he was seeing wasn''t real, hugged the half-wolf with all his strength.


    Luke reciprocated; after all, this was really like a dream. After so many years of searching, Shiro was hereafter the remaining trio had given up on finding their friends, and he looked great.


    Soon after, Shiro began to tell everything that had happened.


    Ten years ago, when Shiro managed to convince Luke to go and seek help, he had been found by the knight in the orange cape, and in an interrogation, he told everything he had seen the tiara do, including the fact that the tiara had fallen apart with his friend.


    John Landford, the Sixth Knight of the Table of the Landford Family, didn''t believe in any of Shiro''s words and handed the boy over for judgment.


    At that time, Shiro believed it was his end, the Patriarchs of the Noble Families of Oukiwa weren''t normally merciful to thieves, even less when they had the support of bigwigs, like the owner of the trinket warehouse and the Landfords.


    However, Shiro''s case didn''t evene to public attention, because a very perspicacious woman could convince even the Patriarch of the Landford Family that sentencing a child to public death could result in a revolt.


    For this reason, nine of the ten knights of the Landford Table decided to raise this boy and adopt him, as a way to clean their image in front of the other Noble Families.


    Shiro was happy that he would finally change his life and have opportunities, but he regretted that he could not leave the family property to look for hispanions.


    Luke listened to the whole story carefully, without interrupting the big man, who was now over six feet tall, and in the end, he asked, "But what about the Landford massacre? Were you there?"


    "Are you kidding? Of course not... if I was, I wouldn''t be here."


    ''The Landford Massacre'' is how the night three years ago when all the Landfords were killed became known. Since no official witnesses were left, no one knows if it was rival nobles, thieves, or even the craziest theory, demons that killed them.


    With trembling hands as he remembered the fateful day that Sarah and Shiro disappeared, Luke said gloomily: "I understand... and I feel I need to apologize for not finding you sooner. I looked for you, both of you, I swear I looked..."


    Sitting on a bench near the small maze at the entrance of the Mansion, Shiro extended an arm and stroked the hair between the half-wolf''s ears. That''s how he always did it when they were kids.


    "It''s okay... Look at us, we''ve managed to change a lot and now we''re working for the Strogueher."


    Luke tried to pull himself together immediately, he didn''t want to embarrass himself in front of Shiro.


    "Are you working as a security guard?" he questioned, seeing that the big guy was wearing ck armor and a ymore in his sheath, both quite expensive equipment.


    "Yes, I started a while ago."


    At that moment, Luke considered telling the whole truth, that Matthew, Meredith, and he hadn''t changed their profession. But he thought better of it and didn''t say, after all, as much as they were childhood friends, ten years was still a long time.


    "Can you introduce me to the rest of the mansion surroundings then?"


    "It will be a pleasure. In this one year that I''ve been working here, I''ve had a lot of free time to walk around. I know just about everything."


    So, Shiro led the half-wolf on a full tour of the vicinity. Nathalia had already introduced him to the inside of the mansion and some of the staff, his only concern now was the grounds on which the mansion stood.


    Since sneak attacks on noblemen''s mansions weren''t isted cases, it was also not strange for a new bodyguard to be concerned about this; in fact, Shiro looked upon this with good eyes.


    However, Luke''s real intention was to learn more about the Strogueher through Shiro, without anyone listening.<sub> </sub>


    On the grounds behind the mansion, was arge plot ofnd without a tree, and then a beautiful flowering grove, in which a small stream cut through the trees.


    Luke tried to talk to Shiro about the number of noble people living in the mansion. To his surprise, the guard replied that Nathalia and Ayumi were the only people from the Strogueher Family living in Vasconcelos. After that, Shiro revealed only basic information, which did not contribute to the robbery.


    After a few more minutes of walking through the forest, the pair of friends decided to return to the mansion. During the walk back, Luke asked Shiro to exin where he had been and what he had been doing in past years.


    ording to him, when the Landford Massacre happened, he was doing escort duty for a medicine shipment, so he was the only survivor of those who lived in the mansion.


    He found many different jobs in the Dungeons and even became a ss-C adventurer when this happened. Eventually, he epted an invite to protect the Strogueher Mansion in Vasconcelos inpensation for the deliverance that the Matriarch of this family did when they were children.


    Luke also exined how he had be a bodyguard, but whenever Shiro mentioned the names of Matthew and Meredith, the half-wolf sidestepped the subject. Which made Shiro think that they had split up, or worse, had died.


    Soon, other subjects came up to suppress the tense atmosphere between the two friends.


    "You''ve never entered a Dungeon?" Shiro inquired nonconforming when Luke revealed that he was not even F-ss, because he had never entered a Dungeon or taken a ss test.


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "Dungeons are too stinky, just passing in front of their gates makes my nose start to burn."


    "HAHA! That''s undeniable, the stinkiest Dungeons are always the deepest. If you avoided them for so long, are you sure you can handle it now?"


    "Yes... We lived near the sewers back then, didn''t we?"


    "Yes, and I also bet you won''t have much trouble until you get to D-ss. You were pretty agile when we were kids." Shiro spoke, with his arms crossed and nodding his head.


    "And you pretty strong... Wait for a second, are you implying that I''m weaker than you?"


    "Nah, not so much. I mean, you look pretty fit and your look... well, it''s not the same as before. I bet if you train hard, you''ll eventually reach the C-ss one day."


    The half-wolf felt provoked by these words, he trained hard after his friends were taken away. Yoelona, his Master, taught him everything she knew.


    "How about a friendly match of ''Luck or Fight'' then?" Luke proposed while remaining inexpressive. "Worth the month''s wages."


    Shiro didn''t know if he was being arrogant or dumb, so he asked:


    "What is your sry?"


    "One thousand silver coins."


    "ONE THOUSAND?!" Shiro was startled because his sry was only two hundred silver coins and one hundred bronze coins.


    "Oh! Hehe... Is that too much for you?" Luke said with an evil smile. "If you''re confident, we can bet two months."


    Shiro believed his forcefulness and made a bold offer while looking at the half-wolf''s muscles. "Three months'' sry."


    The half-wolf hesitated at that second; after all, Shiro was really strong as a kid, and if Luke lost, his friends would have to do several robberies to maintain themselves until the wagon heist.


    Still, Luke was also quite confident in his talents, so they closed the bet with a handshake.

 Chapter 18 Luck Or Fight

    Shiro was so big that each of his hands was equivalent to two hands of a normal-sized person like the half-wolf, which didn''t necessarily mean that he had more physical strength, but it did mean that he had an advantage in a hand-to-hand fight.


    Based on Luke''s knowledge, he could tell that ymore, which Shiro carried, was very heavy. Because its handle should be sturdy to support the rest of the sword and the huge de, which in the case of this ymore of Shiro''s seemed even more special and heavy.


    The two friends walked back to therge field behind the mansion. There was still some time left until lunch, they could settle that bet right now.


    The fresh wind was blowing on the low grass, which was marked by every step of Shiro''s armor.


    "Are you a tank?" Luke asked. Although he didn''t understand much about the guild ss system, he knew that one of the main characteristics of a tank was to be big.


    Shiro beat his chest and said: "After that day, I betrayed the nickname ''The Protector'' and ended up bing a Berserker. I don''t regret it. Now I can protect people by attacking, without them having to fight!" He said with a proud smile.


    Luke wasn''t surprised. "And what Berserkers do on expeditions into Dungeons?"


    "We just have to throw ourselves in the middle of the monsters and kill all of them, while being supported by pdins and mages."


    "Eeh? That sounds really dangerous."


    "No doubt it''s very dangerous, that''s why there are no Berserkers of rank higher than B."


    "Rank?"


    Shiro looked with surprise at the half-wolf and, in a few seconds, understood: "It''s another word for ss. To keep people from confusing sses like Archers and Mages with the level of an Adventurer." At the Landford house, Shiro had the opportunity to start studying, but he noticed that it didn''t look like Luke had the same luck.


    Since the field was huge and empty, the two friends knew there would be no obstacles, and it would be a straight fight to decide who would get the wages.


    "Shall we begin?" Luke said, taking off his hood again and revealing his wolf ears.


    Shiro nodded, pulled his sword from his belt, dropped it on the ground, and struck a base pose to receive attacks.


    The game ''Luck or Fight'' consists of three basic fundamentals.


    First - No outside help.


    Second - Weapons are prohibited because it''s a game to measure one''s techniques.


    Third - The round is only over when one of the opponents says ''Three-legged Smoked Lizard'' or faints.


    Although the forfeit phrase may change from region to region, these are the three main known rules. Since there are several ways to y ''Luck or Fight'', there are also many different rules.


    The three most popr types of ''Luck or Fight'' are Martial Arts, Thumb Fight, and Card games.


    After seeing Shiro drop his sword, Luke walked back a few steps while he thought about what he would do to immobilize this giant because this was the most effective way to win.


    "Ready?" Shiro asked.


    The half-wolf just nodded so he coulde.


    Shiro started running towards Luke at an absurd speed, but the half-wolf managed to block his advance with a good technique. Their forearms collided, and the metal of Shiro''s armor caused Luke some pain.


    Meanwhile, Nathalia was bored, and while walking around the house, she saw the two guards fighting. For a second, she thought that the half-wolf had picked a fight with Shiro; however, when she realized that the two were smiling, she stopped to watch them.


    ''They are strong...'' Nathalia thought while she watched the confrontation from afar.


    However, the conversation she had with the half-wolf earlier, was still bothering her, and that hardly let her pay attention to Shiro and Luke''s fight.<sub> </sub>


    ''What do you mean the problems in the Dungeon are not just the monsters? What did he mean by that?'' she wondered, leaning over the fence on the back porch.


    <o>,m That phrase from Luke struck the youngdy, who thought she could kill many monsters, but other problems inside the Dungeon that weren''t those creatures? She doubted that was true.</o>


    Tump~


    The thud of Shiro''srge body falling to the ground made the girl snap out of her trance and look at the fight between the two guards.


    Luke was twisting hard on one of the big guy''s arms and also had his knee resting on Shiro''s spine while pressing down.


    "Three-legged Perfumed Lizard!" Shiro shouted.


    "Hahaha! That''s not the right phrase."


    "Hmph! I don''t g¡ª" Luke twisted Shiro''s arm even more. "Ouch, ouch! How are you so strong?"


    "I trained buddy, I trained..." Luke said with a sadistic smile.


    "Three-legged Smoked Lizard!" Shiro eximed, but in a much lower voice than when he bluffed.


    Luke promptly got off him and helped him to stand up.


    While they were walking back to the mansion, Luke heard quiet breathinging from the porch. When he looked, he saw Nathalia, who blushed as she looked into his eyes and went back inside the mansion. The half-wolf didn''t understand the reason for that behavior, but Shiro understood perfectly.


    "Are you her bodyguard or her lover?"


    "L-lover? N-No, she is a Strogueher, and we have nothing inmon."


    "Ah, I see... And in the end, you fell in love with Meredith then?" Shiro wanted to gather more information about his friends, he didn''t want to believe that Meredith and Matthew were dead.


    Luke got serious and said, "Why do you want to know?"


    Shiro understood the message not to touch those names anymore and stayed quiet.


    Martha, who saw them approaching from inside the house, weed them with some towels to wipe off the sweat.


    Although it wasn''t midday, the valley around Vasconcelos made the heat even more intense, which made Luke ponder whether he hated the most, the cold, huge amounts of rain, or the heat more. These hot days made his skin sticky and his fur wet.


    "Lunch will soon be ready, Mr. Luke. The Lady Ayumi has asked that you apany the family at the table today since it''s your first day," Martha said.


    "But I was nning to have lunch with Shiro..."


    "It''s okay, man. She''s the Matriarch, you can''t refuse an invitation from your employer."


    "Guard Shiro is right, and the Matriarch wishes to give guidance about how to proceed with your application to the Guild, scheduled for this afternoon. Since you haven''t presented any official documents, she wants to make sure you get one."


    Even Shiro shivered for a second because only mercenaries were hired without official documentation, which shouldn''t be the case for a fixed employee like Luke, who would be Nathalia''s personal guard. ''What Miss Ayumi is nning?'' he wondered.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 19 The Library

    Martha kindly asked Luke to wait in one of the living rooms because she would let him know when the food was ready. The half-wolf secretly admired this servant girl, for it was not difficult to notice that she took her job very seriously.


    The Manor had rooms for every corner and on all three floors. However, the room that Luke was left in was a little more extravagant than most of the other rooms, since this was a small private library, whose four walls were filled with books from the floor to the ceiling.


    ''Books are very expensive. They are even richer than I thought.'' Anyone''s book could easily equal five hundred silver coins.


    Since the maid did not close the door on her way out, Luke found it strange that, while looking at the detailed spines of some books, he heard the door slowly close. Nheec~


    When he turned around, he saw Ayumi Yamazaki, who was staring at him with narrowed eyes. Since the library curtains were closed, the room was somewhat dark.


    "H-hello? Waiting for lunch too?" Luke said nervously because, of all the women, Ayumi was the one who made him tensest.


    As she approached slowly, the woman''s nails smoothed the couch made of linen as they left a mark, and for some reason, she had a blush on her face.


    "Luke, you are a boy who has not stopped surprising me since the first second we saw each other."


    Luke didn''t understand what she meant or why the Matriarch''s heart was racing so fast. However, the strong, sweet aromaing from the woman almost hypnotized him.


    When Ayumi looked back at him, the boy took a step back and leaned against the shelf behind him. The woman was wearing a light blouse that left her back exposed and exposed a bold and tempting cleavage.


    "I heard that you squeezed my daughter''s butt..."


    "N-no, ma''am... That was an ident." Luke thought that if he was fired for groping Nathalia''s ass, Matthew would mock him for the rest of his life.


    Now Ayumi was less than a foot away from Luke, and she said slowly as she moved even closer: "I don''t care if it was an ident or not~ I will have to deal with you personally so that in the future, you don''t attack my daughter because you want to~."


    Luke didn''t understand what she meant: ''Is she going to kill me?'' he cogitated. Although he felt no murderous urgeing from her, the sweet smell intensified more and more as she came closer.


    "What did you mea¡ª" Luke interrupted his own speech when he felt the touch of the woman''s breasts on his chest. With that, he swallowed his own saliva.


    The yellow eyes of the half-wolf looked deep into those emerald green eyes of the woman while he could feel her heart beating as fast as his.


    In a mild voice, she whispered as she looked into the half-wolf''s mouth: "What? Do you think I''m too old for you?"


    Because of those provocative words, Luke gave in to Ayumi at that moment and let his instincts overpower him for the first time in a long time.


    As an answer to her own question, Ayumi felt her lips being touched softly by the fleshy lips of the half-wolf. Wildly, Luke brought his hands to the woman''s waist and pulled her even closer. The bookcase behind him shook.


    Both their hearts were racing so fast that Luke could hear them without difficulty, and to him, they seemed to be in perfect synchronization. Now it didn''t matter if his heart was beating hard or if his hands were shaking, that pleasure was indescribably good.<sub> </sub>


    Although she knew that this boy wasn''t a child, Ayumi was surprised by the bulge in the half-wolf''s pants.


    Knock! Knock! Knock! Quick, quiet chimes pounded on the door, and then a mellow voice said: "The food is ready now, Ranger Luke." The servant girl was too polite to open a door that was not closed by her.


    Ayumi and Luke''s mouths parted at that moment, and with a characteristic blush and a lustful look, the Matriarch of the Strogueher said to him: "Go first, soon I wille too."


    The half-wolf, who was still speechless, responded with a long kiss to finish and went to the door. Before he opened the door, he looked at Ayumi again, and seeing how beautiful she was, he could hardly believe he dared to kiss her.


    If it was possible, the elf''s cleavage seemed to be even more tempting to the half-wolf, who felt like ignoring the maid and going to kiss the Matriarch once again.


    While unpacking her clothes with her hands, Ayumi saw that Luke had not yet gone, smiled at him, and whispered low. "Go!"


    The half-wolf obeyed, opened the door, and followed Martha into the lunchroom.


    ''Ow!'' thought the boy when he saw arge table with almost thirty chairs. To him, that was an exaggerated monstrosity.


    Nathalia was already sitting at the table and asked Martha, "Where is my mother?"


    "I don''t know, ma''am. She might be in her room or in the office. Would you like me to go check?"


    "Please." The youngdy asked with a smile.


    After watching Martha leave the room, Nathalia noticed the blush on the half-wolf''s cheeks. "Are you all, right?" She questioned with eyebrows arched in concern.


    "Annn... I don''t think the heat is doing me any good."


    Worried, Nathalia couldn''t imagine that Luke was a liar, so she got up from her own chair and pulled another for Luke to sit in. The half-wolf epted and thanked her with a nod; his mouth was still trembling from what he had done earlier.


    After a while, Ayumi appeared in the dining room. The woman and the half-wolf''s gazes met again; however, she was wearing a different expression, much more severe.


    "Guard, before you and my daughter go to the Guild, I have to ask you a few questions."


    Luke just nodded again and controlled himself. He knew he was there to rob that family and protect Nathalia, so he didn''t want to deviate from his goal.


    "What is your connection to Shiro? Martha told me that when she went to introduce you to him, you two said you already knew each other, and you seemed pretty thrilled."

 Chapter 20 The Quiet Path

    "What is your connection to Shiro? Martha told me that when she went to introduce you to him, you both said you already knew each other, and you seemed quite thrilled."


    "Shiro and I used to do some services together," Luke answered without trembling, he was pretty confident.


    Ayumi continued to stare at him for a few seconds, but the half-wolf didn''t budge or try topliment her answer. Then she nodded and, with a nod, asked Martha to start serving the food.


    The servant girl approached with a cart and began serving the Matriarch first.


    "On the day of the evaluation, Oliver questioned if you had ever entered a Dungeon, right?"


    Luke merely nodded in agreement as he remembered the old guard''s question while leading the five chosen ones into the hall.


    "Then answer me how you manage to be so skilled if you have never entered a Dungeon?" Nathalia questioned because she had trained with the best teachers avable for her entire life, yet she couldn''t evene close to a victory against the half-wolf.


    Luke realized he was being interviewed, so he prioritized sincerity. "There are several ways to be strong."


    In this short time, Martha was able to serve everyone. Luke was expecting the woman to sit down as well. Instead, she excused herself as she left.


    As the smell of the steak was impregnating the half wolf''s nose, he soon stopped caring about it and started eating, apanied by the two women, who seemed satisfied with their answers, at least for now.


    Nathalia knew he was strong, she just didn''t know if he would act brave when he entered a dungeon.


    *


    After lunch, the Jognart brothers stopped in front of the mansion''s staircase so that Nathalia and Luke could climb into the carriage.


    Alonso Jognart, the skinny brother, was still very pressed in the presence of the half-wolf, but trying to fight his fears, he shouted loudly to Luke: "Come on, you can go up! We will take you to the guild."


    However, Alonso''s smile wilted as Luke went straight past the wagon.


    "Aren''t we going by carriage?" Nathalia inquired in surprise.


    Luke remained severe and replied: "No."


    The girl was even more confused, the town was a mile from the mansion, so it would be much faster to go by carriage.


    Albert Jognart, the chubbier brother, could perfectly understand why the half-wolf rejected transportation andforted his brother, who was even more nervous because he now thought that Luke didn''t like him.


    The forests of Vasconcelos were vivid, especially now in summer, and for Luke, this was even more noticeable as he had lived for a long time holed up in the city of Oukiwa and hardly knew what fresh air was.


    As he walked on the quiet road that cut through the forest, he wondered if what happened in the library was real. Had he really kissed the Matriarch of the Strogueher? To a thief, this was like a hallucination.


    However, he was not wondering if it would be repeated. The half-wolf understood perfectly well that she was only doing that to protect her daughter. As a form of respect for the woman''s act, Luke began to treat Nathalia more professionally, just as if he were protecting a fat old man.


    It wasn''t hard for Nathalia to notice that Luke was now treating her more seriously, but she couldn''t tell if she was happy about this. She hoped to be friends with the half-wolf.<sub> </sub>


    Between the rustling of the tree leaves, Luke''s ears picked up a low sound. "Quec! Quec!" It sounded like small iprehensible murmurs.


    When Luke stopped walking, Nathalia realized that something was wrong. The half-wolf looked at her, and without needing to say anything, she understood what she was supposed to do.


    A faint glow appeared as the girl summoned her Weapon of Panspermia. It was a two-pronged spear tipped with dark material.


    Again, the half-wolf began to follow the noise he heard without saying anything. Using all his experience in stealth, Luke entered the bushes, and they didn''t even make a sound. Nathalia, who surrounded the bushes, admired the boy''s silent skill since that was still iprehensible to her.


    "Quarac!"


    "Qurek! Queak!"


    Luke dared not draw the sword he got as a gift from Ynosuke. As he approached, he knew it would tter like a curved de.


    Soon, the murmurs became so loud that even Nathalia could hear them clearly, and a studious girl like her could recognize what thatnguage was that clicks can sound like words.


    Still, as they followed the sound, Nathalia muttered to herself as low as she could say: "This is thenguage of the Goblins." She knew about Luke''s super hearing.


    He looked back, perplexed because he had never heard of a Goblinnguage, much less known that they came out of Dungeons.


    If they were so close to the mansion, their obligation was to take care of it. Since he had not been close to a Goblin until today, Luke could not differentiate their breathing from the other animals in the woods, so he could not say precisely how many there were.


    Nathalia, until this day, had only read about Goblins and never had the chance to fight one either, but she was more scared than excited that there were some close to the grounds of her house.


    Among the trees, the half-wolf finally managed to see the Goblins. These monsters were famous among ss E and D Adventurers, as their teeth were worth a lot.


    Dark green-skinned beings, full of nasty, longitudinal warts. Also, two of the main features Luke noticed were elongated ears and vertical pupils. However, the half-wolf''s inexperienced eyes, were a useful thing for him today, these prevented him from paralyzing like Nathalia.


    The young girl almost fell backward when she saw the green beings, because they weren''t the standard five feet and thirty inches. These were almost Luke''s height and were also physically very strong, not to mention the tribal tattoos on their abdomens and arms.


    When the half-wolf saw the deep look in the girl''s eyes, he realized that those were no ordinary Goblins, so he drew his sword and, as predicted, the scabbard clinked with the draw of the sword.


    "Stay here!" He shouted as he dashed toward the monsters.


    There were only three Goblins chattering among the trees and bushes. They were quick to notice the presence of the half-wolf and picked up their knives that were lying on the grass.


    One of them squealed furiously, and his four canine teeth were exposed. Those fangs were as big as a tiger''s.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 21 Goblins

    "CU¨¢¨¢¨¢¨¢" One of them squealed furiously, and its four canine teeth were exposed. Those fangs were as big as a tiger''s.


    Meanwhile, the other two put on metal helmets and started running toward the half-wolf.


    ''One, two, and three,'' thought the boy, carefully counting the elerated heartbeats, excluding Nathalia''s.


    Preparing another thrust, the half-wolf stepped hard and exhaled densely through his teeth, calmly.


    ''At least I have a bit of a head start.''


    His feet left the ground with a shrill sound and an explosion of dust. Then, a short distance from the first enemy, Luke stared into his eyes and propelled himself forward with the help of the trees.


    Not fast enough to react, the Goblin felt his neck being torn apart in a line full of irregrities. As it was pulled, the curved sword of the half-wolf came out of the back of the first monster''s head, and a spray of blood painted the leaves of the trees red.


    Luke didn''t get emotional; he just focused on his next opponent. Braced by the sh of the sword with the bone in the spine of the first Goblin, the half-wolf chose to wait for the next one with a helmet toe at him. His hands steady themselves on the handle of the small, dragon-like sword.


    The moment the Goblin came within three feet, the boy spun around, and with a sudden burst, the monster was decapitated. The head flew upwards, and the sword continued its downward carving.


    Enraged at seeing two of hispanions killed in seconds, the leading Goblin pulled a scroll out of his side pouch.


    "Don''t let him use that!" Nathalia shouted.


    However, it was toote, and the monster was more than five meters away.


    "Desruc! Gnieb erupmisiht! Foerutaneurt ehtevlosba, do¡ª" A thin throwing knife struck the Goblin''s neck, but this could not stop its screams. "retsnom eht foyrufeht..."


    Dead, the Goblin''s sturdy body copsed. The dry thud reverberated through the woods, a moment that was followed by an eerie silence.


    With his face still sttered with blood, Luke walked over to Nathalia and questioned in confusion, "What was thatnguage he was speaking?" The sword, soiled with blood, went quickly into its sheath again.


    "It wasn''t a tongue; it was a curse." She said as she stood up with his help.


    "What''s the curse?"


    "Impossible to say. It could be anything, but I don''t think he could finish reading the scroll."


    Analyzing the bodies, they found no clue as to why there were monsters there. Although they were Superior Goblins, their items were not the best. The knives that those in the helmets used were already almost blunt. Their clothes were old too, which indicated that theirst victims had been there for some time.


    Inside the leader''s side pouch, Luke found several other papers, and the one the monster read to him no longer had any words written on it. This did not necessarily mean that the curse had been applied because a scroll can only be opened once.


    However, Luke did not know this rule, and in a moment of distraction from Nathalia, who was staring in disgust at the severed head of another Goblin, the half-wolf opened another scroll.


    Contrary to what Luke expected, there wasn''t a sea of symbols he couldn''t read on the paper, so he was happy. On the paper were three geometric shapes glowing in relief. They practically begged to be touched.


    Fascinated, the half-wolf took one of his fingers to the square-like geometric shape that transformed into a rectangle and a hexagon.


    When Nathalia noticed a faint glowing from her left, she saw Luke with an open scroll and shouted: "Don''t touch!"<sub> </sub>


    Toote, before she could realize it, he had already touched it, and a voice resounded in the half-wolf''s mind.


    ¡¸Habilitation: Normal Inventory acquired ¡¹


    With a hard p, Nathalia took the parchment from the boy''s hand, who was breathless as he let go of it.


    "Hmph... Uff..." He exhaled and took a startled breath. "What was that voice?" Luke questioned, confused because somehow, the voice was neither female nor male.


    Reaching out to help hispanion to stand up, Nathalia asked: "Have you never heard the skill''s voice?"


    "Voice of the skills?"


    The girl thought it was impossible that Luke never had an ability. "You''ve never used a gene in your life?"


    The half-wolf just denied with his head, as he knew only the basics of genes since it wasmon knowledge.


    Gene is the name given to the core of a monster, and this drop was really rare. Theye in many shapes and sizes, and because it is so difficult to obtain one, they are expensive.


    There are three types of monster cores:


    First - Edible: it increases the limits of the human body and can even increase the longevity of those who eat it.


    Second - Item: a monster''s core is transformed into a Panspermia item. It is moremon for monsters that use weapons to drop this type of core.


    Third - Skill: the core offers you a skill that the monster had before it died. You can refuse or ept it.


    "Anyway, if you ingest an Ability Genes, this voice talks to you."


    "I didn''t get a chance to refuse," Luke said and crossed his arms like a spoiled child.


    Nathalia found this secretly cute and exined: "This was probably a Scroll of Reminiscence. They allow you to rescind the skill, but we will talk about itter. What skill did you get?"


    "Normal Inventory."


    "Ohh! That''s soo useful. Too bad I don''t know how to activate it to teach you." Nathalia spoke and brought her hand to her chin.


    "I don''t want to get involved with this Witchcraft of Genes." Thanks to Yoelona''s teachings, Luke always thought it was wrong to use genes to strengthen the body because this was supposedly sorcery.


    The young Miss Strogueher just shrugged and understood that there must be a reason. There were still three other scrolls in the leading Goblin''s pouch, which Luke did not dare to open as he had already learned his lesson.


    "They are worth quite a bit. Put them away carefully." Nathalia said as she saw all that the half-wolf got. "Should we take their heads too?"


    Luke was impressed by that girl''s way of acting. She looked nothing like the one, he disputed simple fencing with.


    Afraid that carrying the bodies over his shoulders would draw too much attention in the city, Luke took only the four fangs from each body and stored them in a small baggie.

 Chapter 22 Scrolls

    Both Luke and Nathalia trusted Shiro too much to be worried about the Mansion, not to mention there were other guards, so unless a Boss left the dungeons, everything would be fine.


    The half-wolf was very curious to know what Goblins did outside of the Dungeon.


    "Could they have escaped?" Luke questioned Nathalia, who seemed to have more knowledge in this matter.


    "Escape? I''ve never heard of a leak in Vasconcelos."


    It wasmon knowledge that monsters get confused when they are outside, so it was even more intriguing to see aware Higher Goblins.


    The dirt road remained quiet, and Luke became even more attentive to his surroundings. The rustle of leaves that swayed in the summer wind got in the way a little, but Luke also doubted they''d encounter moreplications along the way.


    When they got closer to the town center, the pair noticed that everything looked normal.


    Carriages moved back and forth with food, drink, and people. Vasconcelos was the typically bustling city, both for the number of brave adventurers and for the merchants excited about the business going well.


    "Come,e! We''re only selling fifty apples for two hundred copper coins for today! Take it or leave it!"


    Among so many stalls and food stalls, one store, in particr, seemed much busier than all the others: Knor, Special Armor, and Spears.


    ''Knor... ok... Social... and Spars?'' Luke tried to read. For him, reading was like a game of guessing letterbinations, which rarely worked.


    Seeing that Luke looked interested in Knor, Nathalia took his arm and pulled him inside. Despite noting to town much, that store was nothing new to her.


    When they entered the shop, the half-wolf saw many weapons and armor. Confused, having been pulled in there, he questioned Nathalia:


    "What do you want in here? You already have a great weapon."


    "I thought you wanted to buy something."


    "Me? Why would you think that?"


    "For¡ª" Just then, a man in round sses and formal wear took her left arm.


    "You guys have a good spear? Show me. I can pay for it well." His sses glistened in the sunlight and somehow cast a shadow on his face.


    "Hey! No parallel business in my store." An elf yelled from the balcony. His hair was an intense green, and so were his eyes.


    "Tsk! Ignore him¡­" said the man with sses. "Come on, show me."


    Before the half-wolf had a chance to interrupt, Nathalia spoke with a smile: "Even if you worked for your whole life, you still couldn''t buy my weapon."


    She always seemed very polite in Luke''s eyes; however, at the time, she remembered Meredith''s way a little.


    The man, inconveniently, did not let go of her arm even after the confrontation. However, when he looked into Luke''s yellow eyes, his hands shook as he let her go.


    "Let''s read to the guild." Said Nathalia, who was stressed by such action.<sub> </sub>


    Knor, the elf, regretted not being able to expel that inconvenient man from his shop; after all, he was one of the biggest merchants in the city. If he threw him out, Knor''s shop would burn ''mysteriously'' overnight.


    As they left the store, the half-wolf didn''t ask if the girl was all right, because he knew her strength and knew that a grip like that would never hurt her.


    After walking through for a while, they arrived at Guild Street. Due to the more than ten floors that the Guild building had, it was not difficult to notice that Vasconcelos was investing a lot in the Adventurer''s business.


    The ce looked more like a small mansion with a clock on its tallest tower andrge detailed columns on its exterior. The in and out of people was so much, that the door rarely stopped closed, and as the mission board was right in front, all the congestion was even more intense. The half-wolf couldn''t tell if this was on purpose or not.


    When they finally entered the building, Nathalia and Luke saw dozens of people sitting at tables as they ate and drank.


    ''Is this a guild or a tavern?'' Luke thought, pleased by the smell of pumpkin pie that permeated the establishment.


    Before they could sit down to rest from the walk, the pair of neers decided to get in line, to resolve the registration issues as quickly as possible.


    The line to the front desk gradually thinned, until Luke and Nathalia could hear a husky voice calling out to them. "Next!"


    The old man behind the counter must have been between seventy or two hundred years old. Since he was an elf, Luke couldn''t tell his age without uncertainty.


    The old man''s mustache was admirable, had great volume, and was still curved at the ends. The half-wolf considered asking what product he used to make the threads so resistant.


    Tired of his work, the receptionist said: "What do you want? Never seen them around here. If you want to drink, this isn''t a tavern or an inn; it''s a guild¡­ At least it''s supposed to be¡­"


    Saying nothing, Luke ced a rolled-up paper on the counter.


    The old man unrolled it, scrunched up his face to see the small letters, but soon gave up and put on his sses tied on a string around his neck.


    That was a handwritten letter by Ayumi Yamazaki rmending two promising adventurers for the Guild. Jos¨¦ Kinosuke, the receptionist, in all the years he worked at the Guild of Vasconcelos, had never personally seen the Strogueher seal, yet it was unmistakable. A ck shield and a white rose in the middle, whose stem looked like a spear.


    As Nathalia did not wish to inherit the family''s fame, the names of the two adventurers were not mentioned. This fitted beautifully with the anonymity Luke craved.


    Although he understood that his job was to help Nathalia move up from ss fast, the half-wolf did not know how long it would take. So, he had to take advantage of his little time at the Mansion to investigate the family and still do an excellent job as a bodyguard, so they wouldn''t suspect him when the robbery happened.


    "I''m sorry¡­ Are you avable for an interview now? I''ll put them in the priority queue."


    "Please, we are in a hurry," Nathalia said with a gentle smile on her face, which made the old man think thating to work that day was already worth it.


    "What are your names?"


    "Nath..."


    "Luke."


    Mr. Kinosuke nodded, and in a procedure that made those waiting in line angry, he ran to alert the Guild Master.


    ''Are the Strogueher themselves appointing two adventurers? They must have extraordinary talents, and they certainly came from Renowned Overseas Schools.''

 Chapter 23 The Guild

    "Wouldn''t you rather take off your hood?" Nathalia questioned Luke as she took off her hood, revealing beautiful, shiny hair.


    The half-wolf wondered about it, as the Guild''s inside was so hot that his ears were sweating. But if he pulled back, the whole street would probably be alerted, and some idiot would be looking for trouble.


    The best way to avoid bigoted assholes was to stay quiet and hidden, it might seem like something a coward would think, but this was a pretty effective way to keep out of the spotlight. If Luke wasn''t unlucky, this would still be right.


    "Wow, what a cute thing we have here..." A knight in green armor approached Nathalia and put his drink on the table, a gesture known to all as extremely rude.


    "What you want?" Nathalia said and red at the man, who flinched at how fierce she was.


    "HAHAHAHA!" An entire group of menughed out loud at the sight of that scene. All drunk, sitting at a circr table.


    There was a bald man wearing mail armor, another red-haired guy, who was wearing leather armor, and a big guy, who by the quiver on his back, looked like an archer. The other five in the group didn''t look any different from mercenaries, which can be ''rented'' on any street corner.


    By Nathalia''s judgment, they weren''t much of a threat, and the girl let that show when she drew back her lips and nose, a distinct expression of disgust.


    The man in green armor walked back to his group, and they were suddenly quiet.


    After a few seconds, the man wearing mail armor shouted, "Hey, elf! How about having fun with us? We could share¡ª"


    A knife shed the air between several tables and thrust it into the bald man''s ear. Bye! The ear, like the knife, stuck to the wooden wall.


    It wasn''t hard to find out that Luke had thrown that knife, for shortly after doing so, he said, "Put yourself in your shoes and learn to respect ady."


    Although he trusted enough that Nathalia could take care of her problems, the half-wolf wouldn''t always be silent; after all, he had little patience with assholes, so he also stayed away from them.


    He was still sitting at the table, his expression so full, that he didn''t even look like he''d nearly killed anyone.


    "Arggh! Bastard!" The right man roared in pain.


    "HAHAHAHA." The bald man''s allies just startedughing frantically, as if this was the funniest thing they had ever seen. "You''re really good, man!"


    No one in every Guild understood such behavior from the group, but the distinctive ng of the drawing of des interrupted all other noise in the hall. The men at the round table drew their des and were suddenly serious.


    "You''re not from the Guild, are you? So, we haveplete freedom to kill you."


    Luke didn''t get up and decided to wait for the men toe to him. Nathalia wasn''t apprehensive either, considering that mere knights in ragtag armor wouldn''t take care of Luke.


    "Mr. Luke and Mrs. Nath?" The old receptionist called from the counter.


    The half-wolf and the youngdy rose in response to him.


    "The Guild Master is ready to receive you."


    That came as a shock to everyone present, as the Guild Master was rarely seen within the Guild itself; only very important people could talk with him, like High-ss Adventurers that may request a meeting.


    Rumors flooded the entire lobby, which was full of people eating, drinking, and sheltering from the zing sun.


    Ignoring all this, Nathalia and Luke went to the receptionist.<sub> </sub>


    "Why do we need to do an interview? I''ve never heard of this procedure." The elf asked curiously.


    "Sorry about this. We take our work seriously, especially when ites to neers. So we''re looking up one by one and rejecting some."


    For Luke, that was bullshit. A city never had too many adventurers; being a high-risk and high reward profession, many died, and many entered every day.


    The serious look of the half-wolf scared the receptionist a little, especially now that he''d seen him throw a knife at someone''s ear.


    "A-anyway, you can follow Eliz, the Guild Master''s secretary." He pointed to a dark-haired woman standing on the bottom step of the stairs.


    The pair of newbies walked over to her; she gave a pretty smile and started to speak. "Will youe with me, please?"


    Luke and Nath just nodded grimly. Both were much more focused and stressed that afternoon than they were in the morning. Especially the half-wolf, who hadn''t had such a busy morning like this in a long time.


    First, he met Nathalia, The Mansion, discovered that his good friend Shiro was alive, and on top of that, he kissed Ayumi. It was such a crazy sequence of events that he would not have been surprised to wake up suddenly in his traditional bed of straw.


    After climbing several flights of stairs, Eliz stopped on a floor with only one door and said: "Can you guys talk a little loud? Master Zion doesn''t listen very well."


    ''Nathalia won''t fall for this old story, will she?'' thought Luke, impressed that the attendant didn''t even blink as he lied.


    "All right." Nathalia nodded.


    When receptionist Eliz opened the door, a blue-skinned, long-eared elf greeted the two with a cheerful smile. He was shirtless and had a very defined body; it was something unusual to see on the elves Luke was used to.


    "Let''s go in!" Zion said excitedly.


    The baffling pair of novices stood still for a few moments before they managed to move again.


    ''The Master of this Guild is an Ainveldibra?'' thought Nathalia. "Hello, Guild Master!" The girl screamed.


    "Why are you screaming?" The elf questioned, confused but still smiling.


    "Ehhh, Eliz¡­" At that moment, the receptionist closed the door while giggling. "Sigh¡­" Nathalia huffed, disappointed that she had fallen for such an apparent prank.


    The half-wolf held himself back to keep fromughing at her disgusted expression.


    "Anyway, do you want to join the Guild? Of course, they can! Stroguehers can do anything!" From the blush on the elf''s face, he looked like he''d had some drinking.


    "Then let''s go," Luke said seriously and turned to open the doorknob.


    "No, no, no! I''m kidding!" Zion said desperately, throwing himself on top of his expensive eucalyptus table.


    The half-wolf knew more than anyone about free-spending assholes, and while he didn''t think Zion was one, he sensed that Zion had some problem he couldn''t solve.


    "What do you want us to do?" He said, turning to hear the blue elf''s proposal.

 Chapter 24 The Blue Elf, Named Zion

    Nathalia was stunned by that behavior of Zion, considering that the Guild Master was a figure respected by everyone, so it was expected that he was someone haughty.


    The blue elf pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk with a relieved smile, indicating that the rookie pair could take a seat. Nathalia and Luke epted the invite.


    "As both were nominated by the Strogueher family, I will make a special request for you two."


    The half-wolf remained serious and said nothing. Nath also followed this same behavior, as if imitating him.


    Zion took it as consent to continue talking. "Yesterday, a novice quintet disappeared on its first day of activity; that''s hard to happen, considering that we always have adventurers moving between floors, especially on the first ones."


    Nathalia came forward and asked: "Couldn''t they have spent the night on the first floor? This happens, doesn''t it?"


    "Only high-ranking adventurers risk sleeping inside the dungeons, and only when on deeper floors. I don''t believe they could have chosen to sleep on the hard ground of the second floor, instead of sleeping in a warm bed."


    "What if they went to floors beyond the first and second?" Luke questioned; after all, in his head, it made sense that if they''re not seen on the first or second floor, it''s because they''re on another one.


    The elf''s eyes, which were as blue as the ocean, met the half-wolf''s golden-yellow eyes, and Zion said: "I know you''re a novice, so it''s understandable not to know that, though I''m still surprised by a nominee by the Strogueher not realizing for what the ranking system was created."


    Nathalia facepalmed and said: "Luke, just read about the ranking system."


    Luke Lange didn''t know what to say; he was just frustrated, because he had never learned to read and was embarrassed that he didn''t know much about theseplicated Adventurer systems.


    "But no problem, boy. I''ll exin why they can''t have gone to another floor." Zion said with a smile. "When a dungeon is discovered, there are two essential processes to be done, before adventurers can enter it and any cities can develop around it."


    For the next few minutes, the elf exined in manyplicated words, which the half-wolf understood only half of them. Still, as far as his intelligibility was concerned, the rank system wasn''t as useless as Luke believed.


    From what you understand, when a dungeon is discovered, two types of adventurers are called: The Sensory Mages and The Secrs.


    The second type is poprly known as heroes or saints since they are so strong that their talents are believed to appear only from century to century.


    Sensory Mages scale the size of the Dungeon and pass this information on to the Secrs, who define what the Dungeon''s type is. As all Secrs are S-ss, they don''t get in trouble and return to the surface after a few days.


    When informed of the number of floors and difficulty, Sensory Mages level the floors from ss F to S, so that the Dungeon''s resources can begin to be exploited.


    "Between the floors, there is a protective spell created by the Sensory Ones. Protection that only those of the predetermined ss can ovee." Nathaliaplemented the elf''s exnation.


    Luke still didn''t understand everything; even so, he chose not to continue with that monotonous chat.


    "Why are you ordering this service for two F-ss?" Luke asked to find out if this could be a trap set up against the Stroguehers.


    "Since I don''t want to draw everyone''s attention to this case, I haven''tunched a mission, and I also believe that higher-ranking people who would trust this type of work will not be interested."


    The half-wolf thought it usible and nodded. "Let''s talk about payment."


    The elf crossed his solid arms and nodded. "I was waiting for you to bring it up. How much do you think is a fair amount?"


    "A gold coin." The boy took a chance; after all, that was the same amount as his current sry.


    "Perfect."<sub> </sub>


    When Luke and Zion went to shake their hands, Nathalia interrupted them: "Wait a minute¡­ Just a gold coin? That''s peanuts! I don''t work for less than ten gold coins."


    The elf was startled because ten gold coins were a considerable amount. For that amount, he would personally look for the missing quintet. Nathalia grew up surrounded by hundreds of gold coins, so she didn''t have the notion that it wasn''t that easy to get money.


    Luke looked at the girl and touched her hand. "Do you trust me a little?"


    Nathalia was surprised by the sudden touch, and the girl''s entire face turned as red as a tomato. ''What do you think you''re doing in front of the Guild Master?'' The girl thought and, in the end, just nodded at the question.


    "Zion, when I talked about a gold coin, I meant one for each."


    The smile on the elf''s face faded when he heard this, but he nodded after a few seconds. Two gold coins were a lot; however, he felt it would be good to take a risk on these two novices.


    The contract closed only verbally was enough. Luke didn''t want to build evidence against him if anything happened, and Zion felt the same way.


    "Besides, can you exin this to me?" The boy took the bag with the sixteen teeth of the Superior Goblins and threw it on the man''s desk.


    Turning the bag over in his hand, the elf saw severalrge fangs fall into his hand, and he didn''t understand how Luke had it. "Did you buy them?" he questioned, confused.


    "No, I removed them from the bodies of the Goblins myself."


    Zion frowned. "But how? Did you go into a secret dungeon?"


    The half-wolf just nodded, indicating that this was not the case.


    The elf raised his hand to his mouth and was silent for a few seconds, looking at the air, and then asked: "Where were they?"


    "Near the Strogueher mansion," Nathalia replied, consenting to the idea that she wasn''t family.


    "I''ll send the C- and B-sses to investigate today what might have happened," Zion said, making sure he had answered the boy''s question.


    "What are the possible answers? They can''t leave the Dungeon, right?"


    "There have been cases where the barriers created by the Sensorials were weak and broke, but if that''s the case, Vasconcelos would only be ruins right now." The elf said and got up from his chair. He was six feet six.


    "Then?"


    "As I said, we have to investigate. It''s too early to try to determine what happened."


    The half-wolf understood that since the man had an official job, he couldn''t give information about possible ws to a stranger in this way.


    <o>,m ______</o>


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 25 Mission Board

    When they left the office, Luke let go of the girl''s hand. "Let''s go?"


    It was still less than three in the afternoon, so they had the entire afternoon ahead of them.


    Although the elf was a little embarrassed, she regained her posture and, not wanting to be rude, said, "Are you going like this? I mean, this isn''t even armor, is it?"


    The girl talked about Luke''s outfit, and she waspletely correct. The boy''s clothes were more than old, yet they were his best clothes; in Oukiwa there''s not much money left for him after buying food and paying rent.


    "I''m fine like this. Don''t worry about it. Focus on your sword and your clothes." Luke said and left towards the stairs.


    Nathalia realized that she had misunderstood the touch on the hand she received. They''d only known each other for a few hours, and there''s no way they''d ever be friends, at least not yet.


    As they passed the balcony, both pulled out their adventurers'' licenses.


    The simple license was just a cheap metal pendant with the first name and current ss engraved on the front. On the back was a sentence the half-wolf couldn''t read, but Nathalia could.


    "A sharp de. A healing potion. A Return Stone¡­" The girl read aloud as the two left the guild through the front door. "This was supposed to be something emblematic, wasn''t it? Why is it so bad?"


    Although this carving made no sense to Nathalia, Luke interpreted it as a shortlist of essential items to enter a dungeon.


    A sharp de will serve to deal with the creatures. The healing potion, in case you''re hurt. The Return Stone, in case you get lost.


    When Luke exined this essential thing to the girl, she felt pathetic for not having understanding, and she also reminded not having a Return Stone.


    "Do you have a Return Stone, Luke?"


    "No, they are a little expensive."


    Gradually, Nathalia was beginning to understand the financial situation the half-wolf was in. Old rags, a in sword, and no money, this could only mean that, for some reason, he was keeping the advance the Matriarch had given him.


    The boy gave most of the money to hispanions in the act of condolence.


    "Come on, there must be a store that sells nearby. I''ll give you one as a gift."


    The half-wolf nodded since he had no reason to deny a gift, just regretted that he couldn''t reciprocate, as he would steal from the girl''s family next month.


    "Before that, we''ll take another mission," said Luke.


    "Why?" The elf questioned; after all, they already had one to aplish.


    He turned and said with a grim smile, "The Guildmaster''s quest will be our secondary objective. Our priority is to raise you in ss, and that''s only done by fulfilling official quests."


    Many missions were on the board, and the best ones had already been taken this morning. The options for ss-F were:


    Mission 1 - Whoever is strong enough to defeat Steel Fist, must attend the Leather Sturgeon; the reward will be fifty silver coins.<sub> </sub>


    "What do you think?" Nathalia questioned after reading to the half-wolf.


    Beating some drunk in a bar for fifty coins was tempting. "Although it''s worth taking some bucks with fights, this shouldn''t be an official mission." Luke walked over and pointed to the mission paper. "What is missing from this paper?"


    Nathalia studied the grease-stained paper for a few seconds, and among so many handprints and scrawled letters, she couldn''t answer the boy''s question.


    "There is no guild stamp. Come on,pare with the other ads on the board." He spoke and pointed to the board ahead.


    Comparing the paper in her hands and those from other missions, she realized some had a stamp. A red circle and knife, this was the official symbol.


    ''How did I not notice that?'' thought the girl.


    She dropped the paper from the first mission on the floor and picked up another one, this one that had the guild seal on it.


    Mission 2 - Honorary knights anddies, there is a powerful beast around the second floor. It is believed to be a Gorgko, and it shall not be difficult to identify as its skin glows red. Whoever is brave enough to fight it must bring the monster''s head to the guild. Exclusive E-ss, reward worth fifty silver coins."


    "E-ss, dammit..." Nathalia mumbled and crumpled the paper into a ball.


    The half-wolf approached and touched the girl''s shoulder. "Calm down, there are still many missions."


    Sniffing at the one that had been touched one more time, Luke took a well-worn paper from the poster and calmly asked the elf: "Can you read it, please?"


    "You can''t read, can you?" Without being rude, she asked.


    The boy just shook his head. Nathalia just nodded afterward.


    It wasn''t such an umon thing not to be able to read and write, which is why jobs that required these skills were well paid and secure.


    Mission 3 - Honorary knights anddies, the apothecary of ''Primor and Potions'' shop is in urgent need of Jade Vine, a rare flower that frequently grew on the first floorst year. With several cases of urticaria in a neighborhood close to the port, the flower is needed to make medicines.


    Nathalia would crumple this role too, frustrated that it wasn''t an exciting quest; however, Luke stopped her before doing so.


    "Can you finish reading please?"


    "The reward is twenty silver coins for each flower. If you don''t know what a Jade Vine is, please put this paper on the board again..."


    Luckily, the half-wolf knew very well about nts since he used to steal a lot from a flower shop when he learned the real value of flowers. Jade Vine is a beautifully shaped, w-like flower whose stems are purple, and the petals are blue-green.


    "I would ept this mission. Jade Vine can reach up to twenty meters, and there may be dozens of flowers."


    The girl surprised that the half-wolf understood about this matter, considered giving in to it. "I know, it''s just that¡­ I expect something more¡­exciting? I trained for nearly twenty years to be an adventurer, and now I have to start looking for flowers?"


    The half-wolf kept quiet as he didn''t understand how a person could crave a risky profession. If Luke had a choice, he could easily be a farmer or remain a thief, since he thought it was part of him.

 Chapter 26 The Magic Items Store

    Despite still being troubled by the simple reward, Nathalia epted the third mission when the boy assured her that they would find the flowers that day. Knowing the scent of the Jade Vine, Luke figured it wouldn''t be such a problem to find them.


    "So, can we go?" Luke said to the girl, with a delighted smile. Taking more straightforward missions at the beginning was an excellent idea, so they would be able to move up in ss faster.


    The girl nodded, her face flushed with embarrassment. ''I must stop acting like a little girl sometimes.'' She thought.


    Nathalia charged herself a lot. Due to her age, she thought that starting now meant she was way behind people like Luke and Shiro, who have been fighting since they were little.


    While looking for a store to get the Return Stone they needed, the pair walked through the busy city until they spotted a storefront with magical items.


    Aspen staffs, Crystal Balls, and even Mana Orbs were in the window, which made the elf also excited about what might be inside the store.


    When the girl entered the store, she heard a soft tinkle. Tlim, tlim! It was just the bell under the door. She held the door open for the half-wolf to enter as well.


    The entire room was dark, and there were no customers or employees; if it weren''t for the ''We''re working'' sign on the door, the pair would have thought that ce was abandoned.


    There was a bookcase with various fabrics and old rugs at the right of the entrance and to the left a ss cab, which disyed many animal jars in formaldehyde.


    Amongmon snakes and frogs, small monster spoils were noticed, such as Goblin''s ears, Prums hands, Aarakocras beaks, and several other pieces of creatures.


    The entire store was also lit by only one window high above, and the light that passed through it highlighted the kes of dust in the air. The half-wolf was holding himself back from sneezing.


    As they walked together through the store, looking for an employee and the Return Stone itself, Luke and Nathalia, curious, were fiddling with some things.


    This ce was so silent that even the noise from the street seemed to have disappeared. The half-wolf felt relieved, but the elf was a little nervous.


    "Hello, is anyone here?!" She asked aloud.


    "Here in front!" A husky voice yelled from the farthest part of the store.


    Nathalia looked at Luke, smiled excitedly, and started walking quickly towards the voice.


    The boy wasn''t so fast yet, as he was curious about several of the magic items in that ce. However, he didn''t dare touch anything, because it wasn''t hard to remember the blue glow of the tiara he found in that warehouse.


    ''I still have nightmares from that day...'' Thought the half-wolf, as he looked at the staff, the tip of which was a small crystal with a faint blue glow, which looked nothing like the beautiful blue he saw on the robbery day.


    "Hey, Luke! Where are you?" The youngdy''s scream could be heard echoing in the shop.


    "I''m here." replied the half-wolf, appearing behind her.


    "Ow! Where were you?"


    "In the back hallway."


    "Anyway,e and meet Madame." The elf took his arm and started to pull him through the store.


    When they arrived at the counter, an older woman with a fallen look was waiting for them. She was so short that she had to climb a smalldder to reach the normal height of the counter, and her spine was crooked, which made her even shorter.


    "Is this the guy whomented?" she questioned. Her voice was shaky and, to the half-wolf''s displeasure, she had foul breath.


    "Yes Yes! We want two Return Stones."<sub> </sub>


    "Which types?"


    The girl frowned and let go of Luke''s arm. "Is there more than one type?"


    "Yes..."


    "What are they?"


    "The broken and the unbroken."


    The two young men looked at her in disbelief. Why would anyone choose to buy something broken?


    The elf, a little impatient, replied: "We want the unbroken."


    "Alright, just a sec." Madame slowly descended the steps and began rummaging through the things on the back of the counter. "Here it is!"


    After she returned with the same slowness, in her right hand was a small stic bag with two small stones, carved in the shape of icosahedrons, and in her left was a deck of cards.


    "Two Return Stones and a deck of Kaloru?"


    "No ma''am, we just wanted the Return Stones."


    The old woman, her mouth open at rest, looked down. "To make up for the change of mind, would you like me to read your future then? It will only be ten silver coins."


    "No, but thanks for the offer¡ª" Nathalia kindly refused, but the boy pulled her finger away at once. She looked at Luke, and he was still looking at her seriously, but managed to interpret what he wanted. "Yes, please."


    Looking up happily, Madame looked like a child who had just been given a present. Then she ced the Return Stones aside on the counter and began shuffling the cards.


    She did a cascade shuffle with great skill, which Luke recognized since Ynosuke always tried to do it but never managed to. Then she divided the deck into four and ced them on the table.


    "Whose future will we see first?"


    The elf looked at the half-wolf and understood again what he wanted. "I''ll go first."


    With a serious expression this time, the old woman nodded.


    When Nathalia turned over the first card of the first amount, Sparrowhawk''s card was revealed. The girl looked at the old woman, anxious to know what that meant; however, she said nothing, and the girl understood that she should continue.


    As she turned the second card over, a drawing of a druid appeared.


    Druids are not that well known, and many people do not even believe in their existence. Old men with long white beards, whose faces are always blurry, is the description with which the druids are always associated.


    Luke didn''t believe in these mystical beings either; even so, he felt a deep desire for those who were real. Although he created a block with all that is magical after seeing his friend disappear, he still had this interest that he always tried to block.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 27 The Obelisk

    When the third card was pulled from the third amount, the old woman caught Nathalia''s wrist before there was time to turn it over to see the design.


    "Are you sure you want this letter?" Looking the girl in the eye, Madame asked.


    The Elf nodded, and the woman then let go of her wrist. As soon as the girl turned the card over, the design of a Khopesh Sword revealed itself, a bow-shaped de whose golden ornamentsplemented the beauty of this famous weapon.


    The half-wolf couldn''t tell how a Khopesh Sword, a Druid, and a Sparrowhawk were rted, yet he didn''t doubt the cards'' meanings and didn''t trust he could interpret them.


    Finally, the girl went to the fourth amount of cards, and instead of taking the first one, she took thest one. Again the old woman asked if that was really the letter she wanted.


    The girl this time returned thest card to the deck and took the one in the middle. When he turned it around, he saw a Hawk again. "A repeated letter?" She asked out loud.


    "Do you prefer to know the meaning of each one, or just the mixture of them?" The old woman gathered the four withdrawn cards and put the rest of the cards aside.


    "Second option."


    Madame closed her eyes and stayed like that for a few seconds, with the cards under her hands. Opening her eyes, she said:


    "A young girl, with many sesses ahead of her, but there is a dark stain in her future, and she is in the heart of one of the people close to you. You must be careful."


    That didn''t even make sense to the girl, as she didn''t know enough people to worry about bad intentions.


    "Tsk! Let''s go, Luke." The Elf, annoyed, ced two gold coins on the counter, took the bag with the Return Stones, and left the store.


    Luke thanked the old woman and paid the ten silver coins for reading. As soon as he left the store, he saw Nathalia looking at him sheepishly.


    She knew she had done wrong, yet she refused to believe that someone she trusts could not be trusted. Finally, they both started walking towards the Dungeon, which could be easily seen from afar through the giant obelisk at its entrance.


    As they approached, the flow of people in armor intensified more and more, to the point that there were hundreds of adventurers all around the two. That flurry surprised Luke, given the disparity that existed between a Mine-type dungeon and a Tower-type dungeon.


    Also, the smell wasn''t as bad as that of the Oukiwa dungeons; it was still pretty bad, but not as poor.


    Around the obelisk at the entrance to the Dungeon building, there were many shops and professional cksmiths, where Panspermia Weapons, Armor, and even Monster Genes were sold.


    "Do you think I should go see how much this Goblin''s scroll worth?"


    "We see it on the way back! C''mon, C''mon!" Nathalia had a huge smile on her face. This was the first time she had seen a dungeon this close. All the other times, the carriage could not even approach arge number of pedestrians.


    As they reached closer to the huge building, one could easily see a vast dome, whose roof was a huge skylight, which, from the glow it emitted, seemed not to be made of ss but of crystal.


    In front of the ce, at least ten guards were standing. All wore obsidian armor, a material of the highest strength. Among them was a single man with an even more serious expression, his face strewn with scars.


    The man saw Luke and Nathalia approach and dismiss the quintet he was checking.<sub> </sub>


    "Take off the Cloak." Before saying anything else, he ordered Luke.


    Luke took off his hood first and revealed two wolf ears in his ck hair. Then he took off the rest of his cloak, dropped it to the ground, and held up his hands. His little tail was tucked into his pants, but you could see his bulk without the cape covering it.


    Nendou, the guard responsible for allowing entries into the dungeons, looked him over from head to toe and said, "I''ve never seen you around here. What time used toe?"


    "It''s our first time," Nathalia replied. The half-wolf remained motionless because he knew that this type of person just wanted an excuse to attack him, and it wasn''t every day that you saw a half-wolf apanied by an Elf.


    Remaining expressionless, Luke had his belts touched a few times. Since his sword was in its scabbard, he thought he wouldn''t have a problem with anything, but the man still found something toin about.


    "Where''s the sword belt? You are carrying a bag of papers, a sword, and throwing knives in the same belt. Don''t you feel the weight of it all?"


    "No."


    "Tsk... You should take more care of your animal, miss."


    Nathalia looked him up and down and considered telling him who she really was, but before he could do that, Luke said with a smile,


    ? "If I were her dog, I bet she''d tell me to bite your shin right now."


    The girl could not contain herugh, and as it was an elf there, Nendou just gave a sour smile and cleared the way for the pair. "Tomorrow, I want to see you with a new sword belt!" The guard yelled, still unconvinced that a half-beast was in his city.


    "Are you secretly fun?" Nathalia questioned, still with a smile.


    "It was just a way out of that situation," Luke replied, putting his cloak and hood back on.


    Upon entering the building, they came across a substantial white brick patio, where there were also a few dozen people. The ce was silent, and its architecture evoked memories of the mosques that used to be in Oukiwa.


    In the center of the ce, there was a freight elevator that descended to the first floor of the Dungeon.


    "Should we have brought food?" Nathalia questioned, looking at the quintet who had entered before them. All carried huge luggage.


    "I can''t say, I''m also a beginner just like you."


    The rotten smell got a little worse as they approached the elevator, but it was still bearable. Luke found the odor simr to that of a decaying corpse.


    When the elevator returned, the Elf looked at the half-wolf. "Are you ready to meet the Dungeo¡ª" A girl from the quintet interrupted Nathalia.


    The girl looked as fierce as Luke''s. His low eyebrows, orange eyes, and mechanical arms didn''t match his height, which should have been less than five feet.


    "Want to help us kill a Gorgko? We paid twenty-five silver coins for each one."

 Chapter 28 The First Floor

    "Want to help us kill a Gorgko? We paid twenty-five silver coins for each one." She proposed but noticed the indifference with which she was looked at. "Wait... you guys are E-ss too, aren''t you?"


    "We are F-ss and this is just our first day. Let''s adapt first." Nathalia replied to the girl.


    The half-wolf didn''t want to make his distrust clear, but he was surprised at that proposal, after all, the reward on the mission poster for the Gorgko was fifty coins for the head of this monster. So I couldn''t understand why they were paying the brunt of the reward for Gorgko, so they wouldn''t get anything.


    The clothes in ck leather and metal details left that unknown girl with an arrogant look, but Luke''s experienced look realized, that she is a good person.


    The girl in the leather clothes shrugged and said: "Okay... Oliver,e down!" She gave the order to the skinny guard who wasmanding the elevator handle.


    Thrumm! The roar of gears starting to turn echoed up to the top of the dome.


    The darkness in the wellsted a few seconds, and a dim light came into the eyes of those in the elevator. From above, everyone in the elevator saw arge chamber of ancient bricks and columns, the only illumination of which was the dim mes of the chandeliers on the walls.


    Luke could feel his nasal walls burning, yet he needed to continue. Even though the stench diminished the range of his sense of smell a little, he still thought he could hear the monsters before they met.


    Thoom! The elevator hit the ground. The room was very silent and only the crackling of the fire could be heard.


    The girl with the metal arms approached again. "Anyway, good luck to you there. Be careful not to die."


    She shook hands with Luke and Nathalia, then started walking to one of the two exits with her group. She was the only girl in the quintet and appeared to be the leader.


    "By the way, avoid the North area! It''s a farming area for the Soul Hunters n." The girl screamed.


    Nathalia put her hands to her mouth and yelled back, "Thank you!"


    Then all the five disappeared into the darkness.


    *


    Tim! Tim! The sh of Nathalia''s spear with the de of a Kobold echoed through those corridors that most resembled crypts.


    After a few minutes on the first floor, it wasn''t difficult to find monsters, but they showed up in a much smaller number than expected, at most one or two. For the Elf of the Noble Family Strogueher, it wasn''t difficult to handle everything alone, so Luke was left with the responsibility of lighting the room with a makeshift torch.


    Tchunc! The de at the tip of the spear pierced the Kobold''s skull. The bipedal red lizard, which carried an old sword, immediately began to turn ck kes and crumbled in midair.


    ''So inside they fall apart and outside they don''t.'' Luke thought, remembering that when he killed the Higher Goblins, their corpses continued lying down in the grass.


    "Hmph! He liked?" Nathalia asked breathlessly. She didn''t look tired, she was just full of adrenaline from her first battle.


    The half-wolf just gave her a thumbs up and smiled at her. Nathaliaughed proud of herself too, after all, she worked hard to reach that moment and nothing could spoil her day.


    "Do you know what the girl meant by that n thing?" Luke decided to question as they searched for Jade Vine flowers in the hallways.


    "ns are muchrger than the usual parties of just three to seven people."


    "And farming? She said something like that about the North, didn''t she?"<sub> </sub>


    "They keep killing monsters to get their skill levels up, but since they''re doing it on the first floor, they must be a small n."


    To the boy, these weird terms were confusing and didn''t make much sense. Although he knew very little about abilities given by genes, Luke didn''t understand how an ability increased just by killing monsters, because his abilities had developed with a lot of training.


    Often the pair would stop for a while to rest and to decide what they would do. Since they didn''t have a map, they were relying a hundred percent on Return Stone to get back to the elevator.


    Since they entered the Dungeon at lunchtime, the first floor was practically empty and as I sank deeper into it, they began to encounter more and more monsters and people returning home.


    It was always easy for Nathalia to deal with Kobolds and Lesser Goblins, beings the size of apes but green and naked.


    During one of these battles, the girl shouted excitedly: "I managed to raise my ''Malevolent Hook'' skill to level two!"


    And then she pulled a Goblin into her hand and grabbed it by the neck. The monster didn''t even have a chance to bleed before it began toe apart in midair from the spear that pierced its head.


    "Are you hungry?" The half-wolf asked the girl and offered her a cloth to wipe the sweat from her forehead.


    "No, I can still go on."


    This time, the boy decided to participate in the battles as well, because just looking was too tedious.


    Bye! Chunk! Luke''s simple cuts alone were enough to kill the monsters who, in the boy''s eyes, were so weak that a stray dog ??seemed braver. When she let an adult Kobold sh her with her sword, she wasn''t even able to cut the leather off her bracer.


    "Haha! You''re too strong to be fighting ss-F monsters, don''t you think?" Nathalia questioned, leaning her arm on the wall after a quick battle against seven goblins.


    "I didn''t expect them to be so weak."


    "Let''s look for the second-floor entrance, we''ll find some E-ss monsters."


    The beginning of the expeditions was like that, calming and without much difficulty for that pair of marvels.


    *


    A week passed and the pair almost every daypleted some mission, which was filling the half-wolf''s empty pockets. With the payment of Shiro''s bet, Luke''s financial situation got even better.


    He even considered taking a boat to visit his friends, even so, there is no vacation when you work for the Stroguehers, so every day they entered the Dungeon in the early afternoon and left at dusk.


    The bodies of the group Zionmented on were never found, which made the doubt in the half-wolf''s head grow even more, until the second week, everything began to be answered.


    Ahead is arge stone gate on the second floor, Nathalia and Luke were standing, facing the hundreds of skulls that made it up. This wasn''t a Boss''s room, after all, he''d already been defeated a long time ago, so what could it be?


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 29 The Door On The Second Floor

    The skulls on the door were gray and didn''t look authentic, yet whenbined with the low fog that usually hang over the second floor, it created a frightening atmosphere.


    "Luke, should we head back to report this to the Guild?" Nathalia asked as she backed up a few steps.


    ...


    He didn''t respond. A bad feeling was engulfing the half-wolf''s chest, like a very tight grip.


    It ismon knowledge that Dungeons are unpredictable and mysterious ces, there is no way to know what''s about to happen and that''s exactly what the half-wolf feared the unpredictability.


    Dungeon''s advertising was simple and effective: a cavern with floors, where on each floor there is only a single monster much stronger than the others.


    However, this is just a standard, and well... standards are just a way of saying that something averages, and being a standard will not make it a determining rule.


    Even though he was scared, Luke could hear what was behind the door. There were still two shallow breaths, almost nil. He considered the possibility that there might be two remnants of the quartet, and if they were, the reward of a gold coin was quite tempting for a thief who used to earn at most three hundred silver coins a month.


    "Nathalia, go ask Lorran''s group for help. We saw them not fifteen minutes south."


    "I''ll stay here." The girl said firmly and with a fierce look. She was scared, but she kept ying tough.


    Luke couldn''t determine if she was too dumb or too brave, if there was a Boss behind this door, it could mean they would both die.


    The half-wolf ced both hands on the door and realized it wouldn''t be difficult to open it, it didn''t feel too heavy, and looked at Nathalia, who nodded.


    When he applied the necessary force to open it, the stone door creaked and creaked against the floor. m! Crrrrr! The hiss of the old door hinges reverberated on that silent floor.


    As soon as the door opened fully, the half-wolf noticed something different.


    ''Is the rotten smell gone?'' he thought, confused.


    However, the chamber revealed by the door still had the same macabre vibe as the corridors on the second and first floors. Amidst giant spider webs and dust, it wasn''t hard to notice two different things: tworge cocoons and a giant spider beside them.


    The creature had the normal six legs of what you''d expect from a monster spider, furry and bizarre, but the entire back resembled an ordinary person, except that its face looked like a spider''s.


    "Luke draw your sword!" The Elf screamed anxiously and raised her hand to use ''Malevolent Hook''. However, the boy caught her arm before she could use the ability.


    Contrary to what the pair believed, the spider, when faced with Luke and Nathalia, climbed the walls and fled through arge hole in the ceiling of the room. Leaving behind the two cocoons and a cobwebbed room. The two breaths the half-wolf heard came from these two cocoons.


    With his right index finger, the half-wolf asked Nathalia to be silent, and with his left hand, he lifted his cloak a little, just enough to draw a throwing knife.


    As they entered the room, the chill of fear grew worse, and this feeling intensified as they inched towards the white cocoons.


    The hole in the ceiling was quite big and looked old. Luke couldn''t tell if it led to the first floor or not.<sub> </sub>


    When they were close enough, Luke pulled out one of his knives and began to cut through the cocoon on the right, while Nathalia watched over the surroundings.


    Among so many slimy lines, a human face appeared. A beautiful young face of a girl. As his heart still pounded, the half-wolf quickly finished making the opening in the cocoon.


    "It''s a girl, and she''s alive..." He whispered to Nathalia, who shivered a little at the sound of his voice. But she noticed something different in his tone, so she turned to check and saw the boy inactive, looking at a naked redhead in the cocoon.


    "Take her off carefully and put on her cloak." The Elf guided him.


    The half-wolf had never seen a girlpletely naked, so he was surprised. ''Her clothes must have melted from the acid. So why didn''t her skin melt?''


    Without further wrapping, he pulled the girl out of the cocoon and covered her with his cloak.


    Then he opened the other cocoon as well. This one was bigger and took more work to tear. When opened, the cocoon revealed the plump face, of a man who must have been in his early twenties.


    ''If they were skinny, I could carry them over my shoulders, but this guy is heavy.''


    It is noteworthy that the man was wearing good armor, which greatly added to his weight.


    Nathalia huffed and said, "Uff... Luke, she''s back..."


    From the big hole in the ceiling, the giant spider appeared and this time it was apanied by two others, of identical size. From the look of their bodies and des, they sure as hell weren''t ss-F or E, at the very least they were ss-D.


    The half-wolf was confident in his abilities, however, the real problem would be protecting Nathalia, and the two people passed out at the same time.


    "Nathalia, we will have to leave one of them. Which one do you choose?"


    The Elf looked back scared, after all, the boy threw all the responsibility on her back.


    Watching the look of terror on the girl''s face, Luke realized that he was prioritizing his work for the Stroguehers, rather than saving lives that could yield some reward, apart from the one proposed by the Guild Master.


    "Sighh... Think you can protect them both?"


    "Yes!"


    As two spiders descended the walls, one remained in the hole, watching.


    Just then, Luke drew his sword, breathed in, raised it like a spear, and as he sighed, he hurled the saber towards the left spider.


    Zingg! The hiss of the sword splitting the wind, like lightning, got even better as the sound of flesh tearing blessed his ears. Whoa! The curved sword sank easily into the monster''s abdomen.


    Soon after, the spider on the right spat out several webs, which Luke couldn''t dodge or cut, so they managed to trap his arms.

 Chapter 30 D-Class Monsters

    The half-wolf knew that his lousy leather outfit would tear easily with the weakest of the giant spider''s attacks. Even so, seeing it walk towards him while its arms were trapped, he saw no choice but to rush toward it as well.


    Tap! Tap! His steps that used to be silent, made little pops, which fell silent as he leaped and lunged into the air.


    Nathalia could have sworn she saw the boy disappear for a second from her sight, but the eight-eyed spider could see him without any trouble.


    Thank you! The monster screeched loudly, which made the other one, who was standing in the hole in the ceiling, jump to the ground andnd in front of Nathalia.


    "Humph..." Luke huffed in stress, as he knew something like that would happen. The ss-F and E monsters already demonstrated considerable levels of intelligence, even greater than those of animals, so it was to be expected strategies from this ss-D.


    Although the Elf was strong, she didn''t have enough experience to fight a ss-D monster and simultaneously protect two people. Luke used all his strength to break the threads that held his arms and ignored the spider that attacked him with its spit.


    When that creature was about to attack Nathalia, Luke jumped on top of the Spider and began to press it with his feet, while piercing the monster with his bare hands.


    The spider ran along the walls and swayed for a few seconds, but nothing managed to get Luke off her and nothing stopped her blows.


    By the time the creature epted the loss, it already had huge holes caused by the monstrous force of the half-wolf''s bare hands.No wonder he entered the Strogueher Mansion in Oukiwa, without his throwing knives.


    Nathalia watched all of this impressed, and even the other spider looked scared, as it tried to flee to the hole in the ceiling. However, the Elf feared that she would call for more spiders. Seeing it climb the walls, the girl pulled the monster with the skill ''Malevolent Hook''.


    Thumm! The thump of the spider''srge body, falling to the ground on its back. The one under Luke tried to move again and with the strength, it had left, the monster tried to let out onest howl. But couldn''t, as Luke stuck two knives in its neck.


    The spider that tumbled from the wall, ended up passed out on the floor and didn''t even have time to wake up before being finished by Luke, who took its head off with his own hands. The boy didn''t like killing these creatures that way, because every time he touched them, the same bad feeling he felt before opening the door, came up again.


    "Wasn''t it too easy?" Nathalia questioned strangely. She knew she hadn''t done much, yet she thought spiders were weaker than they looked.


    "They must be flock type, just like the ants we found on Friday."


    That hypothesis raised the hairs of the Elf as she couldn''t even imagine what it would be like to fight hundreds of giant spiders.


    Luke used his parkour skills to get his sword, which was stuck in the wall next to the body of one of the monsters.


    p Before being able to extract the spider''s legs and eyes, the half-wolf checked that the two unconscious people were stable and yes, they didn''t seem to have any physical damage.</anda>


    However, Luke began to doubt that they were the same missing people that Zion had offered a quest, since the big guy''s armor, was definitely not rookielike.


    After checking the victims, he removed all the monster loot he could carry in his small bag. Luke thought it was a waste of money to leave so many sharp ws behind, but it was necessary since they would reduce the group''s mobility with all the weight.


    "I still think it will be difficult to carry these two," Luke said, looking at the man who was sure to pass a hundred pounds.


    "You''re right¡­" Putting a hand to her chin, Nathalia began trying to find ways to make this work. "Hmm..."


    Floors one and two might not be as challenging, but their monsters were annoying and sneaky, if Nathalia and Luke walked while carrying two bodies, a trip that would normally only take half an hour, could take hours.


    "Ah! I already know!" The Elf eximed after a few seconds.<sub> </sub>


    "What''s it?"


    Walking towards one of the spiders, she said, "I''ve read somewhere that strong smells can wake someone passed out." Then Nathalia summoned her Spear of Panspermia and took some of the spider''s venom straight from their chelicerae.


    Then she brought the de close to the fat man and, carefully bncing the liquid, she brought it close to his nose.


    The man fluttered his eyelids and tensed some muscles.


    Luke went to him and lifted him a little. "Are you okay? We''re here to help¡­"


    When he opened his eyes, he was a little startled that he had a man watching him closely, but he was too weak to react. Weakly he asked,


    "Where am I?"


    "On the second floor of the Dungeon."


    "How d-the hell did I end up here?"


    "Like this?"


    "I was on the fourth floor."


    That confirmed the suspicion that he was not one of the missing neers.


    "Hey Luke, she''s not waking up."


    Even after a few more tries, the red-haired girl didn''t wake up, and the fat one said he didn''t recognize her. Afraid of what might happen if they stayed in that room any longer, Luke had an idea.


    "Do you think you have the strength to carry her?" The half-wolf questioned the man in armor. That way, it would be a lot easier, because Luke would focus on killing all the monsters in the vicinity while they walked quickly to the elevator.


    He just nodded, serious and a little tired still.


    Before they went, the half-wolf checked the webs to see if there was no more cocoon between them, found none more, but found something different that caught his attention: an inscription with symbols that even an illiterate would recognize as strange-looking.


    "Nathalia, here! See this, please," Luke called the girl, who was going to the exit of the chamber.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 31 That Feeling...

    Scanning the inscriptions, Nathalia could easily see that they weren''t just grooves in the wall. Through the spacing and perfectionism of the carvings, it was noticeable that those scratches and drawings were some forms of unknown writing.


    The Elf ran her hand carefully and noticed their old texture. Her hand, in addition to being smeared with dust, began to tingle a little. She found this feeling strange.


    "Luke, try touching it," Nathalia asked the boy.


    At first, he was wary about it as he would only get into dungeon stuff when necessary, but in the end, he consented, and with his index and middle finger he touched the symbols. Nothing happened. No sensation.


    He got up to cut some more of the webs, and during this lift, he noticed his vision getting fuzzy and the webs getting farther and farther away. In the end, he passed out.


    *


    "Hey, Meredith!" Ynosuke yelled as he rocked on a wooden chair, sitting. "How do you think Luke is doing?"


    "Knowing him, he should have reached ss C by now," John said with a hand on his chin.


    "Stop being idiots, Luke is amazing, but moving up in ss should take time."


    The trio was in the kitchen, bored. Summer was the best season to steal good loads, as they could choose from fruit to jewelry, however, Luke made them promise not to steal anything until his return.


    "Well, luke is pretty handsome, he certainly already conquered the little girl he was going to protect."


    "And she probably already won his heart." Ynosuke joked too.


    Meredith, who was dusting the cabs, shivered a little. "Why don''t you two stop chatting and go get your rooms ready?!" She squealed angrily, and the two boys, seeing her fiery hair lifted, ran out of the kitchen, giggling.


    As she closed the closet, the half-fox''s face turnedpletely red.


    ''Luke would do it?'' She began to wonder if it was possible that bashful Luke could getid with a young noblewoman.


    *


    The half-wolf, though unconscious, remained standing like a statue, eyes closed.


    "Luke, what''s wrong?! Luke! Answer me!" Nathalia was a little desperate, because the boy''s skin was hard and icy, like the snow that used to decorate Vasconcelos in winters.


    After a few seconds, Luke could hear a distant voice calling out his name.


    "Luke! Luke!" He recognized the crying voice, it was Nathalia.


    With his mind stunned by a fog that seemed to reverse his thoughts, Luke tried to fight the feeling and even with his strength, it took several seconds to getpletely free.


    When he got rid of the effect, he was even a little breathless and felt severe pain in his chest.


    Nathalia had her right hand raised, ready to p him. "Y-are you alright?" She questioned awkwardly as she lowered her hand.<sub> </sub>


    "Yeah... Just don''t touch it again."


    Luke didn''t give much thought to how it felt to touch the stone, he just assumed it was amon stun debuff. ''Damn dungeon''ined internally.


    "Let''s go?" The fat man asked at the same time he put the red-haired girl on his back. He was moving with notorious difficulty, yet Luke trusted in the strength of an E-ss Adventurer.


    As they left the cobwebbed chamber, Luke considered setting the ce on fire so that other spiders wouldn''te back there, but he knew if he did, the smoke would have no way out and the entire floor would be taken up.


    The boy was content to just close the door and hope that no one would find it, which wouldn''t be difficult, considering that it was in a very dark part of the second floor, where few people would risk entering.


    On the way to the staircase that leads to the first floor, Luke was able to easily kill all the monsters in the nearby corridors. None of the creatures withstood more than two blows from him.


    Closely following that tremendous strength of the half-wolf, the fat man in armor had no other reaction than to be amazed at the strength of that half-wolf.


    ''What the hell is that? How can an F-ss be so strong? He''s not even allowed to leave the second floor, and he''s so strong already? Half-beasts really are monsters.'' Thought the big man, who recognized the cheap metal ne, typical of the F-ss.


    The quartet reached the entrance to the first floor in less than ten minutes. The staircase was filled with E-ss Kobolds, and they were no match for Luke, who snaked between them, dodging all their attacks while slicing them right through the heart.


    Halfway up the stairwell, whose climb could take up to five minutes, Lorran returned to the first floorden with items and heard battle noisesing from behind her.


    ''Oh shit¡­ they already spawn? These Kobolds are like pests¡­''


    When she looked back, she was startled. In his vision, there was a shadowing up the stairs while killing all the monsters. The girl had seen many unanswered things within the Dungeon and knew that, in some situations, the best thing to do is to run away.


    "Run!" She yelled at the four men in her group. Despite being the smallest, she was the fastest and managed to keep up with the big guys.


    However, the shadow seemed faster and faster. As soon as it was reached, the girl with metal arms tried to attack the shadow but recognized a face in the shadow.


    "Luke?"


    "Why are you running away? We need help. We found two unconscious adventurers."


    The others caught up with Luke, Lorran, and their group a short timeter. With their help, it was even faster to get to the elevator.


    As the first floor was pitch ck, the four men in Lorran''s group lit up and battled simultaneously, while Luke rested for a while. They were already almost ss-D and had great sync, so the first floor wasn''t challenging anymore.


    The moment they reached the elevator, Lorran yelled, "Oliver! Get that shit up! We have a wound here!"


    When they went up to the ground floor, a doctor from the guild itself went to help the unconscious redhead and, with the help of her assistant, took her to a separate room. Nendou saw themotion of adventurers around the elevator and left his station to go check what was going on.


    When he saw the half-wolf without his cloak, he already suspected that he had done something and, without asking anything, he cut through the crowd and grabbed the boy''s cor.


    "What the fuck you did?!" he yelled angrily.

 Chapter 32 Uproar

    "What the fuck did you do?!" Nendou shouted angrily while holding Luke by the cor.


    In the guard''s perception, there was arge crowd around the half-wolf and a young girl being rushed away by the guild doctor, so the first suspect was obviously Luke and not the gigantic Dungeon under his feet.


    When pressed, the half-wolf remained calm, because from the moment he met that guard, he knew he would face some trouble of this kind.


    "Hey! What do you think you''re doing!?" shouted Nathalia, realizing what was happening. She was thanking Lorran near the elevator and without thinking of the consequences, she summoned her Panspermia spear to Nendou.


    The guards apanying Nendou drew their swords as well. Tim! The ng shook the people around a little.


    Not understanding anything that was happening, many adventurers also drew their swords for Nathalia. Some hesitated to do so because this was an Elf and elves are known throughout the world for their strength and influence.


    "Nendou, what do you think you are doing?" Lorran questioned. The metal-armed girl, despite being only an E-ss, was already respectfully known to the Adventurers of Vasconcelos.


    "Stay out of it."


    "Do you understand what you are doing?"


    "I''m punishing a criminal. What do you think I''m doing?"


    "A criminal!? What clue do you have for that!?" Nathalia still had her spear ready for an attack if necessary.


    "C-clue?" Nendou thought briefly and cried out in stress, "I don''t even need that! He''s a half-beast!"


    This phrase surprised the crowd, who eximed, "Ooohh!" But this was not an interjection of surprise due to Luke''s race, after all, there had already been rumors going around the city''s bars about a half-wolf ever since Nendou himself leaked this information.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Someone in the crowd clicked his tongue several times as if disapproving of Nendou''s speech. Among severalrge, armed adventurers, a woman with short ck hair emerged, Luke recognized her as Eliz, the Guild Master''s secretary. "Assuming your prejudice in the midst of everyone? What will Zion think of that kind of behavior, Nendou?"


    Upon hearing this and recognizing who that woman was, many of the men and women, who drew their weapons earlier, backed away and some even left thepound.


    Nendou let go of the half-wolf''s cor slowly while looking at him angrily. "Tsc..."


    "You have to stop being like that, otherwise I''ll have to open a formalint against you." Luke said, and patted the guard''s chest weakly twice, with a cynical smile. Luke liked the guards as much as he liked the smell of dungeons, yet he had to put up with them now, unlike when he was a thief.


    After calming down, Nathalia exined everything that had happened, from the discovery of the door to the encounter with Lorran.


    "Before I start asking the questions, may I ask you what your authority is? Because we have our responsibility to Zion, but we haven''t signed anything with you." The half-wolf was still confused as to what authority the Guild Master''s secretary had.


    "I am his fianc¨¦e."


    That exined the respect that everyone around showed for her, because regardless of social ss or ethnicity when two people marry, they enter into a contract to join their souls forever and ever, so besides sharing surnames, they also share their titles and authority.


    "Anyway, what did the big door you guys found look like?"


    "It was made of stone and filled with skulls," Luke replied. He was leaning against the corner of the private room, reserved by Eliz for testimony.


    "A door with skulls?" Eliz tried to search inside her memory for a few seconds. "Sigh... I don''t know of a door like that on the second floor, but I''m also sure he''s already been one hundred percent explored."<sub> </sub>


    "Even the dark part?" The half-wolf questioned.


    "Why, the dark corridors are just as well explored as the ones with torches. Anyway, we''ll send a guard team to check it out." Eliz said, rising from the leather couch she was sitting on. "Are you guys going to the Guild or are you gonna head back to the Dungeon?"


    "Before we leave, can you answer us onest thing?"


    "Sure." The short-haired woman said with a smile.


    "If you share the same authority as Zion, may you tell uster who the two people we found are?"


    "Sure, as soon as we identify them."


    *


    In the end, Luke and Nathalia decided to not go back to the Dungeon that day and walked back to the mansion, which took a little over twenty minutes as they walked rather leisurely.


    Both were finding it odd that there had been an escape of Superior Goblins in the same week that several F-ss newbies disappeared. The two facts didn''t have a connection, yet both were too serious to happen almost simultaneously.


    "There are many ways to exin the disappearance of the rookies, but I suppose those ss-D Monsters invading the second floor, are probably the cause."


    "Yeah, you told me that are practically only ss E monsters on the first three floors, right?"


    "Yes, that''s usually true, however, this is just a pattern and nothing prevents the dungeon from having holes in the barriers between the floors."


    The warm summer breeze became much milder when the pair entered the woods and intensified again when they entered the mansion grounds. Thebyrinth in front of the manor was oval-shaped and was embraced by two streets of mineral-rich brick.


    From a distance, Nathalia and Luke could see Martha, the maid, waiting for them on the front porch while holding two white towels in her right arm. As they approached, the woman, with her usual serious countenance, held out the towel to the two Adventurers, who epted it to dry their sweats.


    "Did something happen, Miss Strogueher?" Martha questioned, opening the front door for the pair to enter.


    "Yes, a lot of things... I''ll tell youter. We need to take a bath."


    ''We do?'' Luke thought startled. He no longer felt intimidated when he was with Nathalia, as he just saw her as part of the job, however, he still could get nervous sometimes.


    "Yeah, a swim in the pool or the hot tub?"


    "I think what we really need is a sauna. Is that okay if we go together?" Nathalia inquired to Luke, who blushed at the same time.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 33 The Sauna

    The servant girl, who always kept her wits about her, seemed to be as surprised as Luke at the Elf''s proposal.


    "W-what do you mean, miss? He is a man and you are a girl. You can''t go into the sauna together."


    Nathalia had something in her mind:pete against the half-wolf to see who could stand the longest in the heat of the steam. Still, she hadn''t thought about the side where they would both be half-naked, so her face reddened when she realized it.


    "No, that''s not... t-that''s not what I meant!" She shouted as she ran out with both hands on her face.


    "Whew..." Luke sighed in relief.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to go into a sauna, apanied by a pretty girl, he just doubted he would be able to see her again in a professional manner after that. In the end, the half-wolf went to the sauna alone, and Nathalia locked herself in her room.


    The sauna was on the second floor, it was his first opportunity to be there.


    He knew that Ayumi''s office was on this floor, however, since he hadn''t seen her since she had traveled to Oukiwa, he didn''t see the need to ask anyone''s permission, considering all the other employees were on the second floor.


    As he opened the door, he saw several closets with baskets for his clothes and wooden benches. Although he found it strange that there was already a lot of steaming through the cracks in the door, he wisely deduced: ''Martha must haveid the stones.


    After undressing, Luke wrapped a white towel around his waist and went to rx deservedly, after all, he had worked hard the past week.


    Nathalia was a lot of trouble not because she was weak, but because she needed a lot of support as she acted like a Berserker while her main skills were those of a swordsman.


    "Sigh... Will she ever reduce her bloodlust?"


    Vushh! The dragging of the wooden door made a rubbing sound with the metal of the slide, which was already a bit rusty.


    Among so much steam, it was a little difficult to see anything, and it was also difficult to distinguish smells, what was not difficult was to hear, and he distinctly heard breathing.


    "Huh?" The owner of the panting breath also realized his presence.


    Squeezing his eyes shut, the half-wolf saw a silhouette. Startled, he stepped back and said, "Sorry, I didn''t think the sauna was already upied. I''lle back another time."


    "Ara Ara... Luke, is that you?"


    "Matriarch?"


    "Yes, it''s me."


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to..."


    "I''m already leaving, do you want me to wash your back?" She questioned, emerging in the middle of the steam. Ayumi was wearing a towel, held only by her right hand in front of her beautiful body, however, therge towel could not hide therge volume of her breasts.


    This proposal immediately reminded Luke of that night when Meredith washed his back, so the half-wolf''s heart quickened like never before. Without a second thought, he said, "Could you?" He couldn''t tell you why he could be more audacious with his boss than he was with his childhood friend.


    "Sure,e... sit down."


    Luke sat down on afortable bench, the opposite of the one he used when he lived in the shed. Ayumi ced some more hot stones in a metal box with the help of a tong and then poured water over them. Tchassssh! More steam infested the room.


    Now quite close, Luke could easily hear the breathing of the Matriarch, who was still panting. "Are you okay?" He questioned her because it might have been a while since she had been in the room.


    "Yes..." She replied with her voice a little shaky, then put a sponge against his back.<sub> </sub>


    Ayumi was well impressed with the boy''s physique because he was not like other men: strong, full of muscles and hair. Luke had a well-defined and not at all gaudy body, not to mention his beautiful tail. Every part of his body seemed to have a purpose, and this impression was made even more remarkable by the scars that spread all over his abdomen, chest, and back.


    The Matriarch had to disguise her amazement at the sight of all this and soon began to find the scars charming, as they indicated that even though the boy was quite young, he had a lot of experience.


    ? ''I think Oliver deserves a raise...'' thought the woman, as she rubbed Luke''s back.


    To the half-wolf''s disappointment, nothing else urred. He still hoped that Ayumi would reinforce what she said in the library, and maybe they could seal it with a kiss like the first time, however, nothing happened.


    Ayumi only said as she left, "Come to my office after you are finished. I need you to make a report on your progress."


    After fifteen minutes in the sauna, the half-wolf came out and made his way to the white door with gold details.


    Knock! Knock! The knock on the door alerted the Matriarch, who was already immersed in the documents she needed to check.


    "You may enter!"


    "Excuse me."


    "All right. Have a seat, please." There were piles of documents under the woman''s desk, who was wearing a white dress of light fabric since it was so hot. Behind her was arge window, which caused quite a bit of difort in the half-wolf. "One second and we''ll talk."


    After a few minutes, Ayumi finally seemed to have finished her work and Luke was still sitting in front of her, waiting patiently.


    "Well! How are you guys doing?" She questioned, crossing her fingers on her hands.


    "We''ve alreadypleted eight of the ten missions required to take ss E, Nathalia hasn''t been injured once, and we''re on a passive mission from the Guild Master himself to aplish."


    Passive Missions are those that you don''t have to go out of your way to try to fulfill, whereas Active Missions are the opposite.


    "I see~ Tell me a little about this mission that Zion gave them."


    "The day before I arrived, a group of rookies went missing. Our job is to find this group or find clues as to what urred."


    "Did you find anything?"


    "At first nothing, not even remnants. However, today we found two adventurers trapped in cocoons in a room whose monsters were ss D on floor two. Incidentally, Superior Goblins also appeared in the forest of Vasconcelos, so they may have disappeared before entering the Dungeon."


    "I was already aware of the Goblins... However, this is all very unusual... Perhaps it is happening again..."


    "Again?" Luke questioned, confused.


    Ayumi looked at him with arched eyebrows and said, "Can''t you see the resemnce?"


    "Simrity to what?"


    "The simrity to The Cmity."


    "Ca-what?"


    "You don''t know what The Cmity was?" The Matriarch looked quite amazed as it was hard to believe that a person, with as much experience as Luke, didn''t know about such a historical event. "I''ll exin, but first, go get Nathalia. She deserves to hear this too."

 Chapter 34 Calamity

    After asking Martha to go get Nathalia, Luke waited for the girl at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor.


    When the Elf saw the half-wolf, the blush on her face became even greater. ''Why am I getting embarrassed? He''s just a guard... particrly mine? No, no. He''s not yours... he''s just a friend.'' The thoughts bubbled like champagne in the young woman''s mind.


    "Your mother wants to talk to you."


    Nathalia raised her neck. "My mother? Why?"


    "She wants you to hear about The Cmity or something."


    Still confused, the girl followed the half-wolf into the Matriarch''s room. Nathalia had read a lot about The Cmity, however, she had never heard her mother talk about it.


    When they sat down in front of Ayumi''s desk, the woman began to tell the story:


    "Five hundred years ago, there were not so many Dungeons yet, and the Cardinal Kingdom had not even been founded, the nine kingdoms were plunged into deep disgrace..."


    People began to disappear, and the strength of the monsters inside the Dungeons was so high that the barriers could not hold most of them back.


    Outside, the once fertile soil became sand, and the crops were infested by various pests. The rivers andkes were infested with a ck liquid, and finally, wars for food began. The world was immersed in this terror for fifteen years.


    However, four courageous people managed to circumvent this veritable cmity in the nine kingdoms.


    Demiurge, a shrewd Druid, and avid necromancy researcher saw simrities in the ck liquid that infested thekes with the oil he used in his experiments and found an effective neutralizer. He also discovered ways to reinforce the barriers in Dungeons.


    Hera the Elementalist had legendary earth bending skills, which allowed her to restore many cities that had already fallen into ruins, and she single-handedly built the pirs of the Cardinal Realm.


    The Temr named Arani achieved the feat of winning a war against an entire nation, being the only one in his army, and with his connection to the deity of death, he offered all the souls he killed so that the ground would return to life and the monsters would be calmed. This part of the story is still much debated by atheists today.


    Finally, Leto was such a skilled assassin that little is known about his aplishments or his true identity. He killed many greedy men who took advantage of the moment to profit, which prevented even more misfortunes.


    "Together, this quartet stopped the advance of Cmity, and they never even met. It is said that their powers and abilities were so spectacr, that even the Gods were envious."


    "Easy..." said Nathalia, touching the seasons with her hands. "Didn''t Cmity only happen in the outside world? Nothing in the history books includes the dungeons."


    "Many things happened during The Cmity..." said Ayumi as she rxed her back in her chair. "Some of them too big for us to understand yet."


    As they left the Matriarch''s room, Luke became slightly thoughtful. ''Five hundred years is a long time... Still, to me, this one seems like just a children''s tale.''


    *


    The rest of the day was tedious, and the half-wolf just stayed practicing in the training room with the Elf, as they did almost daily.


    The next morning, Luke and Nathalia went to the Guild to get some feedback from Eliz, about the situation of the rescued. If the redhead was part of the group of missing first-timers, everything would be easier.


    However, luck was not on their side.


    "Eliz ran to the morgue no more than an hour ago. She also asked me to let you know in case you guys showed up." Exined the receptionist.


    "Necrotery? Did something happen?" Luke questioned.


    "Yes, the man you guys saved yesterday is dead."


    "Dead?! What do you mean?" Nathalia asked shocked. "The man seemed fine yesterday. Although he was quite weakened, he managed to keep up with my pace on the way back to the second floor."<sub> </sub>


    "I have no further information, youngdy. She just told me where she was going."


    "Get right there!" shouted a man at the back of the line for service.


    Not wanting to congest the Guild door any further, Luke just asked, "Where is the morgue?"


    Immediately after receiving the instructions of the location of the Necrotery, the pair of ss-F Adventurers went to Eliz, to find out what had happened. Could it have been the spiders'' poison or some side effect?


    Although there was no telling how long the girl and the man spent in the cocoons, it was still likely that it was no more than a few hours.


    In the end, it was a bit difficult to find the Necrotery, because it was well hidden and, in an area, away from the center of the town, to avoid attacks from ultists. Between two alleys, there was a metal gate with a skull on the bottom, which was the symbol the receptionist told them to look for.


    Dum! Dum! The half-wolf mmed the metal gate hard, and a momentter a small door opened, where only two eyes could be seen.


    A man with a thick voice asked, "What do you want?"


    "We are here to talk to Eliz." Answered Luke, inexpressive.


    "There is no one by that name here."


    "Excuse me, Luke," Nathalia said and stepped into the vision of the little gate. The girl, with her bright white hair, red eyes, and pointed ears, looked right into the eyes of the man on the other side of the gate and said, "Either you open this door, or I will put in the mission board the location of the Necrotery."


    The little door closed tightly, and momentster the gate was opened by a man who was over six feet tall. "You are quite brave." He spoke, seriously.


    When Nathalia entered, Luke followed her closely, because no matter that they were not in the Dungeon, he still saw the need to protect her. The environment they entered was quiet and quite cold, which contrasted with the fervor that was in the streets.


    Eliz was walking in circles and gave a closed smile when she saw the Elf and the half-wolf. "You came..."


    "Good morning... What exactly happened?" Nathalia questioned.


    "In the morning, a nurse went to check on Downey, but he was already dead and cut in half..."


    The adventuring duo was left without reaction.


    "What killed him? A poison? A parasite?"


    "It''s impossible to know. The coroner was already drunkte yesterday afternoon, so he could be slumped down an alley... We have to wait for his return, there''s only one coroner in this town."


    That was a too critical situation to wait for so long. If there was only one coroner in a city for so many corpses, it was impossible to know when the results of an eventual necropsy mighte out.


    That left the pair at the mercy of trying to find the coroner, however, the half-wolf had a secret aptitude that he did not expect to reveal unless very necessary.


    "If you will allow me, I can do the necropsy."


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 35 Necropsy

    [Attention! This chapter may be a bit gross for some people, if you don''t feelfortable reading it, choose to skip this chapter and go to the next.]


    "If you allow me, I can do the necropsy."


    If allowed, everyone would save time, it was just too unusual for someone so young to have the ability to read corpses.


    "What are you talking about? We can''t let just anyone mess with a body. That would be disrespectful." Eliz replied, her face entirely frowning.


    "You said he''s cut in half, didn''t you? Aren''t you also afraid that it was a murder?"


    "A murder? Impossible... He was in the building under the Dungeon. There are guards twenty-four hours a day and for every corner."


    Luke lifted his cloak a little as he brought his hand to his chin and began to think.


    ''In case it is a murder... how will that intertwine with the spider event? No, it was likely some kind of poison. But we can''t be sure without at least seeing the corpse...''


    As Luke stood thoughtfully, Nathalia questioned:


    "You said his name was Downey, right? What he was like at the Guild?"


    "Yes. He was twenty-seven and was always at a party with three other close friends and thest quest they took was a side quest that called for thirty inferior goblin tongues."


    "Thirty goblin tongues? But they disappear very quickly, the blow would have to be struck directly on the tongue before they turn to dust."


    "Not exactly. Some items increase the chance that the monster will leave a part of itself behind." The short-haired woman exined. "Anyway, you guys wait here. I''m going to go check to see if anyone at the Guild clinic saw the coroner today. Kriolo will be here at your disposal." Then she pointed to the giant man at the door, the same one who received the half-wolf and the elf.


    Kriolo was the security guard at the Necroterium, and although he had a very sharp, thin mustache, the man could easily be mistaken for just any cksmith. With huge tanned muscles, a sweaty bald head, and a white tank top, the old man intimidated any skinny wizard who tried to enter the ce without permission.


    Before Eliz left, Luke asked her, "Isn''t there some way we can negotiate our way in? I think the situation is too critical and in case it is some kind of poison, an antidote can start to be developed soon."


    The half-wolf was not only interested in the gold coin as a reward for the missing persons'' mission but also in future profits there might be.


    If the culprit really was the ss-D type of giant spider, the market value of their drops would probably increase, and Luke could make quite a bit of money by selling their ws that he had in his bag since the day before.


    The boy''s exnation made Eliz ponder for a few seconds, after all, if there was a ss-D monster with deadly poison, the Guild could make a lot of money from selling the antidotes.


    They were both thinking only of profit.


    "I can make an exception for you... If, and only if... you owe me a favor."


    "A favor?"


    "Yes. When I need it, I will call on you, and you cannot refuse."<sub> </sub>


    ''Is this some custom of the Adventurers?'' Luke thought, after all, thieves didn''t usually owe favors to anyone. In the end, the half-wolf assessed the asion and predicted that he had little benefit.


    "I''m not going to rummage through a corpse for no gain, offer me something too, and maybe I''ll take it."


    "Hmm..." Eliz brought her index finger to her lips and began to think about what she might propose. "I can give you ten percent of the profit from the antidotes if the poison is the culprit. If not, you will be the first choice for a likely mission involving this case."


    Like Zion, Eliz understood that although those two were only two Rank F''s, they had direct ties to the Strogueher family and were about to break the UP record in the Guild.


    Before closing the deal, Luke looked at his partner. The elf was a little fearful for some reason, but seeing the boy looking at her, she gave in and nodded in agreement.


    Since entering the Necropsy Room required an employee, Kriolo reached for the keyring on his belt and pulled out amon key. Fearful, the giant said to Eliz:


    "Madam, if anyone finds out, please don''t include me in this. I have two children to take care of, I can''t be arrested."


    The woman approached him, leaned on his right shoulder with her hand, and spoke with a smile, "I have confidence that this information will not leak, right?"


    Kriolo hid his lips, looked down, and handed her the key. When Eliz opened the door, the coldness chilled the hair on the half-wolf''s ear.


    Nathalia chose not to enter and stayed outside the room, out of respect for the victim and also because she could not deal with the fact that a person, she saved yesterday, was already dead.


    When he entered apanied by Eliz, Luke saw a dark and tightly closed room, whose rotten smell seemed ufortable to him. His sense of smell allowed him to sense the faintest and most delicate smells in the room, including the gases stilling off the dposing bodies.


    Covered by white cloths on the wooden tables in the room were two corpses. The first wasrge and the second was thin.


    As Eliz stopped by the door, Luke felt free to begin. He went to therger body, removed the cloth, and what he saw almost made him vomit in disgust. The boy had seen many corpses before, but none were in the state they were in.


    Cut in half at the belly, Downey''s navel was no longer there. Between the guts and the scattered and scrambled organs, it was easy to see that the cut in his skin was rectilinear, something not at all typical of poisons.


    He looked as if he had been cut in half with a quick and powerful cut, by a de so sharp that it managed to tear through all the fat with ease.


    ''That''s a murder.'' Luke concluded internally, and that pitch changed his perspective on the case. If before he was interested in the value the spiders'' spoils would have, now he wanted to get away from this case.


    An assassin who manages to break into a dungeon facility without alerting anyone and cuts a person in half perfectly was certainly not just anyone.


    However, the half-wolf didn''t stop there. Like a good assassin, he understood that a discreet death would be better than a brutal one like this.


    ''Why cut Downey in half? Why?'' Thousands of possible answers appeared in his mind, yet none seemed sufficient for this asion.


    With rubber gloves that were beside the stretcher, the boy carefully moved a little between the man''s organs and noticed arge hole in his chest cavity.


    Amidst the tulent adores, Luke''s sense of smell picked up a normal smell: paper. Promptly, he slipped his hand into the middle of the man''s organs and withdrew an old parchment.

 Chapter 36 Someones Message.

    "Do you have a strong stomach?" The half-wolf questioned Eliz, who was looking away curiously.


    "Well... Yes?"


    Luke called her close with his right hand, whose rubber glove was already entirely red with blood, and when the woman approached, he showed that he was holding a scroll inside Downey''s body.


    However, there was one important detail: a small metal wire was tied to the paper, already pulled by the boy. Fearing it was the wire of a trap, the woman said:


    "Easy... That is, isn''t it?"


    "It probably is." Luke said, nodding, "Go to his mouth and open it slowly."


    Even with trepidation, Elizplied with the request, went to the man''s mouth, and as requested, opened the jaw of Downey''s corpse.


    ''He must have had a nice smile...'' She thought when she saw the man''s white, lined teeth. Whenever she caught a glimpse of him around the guild, he was wearing the helmet of his armor, which cast quite a shadow on his face.


    When she opened his mouth and could also see the dead man''s tongue, she noticed a string tied to his tongue and a tiny scroll. ''Whew, it''s not a trap...'' Eliz thought, reassured.


    "There''s just another scroll here." The woman said to the half-wolf.


    "Sigh... I''ll take this one out then." He sighed in relief and spoke.


    It was not difficult to remove the rolled-up paper. By the edges, the boy and the woman slowly moved it around, still a little fearful, and removed it slowly.


    Knowing he couldn''t read it, Luke didn''t even try and just held out the parchment to the woman.


    Eliz didn''t catch the possibility that the boy couldn''t read, so she thought he was being courteous and respecting her authority. She smiled as she took the paper from his hand and began to read the message written in scribbled, almost illegible letters:


    [Can you see me in the dark? Look closely, and you will see that I am watching you].


    The macabre message could be interpreted in many ways, and the first thing Luke said when he heard it was:


    "Poor guy... someone used him to try to prove something." The half-wolf, for the first time since learning of Downey''s death, felt free to mourn his death.


    "Such a brutal murder¡­What''s the reason?" Eliz said, looking at the body beside her, whose guts were exposed.


    Luke covered the man''s body again. "Read the smaller one, please."


    The woman carefully opened the small paper that was gooey and smelly. Eliz almost couldn''t believe it when she saw the contents and turned to see front and back again and again. "There is only one ''J'' written on it." She said incredulously.


    Using her opposable thumbs and index fingers, she disyed the paper, and there was only a ''J'' and a faintly bloody fingerprint.


    Luke took it carefully and brought the paper up to his nose. If there were any remnants of the killer''s scent, he could tell when he was close. Sniff! Sniff! He sniffed twice and held the odor some time in his system.


    "Nothing, there is just a strong smell of stomach acid."


    "Sigh..." Eliz sighed loudly and stowed the two scrolls in a pouch on her belt, simr to the one Luke had. "Wait! Does the message say ''Dark''?" She wondered and took therger paper out of the pouch and started reading it again.


    The boy was confused and just wanted to get out of that ce as fast as possible, after all, there was now an assassin and Nathalia was alone in the other room.


    "That''s it!" Afraid, she eximed and grabbed Luke''s clothes, "There''s a ce called ''Dark'' in Vasconcelos."<sub> </sub>


    "What? A ce?"


    "Yes! It''s near the port... and it was a drug-selling point until a few months ago. Today, it is empty, so maybe there could be stuff there... You agreed to be the first choice for an eventual mission, this is your chance, will you take it?"


    The half-wolf turned around, opened the door, and said seriously, "One part of me wants to solve this, and the other part asks me not to get involved. If my partner wants to, we can try to find this killer, if not, we''ll reject it and keep looking for the missing."


    "She''s just a girl, are you going to want to involve her in this?"


    Luke ignored her and left the autopsy room. Although he knew he would gain visibility from this mission, he still wanted to discover the mystery behind the grim messages.


    The elf upon seeing herpanion stood up from the chair in which she was sitting. "So, were you able to figure out the type of poison?"


    "It wasn''t a poison."


    Nathalia bit her lips and looked down, even more frustrated. Murder was not quite what she had hoped for in her second week as an adventurer.


    "Do you want to go back to the quests? There are two more to go before you reach ss E."


    "Or would you rather find and punish the murderer?" Eliz intruded on the conversation.


    Looking at Luke, the girl couldn''t tell which of the two options he wished to pursue because he was as expressionless as he usually was. Since he rarely expressed his desires, Nathalia knew that she would have to decide that on her own as well.


    ''Arrest an assassin or fulfill two ss F missions? Urghh... No, I have to think about which will increase my glory more. If what Eliz said is true, the murder took ce in a guild building, and solving this case would guarantee me some recognition, no? But my mother is part-owner of this Dungeon and sponsor of the guild. That wouldn''t be a good idea for our image...''


    Taking all the time she needed to think, Nathalia considered several different possibilities and scenarios before making her decision, after all, she received mentoring for just such situations. Despite her desire to get justice, she feared the consequences of this for her family.


    ''How do the spiders, the Upper Goblins, and this murder connect? I have to find out!''


    Seeing the elf''s red eyes burn in determination, Luke didn''t wait for her to answer, he turned and said to Eliz, "We''re going to the Dark."


    "Dark?" Confused, Nathalia inquired.


    "The killer left two clues, but I''ll exin that on the way. Now, we should go." Luke said to the girl. "Eliz, where is this Dark One?"


    "Near the docks, there is a tavern, called Cat''s Eyes, next to it is an alley that will lead to a small square in the middle a few blocks away. This square is the Dark."


    The half-wolf nodded to him and started to leave.


    "Don''t forget to go to the Dungeon to report back if you find anything relevant."


    Without further dy, the pair of ss F Adventurers left the Necrotarium. However, they still did not know how difficult this mission would be, which wouldpletely change the worldviews of both the Elf and the half-wolf.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 37 Cats Eyes.

    In a very short time, Nathalia and Luke arrived at the outskirts of the docks. Since it was still rtively early, there was no movement of people.


    "How are we going to find the tavern Eliz mentioned?" Nathalia questioned.


    The half-wolf remained inexpressive and quiet for a few seconds. She knew he looked like that when he was thinking of some n, however, this time he surprised her once again when he said:


    "Come, I found alcohol smell." And he took her by the hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.


    "H-hey! What are you doing?" She whispered, embarrassed, restraining herself from speaking loudly.


    "In case the killer shows up, we can pretend we''re a couple of lost adventurers." Luke exined calmly, "Now squeeze into my arm and let''s go."


    The girl''s face was still reddening, she tried to pull herself together and hugged the boy''s right arm.


    The half-wolf shivered when he felt the girl''s voluminous breasts tuck into his muscles and had to concentrate as much as possible on the burning smell of alcohol, so as not to lose it.


    The alleys in that area had no sidewalk and, to Luke, resembled the infertile terrain of the Oukiwa suburbs. Even the rotten architecture of the houses was simr, due to the old timbers and broken windows.


    When they finally managed to get close to the heady odor, the pair saw arge sign, held up by a rusty chain. On the que was a drawing of a mug of beer, and on it was written: Cat''s Eyes.


    Next to the tavern was a dark alley whose aura was dark and gloomy.


    Nathalia and Luke exchanged nces, and she said: "This is it, isn''t it?"


    "As per Eliz''s instructions, yes, it is." The half-wolf replied, still holding the girl''s hand. "Would you rather go quietly, or do we give ourselves away on a tter?"


    "L-let''s keep it that way. There may still be residents here, and if they see people on the rooftops, they may end up alerting them, and I''m guessing the killer won''t be here, sitting in a chair while he waits for us." The girl tried to exin herself dashingly, her voice much louder than it should have been.


    "Shhh... Quiet."


    "Sorr¡ª" Luke pulled her by the hand, without at least asking permission, and held her by the waist. "What?" The girl muttered with a blush on her face.


    "Shhhh!"


    Countless footsteps entered the Cat''s Eyes street and alerted the attentive ears of the half-wolf. The clumsy tapping of their feet on the earth made little noise, the opposite of their voices, which were quite loud.


    "Don''t you guys find that Junior annoying?!"


    "Yes! He believes he is the big boss just because he owns the ball. Tsk!"


    "Do you think he''ll be okay?"


    "He sure is, it''s just a little bruise."


    At that moment, the trio of teenagers passed under the tavern sign and also down the alley that led into the dark. ncing around, they saw two silhouettes very close together.


    "Hehehe... were they picking each other up?"


    "I don''t know, do you want to go back and see?"<sub> </sub>


    "Not me, I''m not a pervert."


    The three boys went on their way while giggling.


    When they walked away, Nathalia and Luke were red with embarrassment. Although they didn''t kiss, their cheeks were glued together for a few seconds.


    "Shall we g-go away?" Luke said, tossing a small lock of hair behind his ear, embarrassed.


    The elf didn''t say anything, just turned her face away and started down the dark, musty alley, which was quite long and meandering. Although it was a gathering of many blocks, no other alley cut off the path to the Dark One, merely a few doors, and windows, however. The concrete wall made it look like a death row.


    As soon as they reached what seemed to be the end of the tortuous path, the adventurous duo saw arge square where some children were ying ser. Still, the children were not the first thing that stole the attention of the two, because there was arge sentence written on a wall:


    "Chaos is just beginning. Chaos will reign." Nathalia read aloud.


    "Hey, kids! Do youe here a lot?" Luke stepped forward and inquired.


    All the boys and girls were very thin and dirty, yet they seemed to be enjoying themselves until the half-wolf alerted them.


    "Why do you want to know?" One of them asked, looking much braver than the others.


    "I don''t know... maybe I can give this bag with a hundred silver coins to whoever helps me..." said the half-wolf, at the same time taking from his belt a small bag, making a tinkling sound.


    The braver child slowly approached and tried to be quick to grab the bag, but Luke made the bag disappear in just one movement.


    "Uff... I''ll help you, what do you want?" He questioned after snorting.


    "That phrase right there, when it appeared?" Then the boy pointed to therge sentence written on the wall in white ink.


    "Hmm... it wasn''t here yesterday. We are weirded out too, but here in the ghetto, there''s always some nut job. When it''s not the religious fanatics, it''s the church. I just think it''s a little unnecessary to write that here."


    "Diggo, aren''t you going to tell them?" A girl with dirty dark hair approached.


    "Tell them what? Come on, get out of here, I''ve told them everything I know." Said the brave boy. "Unless he is willing to give a hundred and fifty silver coins, then maybe I know a little more."


    The half-wolf stood up and now up close, the boy realized how great the height difference between them was. With his bright yellow eyes shaded by his hood, the boy looked serious and asked:


    "Do you usually keep your words?"


    The boy merely nodded frantically.


    "Agreed, then." And he held out his right hand to Diggo.


    The other five children in the sextet smiled excitedly and whispered among themselves, exchanging happy smiles.


    Luke understood well how much a hundred silver coins could change the lives of children like these overnight, so he didn''t feel like bargaining or bullying money to get free information. With this money, they could eat whatever they wanted or buy new clothes.


    Diggo took the sleeve of the boy''s tunic and led him to a nearby barrel. As Luke approached, he smelled the odor of blood, and it was obvious that the smell wasing from the barrel.

 Chapter 38 The Barrel

    Before opening the lid of the barrel, Luke looked at the skinny boy next to him, Diggo, and held out a coin bag with one hundred and fifty silver coins.


    Diggo opened it with both hands, and the half-wolf let go of the bag. Tlinc! The coins made a noise as theynded in the boy''s palms.


    "Thank you soo much!" The brat said, excitedly.


    "Thanks!" The other kids shouted too, except for the short, dark-haired girl, who still had her arms in front of her belly.


    Luke ignored her and turned his attention to the barrel in front of him, whose smell of blood was quite faint. He took the wooden lid and opened the barrel, inside there was watery blood and the smell became a little more ufortable.


    A few red limbs were floating on the blood-soaked water. Without difficulty, Nathalia recognized the limbs like those of an ordinary Kobold from the first floor. Among ws, feet, and hands, the small lizard head was the item that caught her eye the most.


    With dragon-like scales with an elongated snout, it was noticeable that the mouth was tied by an already worn rope.


    "Stand back." Ordered Luke to the children. "You too, miss." The children and Nathalia promptly stepped back a little but were still looking curiously at the barrel.


    The half-wolf, without even feeling fear, stuck his hand into the bloody water and picked up the kobold''s head. When he lifted it out of the barrel, the head still pigging a bit, the children moved a little further away, muttering things like:


    "Urghh..."


    "Ah, gross."


    Luke began to unwind the rope that wrapped around the monster''s snout. Since it was already quite weak, it snapped with minimal force. As soon as the half-wolf opened the kobold''s mouth, huge teeth revealed themselves and, between them, another wet scroll.


    Looking into the elf''s eyes, Luke handed her the parchment, then looked at the children and asked:


    "Did any of you see who left this barrel here?"


    Everyone in the group denied with their heads, however, the same girl from before stepped forward.


    "Yesterday, w-when I was walking back to my house, a b-big man passed by me. He was holding a k-keg over his shoulder and also whistling excitedly, with a smile on his face. At the time, I thought he was j-just a delivery man, but then Diggo opened the barrel today and found all this blood." The girl exined.


    Diggo stepped forward as well. "Since we didn''t want to get in trouble, we just closed the barrel and stayed to y ser as usual."


    "Okay kids, but now this area is dangerous, stay away for a few weeks," Nathalia said and tossed a gold coin into the air.


    A chubbier boy caught up and ran off down the path that led to Cat''s Eyes. The other children, frantic, started running after him as they shouted:


    "Give me that, Beto!"


    "Hey, she gave the coin to all of us!"


    "I''m not giving it away ever, this here will change my life."


    At the same time, Luke looked indignantly at the Elf. ''Did those kids just earn the same thing I earn a month?'' he thought.


    Nathalia noticed his look and opened the scroll, to disguise her embarrassment. However, after so many open scrolls, that one should have remained closed forever. When unrolled, the paper flew out of the Elf''s hand.<sub> </sub>


    "Huh? W-what do you mean?!" She was confused as she felt paper being pulled from her hand by an unknown force.


    Suddenly, not only was the paper floating but so was the water in the barrel. As if gravity didn''t exist, the liquid flew at an absurd speed to near the paper.


    Even faster than the watery blood, Luke reacted and threw a throwing knife in the direction of the paper to end that ritual before it could bepleted. Vushh! The knife cut through the air, however, the liquid entered the front of the paper and caught the knife.


    The half-wolf didn''t give up and quickly set his other three knives, meanwhile, Nathalia was still in shock. Witnessing his four throwing knives being defended, Luke took the girl by thep and jumped back. "Wake up! We don''t have time to get afraid."


    Nathalia blinked hard twice, and her pupils returned from the emotional dtion. The red-eyed elf, who was born a knight within the Dungeon, was not the same when surprised.


    The watery blood did not focus the pair, in fact, he took advantage of the fact that there was no one in his way, to finish his transformation. The Kobold''s limbs, which had previously been floating in the water of the barrel and were now in the liquid, began to grow supernaturally and in moments reached a size ten timesrger than normal.


    <strong>¡ª Simultaneously, in the vicinity of the docks. ¡ª</strong>


    "Lizz, do you believe we are close?" Jean Pollo questioned, apprehensive. Muddy streets were not quite the category of ce he was used to.


    "Ah... what an unusual reactioning from you. Hehe! At the Academy, you were so strict and here you are looking like a fearful teenager." The woman with the pointed hat replied.


    The man stopped, straightened his spine bent out of fear, and looked into Lizz''s rose eyes.


    "You''re not the same shy girl you used to be, either."


    "Of course, silly... My breasts have grown!"


    The woman had huge breasts and also wore very daring clothes. Despite the cloak that covered her upper body, she was wearing an almost transparent pantyhose, which further provoked the men and women who looked on. Jean Pollo was not left out, so he swallowed her pride and looked at Lizz''s arm.


    ''We''ve known each other for a while, she won''t think it''s weird if I take it, right? It''s not as I lik¡ª''


    BOOMM! A stone wall exploded the moment he tried to grab the woman''s arm.


    With his ears hissing, Jean''s vision was severely blurred from the shock against the wall, which he was propelled into, and also from the dust in the enclosure.


    "What was that?" He wondered, with considerable pain in his spine.


    A momentter, his question was answered. A few inches ahead, he saw Lizz fall unconscious. There was bleeding on her forehead, and the liquid was already running down into her eye. That vision of blood running down the skin of his former ssmate''s face seemed tost for minutes, hours.


    However, something interrupted this haunting vision. The blood on Lizz''s head began to float, in an impossible and illogical way. In a sh, the blood flowed to something else that was floating above the debris of the exploding wall.


    Looking further up, Jean could see the personification of the horror stories he used to hear from his grandfather. The Spirit of Vengeful Blood was in front of him.


    ______


    p Discord for illustrations of the characters:</anda>


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 39 The Blood Spirit (Part 1)

    A red-figure, an ethereal and impossible existence, an abomination of nature. Formed by the blood of a kobold, the Blood Spirit had four long arms, the front two of which were together, as if the aberration were praying, and the back arms pointed downward and dropped.


    Without eyes, nose, or mouth, the Spirit''s feature was unptable and abnormal. There was no longer any trace of the kobold''s head because all of its skin had been torn off and the scales formed the crown that was on the monster''s head now.


    When Jean saw the creature above him, he did not react as he was startled. Soon after, he realized that the Spirit was not targeting him, but other people who were on the rooftops just above him.


    Luke was still astonished at everything that had happened. The watery blood that came out barreled, turned into a kind of haunting and any attack was not affecting it, to make it worse, the spirit only turned solid when it attacked and then returned to its liquid state.


    "Huf, huf... This is going to be a huge problem..." The half-wolf concluded, panting. Then he looked at the elf beside him, the girl was still staring in awe at the blood figure. "Can you keep up with me?"


    Nathalia lingered a few moments, then realized that the questioning was for her. "Yes, I think so..."


    It wasn''t the first time Luke had seen her act like this, it was the same when she saw the Superior Goblins. Outside the Dungeon, Nathalia was losing all her confidence to fight monsters.


    "No, you can''t. Focus on helping the injured and stay out of the fight. I can fight him." Luke said, sounding impatient for the first time.


    "Injured?!"


    "In the wreckage of the wall. Have a focus."


    The girl looked down and saw a woman in witch''s clothing, slumped over and apparently unconscious. Next to her was a dark-skinned, yellow-eyed man, who was staring at the Blood Spirit.


    Withoutint, the girl jumped down andnded next to Jean Pollo, who was startled by the noise of Nathalia''s arrival.


    "Are you hurt?" The Elf questioned him, serious and, at the same time, crestfallen for not having the strength to fight the monster.


    "I''m N-not... Please focus on helping Lizz!" He shouted as he stood up.


    The man was wearing high-ss clothes: a burgundy social vest under a ck shirt, with a striped tie, not to mention the pocket watch chain that was sticking out of his vest pocket.


    He sure wasn''t just anyone and Nathalia knew that, yet she decided to keep acting.


    "Run and call for help from the guild and all the adventurers you can!" The girl gave the order.


    "But... but, I can help!"


    Tlimc! Tlimc! The jingles of Luke''s curved sword strikes, which were trying to greedily wound the Spirit, were suppressed by the liquid. As all the attacks passed straight through, only the slight resistance of the water did not slow him down in any way.


    Those watching from the outside saw only a few blurs and the creature, looking from side to side, lost.


    "What are you people still doing here? Go get some help!" Luke shouted to Nathalia and Jean, who was still standing a few feet below the monster. "I''m getting his attention!"<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf did not stop attacking and gave the monster no rest, because it feared the next transformation, as urred the first time.


    "Do you still think you can help?" Nathalia questioned Jean with disdain.


    The rich man knew that his strength and speed did not evenpare to that of the man fighting the Spirit, yet as a public servant of the city of Vasconcelos, he felt obliged to help in the face of such a situation.


    Before the man could respond, the Elf went over to Lizz, quickly analyzed her medical situation, concluded that it was not critical, and threw her over his shoulder.


    "Come on, there are no excuses. Being here you will only get in the way!"


    Using the ''As Force'' skill, Nathalia doubled her natural strength and began to run away.


    Jean Pollo hesitated for a few seconds, however, she soon began to follow the girl carrying her friend.


    ''Now I can focus on strikes that might do some damage.'' Luke thought.


    Even though he was not the smart type of man, the half-wolf had strong survival instincts and that alone guaranteed some insights.


    Immune to physical attacks, the Spirit was certainly weaker to magical attacks, the problem was that the only magical ability the half-wolf had, was the ''Normal Inventory'' ability, as he had no idea how to use it and wouldn''t like it either, he gave up before trying to use the magic.


    "I don''t have time to think about such nonsense now..." He whispered and brandished his sword forward, ready to deliver another useless attack.


    Sharply perceiving what his antagonist''s attack would look like, Spirit stood solid and raised his back arms.


    Luke couldn''t hold back his smile, because he could hardly believe that creature was so dumb.


    "If you get solid, it will be easier to kill you," spoke the half-wolf, setting off on top of the creature.


    His steps on the old, cracked tiles made almost no noise, and his running pose seemed naturally streamlined. With moderate momentum, Luke leaped to hit the monster, which was floating two and a half meters away.


    Thuncr! The curved sword managed to sessfully skewer the Spirit. Seizing the moment of sess, Luke used a little more force to spin the creature in the air and threw the creature towards the ground.


    The thunderous crash of that creature, whose body closely resembled a ruby, raised a curtain of smoke and destroyed the walls of the surrounding houses. Under the debris that its impact created, the creature rose again, and in the hole in its chest, created by the blow of Luke''s sword, pointed crystals formed and filled it.


    "That little shit is immortal?" Luke inquired, frustrated because the only way he knew how to hurt the creature, proved useless.


    For the first time in his life, Luke felt that he would not be able to defeat a monster on his own. Although the Spirit had a rtively low aurapared to Luke''s, the half-wolf did not feel he had the ability to be able to kill the creature.


    ustomed to following orders and executing other people''s ns, Luke knew how to be an excellent task performer, but he is a terrible strategist.

 Chapter 40 The Blood Spirit (Part 2)

    "Is your friend going to be okay? I mean, that thing is too strong!" Jean questioned Nathalia, as she slowed the pace of her running.


    "Uff... Luke is one of the strongest people I know. He sure is as strong as any ss B. Rest assured."


    The mtto-skinned man''s eyes sparkled after hearing the girl''s answer because he knew there were less than ten thousand ss B Adventurers in the entire world, so that dark figure must be quite strong to match up to one.


    p "If he''s as strong as a ss B, what rank is he? Upper C?"</anda>


    "We''re ss F," Nathalia said with a smile.


    The rich man''s face darkened on the spot, like someone who had just had his confidence crumbled. Still, he knew the Elf was no ordinary civilian, after all, she was carrying Lizz at the same time she was running, so the mystery man might not be either.


    "Keep up with me, we have to run to the Guild." Spoke Nathalia, a little breathless.


    "To the Guild? No... it''s too far away!"


    Nathalia stopped, put Lizz down, and said: "Then take care of her here and wait for rescue. I''m going to the Guild!"


    "Wait, I have a much better solution in mind!" Jean shouted, interrupting the Elf''s onught.


    "I''m listening."


    *


    Because of the Blood Spirit''s rapid regeneration when in the physical state, and the creature''sck of physical and magical strength, Luke''s instincts warned him that the Spirit was not in its full state.


    ''What do I do now?'' he wondered, as he saw the monstering towards him, slowly. ''Fuck it, I''m going to cut this thing down until it can no longer regenerate.''


    The half-wolf knew that the physical blows of that mysterious being could not be ignored, not least because he was able to destroy a wall with ease, however, there was no alternative but to face him head-on.


    So, Luke dived from the building toward the monster, his sword ready to strike a blow.


    The Spirit put his arm in front of him, and thus he was easily severed. In the end, the de that Ynosuke gave as a gift to Luke, was great.


    This meeting of the de with the creature''s arm generated a strong draught, which knocked a few tiles out of ce.


    Just like the lost limbs of the Dungeons monsters, the right rear arm, turned into a kind of ck dust, that in midair disappeared.


    Tum! Lukended on the ground and immediately looked up. A meter and a half above him, the creature was standing still, and momentster another arm grew in ce of the one forcibly torn off.


    ''Damn, I have to be faster!''


    The half-wolf did not give up, quite the contrary, seeing that his opponent was formidable, he began to get excited. Many more blows were made, several arms were cut off within minutes, and the creature did not get out of the physical state once. Finally, all the results were the same: the Blood Spirit was still intact.


    Lateral, bteral, multiple, diagonal cuts... nothing worked. When Luke thought the problem was his speed, he adapted. When he believed that his strength was the issue this time, he doubled it.


    The monster was also learning the half-wolf''s movements because sometimes it came very close to hitting him.


    "Huf... Humph... If I get hit by him, my instincts tell me I won''t be intact... Unless..." A possibility crossed his mind. "Okay, I have to test it."<sub> </sub>


    Luke was still unsure if his throwing knives were still in the creature, and also if the parchment hadn''te apart inside, so he wanted to somehow find them.


    As the blows to the limbs had no favorable results, the half-wolf began to focus his blows on the creature''s chest, aiming to find remnants of those items absorbed by the watery liquid from before.


    The curved sword, when went through any part of the creature''s body, would roll back and strike the same spot again, so as not to let the Spirit regenerate.


    by doing it, Luke learned that this was useless as the damage was almost nullpared to the creature''s rapid regeneration.


    Instead of the Spirit having its restructuring suppressed, it appeared to be much more elerated.


    ''It''s not working... the problem here wasn''t the speed. He''s simply too resistant to physical attacks.''


    The half-wolf was already aware that in the Dungeon there were monsters resistant to physical attacks, such as evil spirits and other categories of almost intangible monsters, but it was out of imagination that he would encounter such a strong type outside the Dungeon.


    ''Okay, I''m going to try to rip your head off now. So, make sure you keep your head down, so you don''t let the crown fall off, princess.'' Luke joked with the creature internally.


    However, the boy didn''t have time to start his next round of blows at the creature, because his ears picked up a unique and characteristic vibrationing toward him.


    Zing! An arrow whizzed past between the Spirit and the half-wolf, narrowly missing hitting Luke''s saber.


    As the buzzing vibration came from the right, Luke immediately turned in this direction and saw an elf, with white hair and green eyes, whose dark skin contrasted with therge, white bow in her hand.


    Quickly, Luke jumped backward twice and stopped under a chimney.


    The elf quickly took another arrow from her quiver and fired, this time in the direction of the creature, and the arrow came nowhere near hitting. "Tsk! Slow targets are very unpredictable..." She clicked her tongue and spoke.


    "Who are you?!" Luke shouted at her.


    The woman looked at him in confusion, arched only her right eyebrow, then opened her mouth in surprise. "What are you doing here? Civilians shouldn''t be in abat area."


    Vupt! The Spirit tried tond a slow blow on the half-wolf, which was easily deflected with just a leg rollback. However, the punch had enough force to make the wind generated by it, blow the half-wolf''s hood off.


    "What are you talking about?!" Luke questioned.


    "We were alerted that there was a monster here, what is happening?!" The elf exined, nervously.


    Then a hand touched the woman''s shoulder and a boy appeared behind her. Demonstrating a lunatic grin, the short man with long white hair and dark skin, shouted:


    "Get out of the way, you dumb asshole! I''m the one who''s going to kill that bloody stupid monster!"


    Then, as if he could teleport, the boy appeared just above the Spirit, and with a right jab with his veryrge gauntlet, he hit the monster so hard that it buried him in the building below. Brooooooom!


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 41 Hunter Owls

    Due to the agile reflex of the half-wolf, he managed to pull away with a backward leap, before the boy''s punch hit the spirit and created a hole in the building.


    "Get out of the way, you dumbass!" The boy, with white hair andrge fangs, shouted at Luke right after the punch.


    "Who are you?!" Luke insisted on the question since he didn''t want to confuse the situation or end up attacking those angry little guys.


    "Huh!?" From the brat''s exmation, it looked like Luke had justmitted a crime. "We''re from the Hunter Owls n, dammit!"


    "Who?"


    "You''re an idio¡ª" Barrommm! The building below the two boys'' feet began to resound. "What the fuck is that now? I''m sure I blew that turd''s head off."


    "He''s immune to physical attacks, asshole!" said Luke with his back to the boy as he stepped off the shaking roof.


    "How dare you to call me an ass¡ª" Barroooomm! The rumbling got even more intense. "Ah, fuck!" stressed, the boy jumped into the hole next to him.


    ''He''s an idiot...'' Luke thought.


    Secondster, everything went quiet and even the building stopped shaking, however, unlike the archer who was proud of his brother, Luke already knew what was happening.


    On the third floor of the building, the creature was choking the boy''s neck with the crushing force of only one arm.


    ''It''s impossible.. Am I really gonna die like this¡­?'' The boy thought while his awareness of the surroundings started to get shaky and inurate. His thoughts were shuffling, and his greatest desires were bubbling up at that moment.


    *


    From the sound the muscles in the boy''s throat made, gasping for ar, Luke knew what was about to happen. The boy was dying.


    "Sigh... let''s go then..." spoke the half-wolf and jumped into the hole as well. Already knowing the location of his opponent, he left his sword ready for a sh during the fall, and gravity doubled his strength.


    Vumm! Shack! The Spirit''s arm was ripped off and the boy was released. Within moments, Lukended, caught the little irritant, and delivered a right kick to the monster''s stomach, repelling it backward.


    "Cof... Cof..." The boy coughed, leaning on Luke''s shoulder, "W-who the hell are you man?"


    Hastily, Luke threw himself through one of the windows of that industrial building, which seemed to be abandoned, grabbed the trim from it, and propelled himself upward toward the building the archer was in.


    In the elf''s vision, the half-wolf was almost flying, and after she noticed her brother in his arms, she was stunned.


    After Lukended, she dropped her bow aside and ran toward him, "What happened? Where''s the monster?"


    As if by fate, the red figure floated out of the same hole in the roof of the building that was made by his fall.


    "Hurgh... He''s not a normal monster..." said the irritated one, with his hand on his throat.


    "Stay away and go call the Guild for help. This monster seems to be immune to physical attacks, we need mages or a bunch of warriors. I''ll distract him. Go!." spoke the half-wolf, afraid that these two geniuses might get in his way as well.


    "Ah, fuck it..." The elf went to her bow, took a pointless arrow from her quiver, and shot high into the air.


    Zimm! The arrow flew up to a certain height and as it started to fall, it exploded. Boom! A vivid red ink could be seen.<sub> </sub>


    "Why the fuck are you gonna call them?!" The irritated one inquired, going at the woman, but Luke held him by the shoulder.


    "It doesn''t matter now, I''ll just focus on the monster. If you''re not going away, at least don''t make trouble." the half-wolf said, squeezing the boy''s shoulder hard, to make a clear message. ''If only Nathalia were here, we could enjoy her sorcery...''


    Believing that the two white-haired people would stand still, Luke began to run towards the Spirit, so that it would not have time to transform again.


    Tap! Tap! The tapping of footsteps, despite being stealthy, got the Spirit''s attention.


    However, secondster, dozens of people with blue cloaks under their shoulders suddenly appeared. Flumm! The fluttering of their cloaks produced the sound that had announced their arrival.


    That surprised Luke, who could not hear any footsteps or breathing other than his own.


    ''What''s going on?!'' Luke wondered, seeing all those figures with their knees bent, illuminated by the burning summer sun.


    Most of them carried species of bows, some long, some short, and even some crossbows. In mid-air, they all shot in one rhythm. ZIMMM! Their arrows hissed in unison.


    But they were not normal arrows, but distinctly magical ones. A curtain of steam rose around the monster, and then all the archers had time tond on the rooftops.


    Seeing that there were many more allies now, Luke gave a smile and shouted at the same moment he started running, "Keep firing!"


    The man whonded next to him eximed, "Be careful with the arrows!"


    Before the smoke had time to subside, another batch of arrows was fired. Many of them were inurate so Luke had to dodge some and even got hit by one in the shoulder, but there were those that hit precisely. Trunck! Shunk! The sound of their crunching, on Spirit''s hardened skin, let the half-wolf know where he was.


    With one blow in the air, Luke scattered all the smoke to see his target and then propelled himself, using the strength of his right foot, and with one swift stroke, drove the sword into the Spirit''s head.


    [Sun Apparition dead, Monster Core obtained.]


    ''Was it just to have focused on the head from the beginning?'' Luke thought, after all, he had put in a lot of effort, managed to take the monster''s limbs many times, and knew that he had the opportunity to cut off the creature''s head earlier, only he assumed that it would also regenerate.


    p! p! p! The people on the rooftops began to cheer, for each other, not for Luke, as they celebrated with hugs and smiles.


    "We did it!"


    "Wasn''t that too easy?"


    "Who cares? We killed a monster outside the Dungeon, we''ll be city heroes tomorrow!"


    "Let''s fucking go!" The stressed-out boy was celebrating along with it.


    Right after looking around, Luke took the sword from the head of that Sun Apparition. Thunck! The creature''s body, crystallized, immediately began to crumble.


    ''Monsters have no consciousness anyway... If it had continued in liquid form, it would be immune to almost all my attacks, but it preferred to use the form in which it had a chance to hurt me.''


    By the time the four arms were gone, an item fell to the ground, actually the fraction of an item. Luke bent down to pick it up and in his hand was now a torn piece of paper, a message he could not understand.


    "Was you who dealt the final blow to the creature?" A thick voice questioned,ing from the half-wolf''s back.

 Chapter 42 The First Core

    "Was you who dealt the final blow to the creature?" A thick voice questioned,ing from the half-wolf''s back.


    When Luke turned back, he saw a man with blue hair, a broad chin, and a thinning beard. His serious look was highlighted by the huge dark circles under his eyes.


    "Yes? Literally, less than a minute ago." He replied, confused.


    "Erghh..." A strange mood was infesting the ce, as the man stood still and stared at the boy. "you are¡­?"


    "I am?"


    "I-I mean... who are you?"


    Right after the question, the two angry little white-haired men approached in a huff. The woman was putting on a blue cloak simr to those people from the reinforcements wore.


    Analyzing the situation, Luke knew that he had no reason to run away, after all, he was the one who killed the monster himself and had witnesses to its appearance, there was no way they could confuse things, right?


    "I''m Luke." He replied, being as short as possible.


    The man arched his eyebrows in surprise, then crossed his arms, still not satisfied. He was wearing a blue yukata, whose thin fabric resembled the capes of the people around him.


    "Are you gonna just tell us your name?" The white-haired elf inquired, still holding the bow in her right hand.


    "First tell to me who you are, and maybe, I''ll tell you more about me," Luke spoke, maintaining his characteristic inexpressive look.


    "We are from the Hunter Owls n. My name is Kristofer, and I am the n leader." The blue-haired man introduced himself and extended his hand, with a closed, unobtrusive smile.


    Luke shook his hand tightly and felt that the man''s aura was in another level, one much greater than his own.


    "I am Brigitte, and he is Solveig, we are siblings." said the archer, who pointed with her left hand to the foul-mouthed boy, who was frowning and with his arms crossed further to the corner.


    Although Solveig was muttering things only to himself, like a picky teenager, Luke could hear everything.


    "You fucking asshole... you stole my glory, my fame... If I had defeated the monster alone, without the help of the guild... I would be consecrated..."


    "Who called them here?" Luke questioned Brigitte because she was the first to arrive, and he was sure that, despite the explosion of the wall, the creature had not made that much noise.


    "A girl and a man called us. She was carrying a mage in her arms."


    ''Nathalia? Yeah, it can only be her, the number matches perfectly.'' Luke concluded.


    Even though Nathalia did not obey the half-wolf''s orders in the Dungeon, he understood that this was because he was not hired to be a leader but a watchdog, although he was d that she understood the situation this time.


    "Well, I have to go to the Guild to make a report, if you want more information, ask the Guild Master," said Luke, after seeing thest fractions of the monster disperse.


    With a simple nod, the boy said goodbye and left at an absurd speed that startled everyone who saw him leave.


    "Is he dangerous, leader?" Brigitte questioned. The woman''s hair fluttered in the wind generated by the half-wolf''s momentum.


    "Are you kidding?! He''s a half-beast, of course, he''s dangerous," Solveig said.


    Soon after that, Kristofer cast an unhappy look at the boy, who tried to close his mouth but still looked down indignantly.


    "I will ask for a meeting with Zion... there is something strange hovering towards the town, I can feel it."


    In the distance, in the middle of summer, dark clouds gathered near the mountains, and a cold wind rustled in the streets near the harbor. Vuuuum!<sub> </sub>


    Luckily, the draft brought Luke a recognizable scent and within minutes, he was already beside his prot¨¦g¨¦ again.


    Apanying Nathalia was Jean Pollo, who formally introduced himself this time, and also tried to find out what exactly the Blood Spirit was. The half-wolf, just as he had done with Kristofer, instructed him to look for the guild.


    "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Luke inquired Nathalia after they left the private clinic where Lizz stayed.


    "Y-yes, I''m fine." The elf, embarrassed, replied by turning her face away. "How did it go with the Beast? Did you manage to kill him?"


    The half-wolf looked sideways down that busy street, grabbed the girl''s shoulders, and pulled her away from the crowd.


    "I did, but some weirdos helped me, apparently they were from a n, ''Hunter Owls'' or something, do you know them?"


    "You gotta be kidding, right? This is simply the strongest Archer n on the continent! Their leader is said to have the strongest bow in all of Broteforge and has even been part of several vanguard lines."


    "Eeeh? That guy?" Luke knew that Kristofer was strong, he just couldn''t picture him as a vanguard hero. ''Does that yukata mean he''s retired?''


    Just then, Nathalia inquired dumbfounded, "You met the leader? Is he in Vasconcelos?"


    The girl''s exmation caught the attention of the people around.


    "Is she fighting with her boyfriend?"


    "No, Rosa... Look at his clothes and her clothes, I bet he''s begging."


    "You''re right, look at that hoodie all dirty."


    Luke had no choice but to pull the Elf even further away, "Forget the old owl, we have more important things to discuss."


    Then the boy showed his palm, there was a small red, almost translucent sphere there, assembled by a cluster of smaller triangles, which kept moving and changing ces.


    "A core?!"


    "Yeah, what should I do with this thing?" The half-wolf knew that if he sold it, he could raise even more money, but something inside him was constantly asking him not to.


    "I don''t know... I mean, it''s still in his transitional phase, so that means it''s high level. Low-level ones stay in that phase for milliseconds, and then the voice in your head already announces what it is."


    Luke looked at that little thing in his palm and was tempted to put it in his mouth.


    "When they are like that, what do you guys do?"


    "We ingest them, after all, they are genes. If it''s just the edible kind, your status is increased. If it''s a skill, the voice will let you know, and if it happens to be an item, it will appear in your hand, like any Panspermia Weapon."


    The half-wolf had already put himself through several things and situations that he would not do before, from this he learned his limitations and areas where he needed to improve. If that could provide for him, it didn''t matter what Yoelona said, after all, she had also abandoned him long ago.


    Without much more thought, Luke put the Sun Apparition core under his tongue and swallowed it.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 43 Sun Appearance Gene Ingested

    Instants after feeling the orb go down his throat, Luke heard the voice in his head:


    [Sun Appearance Gene ingested, you have gained the simple ability <Vind>! Now you can use signs of this element].


    "You... ate? I thought you believed that was sorcery." Nathalia said, finding the boy''s decision strange.


    The half-wolf ignored her since internally he was still conflicted about whether the decision he made was the right one or not.


    Just as it happened the first time, the voice didn''t exin how to use the ability, and he had no idea how to use them either. He couldn''t even mentalize what those ''Normal Inventory'' and ''Vind'' skills were, so he gave in and questioned:


    "Do you know someone who can teach me how to use the skills?"


    Nathalia did not act like a teenager after being ignored, and promptly began to analyze who might be a good instructor for someone as serious as Luke.


    "I believe Shiro could help you with that, or maybe my mother."


    Without a second thought, Luke said, "Your mother, then."


    "Erghh... Wasn''t that answer too quick?" The Elf inted her cheeks and said, looking away in a corner.


    "N-not that! It''s just that she''s simply the best!" The boy tried to straighten things out quickly.


    "What do you mean, ''best''?" This time, she had her hands on her waist and was squinting her eyes.


    "I believe she has more experience and..."


    "Hahaha, I''m kidding! You take things too seriously... I don''t mind it if I stay with my mom, after all, she''s always focusing on work and family, and well... my dad is long gone."


    The mood of the conversation got a little awkward after that, because it was the first time Luke had heard Nathalia mention her father, and he didn''t know how tofort someone in a situation like that.


    When they got back to the busy streets leading to downtown Vasconcelos, he dared to ask. "How was your father? You seem to miss him."


    "Uh? No, you got me wrong. I don''t miss my father specifically, just what he stood for. I''m not proud to say this, but he was not a good man."


    Since it seemed to be a touchy subject for the girl, Luke didn''t push it further.


    "By the way, I found a piece of paper while the monster was dispersing, can you read it to me?" said Luke, after pulling the small sliver of paper from his pocket.


    Nathalia nodded, took the item carefully from the boy''s hand, and read the note aloud.


    "Latmenfar Kriolo Segundo."


    After hearing these words, the Elf and the half-wolf looked at each other and came to the same conclusion. Without further ado, they started running towards the Necrotery, luckily they were not too far away, so they arrived quickly.


    At the corner of the empty alley, Luke already smelled blood so fresh he could almost see it. Precautious, he drew his curved saber and stayed alert.


    When they reached the metal door of the morgue, the boy didn''t evenmunicate his intention to Nathalia as he blew the door open with a kick, which startled her.


    With a violent momentum, Luke seemed to blend in with the shadows of thepound and, because of the aid of his sense of smell, he went towards the monster there, however, he stopped his de at thest second before decapitating the creature.


    "You are alive. Great..." said Luke, looking at the big man in front of him.<sub> </sub>


    Kriolo''s two fists were stained with the blood of three lesser goblins, who were slumped around him. He punched them so hard that the monsters were unrecognizable, and their smell had soaked into his clothes.


    The brute turned away and, looking serious, he questioned, "You came back...why?"


    "We followed the lead we got on the dead man''s body an-" Before Nathalia could continue her exnation, Luke interrupted her with his arm.


    "He doesn''t care about the whole story." The boy spoke, staring at Kriolo inexpressively. "We found a clue with your name on it and ran here." He then handed the man the piece of paper he had just obtained.


    It was clear that the man had his misgivings about the duo''s sudden appearance, all the more so because Luke scared him with the noise.


    The moment Kriolo read the name on the paper, his expression transmuted from skeptical to terrify.


    "They really found me..." He stared at the item in his hand.


    The half-wolf stepped back as he realized that the danger had subsided, and Nathalia approached the man.


    "Who found you?" she inquired of him.


    "Before we had children, my wife and I faced many difficulties, both financial and personal. Although we were newlyweds, we didn''t even have a home, and when all seemed lost, we found a ''they''."


    "Who is ''they?"


    "We''re not proud of it, but... they were a cult, or rather a sect. Their name was Followers of Chaos."


    For the adventuring duo, it was impossible not to connect that name with the message written on the wall of the Dark One.


    ''Chaos is just beginning. Chaos will reign.'' Luke repeated to himself.


    "What were your activities?" the Elf asked for elucidation, not least because the name of the cult was self-exnatory.


    "You may not believe me, but all we did was pray. Granted, we were just acolytes and had no contact with the higher-level followers. And well, over time our lives improved, however, the cult gradually demanded more and more from us. To the point that we chose to not remain in it."


    "Let me guess, they didn''t allow that, right?"


    Kriolo nodded as he looked down.


    "Fucking proselytizers..." Luke cursed.


    "We managed to escape from New Yukiat and since then it''s been almost ten years. I never thought they woulde looking for me after so long."


    "How do you know they are the ones who did this?" The half-wolf questioned, after all, the lout only needed to look at the paper and already connected the dots with his past trauma.


    Kriolo looked at Luke in confusion and questioned, "Can''t you hear?" He then held out the paper to the boy, who opened his palm, into which the paper was dropped. "Put it in your ear, and you will know what I am talking about."


    Nathalia, who was just watching, suddenly grabbed the half-wolf''s wrist, before he had a chance to take the paper.


    "Why are you trying to fool us? Do you think we''re idiots?" Immediately after that, the girl summoned her Spear-type Panspermia Weapon.

 Chapter 44 Chaos Vision

    "Why are you trying to fool us? Did you think we are idiots?" Just then, the girl evoked her Spear-type Panspermia Weapon.


    Kriolo was startled, stepped back, and held up his hands, with the paper still in the fingers of his right hand.


    "I am speaking the truth, listen to the paper." The man said calmly to someone who had a very sharp weapon pointed at his throat.


    "Paper that emits sound? I''ve been studying for fifteen years, and I''ve never heard of anything like that!" Nathalia shouted, extremely stressed. "How could there be a paper that emits sound?"


    The half-wolf pushed the Elf''s spear aside and reached out to the brute.


    "It is I and only I who decide what I do."


    Nathalia did not know how to react and, disappointed in herself, lowered her gaze and the spear.


    After that, Kriolo ced the paper in Luke''s palm, who in turn brought it to his ear.


    When the boy did this, he instantly regretted it, as his mind was flooded with such mournful screams that no one could sustain their sanity for more than a few seconds.


    It seemed that the very door to the abyss was open, because the torture and screams of torture, made a bad feeling in luke''s chest, just as it urred when he touched the skull door.


    "W-what is that?" The half-wolf questioned, still a little affected by the voices he heard.


    "It''s their mark... Everything Chaos touches get like that." Kriolo exined.


    "So the pieces are finally falling into ce," Luke spoke, as he ced his right hand on his chin. "All right, we need to act too. We''ve been in the palm of their hands so far, so we''ve been running back and forth, taking everything that''s happened in thest few weeks, we can connect all the dots and conclude that this cult is the big culprit."


    "What do you n to do? We have nothing, no clue at all." Nathalia said, slightly stressed.


    The half-wolf looked at the brute beside him from head to toe and said, "No, we definitely have a clue."


    *


    Later that same day, the streets near the morgue were much busier than usual. Since the area was a formermercial district, there were many warehouses and closed taverns there, not to mention the buildings that served as makeshift factories, however, at night those alleys looked even scarier.


    "Hey, hey! Where are they? I want sacrifices for my ritual!" said a hunchbacked man, who carried two sharp ck daggers. Since he was in the habit of leaving his tongue out most of the time, it was dry and cracked, which made his speech even more sickening.


    "Shut up, we''re not far away." Answered the woman with short ck hair, her various scars on her face evidencing her experience.


    Behind them both, there were another dozen or so Chaos followers, who were wearing huge ck cloaks. All were with their hands inside their sleeves and only moved when ordered.


    "The target is one Latmenfar Kriolo." The woman said as she walked quietly under the rooftops. "As far as we know, he is married and was once an acolyte... Interesting, another one turned heathen."


    "Why do we have to go after yet another heathen? The Seven Servants only take care of normal things."


    "Normal things? Draco, they are manipting continental politics. That''s not normal."<sub> </sub>


    Draco stopped his walk, looked back, and shouted: "Why the hell is you guys still standing around?!" His acolytes were still parked ten meters away.


    When the group finally arrived at their nned destination, they identified the ce not by the iron gate, much less by the skull symbol at the bottom of it.


    In the vision of the two leaders, there was a red stain covering the morgue, this was the <Chaos Vision> ability, which granted them the predisposition to see where deaths urred.


    From afar, Draco already smelled the rotten smell of the ce and became excited. "What is this ce? A fucking morgue!? You should have told me before!"


    Leticia couldn''t help but bring her hand to her face and confess: "That''s why I didn''t tell you... You''d get too excited. Don''t kill him before I can remove his memories. If a Sensory is called here, there will be no clues that we are here."


    "Bleh! Bleh!" said Draco, sounding like a little child, then jumped from the building to the street. "I''ll go ahead!"


    "Sigh... what a crappy post." The woman panted, and immediately after, ordered with a wave of her right hand, for the ten followers to follow him. ''If he can''t handle a morgue security guard, I won''t even try to save him.''


    The moment the big-tongued man approached the iron gate, he realized that the metal door was already open.


    Fung! Fung! Draco sniffed twice and smelled the familiar scent of Goblin blood.


    ''They sent those Goblins here? Wow! If they''re dead, that means this Kriolo guy isn''t just a dead dog.''


    Nheec! The door creaked when it opened and arge silhouette could be seen, shadowed by the me ofmplight on the ceiling. At its feet were three goblin corpses, thergest of which was being trampled by one of the lout''s feet.


    "You have arrived atst." Said Kriolo, his dark skin was even more entuated in that lighting. The man remained calm after all.


    "Hehehe! Don''t interfere, guys. This one is mine." Draco spoke with a macabre grin.


    Amidst the gloom, the brute charged like a bull at the hunchback, who didn''t know how to defend himself in the right way, because he was used to taking the initiative.


    However, even with a shoddy defense, he was still armed and when Kriolo hit him with a punch to the chest, he returned it with a dagger stab to the left shoulder.


    From above, Leticia could hear a loud noise and for that reason, she looked down. In the street, there were the followers in front of the morgue, standing still.


    ''Ahh... He''s too reckless, surely he wants to solve this himself.'' She thought and took a step forward, however, she was suddenly stopped as she felt the presence of something behind her.


    The woman didn''t have time to act before she had her throat slit.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 45 Throwing-Knives

    Shaaaac! A throwing knife shed the throat of Let¨ªcia, who managed to find enough time to step back and hold the bleeding with her hand.


    Attentive, Luke emerged from the shadows behind the ck-haired woman and spoke: "You''re still alive, that''s good... I need to ask you some questions."


    As she held the bleeder with her left hand, in her right hand she held a purple grimoire, and on its cover were three circles.


    With a weak voice, she answered him: "Ha... I was warned about someone strong in that case, I just didn''t imagine it would be a half-beast."


    Without the hood, the half-wolf''s ears were so obvious that even his bulky hair couldn''t disguise it.


    "They warned you? So, there are superiors? Look, I would expect no less from a growing sect." Luke said as he drew his sword.


    Let¨ªcia arched her eyebrows and took another step back. "You... already know about us?"


    The boy didn''t answer her, he just kept staring at her.


    "So, he told you about everything... I knew we should have gone after his family first, to give the message."


    The beautiful moonlight that night illuminated the rooftops of that hollow neighborhood, and that glow elucidated the angry expression that shed across the half-wolf''s face upon hearing that sentence.


    Without saying a single word, Luke began to walk toward Leticia. As his steps broke through the y tiles, the man took a deep breath and, in a single movement, shortened the distance between them.


    His sword strike reflected off something and surprised the boy, who expected to kill her easily. Now, where the throwing knife first cut, there was a shield of crystallized blood.


    A cheerful face appeared, Leticia''s face, after understanding that Luke had not expected this.


    "Looks like he didn''t tell everything about us after all." She said with a satisfied smile. Soon after, she opened the book in her right hand.


    The half-wolf didn''t want to test her cursing skills, since he saw a small demonstration of her power when not even a stroke of his sword could cut through her hardened blood.


    Because of Luke''s quick onught, Let¨ªcia quickly closed her grimoire and shouted:


    "<Lance of Exile>!" Then, from the palm of her left hand, came a stake of blood, over half an inch long, which was fired at the boy.


    His reaction was not quick enough and the stake hit him just below his shoulder. However, this small cost was outweighed by the reward Luke got next. The curved saber was masterfully used by that half-beast, who drove it into the belly of his opponent.


    Phft! Leticia spat blood on Luke''s arms and instinctively released the grimoire.


    "A witch versus a knight... Phft! I knew I didn''t stand a chance since I was surprised by you."


    Luke withdrew his sword and held the woman''s limp body. "Why did you choose this path?" he whispered in her ear.


    Let¨ªcia smiled and replied: "Power, of course... Phft! The curses... they are extremely stronger than ordinary abilities granted by genes... Even though they can''tpare to an epic ability, they are still quite str..."


    Immediately, the boy carefully ced the woman''s body on the roof, towards the moon, as he understood that although she probably wasn''t a good person, the scars on her face showed much more than her experience, but also her bravery.<sub> </sub>


    ''Lucky I made it back in time. Now I have to check on Kriolo.''


    After making sure that the brute''s family was okay, Luke left Nathalia in charge of taking care of the house, Kriolo''s wife, and a couple of children.


    Looking at the situation from above, Luke saw ten people standing in front of the morgue, allpletely in ck. From the hoods they all wore, it was impossible to mistake them for any ordinary civilian.


    ''Ten? If they are mages, it will be impossible to fight with only one arm.'' Thought the boy, looking at his pierced shoulder. Although there was a lot of blooding out, Luke knew that it was not fatal. ''Another scar for the collection.''


    Being used to acting reckless, even though he knew there was a great risk, Luke threw himself in the middle of all those hooded men.


    Luckily, most of those acolytes ran when they saw him, and those who decided to fight were immobilized by having their legs cut off. He chose not to kill them, since he would need information.


    As Draco walked out into the street, dragging Kriolo by the cor of his shirt, he saw his acolytes agonizing in pain on the ground.


    "What the fuck happened here!? And where''s that bossy bitch!?" He shouted, irritated.


    Beside the hunchback''s feet was a man with a scruffy beard and a toothless grin, who held tightly onto the bar of Draco''s pants and crawled away as he said:


    "Leader, why didn''t Chaos feed me when I needed it? And you? You didn''t even listen to us."


    Draco gave in to the man''s whining and, without blinking, stepped on the wrist of the groveling man.


    "What the hell happened here?" he shouted and dropped Kriolo, whose fall produced a muffled thud on the dry sand floor.


    "Shouldn''t you take better care of your guests?" said Luke with debauchery. He was standing next to Draco, but the man had not even noticed his presence.


    ''Where did this guye from? My <Chaos Vision> didn''t even detect him.''


    "What? Did you forget how to speak?" The half-wolf inquired, as soon as he removed his hood and revealed his fuzzy ears.


    "Who are you?"


    "First, I''ll be the one asking the questions. Second, you must answer only when I allow you to."


    "What the fuck do you thi¡ª" Zim! The buzzing sound, made by the damping of a throwing knife, haunted the ears of the hunchback, who became quiet on the spot.


    "Now you understand what I''m talking about."


    ''How did he do that? His hands didn''t even move, how did he throw that?''


    Draco''s hands were shaking with excitement because it was the first time in months that he was scared. With no further alternatives, the man inquired to the half-wolf:


    "Wouldn''t you like to join the Chaos Followers? If you train hard and learn some curses, maybe you will be one of the Seven Servants one day."

 Chapter 46 A Deal

    "Wouldn''t you like to join the Chaos Followers? If you train hard and learn some curses, maybe you''ll be one of the Seven Servants one day."


    At first, Luke assumed the man was bluffing, then he cogitated that it was a joke, but it wasn''t. Draco''s proposal was true and sincere, because the man, although he was intimidated, he was also in awe of that half-beast.


    "And how much I can make?" The boy inquired, interested in the proposal.


    Draco smiled and whispered, "You could make as much as thirty gold pieces a month, like me."


    "But then what would I have to do? Just being an executioner seems a bit tedious."


    "Sigh... and it is very tedious. Except when someone like youes along, people usually never ept my proposal. But typically, we do rituals and sacrifices to Chaos, and the highest-level people have evenmitted some genoc-" A knife went through Draco''s throat.


    "You should have gotten less excited..." said Luke, inexpressive, as the man stared at him in amazement.


    An instantter, the hunchback knelt on the ground and, like Kriolo, only the hollow thud of his body could be heard after his agony.


    Immediately, the half-wolf walked over to the fallen lout and lifted him a little.


    "Your pulse is still strong". A ck dagger was still embedded in Kriolo''s shoulder. Shaaac! Luke removed it because he was still unconscious.


    Still breathing, one of the lecherous acolytes vociferated:


    "You wretch... Chaos already knows what you''ve done, and now... your life will be hell."


    Seizing the opportunity, Luke left the lout lying down and walked over to this man who barely had any teeth. As soon as he took the cor of his cloak and brought him close, he questioned:


    "Where is Chaos? I want to know who is the Chaos that you say so much about."


    The toothless man looked at him with enormous anger. "spheming fool! You don''t know who you''re messing with!"


    Promptly, the half-wolf stuck Draco''s ck dagger into the acolyte''s leg and questioned once more, now more mildly, "Where do I find him?"


    "Arghhh! Bastard! sphemer!"


    Luke let go of the man on the ground and looked around, counting only two more acolytes, out of the dozen there were. ''Those religious people with a weak faith, that''s... repulsive double.''


    However, as he turned his back to try to wake Kriolo, Luke heard a thick voice:


    "Luke Lange, 20 years old and a thief by nature, how are you?"


    He quickly turned back and saw the same toothless man, now with eyes glowing red and standing upright. With a wry smile, the half-beast questioned:


    "You''re him, aren''t you?"


    The disgraced semnce smiled as well. "Mr. Lange, would you like to make a deal with Chaos?"


    "What kind of deal?" Luke with much guardedness sheathed his saber.


    "You leave us alone, and I promise that Chaos will end in Vasconcelos. It''s a mutually beneficial agreement."


    "All right, I ept." A doubt still hammered in the half-wolf''s consciousness, however, the presence of that being was so overwhelming that he could hardly breathe, but on the outside, he maintained his inexpressiveness.


    The being smiled again, nodded, and then turned to ashes, as the monsters in the Dungeons used to extinguish themselves.


    After he left, Luke knelt on the dirt floor and put his hand to his throat.<sub> </sub>


    ''I didn''t even dare to bargain against that thing.''


    That night the half-beast was sure he had made the right choice in ingesting that gene, becausepared to that, he was too weak, and should ite back to hurt him, he wished he was prepared.


    So, in the end, Kriolo only had to be hospitalized for a few days, which created a huge debt for him and his family, who did not suffer even a scratch.


    Nathalia was left regretting not being part of the brief battle against the sect, and well, Luke was d she wasn''t, because she would have been much more terrified against him.


    Then the half-wolf made his report to Zion and, the two left the mission of searching for missing persons aside, after all, they didn''t know if it infringed on their contract with that being.


    The Guild Master was a bit skeptical at first, however, the testimonies of Kriolo and Nathalia, plus the bodies of Leticia, Draco, and the other avid acolytes, transformed his opinion, so he rewarded each of them with a gold coin.


    *


    Since then, a week has passed naturally.


    "Mr. Bodyguard, would you like some tea?" asked Martha, the maid, carrying a tray with a teapot and a china cup in her right hand.


    Luke was sitting in a wooden chair on the back porch as he watched Nathalia and Shiro brandishing wooden swords.


    Although it was very sunny, the half-wolf felt no desire to refuse the servant girl''s helpfulness.


    "Yes, please."


    Martha bent down a little and ced the tray on the small board that was beside the chair. Rather masterfully, she poured the chamomile tea, making it snake through the air, and then opened a small sk, the inside of which was filled with small white cubes.


    "What''s that?" He questioned, pointing to the jar.


    "That''s sugar."


    "Sugar?"


    "It''s a delicacy that makes the drink sweeter, sir."


    Fearful, Luke took a cube with a small spoon and ced it in his cup. Glup! The sugar sank into the almost clear liquid and then crumbled.


    Slop! He drank a little and braked, then arched his eyebrows. Martha answered him with a quick closed smile.


    ''Oh, that''s so good! Wait, how is that so good? I''ve never heard of anything like that. It must be the tea. Yes, it is the expensive tea.'' Luke thought and picked up the spoon once more. ''Just so I know if it''s the tea or not.'' Then he picked up a sugar cube and put it in his mouth.


    The maid saw his eyes sparkle, and a satisfied smile appeared on the boy''s face, which was the first time she had seen him smile.


    "Mr. Guard, I''m sorry to disturb your timing, but I believe it''s close to the time for your session with Ms. Yamazaki, correct?"


    The boy''s smile wilted, and he answered her, "Yes, I''m sorry for distracting me, I''ll go to her right now."


    Since Nathalia told her that the half-wolf didn''t know how to use her abilities, Ayumi was surprised and before the girl could ask, she offered to help him with that.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 47 New Skill

    Knock! Luke knocked once on Ayumi Yamazaki''s office door. Soon after, he could hear a chair dragging and quiet footsteps.


    Before opening the door, the Matriarch of the Strogueher''s was ready to kick anyone''s ass for only knocking once. However, when she saw that it had been the novice Bodyguard, she just smiled and stepped out of the way, so he could enter.


    "Hey, Luke. You took a while, didn''t you?"


    "Sorry, I was watching Shiro and Nathalia talk." He said, bringing his hand to the back of his head in embarrassment.


    The boy always got quite nervous when facing Ayumi, that''s because the first time they were alone, he couldn''t control himself and kissed her.


    "Is she progressing well? She says your fencing is great."


    "I''m not that impressive, Lady Yamazaki. I am just a beginner with swords too."


    "No need to be so formal, just call me Ayumi."


    The boy nodded, and at the same time tried to look away from the vast cleavage in the woman''s clothes. When she was at home, she was usually much more sloppy than usual.


    "Nathalia told me that you can''t use your gene skills, exin that to me."


    "Until recently, I''ve been focusing on improving my physical and stealth skills, and since I always judged genes as cheap sorcery, I never thought of using them. However, an urge was born the day I killed the goblins and gained the skill <Normal Inventory>."


    The blonde Elf walked over to her armchair, sat down, and began to smooth her lips as she thought.


    "Normal Inventory? That is a very useful skill, but I don''t see how a beginner could learn it from scratch. Mentalizing it would be difficult."


    "Mentalizing it? What do you mean?" Luke questioned as he sat down in one of the chairs that stood in front of the woman''s desk.


    "The so-called abilities of genes are not given, they are learned. Consider them as precognition."


    The half-wolf frowned and flicked his fuzzy ears, a little confused as to what she meant.


    "What do you mean?" Although he had learned to speak well from Ynosuke, he still didn''t know many words.


    Ayumi pouted with her mouth, before answering, "For example, many people think that genes give the ability itself, when in fact, it just gives you the talent to have that ability. Do you understand?"


    "Does that mean that anyone can learn a skill from genes?"


    "To a certain level? Yes, it could. However, these special skills are not like martial arts, which can be learned by anyone who is trying hard enough."


    Luke bent forward and questioned: "How talented a person must be to naturally learn a skill without ingesting a gene?"


    "The most talented in the world, so much that I''ve never heard of anyone like that. The mostmon thing is for a person, who already has a skill, to develop a new and stronger skill from the first learned through genes."


    "That''s interesting. Well, how do I mentalize the skill I want to learn?"


    "I''m d you asked." The woman smiled and rose from her chair. As soon as she walked to the office door, apanied by Luke''s unknowing gaze, she turned and inquired: "Are youing?"


    After they reached the training hall on the second floor, the half-wolf saw the same three training dummies he saw when he practiced with Nathalia there as soon as he arrived, however, now the first dummy was much more worn, counting several cuts.


    ''She''s really putting in a lot of effort.''<sub> </sub>


    Although he still didn''t understand the reason for so much effort,ing from a person with her life already won, the boy admired Nathalia quite a bit.


    "Shall we get started?" Ayumi questioned.


    "Sure! Please." Luke, immediately, went to a stand of wooden swords.


    "N-no, Luke. Hahaha!" She said, smiling, and put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Let''s not do that with swords. Also, I''m terrible with des, so I''d rather stay away."


    "Huh? How shall we do it then?" The boy understood little about how to train without using a weapon. His muscles got developed by wielding knives, swords, spears, and axes, as for his stealth was pure practice, in which he could exercise a lot as a child.


    Saying nothing more, the woman merely called him with her right hand to the center of the room. There, she gestured for him to sit down, and that''s what he did.


    "First, close your eyes."


    With his legs crossed, the half-wolf closed his eyes and kept his hands on his thigh.


    "Luke, can you tell me why people can''t teach the skills given by genes?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Then I will tell you the reason: the sensations. Before you ask me, I''ll exin..." Ayumi said while circling around the boy. "For most gene abilities, there is no specific movement needed to activate them, so the key to that is found in the sensations and emotions we feel when we want to use it."


    "So, I need to learn the feeling of what it feels like to use a skill, and then focus on that feeling when I want to use the skill?" He said, opening his eyes to look at her.


    "You pick things up easily. Yes, you are right. Although, the voice itself in your mind will let you know when it is possible to use the skill or not."


    "Ok... so how can I learn a feeling I''ve never felt?"


    "Close your eyes once more and think about the name of the skill. When a clear mental image appears, focus on it and the feeling it gives you."


    After the woman''s exnation, the room became quiet and Ayumi even stopped circling him, so as not to make noise.


    Because it seemed more useful, the half-wolf chose to want the <Normal Inventory> skill first. With her name in mind, he spent some time thinking about what an inventory image might represent.


    ''The girl told me that this is a rare skill, which is used to store items... A chest? No, it would be quite problematic if my skill were to spawn a chest. I see a hole?''


    The boy remained in the same focus for a few minutes, until Ayumi saw him stand up, still with his eyes closed, and then he stretched both hands forward.


    An instantter, yellow sparks appeared in front of him, forming a medium-sized square.


    When Luke opened his eyes, he was also surprised by what he did. Although the square was not discreet, it was still evident in his mind, especially the warm feeling it gave him.


    "Can you throw me a wooden sword, please?" The boy asked the Elf.


    Ayumi went to the sword stand, took what he asked for, and threw it to the half-beast, who was still a little afraid, but stuck the de into the square, which absorbed him like a cloth, stretching backward.


    The moment the woman saw the sword disappear, she looked at Luke, satisfied, and he looked at her, pleased as well.


    Booom! The square exploded into millions of sparks, causing a loud bang that could be heard throughout the mansion.

 Chapter 48 Normal Inventory

    Despite the sparks, the explosion generated by the misuse of the <Normal Inventory> skill was solely made up of wind and had enough force just to push Ayumi and Luke back a bit.


    "Are you okay?" He asked, worried about the Matriarch.


    Although she was still standing, she was not without a scratch. There was a fillet of wood on her right forearm, which on reflex she used to protect herself. She couldn''t hide it from the boy and said quickly, tidying up her fluttering hair:


    "I''m fine! I think you came close to making it. Where did that sword go?" Even though she knew he saw it, she tried to cover it up.


    The half-wolf walked over to her. "Let me see how you are." He said with a zeal that made her blush immediately.


    Reluctantly, Ayumi showed her right forearm, on which there was only a small piece of wood. "Don''t worry about it, I can take it off by myself."


    Luke didn''t doubt this one bit, but he saw an opportunity and didn''t want to let it slip away. Without saying a single word, he went over to the first aid case that was under the sword rack and picked it up.


    "It''s not really necessary."


    "Allow me to do this for you, if I don''t, I''ll be left feeling guilty."


    After the appeal, all the woman could do was nod. Diligently, the half-beast examined the wound and sighed in relief as he realized that it wasn''t something to worry about.


    "I''ll pull it, all right?" He inquired, looking her in the eyes. They were both so close to each other, that they could hear their breathing.


    Ayumi nodded, with the corner of her eye a little tight, showing fear, and this detail did not go unnoticed by Luke, who took advantage of it.


    Close as they were, in one motion he brushed his forehead against hers, and they both blushed. The Elf''s heart was as fast as his, and the boy could slowly see her face blush even more.


    When their lips were so close that they were practically exchanging breaths, Luke pulled back the fillet, and the woman didn''t even nod.


    "There, I''ve removed it." He said, pulling away.


    It took Ayumi a moment to understand that nothing had happened. "Th-thank you." She said, looking away.


    "I''ll keep trying, will you instruct me yet?"


    She smiled to disguise her bewilderment and spoke: "I gotta go, if you need me, I''ll be in my office."


    Hearing the door close, Luke put his hand on the left side of his chest and felt it throb. Tudum! Tudum! Tudum! At the right moment he somehow controlled himself, but now he could almost feel his blood boiling.


    ''That was a healthy revenge for that day in the sauna.'' He thinks.


    Knowing that he had the whole day free, he used that afternoon to focus on acquiring the skill. However, although he got close the first time, the other times he couldn''t even manifest the square.


    ''The mental image of a list of items written on a scroll, it''s not working like it did the first time.'' He thought, frustrated.


    Minutester, an idea ascended in his mind, and he realized what he was doing wrong. However, this idea came so evidently into his mind that it didn''t even seem like an idea, but rather an obvious concept that he should have known all along.


    ''So that''s what she meant by talent...'' Luke judged, letting a satisfied smile escape.


    At the next attempt, he already applied the idea of focusing on the feeling he had when he used the skill and, simultaneously, imagined the mental image.<sub> </sub>


    Works like a charm, then the yellow square had already appeared again in front of his right palm, but it exploded once more the moment the boy tried to put a sword into it.


    This was no reason for him to give up, Luke kept trying and trying, to the point where more than a dozen swords were extinguished from existence.


    This was already a powerful ability, so the boy only considered for a few seconds using it that way and then gave up, because the activation time was long and unsuitable to use as an attack. For this reason, he stuck to the concept of a skill to store things.


    In one such attempt, when he finally managed to put away a sword without blowing up the square, a voice rang in his ear.


    [Skill <Normal Inventory> learned].


    ''Oh, that''s very satisfying!'' he thought excitedly upon hearing that. In the square, there was an icon showing a minimized version of the wooden sword. ''That''s pretty cool.''


    When he clicked on the icon, the sword slowly came out.


    [Ten spaces avable.] The voice warned. As soon as Luke put the sword in the inventory again, the voice echoed: [Nine spaces avable.]


    The half-wolf took advantage of the evening to practice his handling of the skill and, after dinner, went to his room in the back of the second floor, where next door was Martha''s room and the pantry.


    With only a small bed and a closet, the room was modest and yet the best room the half-wolf ever had.


    He felt relieved when at least he could take off all his leather clothes and let his calf out a little. In just his underwear, he made sure to lock the door and began to clean himself with a clean cloth and a basin of water.


    ''Should I try to learn that other skill now? Nah, I have to rest, tomorrow we are gonna go back to the Dungeon.''


    The mansion was very quiet at night and this is especially noticeable to the half-wolf, who could easily hear everything within a radius of five meters and, if he tried his best, he could triple this distance.


    Since all the cleaning and kitchen staff had left after dinner, only the guards remained, patrolling and chatting around the house.


    However, one of those footsteps passed in front of Luke''s door a few times and, at one point, stopped and just kept breathing.


    ''Is that Shiro? No, I ran into him just before I came in. If it was him, he probably would have knocked on the door by now. Is it one of those two?''


    This kind of situation had never happened before, and since Ayumi and Nathalia didn''t usually leave their rooms after dinner, the boy knew it wasn''t either of them.


    ''If it''s some traitorous guard, whye after me first? That''s not important now...''


    Without dy, Luke stood up and picked up his curved saber from his inventory, which he ced there just before leaving the training room. Conveniently, the sword didn''t even clink when it left the square.


    Just as the half-wolf was about to hit the door, to attack the breath, he heard two knocks on his door. Knock! Knock!


    "Luke, are you still awake? I need to talk with you." Ayumi''s voice made the boy sigh in relief and then blush.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 49 Lighted By A Candle

    ''What does she want with atte night?'' As soon as he put the sword away in his inventory again, Luke answered her: "I''m awake! I''ll put my pants on, hold on a second."


    When he opened the door, he saw the Elf in pajamas made of white silk, in which the buttons at the top could not close as she had big breasts. She was a little flushed, but she also had a serious look on her face.


    "Do you need anything, Madame?"


    Ayumi looked at the boy''s defined abdomen and quickly looked away.


    "We haven''t talked since that time in the salon, so I was curious to know whether you managed to learn the skill or not. I forgot to tell you a few thin¡ª"


    Luke raised his right arm a little and momentster, a square formed, interrupting the woman, who was stunned by it. He didn''t understand such shock; after all, it was only a skill.


    "You used a gesture in ce of a spoke? Smart..." She said with a smile.


    The boy just looked at her confused, not understanding what she meant. After seeing Luke''s countenance, the woman closed her eyes for a second and spoke:


    "Lumus." Soon after, a glowing sphere began to hover under the palm of her right hand. "Every gene ability, be it magical or physical, requires its name to activate or a gesture."


    Understanding this, the half-beast lowered his arm and the screen disappeared. "How did I not realize that before?"


    "By the way, aren''t you even going to invite me in? You know, it''s really cold in here." Ayumiined as she rubbed her arms with cold.


    Inside the room, there was only a lit candle and the nkets under the boy''s bed, who was all ready to go to bed. Quietly, Luke stepped out of the doorway and looked at the woman seriously, looking a bit adamant.


    Ayumi understood that look perfectly and understood that the boy was holding back, so she went into the room to tease him further. As she passed, she heard the door behind her close and her waist being tugged.


    Luke pulled her into a kiss. He hardly knew what he was doing, much less thinking. His instincts were the only thing that was guiding him at this moment. Without caring about the theft, without caring about his current position, and without caring about what might happen, he kissed the Strogueher Matriarch again.


    Their lips touched, and the kiss was as intense as the first time, as carnal as the first time. Throwing Luke on the bed, the woman still looked at him and dared to say:


    "Ara Ara! You are naughtier than I remembered..." Then the Elf mounted the boy and kissed him again.


    However, although the Mansion was huge, it still had thin walls, which could not muffle the noises. In the next room, Martha was wide-eyed as she heard everything.


    ''WHAT THE HELL IS THAT! By the beards of Tesseu... Nathalia, girl... you''re too young to do this. And with a half-beast...'' The servant girl thought, eagerly.


    But, during the passing of hours, intense moans and libidinous noises could be heard without difficulty, and the voice of the moans tormented Martha so much that it would be impossible for her not to recognize it.


    With her head between pillows, the servant girl turned and rolled over, trying to sleep, however, she didn''t feel she could even if her eyelids were nailed shut.


    ''Mr. Strogueher has been gone so long¡­ I can''t even imagine interrupting her.'' Martha judged, a little red.<sub> </sub>


    In the end, she managed to sleep just when the sounds ceased but it was only two hours before the sun invaded her window.


    In the morning, Martha promptly put on her maid''s clothes, characteristically ck with white embroidery, and went to wake Nathalia, so she could get ready before breakfast was ready.


    The girl didn''t even move when the maid nudged her, which made the woman wonder: ''Could it be her? No, a cute little girl like that would never moan like that... would she?''


    Seeing that the adventuress would not wake up easily, Martha went to the neighboring room, which was the Matriarch. Nheec! The double door creaked when opened, and she could see Ayumi, with her pajama shirt all unbuttoned and no pants, under the covers.


    As she went down to the second floor, with a blush on her face, the maid passed two of the Mansion''s guards, ready to swap shifts with two others who would be arriving shortly.


    Both were slightly old, hovering around fifty, and lookingughingly at Martha, who could even hear whispering after she passed them and greeted them.


    *


    Near the end of the morning, Luke and Nathalia left the mansion for the Guild, because not only did they need to get back to work to move up in ss, but they also needed to evolve their skills.


    The Elf noticed that herpanion was quieter than usual and didn''t decide to bother him, because it was only the fault of a bad night''s sleep.


    In reality, the man was wrapped up in conflicting thoughts, about decisions that would soon affect his life, and the conversation he had in his bed with Ayumi, still resounded in his mind.


    "What do you think of that?" He questioned the woman, as theyy cuddled together.


    "That? What do you mean?"


    "You know... you''re the Matriarch of the Strogueher Noble Family, and I''m just a ss-F-Form half-beast. We don''t have a future, right?"


    The woman immediately pushed the arm of the man covering him to the side and twisted around, to look him in the eye. As soon as she saw that he was serious, she stood up, put on her blouse, and said:


    "You need to think more about what you say."


    As a man, Luke didn''t understand what she meant by that, so that phrase was stuck in his thoughts.


    Before he knew it, the half-wolf had passed the guild, picked up a mission, and was already in front of the Dungeon Building, whose surroundings were, as usual, very crowded.


    "Are you okay, didn''t you sleep well?" Nathalia questioned, worried about him because it was rare to see him so scattered.


    "I''m fine, let''s just focus on our mission."

 Chapter 50 A Confused Mind

    [<strong>Quest for Adventurer ss F</strong>


    <strong>Title:</strong> The Strange Egg


    While I was returning to the second floor, I lost an egg that I found in a chest on the Ninth Floor. I believe it is between the first and second floors because that''s when I realized it was missing.


    Since I am a ss C, I cannot stay on these floors too long, which makes it impossible for me to look by myself.


    He is about a foot long and ck as coal.


    If you find him, look for Dn in the most famous tavern in the port.


    <strong>Reward:</strong> 1 gold coin.]


    "That sounds like a good mission to me! Despite the meager reward... A mysterious egg from the Ninth Floor!" Said Nathalia, looking at the white paper with the official guild seal, her eyes shining with excitement.


    The Elf stood in front of the quest board, which had just been filled with posters by the receptionist. Several novice adventurers around the guild were drooling just to see her up close, and some more experienced ones even tried to approach, but she totally ignored them.


    Across the street, Luke was watching a cksmith at work, listening intently to the pounding of the hammer on the iron and the anvil, smelling the strong smell of molten iron up close.


    ''This guy is awesome!'' He said to the cksmith, seeing his great skills.


    Although he looked quite young for his profession, the cksmith had great muscles, which allowed him to keep forging for continuous minutes.


    ''Please give me your precious money! Even if it''s just a simple repair!'' The greedy cksmith pleaded internally.


    However, he had to stay only wishful thinking, because when Luke began to feel the dark circles under his eyes sweat, he said goodbye and headed towards the mission board. A forge was definitely not a good ce for a half-wolf to be.


    "Did you find anything interesting?" He questioned Nathalia, which made the passionate crows staring at her dissipate.


    Nathalia realized that the boy was a bit more normal now and allowed herself to perk up a bit:


    "A mission about a mysterious egg, Luke! What if it''s from a Summoner?!"


    He arched his eyebrows and was interested, because finding an egg wouldn''t be that hard, however, they had just finished the active mission they picked upter in the morning.


    "Aren''t you tired?" The half-beast inquired. Together, they had defeated over three hordes of Goblins and Kobolds a few minutes ago.


    Nathalia raised both arms and showed her muscles, which were not trembling with fatigue, in response to his questioning.


    "Okay, we can do that one. How much is the reward?"


    "It says here it''s one gold coin only..." Nathalia said, at the same time pouting.


    Without a second thought, Luke started walking towards the Dungeon once again, much more motivated than in the morning.


    This time, there was only one mission left before they finally entered ss E, where missions would be less tedious for him. If they hadpleted the mission given by the Guild Master, they would both already be ss E.


    "You are aware that if we find the egg, it won''t be yours, right?" Luke stated.


    "Why not?"


    "Because the mission is to find it, right?"


    "Yes, but..."


    "Don''t even think about it, the reward is great."


    "Do you know how many hundreds of thousands an Invocation can be worth?"


    "Tell me more about that."


    Summoners are extremely rare beings, whose strength and magnificence are so frightening that the strongest adventurers in the world necessarily need one.<sub> </sub>


    A single Summoner can change the course of a war, as well as be the reason to start one.


    Since they are legendary creatures, they are also no more than mere legends by those who have never had the opportunity to see one in person.


    "Nah, it must not be an egg." Said the half-wolf, skeptical.


    "Why not?" Nathalia inquired, inting her cheeks.


    Luke held up his right index finger. "First, what would something so rare be doing on the Ninth Floor of a Dungeon inside Broteforge?"


    Nathalia put the boy''s finger down and replied, "That''s the thing! They are so rare, it''s impossible to predict where they might appear."


    "Okay, but would an egg appear like this? Where''s the mother?"


    "On the paper, it says it was in a chest."


    Luke pondered for a while and decided that it should be fair because he was not only apanion but also a bodyguard who needed to obey her.


    "Okay... here''s what we''ll do: if he''s not spoiled, we can keep the egg."


    "Really!? In the end, you have a shrewd heart in there." The girlplimented him, which made him blush because it was now impossible not to remember Ayumi whenever he looked at Nathalia.


    The night before, the half-wolf finally became a man, and natural as it was, he didn''t even think at the time of the consequences that a few hours of pleasure would bring him.


    Now Luke definitely liked Ayumi, it was impossible to deny that to himself, because before he knew it was just a passing infatuation, however, now he felt a warmth numb his chest whenever he thought of the blonde Elf.


    ''I like her, she is beautiful...the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. However, I didn''te here for that, let alone be hired for that.'' He was at a standstill. ''At least they should be okay with the money I''m sending them.''


    *


    Tchof! The tearing of the flesh of a smander-man satisfied Luke, who had to take care of at least a fortnight of monsters of that same species, to provide cover for Nathalia, who was reading inscriptions on metal. That was good as it made him stop thinking for a while.


    "So, were you able to read?" He questioned, as he sheathed his sword.


    "No, but... apparently you''re right, this is the entrance to the third floor." The girl replied, looking up.


    The pair was in a huge chamber, where there were several cave mouths, through which some monsters came out, while others just lurked.


    The tall cave was at the meeting point between two ravines, at least three hundred meters inside the Second Floor.


    In front of them was a brick door, whose height exceeded fifteen meters in height and width. The inscriptions on it resembled the symbols found in the room where the giant spiders were found and killed.


    "Lucky the mission letter is recent and there''s still the scent of the author, it would be impossible for us to find this ce without a Guild map," Luke said, putting his hand on the door.


    BLAM! The gigantic door began to open with the adventurer''s gentle touch. Crrrrrr! The drag of it on the floor, reverberated so loudly on the second floor, that even Lorran, who was about to go back to the surface, could hear it.


    "Where did that bange from?" She questioned herpanions.


    "It sounds like it came from below."


    "From below? But that doesn''t make sense... Vasconcelos Dungeon follows a snail model, it shouldn''t be supposed to have anything down here, and the third floor is in the opposite direction."


    Lorran''s fourpanions were extremely frightened after discovering this, and just like their leader, the four of them ran out of the Dungeon as fast as they could.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 51 The Cube

    The brightness behind the door was so intense that it made the monsters, who were hiding in the surrounding caves, run away in fear.


    As Nathalia and Luke''s eyes grew ustomed to the brightness, they were startled by what they saw. Further ahead was a giant floating cube, which was spinning on its own axis at a very slow speed.


    At that moment, the half-wolf felt the same bad sensation he had felt a few other times, but this time it was so intense that the air seemed heavier.


    Besides the cube, there were only rocks and stones, except for the giant lizard, which was resting near the base of the silent cube. The creature''s white skin closely resembled that of a dragon. Its scales and skin were almost transparent, which left its organs visible from the outside.


    "Nathalia, back off." Luke whispered. The Elf promptly obeyed and began to walk silently backward.


    Although the creature seemed to be asleep, the man didn''t want to risk the girl''s life, because they definitely didn''t have the firepower to fight something that big.


    Thest time he felt the bad sensation he senseding from the cube was when he touched the inscriptions in the Giant Spiders'' chamber, and that ended up leading to an encounter with Chaos himself, someone the half-wolf now feared without excuse.


    "Luke, look," Nathalia warned, pointing to the creature''s left.


    The man didn''t immediately understand why she was pointing there, but after a few seconds, he finally understood. Between therge monster''s front paws was a ck egg that perfectly matched the measurements given in the mission. The object was so ck that not even the intense glow of the cube reflected off it.


    ''It''s definitely the egg we were looking for.'' Luke determined. The smell was still quite strong in this chamber, even among so many terrible smells. ''If thatvender scent is still so intense, it means it''s only been here a few hours.''


    If before he was skeptical if they could really find an egg in a Dungeon, now he was sure that that egg was worth a lot, not only because of its appearance but also because it was found in such a strange ce.


    ''I have to get it. If it''s worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, the gang may not have to risk their necks to get out of this life... well now with my work they can have a quiet life, but it''s still not enough to fulfill their dreams.''


    After a brief whispering discussion, Luke convinced Nathalia to back off while he advanced toward the egg.


    Crouching down, he progressed slowly as he entered the giant cube chamber, which was over two hundred meters long. The chamber was cold and hot at the same time so this temperature change caused the man to feel numerous chills.


    When he was a hundred meters away from the creature, he looked back at Nathalia who was already near the mouth of the cave tunnel that allowed them to get there.


    "Sigh..." He sighed in relief because he didn''t even know what would happen to him if the girl suffered any harm. ''Forget about that now, I have to focus on getting that egg...''


    However, Luke didn''t notice one important thing: the closer he got, the more the cube emitted white rays.


    As soon as he got within fifty meters of the creature, pops could be heard, simr to the cracking of something, which made him finally look up, and when he saw that the cube was slightly cracked, emitting small beams of light.<sub> </sub>


    He stood up ready to run from there because the situation looked like it was about to get very ugly, but the moment he looked ahead he saw that the lizard had awakened and was running towards him.


    The monster had big red eyes, whose vertical pupils were more frightening than the back of the Giant Spiders that Luke had previously faced.


    GRRRRRRRRRR! The lizard roared running towards the boy while swinging itsrge tail, which looked more like a colossal sword.


    Luckily, Luke chose to use his scabbard inside the Dungeon rather than from the inventory, because using the skill would require a few seconds.


    When he drew his saber, the distinctive ng of the sound of his de announced that he was ready for the fight. Although the half-wolf didn''t have time to mount a better defense, he tilted his sword so that therger side would take most of the damage, and it worked.


    Still, the monster was so strong that his blow had enough force to hurl Luke against the right side wall of the chamber.


    Buried among the rubble, the half-beast smiled excitedly. "You are one strong motherfucker indeed, eh... Puftt!" He spat blood on the rocks beside him.


    Walking as if he was fine, the half-wolf rotated the muscles in his shoulders one at a time, however, the creature kept running for the exit, oblivious to the man''s presence.


    "What... was that? Is he scared?" He questioned confused, scratching his left ear with his left hand.


    Brooom! The huge white cube let out a pulse of energy, which made its cracks widen further. Immediately, Luke thought about running in the same direction as the creature, worried that it might go after Nathalia.


    However, he looked under the cube and saw the ck egg still there, toppled over. That item could save his life from all the trouble he was in if it was Summoner''s egg.


    Without thinking too much about what might happen to himself, he ran towards the egg, which in moments turned out to be the wrong decision, because there was a reason for the Southern Albino Lizard to run away from its usualir.


    Secondster, an explosion could be heard by Nathalia, and a blinding sh reached the cave she was in. BOOOOOOOMMM!


    With ringing ears, the Elf ignored herpanion''s orders and turned all the way back to the way she hade when parting with Luke.


    When she arrived in front of the colossal door, she saw it was closed and nothing had changed around it. To make matters worse, there was no sign of the half-wolf.


    She tried to open the door in various ways, using her strength, abilities, and even her Panspermia spear, but nothing was able to open the door.


    "Where did Luke go?" she wondered, almost to the point of tears, after all, he was her first and only friend so far.

 Chapter 52 Where It All Really Started.

    <strong>¡ª Five hours after the third pulse of the cube. ¡ª</strong>


    "Hmmm..." Luke groaned, with great pain in his chest, as he opened his eyes, which were burning quite badly due to the blinding light he saw before he became unconscious.


    Although the limbs of his body were numb and the burning, felt in various parts of it, Luke stood up and before scanning his surroundings, he checked himself.


    The half-beast looked down and saw that he was wearing his routine worn clothes, which he had been wearing for over a year, and only washed when he could. His leather boots had almost no soles. His pants were full of internal patches, which he had to learn to sew himself. And his sweater, which might have kept him warm on cold nights, protected him even less.


    Shaking his head negatively to get rid of the pessimistic thoughts, Luke huffed.


    "Where am I?" he wondered, beginning to scan his surroundings.


    On the walls of the enclosure, there were small gray crystals, whose luster appeared to have faded long ago. On the ceiling, huge pointed stctites created shadows under each other, which increased the pitch in that ce.


    "Fung... Fung..." He sniffed twice and smelled the same rotten smell that he was beginning to get used to. "I''m still in the Dungeon, apparently..."


    Without rolling around too much, the man opened his inventory and picked up the Return Stone, a pebble shaped like an icosahedron. Since he never had to use his own, he didn''t have much practice, but he mimicked what Nathalia used to do.


    "Exit, please."


    The stone rose from Luke''s palm, glowed a little, started spinning at a very high speed, and then died in his palm again, losing its glow.


    "You''re kidding, right?" The man had a crooked smile on his face, disbelieving that this was happening. "Get out, please!" Luke yelled at the stone, and it didn''t even move.


    Luke sighed and inhaled a few times until he lost his patience and threw the Return Stone away, however, the stone made no sound as it fell. Discouraged and frustrated, he finally looked down, and that''s when he saw, at the edge of his feet, an oval object.


    The half-wolf''s eyes sparkled when he saw the ck Egg. He immediately tried to pick it up, to put it in his Inventory.


    [Living items are impossible to store].


    Luke did not know whether to be happy or disheartened, because the voice message meant that the egg was not rotten, but since he did not know where it was, his return would be further dyed by the egg.


    "Buuuf..." He huffed, stressed. "I have to get that egg out of here fast and I have no idea how to take care of it I need to sell it as fast as possible."


    Crec! A snap rang out through the cave, alerting Luke. In pure reflex, the man jumped back, still slowed by the pain in his abdomen, and tried to draw his saber. However, when he put his hand where the dragon handle should have been, he caught only air.


    ''Oh! Shit...'' He thought as he raised his arms to defend himself.


    In the next instant, a kick from something so fast he couldn''t even see hit his belly and made him feel his organs being crumpled. Thrust backward, Luke had the strength to try to strike the thing that kicked him, but the creature deflected easily.


    Still, the half-wolf didn''t let this attack go in vain, as soon as he heard the creature''s footsteps retreat, he charged forward and simultaneously used his natural ability that made his hands as sharp as daggers.<sub> </sub>


    Tchaaak! He sessfully pierced the white blur that attacked him, only then did he notice that it was an adult bipedal rabbit. Chaaa! He removed his hand from the creature''s chest and dropped it to the ground. Instantster, he saw the monster turn to ashes.


    "Sigh..." Luke sighed in relief, however, he didn''t even have time to rest, because as soon as he blinked his eyes, he saw dozens of pairs of red eyes in the pitch of that cave.


    At that moment, Luke knew that it wouldn''t be easy to get out of that ce alive, maybe with an egg, but he still needed this.


    In the end, the half-wolf made it out alive and with the whole egg, but he took so many hits that he could barely stand.


    Luke didn''t know why, but each of those rabbits was from two to four times stronger than the Giant Spiders.


    Although he managed to kill them all, he found it strange that they didn''t interfere with each other''s battles, they just came one by one, as if they were ying with Luke, or respecting him in some way.


    As he walked through the twisting caverns of the unfamiliar floor, the man was sure he was neither on the first nor the second floor, which meant he was in an even more adverse and unfamiliar situation than he could conceive.


    ''Those damn Sensorials should make barriers more resistant to failure...'' He judged internally, as he staggered with his hand on his stomach.


    Luke was not good at making decisions, and well, it took a toll on his sense of direction. When normally a Return Stone would point in one direction, the half-wolf naturally chose the opposite, and this only made an already bad situation worse.


    shes with different kinds of monsters were inevitable, which always left Luke close to death. In between the many encounters and mismatches, the man''s stomach rumbled louder than a normal stomach could rumble, and he felt his guts twisting as if they were fighting for thest scraps of protein left in his body.


    ''How the hell am I to find food in a Dungeon?'' Then a quick thought ascended in his head as he questioned himself.


    Not thinking sanely, he opened his <Normal Inventory> and clicked on the icon of Rabbit Paws, which were still fresh as it had been a few hours since he collected them.


    "Haha! How ironic, huh? A wolf devouring raw rabbits... who would have thought I''dugh in a situation like that." He said as he sat down, looking at the red meat near his face.


    To not have time to taste the meat, Luke nned to devour the foot in one bite. He opened his mouth, and skin, for the first time in a long time, put his huge fangs out of his gums. Nhac!


    However, something he didn''t expect happened, his mouth was stopped by a mysterious force before his fangs tore through the flesh, and the characteristic female voice, which he used to hear in his head sometimes, warned him:


    [Monster Meats cannot be eaten. The penalty is the reduction of your HP permanently if you do so].


    What Luke did not know, was that that moment in his life, that ce and time, was where it all really began.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 53 The Knight And The Horse (Part 1)

    [Monster Meats cannot be ingested. The penalty is the reduction of your HP permanently if you do so].


    ''I don''t even know what HP is... What the hell, I''m hungry!'' Nhaac! Luke closed his jaw tightly and quickly swallowed a Rabbit''s Foot.


    [Rare Monster-Rabbit Meat ingested. You will be penalized 3... 2... 1.]


    Next, the half-wolf felt his chest tighten like never before, and an atrocious tingling began to spread throughout the entire left side of his body. Within moments, he no longer had the strength even to hold the food, which fell from his hand while his entire body shook with an agonizing cold that prated his entire spine.


    [Your life points were permanently diminished.] He heard the voice say in his head, with a peaceful tone.


    After a few seconds, Luke regained his body movements and stood up quickly.


    ''Okay... I will never do that again in my life.'' He said to himself, his hand on his stomach as he felt a lump in his throat.


    ''You don''t like it? Taste another little piece, go..."


    A whisper passed by the man''s left ear, alerting him. However, when he turned to see where the dull voice hade from, there was nothing. Confused, all his powerful ears could detect next was a draft.


    ''I have to get out of here before I go crazy.'' He thought, believing that the murmur had been caused by the wind''s introit.


    Now that he was partially fed, Luke was in a bit of a mood to continue, but it was impossible to tell if he made the right choice by ingesting the drop from the Biped Rabbit. The only good news was this new draft, which could mean the surface.


    Not wanting to waste much more time, Luke started following the wind noise through the shadows, which would give him an advantage in case any monsters appeared, and he made the right decision by sneaking around as he soon found another horde of Biped Rabbits.


    In one chamber, all these white, fluffy, ultra-strong monsters had an established wheel, the center of which was being dominated by tworger Biped Rabbits, who were exchanging kicks and punches.


    From his own experience, Luke knew that those white-haired legs were not to be underestimated, so he tried to silently surround all these frightening creatures.


    Since the ce where the half-wolf was standing was a little higher, he just thought to continue on his way, and for a thief, that was no big deal, he went on silently as always.


    When atst the faint sound of wind became a little louder, Luke found a colossal flight of stairs.


    "Are you sure you''re going to follow? Hihihi!" A thin voice murmured in his right ear this time, causing Luke to immediately poke the air with his sharp fingers, but nothing was hit.


    ''What the fuck is happening?''


    The half-wolf''s instincts began to alert frantically right after the whisper, urging him to not go any further. However, the man had no choice, because his only clue about the direction of the surface was the air current.<sub> </sub>


    Against his will, he stepped on the first step... and nothing happened. Tap! Tap! He climbed one step after another, not bothering to make any noise because he knew that what awaited him at the end was not good.


    With more than 600 steps, the sides of the climb gradually changed in appearance, from the thick shade of rock that covered that floor, to old mossy bricks.


    As soon as he reached the top, Luke saw a huge circr hall, which was so tall that it looked like a tower. The ceiling waspletely dark and on the walls were crystal tubes through whichva flowed inside.


    Illuminated by the charged light of theva, there was a knight in the center of this hall, wearing the armor of molten rock that looked as if it had been taken from a volcano.


    This armor looked so frighteningly powerful that there was not even any space at the joints, which made it look imprable and made Luke conclude that this could not be human.


    Because it was mounted on a huge ck horse, together they were almost ten feet tall, which made the knight even more imposing.


    The moment the horseman threw his right arm to the side, and a huge sickle began to appear in his hand, Luke knew that he was not an ally.


    The half-beast thought about running back to the stairs, however, by the time he turned around, he saw a wall that was not there before. From one minute to the next, he was locked in a room with a very powerful monster.


    At high speed, the Dark Horse began to march toward Luke, whose only option was to run while carrying the Egg on his back, praying not to drop it.


    Voooim! The scythe scraped under Luke''s feet, who jumped at just the right moment to avoid having his leg amputated.


    The half-wolf knew that this would not be an easy battle at all, considering the tremendous strength of his opponent and also the situation he was in, with several internal and external injuries.


    For the first time in his life, instead of continuing to advance and sh, Luke decided to think tactically.


    ''If this armor is as tough as it looks, he must be heavy, for that reason he must also use a horse. Think Luke... think what you can do...''


    Seconds passed and the only n that appeared in the boy''s mind, was too absurd to work, yet he had to try, after all, he had no other alternatives.


    At some point, the half-wolf stopped running and turned towards the Horse and Rider, threw the egg as high as he could, and propelled himself towards his opponent.


    p Each step of his courageous momentum emitted a low sound, caused by the force he was putting on his feet with the meeting of the metal, which reversed the entire floor of the arena. Tum! Tum! Tum!</anda>


    At that moment, Luke raised his right arm as he ran and the <Inventory Normal> appeared at his side.


    "Will it wor¡ª Shut up, it has to work out!" He shouted at his fearful subconscious.

 Chapter 54 The Knight And The Horse (Part 2)

    Luke opened his inventory and looked at the icons of the Biped Rabbit meat, Biped Rabbit leather, and the Wooden Swords, in that same order.


    Luckily, he had not dared to use the swords when he fought the Rabbits, and since he was now out of options, that was the only useful thing he could use.


    As soon as the training sword started toe out of the bright yellow square, Luke pulled it so hard that there was almost no resistance.


    In the midst of a swift thrust, he raised the saber to shoulder height, with the de facing forward, and just as he had done with one of the Giant Spiders, Luke hurled the sword toward the horse''s eye.


    Trrrack! The sword broke into dozens of pieces when it hit the horse''s visor, which was made of the same metal as the knight''s armor.


    "Tsk! What the fuck..." The half-wolfined, having to suddenly turn direction.


    Since the knight didn''t expect this sudden move made by Luke, he also lost his horse''s direction a bit, which alleviated his opponent''s mistake.


    Seeing this, Luke took advantage of the monster''s recovery time to grab another sword, and when he turned around, he saw the knight already running towards him, while the scythe dragged on the ground and generated sparks.


    Vuuupt! Another training sword cut the arena in half, heading towards the Dark Horse''s eye and... Prrraft! It dug deep into the creature''s left eye, which took critical damage and rose up under its hind legs, finally creating a viable opening for Luke.


    Luke then ran towards the horse to take advantage of this mistake. In a deft leap, he managed to reach the monster''srge neck and wed it. Since his n only consisted of creating a chance, the half-wolf had to improvise, so he tried to break the horse''s neck.


    However, that was not a normal monster like Kobolds, Goblins, and not even like Biped Rabbits. So, the moment he applied force to twist the creature''s limb, he felt the creature''s fibrous muscles and also the one clear weak point.


    But the adventurer didn''t want to end up dead, so he managed to be quick enough to spin himself around and hit the monster''s jugr with a powerful one-handed blow. Prrrraft! The half-wolf''s fist went through the neck on the way in and finished the monster on the way back.


    During the horse''s fall, Luke jumped up and caught the egg, which was falling.


    "Do you feel better now?" He shouted angrily, scrambling away from the mess.


    The feet of the half-beast''s worn soles, scraped on the metal floor of the ce as he skidded at speed.


    The knight expressed no reaction as he fell, only instinctively stood up and swung his spear with his right arm, generating a bit of wind.


    Luke didn''t understand what was happening, yet he feltpelled to keep fighting, not for himself, but for hispanions who were waiting for him in the old shed.


    Although he was at a great disadvantage, the half-wolf was the first to move after a few moments, because he knew that he would be at a disadvantage if he was the second to act.


    However, now everything would depend on his ability to dodge because the Knight didn''t look fast at all. Not wanting to part with the egg any longer, Luke tucked it under his left arm and ran towards the monster, aiming for a direct fight, force against force.


    Luke was instantly punished for na?ve thinking. As soon as he got close, the monster''s powerful scythe shed toward him and although it didn''t physically hit the half-wolf, it spewed out a miasma made of darkness, which he couldn''t dodge in time.<sub> </sub>


    ''Aaaaargh! Damn, that burns!'' Luke gasped internally, yet remained serious on the outside, focused on his opponent. ''I won''t be able to infiltrate as easily as I had hoped.''


    Then the half-wolf was surprised by another burst of the dark matter and fortunately managed to jump it in time.


    "Haa... Haa... This guy is as strong as Apparition of the Sun, but at least that turd would give me some openings... Fuck it, I have to keep moving forward."


    Even in the situation, he was in, Luke kept trying to move forward and as a consequence of this recklessness, he was hit by many more blows from this dark magic with no chance to react.


    Besides being physically tired, the half-wolf was also mentally shaken and frustrated that none of his advances had yielded results. By now, he had realized how weak he was and how limited his repertoire of abilities had proven to be over the past few days.


    So, he had another absurd idea, but one that might work: shorten the process of skill assimtion by hundreds of times. Since he had no way of knowing what the <Vind> skill would be, Luke had to pray that it was an offensive enough skill to be his trump card.


    Once he decided to go with that idea, Luke retreated to the edge of the circr arena.


    The Knight migrated between long-distance and medium distance attacks in such a random way that the half-wolf couldn''t find patterns.


    At first, it was a challenge for Luke to focus on the battle and his subconscious at the same time, however, seconds passed, and he realized it was possible.


    The monster kept attacking incessantly, while the Adventurer deflected fluidly. Sometimes the Egg was thrown upwards and then was safely caught by the man, who was not only protecting himself but also a dream of making hispanions happy.


    After three minutes of pure focus, Luke saw something appear in his mind and felt confident to react. Since he was five meters away from the Horseman, Luke didn''t wait until the monster has a chance to throw another batch of ck miasma, and ran towards him, ready to attack with whatever the ability was.


    However, the Knight''s scythe was fast, so it managed to expel the dark magic in time.


    Luke saw in slow motion the ck particlesing towards him in a half-moon shape, identical to the scythe, yet the man did not despair. In the next instant, he quickly raised his left arm and left only his index and middle finger raised.


    Swoshh! A strong gust of wind was generated by this movement, dissipating the miasma immediately. Soon after, Luke heard the voice in his head say:


    [Skill <Vind> learned. Now you can master the wind.]


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 55 The Power Of A Motivated Man

    After producing a gust of wind with the simple sign, Luke looked down at his own hands and wondered why he had believed Yoelona''s words.


    However, the ck Knight was not as surprised as the half-wolf, and he immediately reacted to the spell with another wave of miasma.


    Luke quickly raised his right arm and repeated the signal from before. Flooosh! The swift wind not only dispelled the monster''s magic but also tinkled when it hit the creature''s rock armor.


    Then the knight directed his scythe backward very slowly, while slightly bending his knees. His armor creaked a little and some pieces even broke, but he continued to bend.


    In the next instant, the monster shocked Luke by shortening the distance quickly andnding a sharp blow on his chest.


    "Arrrgh! You bastard, were you that fast?" The half-wolf spoke, smiling, as blood dripped from the lower corner of his mouth.


    As soon as he was hit by the creature''s kick, Luke smiled not out of irony but out of pleasure at seeing that the monster, despite having a humanoid appearance, was still as dumb as any other dungeon critter.


    Pressed against the arena wall by the creature''s left leg, Luke knew that the next blow would be from the scythe, as a simple and predictablebo, since the first blow was not with the weapon. For that reason, he quickly used that predictability to his advantage, making the <Vind> sign with his left hand leaning against the wall, and propelling them both away from the wall. Vuuuosh!


    The Knight didn''t expect that, but since he was now no longer in melee with the half-wolf, he decided to strike again with the scythe.


    Since Luke was already expecting this blow, as soon as he saw the movement of his opponent''s torso, he saw an opening and tried to use the wind to break his stance. However, the moment he made the sign and tried to use the magic, a powerful headache ravaged his temples, causing his vision to blur.


    ? He had no choice but to step back and simply dodge the monster''s blow.


    ''Urgh! I believe I am at my limit.''


    Luke knew that gene skill usage was not infinite, since Nathalia constantlyined about it, however, he certainly didn''t expect his to be so low.


    ''Fuck it! I think I can push it a little.''


    The headache served as a first warning, which wasmonly ignored by adventurers, especially wizards.


    When he heard the creaking of the ck Knight''s armor, Luke knew what he would do and had an idea of how he could react to the monster''s swift onught.


    In the next second, the knight flung himself like a ball, so quietly that it sounded more like a space-dting blow than actually a thrust.


    Luke reacted to this by throwing himself to the left using another wind, which caused the monster to dig his leg into the wall, and this opened up a range of opportunities.


    The half-wolf quickly dropped the egg on the ground and ran towards the monster, jumping on its neck, just as he had done with the horse minutes before. In a fluid and shrewd move, Luke put his opponent into a Sleeper Hold.<sub> </sub>


    The Knight, who had not preceded such audacity, dropped his scythe, so he could forcibly take the man out.


    However, Luke was putting all hisst strength and hopes into thisst move, so he didn''t give in even when he started getting punched in the face.


    In desperation, the ck Knight threw himself hard to the ground and this made the half-beast feel his bones break, not only from the force of the fall but also from the weight of the monster.


    Luke had to not only resist its blows but also apply force because he knew the creature would not die without air, so he had to apply the force to his biceps and shoulders, so he could twist and break that sturdy armor.


    There were moments that he thought he wouldn''t make it, however, once he heard the armor decay, he didn''t allow himself to give up. Crack! Crk! Craaak! After the most exhausting seconds of his life, Luke felt a lightness and ack of resistance and allowed himself to open his eyes.


    When he saw that the helmet of his armor was separated from the rest of his body, he was slow to believe that he had actually managed to defeat the creature, until a voice whispered in his ear.


    "ck Knight dead, Monster Core obtained... Hihihihi." The voice wasn''t the same as usual, that one sounded more... sordid?


    Lukepared the tone to the murmurs he heard before he climbed thedder, and when he concluded it was the exact same voice, he stood up quickly.


    "Haa... Haa... Who are you!?" The half-wolf shouted, a little breathless.


    A momentter, the voice whispered in his left ear:


    "What do you think I am? Hihihi." Soon after, he heard something passing behind the back of his neck and quickly turned around to see what it was.


    The moment he saw what it was, Luke immediately remembered the legends he had heard the guards tell each other about the Oukiwa Mining Dungeons. They said that among the pitch of the deepest stone columns and among the least spacious ravines lurked vivid shadows that made the other monsters look like mere sheep.


    Now, in front of the half-wolf, there was something not unlike the bison descriptions these legends provided, but quite different from what one would expect from a monster.


    In a transmigratory smoke-like shape, the creature disyed a wide, sadistic, macabre grin, as if it were truly proud of the half-wolf''s momentary victory.


    "You''re just another dumb monster, wanting attention," Luke replied, without even a flicker.


    Soon, the thing showed an even bigger smile than before, and from that ethereal shadow came limbs that mimicked two legs and two hands, and still without aback. It thennded lightly on the ground and said:


    "Oh, no! I was so humiliated... How could a demon redeem himself with you?"


    Promptly, he stretched his left leg back, bent his right knee forward, put his left arm behind his back, and extended his right arm, materializing in a well-known noble bow.

 Chapter 56 A Shadow

    Although he was expressively neutral, Luke was almost going crazy inside his head, because he had never even heard of a monster that could talk.


    Not to mention the strong presence that strange creature had, much more significant than the scary Knight the man had defeated.


    "You''re an A or S rank monster, aren''t you?"


    "A monster?! Oh! No, no... I''m not a monster. I mean... not like you''re thinking."


    "What do you mean?" Luke questioned confused, after all, they were inside the Dungeon and an ordinary person would not look so funereal.


    "I''m more like an angel than a monster. I help people, people like you."


    The half-wolf arched his eyebrows. "My instincts tell me that¡ª No, even without my instincts I would realize that is an absolute lie."


    The wide-smiling shadow closed his mouth and his white eyes had their sharp edges, expressing his anger. After that, he crossed his small arms behind his head and turned on his back, looking at theva tubes above.


    "Luke, Luke... you really think all this is a coincidence, don''t you?" He said, with a pensive tone. "I''ll be honest with you, you''re not here because you had bad luck. You''re here because we want you here."


    Taking advantage of the shadow on his back, Luke began to slowly backtrack to the Egg.


    "We?"


    "You never wondered how easy things have been for you so far, did you? Your real problem is your selfishness."


    As soon as he heard that, the half-beast braked his way over to Egg, realizing the hint.


    "You have a good job, a beautiful woman who is genuinely interested in you, and yet you haven''t totally ruled out the possibility of destroying all that for mere childhood chums."


    "H-how do you know all this?"


    "Come on, why wouldn''t we know? We''re the ones who gave all of this to you. Come on Luke, you weren''t thinking that an illiterate man would get a good job in a big family without some underhand influence, were you?"


    Luke knew they were just empty, unfounded words from someone who somehow knew too much. Still, he could bear to hear all that quietly, because he is human.


    "Tsk... Liar, the selection process was fair and I got it on my own merit."


    "We don''t say it wasn''t on your merit, not least because if you couldn''t get over something so silly, you would disappoint us. Hihihi!"


    "You''re with him, aren''t you? With Chaos?" The only being who demonstrated that he knew that much about Luke, was the Entity worshipped by the fanatical followers who had caused such a ruckus in Vasconcelos in recent weeks.


    The shadow turned to Luke again and replied, "Who knows? We can be allies or enemi¡ª" At that moment, the half-wolf split the shadow''s face in half with a swift wind caused by the use of the <Vind> ability.


    "You know what the downside of chatty things like you? It''s that you guys are way too boring." Said Luke, who then ran toward the Egg.


    The half-beast knew that his problem was selfishness, yet he would risk any job or woman in the world, to make his friends have a happy ending, even if it meant fighting against his own desires. At that time, Luke did not know that this was not selfishness, but altruism.


    Within moments, the shadow''s face parts began toe together again, however, this time there was something different. Before, its interior looked like a dense, ck mist, made of nothing. Now, the parts that came together and braided themselves, resembled an abuzz goo.<sub> </sub>


    As it regenerated, the creature questioned Luke with a fearsome smile:


    "You will not hear my propos¡ª" Again he was interrupted by a gust of cylindrically shaped wind. "Perfect...I knew you were a waste of time from the beginning. Know that you will lose everything I have given you."


    Luke knew he had no chance in a direct fight as the presence of that thing was too strong, so he didn''t even look back as he jumped onto a metal tube high above and held on tight.


    ''My only chance of winning will be by running away, and there is only one way to go.'' He judged, pushing hard to make it up with only one arm free. For a thief, there was no shame in running away when you are alone.


    Using the little strength left in his legs, Luke jumped from pipe to pipe, avoiding the crystal tubes withva inside.


    However, when he went to jump to reach the next pipe, the object disappeared, as did everything around him, which became an empty, dark expanse in the blink of an eye.


    Although he knew it had risen several feet in height, when Lukended on the ground, the fall seemed too low for the amount it had already increased. ''What the fuck is going on?''


    "Hihihi! You are strong, really stronger than a regr adventurer, and more talented than you think. You only have a weak mind for such a promising body, that''s why I''m going to take it from you." Said the Shadow, stepping out of the darkness, still standing out somehow amidst that endless darkness.


    Right after threatening Luke, at the same timeing out of the darkness, the shadow stretched one of its ghostly arms dozens of times and held the half-wolf''s neck, giving him no chance to run once more.


    Personally, Luke wanted to ask that creature a thousand questions, but he understood that it would not answer him willingly, so he focused on his own defense.


    In a desperate move, he kicked the back of the shadow, which despite crumbling, remained static, just smiling her characteristic smile.


    ''It had no effect? Urghhh!'' Next, Luke felt a sharp pain in the left side of his chest. As soon as he looked down, he saw the creature''s other hand running through him. Vulppt! The half-wolf was pulled close by that mysterious thing.


    "Hihihi! Do you know what is the most fragile part of the human body? Many would say it is the heart or the brain."


    With a hard pain, which made him wish he would faint constantly, Luke answered him with a dry throat:


    "I don''t know anything about organs, but I would say that if you have a dick, it must be pretty small. That''s the only way to wish you had another body. Hahaha! Cof... Cof."


    Shadow had his smile deted again and just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted by a bang. BLAMMM!


    When they both looked away, they realized that this sound came from the dark immensity. After that, drag could be heard, which reverberated all over the ce, at the same time that this sound proliferated, a sh of light shed under the situation.


    "What the fuck is that?" The shadow questioned, still confused.


    Then a long-haired silhouette appeared, making Luke smile, thinking it was Nathalia.


    "Oops, I guess I''mte for the dance? I don''t need an invitation, right?"


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 57 Domain Of...

    "Oops, I guess I''mte for the dance? I don''t need an invitation, right?"


    Illuminated by a beam of light created by the giant door in that infinite dark, a girl of medium height smiled sarcastically. She had very orange hair and a yellow streak that stood out in her bangs, but in reality, what was most striking about her were the two horns sticking out of the sides of her head, both slightly red.


    "Who are you!?" The shadow shouted, angry at having its possession curbed.


    "Ah! I''m sorry for being so rude!" The girl eximed, bringing her right hand up to her mouth. "Hello, demon! My name is Vye Agra. And what''s yours?" She said with a very cordial smile.


    ''Demon? What do you mean!? Wait... Vye Agra? Isn''t that the name of that blue potion that''s been selling well recently, to help with... Never mind. Focus, Luke.''


    When the mysterious girl asked the demon''s name, the creature took a few steps back. As a result, the girl shortened the distance between the two in a second. Then, as particles of electricity crackled in the air, she appeared in front of him and struck him with a shiny, transparent gauntlet.


    This gauntlet did not appear to be expected. It coated the girl''s entire forearm and also managed to inflict damage on the demon, who was thrown into the darkness.


    Throwing her hair back and undoing that gauntlet, the girl turned to Luke, who was barely standing, "Can you still go on?" She questioned him seriously.


    The half-wolf looked at her and nodded, frowning as he looked out into total pitch. At that moment, it didn''t matter to him who she really was because he already owed her a huge debt.


    "That''s nice." The girl spoke and smiled understandingly. Soon after, she turned to look in the same direction as Luke was looking. "You seem to have good instincts, but know that there are only two ways to defeat a demon: seal it or pronounce its name. I can seal him, however, he is still strong, we need to weaken him by punching him in the face a few times."


    Still holding the ck Egg, the half-wolf corrected his posture, inhaled, and sighed. As soon as thepressed air left his lungs, he heard a fast sounding toward him.


    "To your left!" Luke shouted, directing the attention of the girl, who didn''t seem to notice.


    "Thank you! <Fist of Life>!" She shouted, and then her right fist glowed as before. However, this fist multiplied dozens of times so that it managed topletely block the demon blow, which was a giant ck hand.


    The shadow, hidden in the darkness, attacked again with dozens of arms, which seemed to appear from all corners.


    The girl also had no trouble blocking all the attacks, using only her natural speed and the first gauntlet technique.


    While being protected from that gale of blows, Luke realized he was on a level far below the two, yet he didn''t want to leave all the responsibility on the young girl''s back, so he focused all his senses on trying to locate the monster in the darkness.


    At first, he only heard the collision of blows and defenses going on around him. However, soon everything turned into a mere annoying noise, and although it didn''t emit any sound, the demon''s rotten odor was concentrated in one ce.


    Taking advantage of the gap of opportunity that the girl was providing him, Luke this time, focused tightly on the <Vind> skill, and the moment he felt able, he raised the index and middle finger of his left hand.


    FLOOOSH! A supplied wind tore through the ck world, swift as an arrow.<sub> </sub>


    "Urgghhh! Bastard!" A voice reverberated throughout thepound. "You''re going to pay for this!"


    "No, no! I''m going to do what I should have done already!" The girl shouted and took advantage of the demon''s moment of distraction to use the <Divine st> skill.


    A blinding glow appeared after she raised her left arm, forcing Luke to cover his eyes. Next, a squeal of attacks could be heard:


    "Wretcheeeeed!!!" The demon shouted, with a much thinner tone than usual.


    When the half-wolf opened his eyes again, he saw the ck world in shards, like a window ss breaking apart.


    From the holes created, Luke realized that the exterior was familiar to him and it looked very much like the cave where the giant white cube was, yet that object wasn''t there. Otherwise, its glow would be readily noticeable.


    Behind the half-wolf, there was the door through which the powerful girl had entered to help him, the same one that now looked very much like the giant door he himself had opened earlier.


    "What just happened?" Luke questioned, fascinated and lost at the same time.


    "This is the ruin of the Demon Domain. A room where he makes the rules and maniptes reality as he wants." As the dark world fell apart, the girl exined the situation to Luke.


    ''So, I was trapped in a separate world?'' The half-wolf dared not ask any more questions in that situation, and after a few seconds, a thick voice boomed throughout the cave.


    "I didn''t expect to find a veteran pdin in such a... insignificant town." The demon''s tone was a mixture of contempt and anger, and when it finally revealed itself again, Luke was able to measure its strength only based on its fearsome appearance.


    At least five meters tall, the demon appeared in the blink of an eye. Although it had white skin, the monster was still macabre with several horns protruding from its head, as well as from its back. Its fibrous muscles were sewn together by stitches made of steel.


    "Will you stop forcing that thick voice? It doesn''t suit your mediocre race." The girl teased him.


    However, one thing caught the half-wolf''s attention more than the creature''s appearance or voice.


    Between the demon''s giant legs, there was a sword amidst many rocks. Thanks to the golden handle that copied the head of a dragon, Luke could recognize that that was his sword, so he dropped the ck Egg next to the girl and said:


    "Cover me, please."


    Before she could question his action, Luke ran toward the demon.

 Chapter 58 Demon

    The demon''s face was all disfigured. His mouth was full of crooked and pointed teeth, which made his lower jaw muchrger than his upper jaw. His eyes were white, in a tone well-matched to the rest of his body, but his nose... well, there was no nose.


    Surprised that the half-beast could stand upright after picking for hours in his own Domain, the demon roared when he saw iting towards him.


    "Roaaaaaaaaaaaar!"


    This roar sounded like a taunt to Luke, and although he was in great disgust with that monster, he decided not to attack it immediately.


    As soon as he got close enough, he threw another gust of wind at the big guy and slid underneath with the help of the cave dust, aiming to reach his sword that was between the demon''s legs.


    However, the <Vind> did not affect the demon''s thick skin, which smiled wryly as it received the light breeze. Then, just as he was about to sneer at Luke, a blue beam hit him directly in the chest. Tz¨®¨®¨®¨®¨®mmm!


    The whole room began to shake at that moment, and some rocks from the ceiling plummeted to the ground, causing, even more, bangs all around.


    Luke looked up and saw a bright beam, shining brightly through the chamber, pass close to his face. As it reflected on his yellowish retina, the half-wolf was amazed that this magic wasing from just one person. This girl was certainly not normal.


    "Is that the kind of cover you want?" The girl questioned him, smiling. She barely hit Luke with the <Torden Scintins> magic.


    "Are you kidding? That was insane!" He answered her, returning a smile she hadn''t expected; for that reason, she was also proud of her achievement.


    In the direction where the demon was, there was now a deep tunnel, and if that wasn''t impressive, the magic even managed to be heard from several of the surrounding floors.


    "What the fuck was that?" A ss C Adventurer, who was on the fifth floor, asked hispanions.


    "I don''t even want to know... It was simr to what happened a few days ago, right?"


    "I wonder if there are any ss-A''s in Vasconcelos now, maybe they''re testing their skills."


    "What would a ss-A be doing here? This Dungeon doesn''t even have chests or treasures like these folks seek."


    "Are you still having the bedtime stories your mom used to tell you in your head? What a baby boy..."


    "Oh, shut up."


    What that little group didn''t know, however, was that a few floors up, there was a real demon, the kind that would put the demons in horror stories on the run.


    From the deep tunnel in that cavernous room, just below the second floor, heavy footsteps echoed, and the breathing of their creator could easily be heard.


    Luke gripped the hilt of his sword tightly as he saw that his de was in pieces, which made him even angrier with that monster.


    It was no easy task to annoy the half-wolf, and those who seeded never stayed alive for too long.


    "I''ll distract him, and you get ready to do that ''seal'' thing you said." The boy spoke.


    The angry feeling didn''t let him think clearly; still, he wasn''t the type who would leave all the work to someone else, even if a demon is his opponent.


    The girl giggled and took a few steps back to prepare for the sealing. She didn''t doubt that the man was strong since his aura was quite impressive, but his injuries worried her.


    Demons are not easy opponents even for ss-A Adventurers, and because they are so rare and hard to find, few people know how to defeat them.


    The moment the demon put a hand of only three fingers out of the tunnel, he was met by a kick to the chin, which, although it caused damage, was not as effective. However, Luke did not give up and promptly took advantage of the big man''s slowness to attack him once with his sword. Since the sword''s de was broken in half, it didn''t do much damage either.<sub> </sub>


    Bommmp! The demon threw Luke away with a p as if the half-wolf was merely a fly.


    "I''ve already lost interest in you. I want her now."


    The girl stood with her eyes closed near the giant door as she concentrated to use the spell learned in the Main Church of the Cardinal Kingdom.


    Luke stood up and said to the creature:


    "In the end, I guess you just can''t kill me, can you? You''ve tried so hard so far, maybe you are just weak."


    The demon looked back under his shoulder, seeing the half-wolf ring at him, and because of that, he couldn''t help but smile in satisfaction.


    "Hmph... Now I understand why HE wants you so badly!"


    Next, the monster struck Luke with his lizard tail. However, unlike the satisfying sound of the man flying into the wall, the demon felt his tail being stopped by something.


    As soon as he looked back, he saw that the half-wolf managed to hold the blow with the help of both arms while holding the sword handle with his mouth.


    With a grin on his face, Luke turned one of his hands as sharp as des and sliced away the monster''s tail with a single attack as he shouted.


    "Aaaaaaaaaah!" he eximed in anger. SHAAACK! "Huf... If you keep underestimating me, you''ll end up dead without having to tell me your name."


    "Son of a Bitc¡ª!"


    With the creature''s tail in his hands, Luke used it to strike him. BLAM! It hit straight on and repelled the demon backward. Without giving it time to recover, Luke delivered another blow. BLAM!


    Opening her eyes again, the girl saw from afar the monster being hit without recess and was surprised by the half-wolf bloodlust.


    ''He really is managing to distract the demon...''


    When the demon finally got tired of the catch with no time to defend, he returned to his ethereal, ghostly form. The half-wolf was losing his advantage. The tail, which was in Luke''s hand, turned to smoke as well and blended with the shadow.


    "You''re pushy, moron kid!" He shouted, extremely irritated.


    "What? Are you afraid? Get your ass in the fight!" Luke taunted him, raising his fists to put up a guard.


    But then the man heard the girl''s footsteps approaching from behind, and after that, he felt the girl''s right hand, which had many calluses, touch his left shoulder.


    He looked to the side and saw that she was carrying a box.


    "W-what is that!?" The demon questioned her.


    "Leave the rest to me, sir." She said to the half-wolf.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 59 Sealing

    As soon as the girl asked Luke to rest, he knelt down and propped himself up with the remains of his de.


    "You''re able to handle it alone?" he questioned her as the Demon hovered a few feet above them.


    "Are you kidding? I kill at least one Demon a month, so sealing one won''t be hard at all." She replied, and then a gauntlet appeared in each hand, both only made of light.


    Then the girl''s leap upwards resembled more of teleportation because, during a blink of an eye, she had already appeared in front of the Demon. Holding a small cube in her left hand, she struck the Demon, and in a pulse of power, they both vanished into thin air.


    In front of the half-wolf fell the cube she held before, now shing between ck and white. Luke already trusted the girl and felt that this had not been a suicide, so he waited patiently in front of the cube.


    Sealings are, above all, mental battles; for this reason, it is also not possible to seal most monsters since they have no consciousness; however, the case of demons is different.


    Forced to relive their memories, the Demon and the girl have been thrown into a once distant and now very real past.


    As part of the sealing, both were unaware that sealing was taking ce, and the one who allowed himself to be trapped in this cycle of memories would then be sealed.


    "Do it soon! Clean up here too!"


    Every day, at Dmitry home, was noisy. This was because Alexis'' mother was not an easy person to deal with and also abused the girl''s energy a lot.


    "Ah! And don''t forget this here!" She shouted to the little girl while pointing to a small pot with withered nts. "I can''t believe you forgot to take care of the nts. That''s uneptable!"


    The little girl didn''t open her mouth to say a word and continued cleaning everything as ordered with a smile on her face. She was only five years old, and yet she worked in that huge house from morning until dusk every day for the past few months.


    Alexis didn''t mind tidying up; she was just happy that she now had a person to spend the whole day with. Since she was newly adopted, she also didn''t want toin for fear of being returned to the orphanage.


    However, her peaceful life was utterly transformed within a few weeks. During sunset, a group of men on horseback stopped in front of the house. The madam promptly went to attend to them, and Alexis continued cleaning the guest bathroom.


    A few minutes passed until the girl came out of the bathroom to get clean water from the well in the back of the house, so she passed near the entrance room and heard the following conversation:


    "You''ve owed us for a long time, you have to pay even the minimum per month." The man with the hat and beard vociferated, sitting down on one of the white couches.


    "You have great furniture and a great house. Why don''t you sell something soon and pay us back?" Another man spoke, analyzing the paintings on the walls and crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.


    "Well... It''s only forty gold coins, or if you want, we can get it in silver coins too, it would only be twenty thousand silver coins."


    The woman, who was tapping her foot on the floor in nervousness, was very hasty about everything in that house and was already regretting having bet so much on Kaloru''s games.


    However, as soon as she caught a glimpse of Alexis walking by, she had an idea.


    "Hey, you! Come here! No, drop that there!" she said, after seeing that she was carrying the bucket with her as well.<sub> </sub>


    The men, who were wearing metal hats and boots, looked curiously at the little red-haired girl and noticed small horns sticking out of her head. They were mostly red, but both of them had a yellowish crack.


    "She''s a half-dragon! Surely, she would serve to repay our debt, wouldn''t she?" The Madame said dashingly. Even though she didn''t believe that this idea could work, she tried her luck.


    The one who seemed to be the leader got up from the couch, looked at the little girl, and questioned her:


    "Do you wish this?"


    Alexis, whose eyes were overflowing with tears at the woman''s words, looked at her angrily.


    "Hmph... That''s answer enough. Runaway."


    "What?! No, no!" The woman screamed in desperation. "If she runs away, our debt¡ª" Tiim! Her screams were interrupted by the drawing of a knife.


    Frightened, the little girl began to run to the back of the house, and in the middle of the way, she even tripped over the bucket she had dropped, yet she got up and ran again, without stopping.


    For some reason unknown to her, as soon as she heard the word ''Run'', she felt deep happiness.


    After jumping over the fence at the back of the house, Alexis Dmitry ran and ran and ran until her little legs failed and the soles of her feet hurt. Since she wore only a simple stay-at-home dress, the first few nights were rough.


    One day, while wandering along a roadside, a caravan stopped beside her. All the men in it wore polished and powerful armor, with a moon painted on their backs.


    From thergest carriage, a priestess of the Cardinal Church stepped out and extended her hand to the half-dragon. Behind her, there was still another little girl with pink hair and a fearful look.


    That was the reason Alexis Dmitry did not fear the seals. She had no regrets from the past, nor from her more shameful and submissive phase, and she also never had anger for being born a half-beast. She was just grateful that she was weed by the Cardinal Kingdom, to the point of bing a crucial member of them.


    However, the Demon''s life was not so lucky because even though he had been a human for thousands of years, he gave in to the temptations of his desires and wickedness, to the point of being personally recruited by Chaos.


    Precisely because he had been trapped for so long in a Dungeon, which is the territory of the entity he served so well, he knew the things that this evil and superior being desired. And the human part within, even if minimal from his birth, created an inkling of a doubt about his servitude to Chaos, and this was the reason for his sealing.


    After a little over five minutes, Alexis was finally ejected out of the cube, falling on top of Luke. The half-wolf, surprised and happy, almost had a nosebleed when he opened his eyes and saw the half-dragon''s breasts stuck to his face.


    "Ouch, ouch..." Sheined as she stood up. "I''ve gotten rusty sincest time. I Just got a headache..."


    With his ears reddening, Luke avoided looking her in the eye after the situation.


    "What happened?"


    "Aaann... N-nothing, I was just impressed with you." That wasn''t exactly a lie because the girl impressed him in every way.

 Chapter 60 Explanations

    After exchanging a few words with the powerful girl, Luke felt his vision dim and tunnel. Suddenly, her face was far, far away. In the end, he fainted.


    When he finally woke up, he looked up and realized he was no longer in the cave. On his left side, there was a faint orange light, which Luke immediately turned his face to observe.


    The light, which came from an almost extinguished firece, illuminated the face of a beautiful woman, whose golden strands were easily recognized by the half-beast, as was the strong sweet smelling from her.


    The dim light of the fire and the smell relieved the half-wolf, who barely had the strength to move but was still too stubborn to be convinced of it. Ayumi Yamazaki seemed to be in a deep sleep, sitting in a red leather armchair.


    As soon as Luke got up, instead of waking her up, he preferred to cover her with the beige linen nket that was covering him before.


    Then, even with the severe pain in his back, the man went to the firece and knelt down to get some pieces of firewood. After cing the wood on the natural coals created by burning the previous wood, he blew carefully.


    ''I could try using the <Vind>, Right? Yeah... but that might spread soot all over the room... I think I''d better do some tests when I can, but for now, I have to recover.''


    Now the half-wolf was feeling what it was like to be a real Adventurer and how challenging this risky profession was. Every week, unexpected things happened that could kill you without you even having a chance to reflect on the very life you had lived up to that point.


    That girl said that thing was a demon. I feel like I need to start understanding more about these things if I want to stay alive.''


    Luke had many worries in his head and no visible solution. He was at the point of wanting to drop everything and run far away; however, he took on the responsibility when he decided to apply for this infiltration.


    Deep down, he judged himself and thought that other people like Ynosuke or Matthew would have some clue about the theft by this point, and since he had nothing, it was beginning to weigh on his shoulders.


    With a series of light puffs, he finally managed to ignite a considerable amount of embers, and after a few seconds. Fluuf! The fire rose in the firece.


    "Oh! Are you up already, Guard? Are you really all right?" Martha''s voice echoed in the room.


    Luke stood up with difficulty and looked back. The servant girl was looking at him in admiration, and Luke admired her too because she was wearing white satin pajamas, and his eyes fell well under her breasts.


    Inexpressive, he answered her, "My whole back is still sore. I don''t think it''s a big deal, anyway. Can you tell me how I got here?"


    Martha nodded and, with a single gesture, called him out of the room.


    When they left the living room and entered the reception room, filled with many paintings and nts, the moonlighting in through therge window under the main double door was responsible for illuminating them.


    The entire mansion was dark and silent, as all dawns at the Strogueher Mansion were. As soon as the door to the living room closed, Luke raised his eyebrows as a signal for Martha to start counting.


    "Sigh... You stayed inside the Dungeon for three days, Luke. Which got not only Ayumi and Nathalia worried but everyone in the house as well."


    "Three days? What do you mean?"


    How could it have been three days when he had just hours ago been wandering around town in Nathalia''spany? As soon as he wondered about this, the answer appeared on the tip of his tongue.<sub> </sub>


    "The Domain of.... Hugh! Never mind, that doesn''t matter now. Do you know if it was a horned girl who brought me here?"


    "Actually, it was Nathalia and Shiro who brought you from the Building under the Dungeon this afternoon, but you''re not crazy, it was a horned girl who actually rescued you."


    "Did she tell you where she would stay in the city or which city she would go to?" The man rested his back on one of the enclosures and crossed his arms.


    The servant girl looked down the silent corridors and meanwhile pulled a piece of paper from a side pocket in her pajamas. The paper was rectangr and yellowish in a way that didn''t look like ordinary parchment paper.


    She held the paper out to Luke, and he took it, looked at it, and saw a bunch of letters that to him didn''t make any sense, except for the patterns he recognized: 239 meda Street. Even someone as illiterate as Luke could discern what an address was.


    Not wanting to abuse the goodwill of the maid, who was usually serious and barely exchanged sentences with him, he didn''t dare ask her to confirm his perception and just thanked her with a smile.


    "Khum!" The sound of a throat clearing startled Luke and Martha. "May I ask what you two are doing so close together?" Ayumi, who opened the door quietly, questioned angrily.


    The half-wolf turned around, wondering how he hadn''t heard her. The Matriarch stood with her arms crossed, wearing her everyday wool sweater, and had a stressed expression on her face that Luke had never seen before.


    Martha had seen it a few times when the woman returned from stressful meetings; however, she never expected to see it directed at her.


    "Are you two going to just stare at me, or are you going to open your beaks soon?"


    Luke didn''t want to let the maidservant have the proactivity to exin, so he exined that he was confused about everything that had happened and decided to ask the maid how he got there. As soon as he told this, Ayumi''s expression changed instantly, giving way to a loose, shy smile.


    "Ahh... I''m sorry, then. I thought you two were having a more... intimate talk."


    Martha''s face flushed when confronted with this idea. She had to turn around so that the Matriarch wouldn''t notice. "I am going to my room; I advise you to go to sleep as well, especially you, Guard." Then Martha disappeared into the darkness.


    ''What was that reaction?'' Luke wondered, confused.


    The half-wolf turned his attention to Ayumi, and as soon as he looked into her eyes, he felt thesciviousness she had in mind. If not for the pain, he would have indeed attacked her at that moment. However, just after deciding that he would not have sex that day, Ayumi pulled him by his shirt, causing him to press her into the wall.


    ''What are a few more bruises going to change?'' In the end, he couldn''t resist the temptation.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 61 The Young Miss Strogueher

    The next day, Luke woke up on the Matriarch''s couch in great pain. Luckily, Ayumi was no longer lying beside him because an embarrassing situation caught him by surprise.


    Right after opening his eyes, he heard loud footsteps approaching the room''s door, and a man entered the room, startling him.


    "Luke?"


    "Shiro?"


    "Why you''re naked?"


    "Annnn... Heat."


    The guard with the big chin and even bigger muscles clenched his eyes and stared at Luke for a few moments until he let out augh and pointed at Luke as he said:


    "You''re a rascal! You''re naughty!"


    "What? Why?


    "Speak up, it''s the maid you''re fucking, isn''t it?" Shiro questioned while giving the half-wolf a weak p on the shoulder.


    "What do you mean?"


    The big man stopped smiling and spoke: "Well, the guards on the early shiftmented that they heard loud moansing from your roomst week, and the maid sleeps in the next room."


    Blushing, Luke took a couple of seconds to respond, and as the seconds passed, the expression of doubt on his old friend''s face became more transparent and more apparent.


    "Hmph! Annn... You''re right, that''s it." Luke replied after snorting.


    He could hardly believe that he had made such a mistake in not remembering Martha, and there was no way he could tell Shiro that he was sleeping with his own employer. This moment made Luke realize that he was already up to his neck in mud in this deep pit.


    If anything happened to the Strogueher Family and Luke disappeared after it, the suspicion on him would be too great.


    "Ahhh! That''s my boy! You''ve changed a lot, you know? I remember you and Meredith exchanging strokes in each other''s ears andbing each other''s tails. With those simple caresses, you were already turning all red... That''s one of the memories that made me want to meet you.''''


    Luke didn''t quite know what to answer. He just touched the man''s shoulder and spoke:


    "When all this is over, I promise I will take you to see Meredith and Matthew again."


    "All this what?"


    "Nothing," Luke said and blinked.


    Then the half-wolf turned to grab his pants and put them on. Shiro was startled by the man''sck of nonchnce and left the room. Just after leaving Luke alone, the big man saw a girl with white hair and red eyes approaching.


    "Excuse me, miss." He spoke, signaling for her to stop. The girl had a pouty expression on her face as she pouted. "Luke is busy right now."


    The girl red angrily at the guard and ignored him, walking into the room. Nathalia had been apprehensive about Luke, so she could hardly believe that he woke up in the wee hours of the morning and didn''t even have the nerve to warn her about it.


    "Listen here! I am yourpanion and friend! Then you should have run to see me when you woke up!" She shouted after entering the living room.


    However, as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the half-wolf with his left leg slightly raised to put on his pants and a long, ck coat hanging down.<sub> </sub>


    Contrary to any possible scenario, Nathalia, this time, was not embarrassed like in the other awkward situations the two of them have met. In fact, it was like the exact first time they meet, when she asked to touch the man''s fluffy ears.


    "Y-you have a tail!?" Nathalia shouted, and her eyes sparkled with tion.


    "Yes?" Luke answered her, finishing putting on his pants. He wasn''t shy either because Nathalia wasn''t quite a woman to him most of the time.


    Besides the beautiful silky-haired tail, the half-beast exposed well-defined muscles and scars all over its back, most of them that even Shiro had no idea existed, so at first he was surprised to see them, but decided not to ask him about them.


    "I can touch?" The young Miss Strogueher inquired, approaching Luke quietly as if all her irritation was gone.


    "Please don''t."


    The tail of a half-beast is its weakest point because it causes great pain if it is pulled. This information was very useful for The Inquisitors during the time of hunting half-beasts.


    "By the way,e and have some coffee. The servant girl who was calling."


    "All right, go ahead, I have to talk to Nathalia alone for a bit." The half-beast countered.


    Shiro nodded and smiled. "I''m d you''re alive, Luke." After saying that, he closed the door to the room.


    While putting on a white t-shirt, which he didn''t even know whose it was, the half-wolf spoke:


    "Apparently, the woman who saved me is still in town. Would you like to go see her with me? I still have to thank her."


    "Of course, I had little time to talk to her."


    "Did she tell you anything about what happened?"


    "No, she just told me she wanted to talk to you and handed me a piece of paper, which I then passed on to Martha."


    "I see... well, anyway, we''ll talk to her."


    After all, Luke still had to ask about what had happened to the remains of his sword and about the Egg, which he had worked so hard to protect.


    Soon after, they had breakfast, at which Ayumi was not present she left early for a meeting in Oukiwa; Nathalia and Luke left towards the city center.


    "If I remember correctly, this address is exactly in the center," Nathalia stated, looking at the paper with the address that Martha had handed to the half-wolf the night before. "Yeah, looking again now, I''m pretty sure it''s downtown."


    "Good... I don''t want to go anywhere close to the harbor anytime soon. So many bad things have happened there."


    "Yeah. First, it was the death of the man we saved, and you even had to do an autopsy on him. Next, that monster and then the Chaos Followers... I guess I''m just attracting misfortune."


    "Don''t talk that way about yourself, we just had some bad luck." Lukeforted her, cing his hand under the girl''s shoulder.


    What Nathalia Strogueher didn''t know yet, is that the half-wolf has always been a ma for bizarre events, no wonder he has so many scars.


    Even if during his whole life he never wanted to get attention, Luke always got the gang into some risky situation or vice versa, and it was exactly this ''supernatural'' ma that apanied him, which made him extremely strong, especially in the uing years, where his future will be assimted to great deeds.

 Chapter 62 Flor De Lis

    After arriving in the center of the city of Vasconcelos, which managed the feat of being increasingly busy as the days went by, the Elf and the half-wolf looked for some time for the address marked on the paper and finally found it.


    At the number indicated, number 239, there was a building as luxurious and attractive as the Guild''s; for this reason, it stood out from the others. On meda Street, all the buildings weremercial buildings, and this one was no exception.


    With imposing ster beams at the entrance, the Hotel ''Flor de Lis'' made a noble impression on those who looked at it from afar, and one message was clear to all: this ce is very expensive.


    As soon as they entered the ss door, which swung open when touched by Luke, the pair of E-ss Adventurers attracted attention. This was not because the half-wolf was not hiding his ears, but because all the employees rested their eyes on the beautiful Elf who had just entered the premises.


    As Luke approached the reception desk, still a little ufortable with the luxurious ce, he questioned the attendant:


    "Do you have anyone called Vye Agra staying here?"


    "Sorry, we can''t give out that kind of information to strangers."


    Nathalia huffed in stress and stepped in front of Luke, "Hi, good morning! We''re looking for someone, can you help us? We believe she is staying at this hotel."


    "Sure! What''s the person''s name?"


    The half-wolf and the Elf exchanged looks of disappointment as it seemed that the attendant didn''t even hear what he inquired.


    "Vye Agra." Luke spoke with an irritated tone.


    The attendant arched her eyebrows in surprise, tilted her head a little to the right, and in disbelief, began to look up the strange name in the book that listed the guest information.


    She flipped through several pages, but as soon as she got to the data dated at the beginning of winter, which had already passed, she realized that it would be useless to keep looking because there was no guest who had stayed that long in the hotel.


    "I''m sorry, ma''am. There is no guest by that name here." The woman spoke and sent her lips to the right as a bodily sign of her disappointment.


    "Are you sure? You know she''s got pretty red hair and..."


    "Horns." Lukeplimented Nathalia''s exnation.


    "AH! You could''ve said that first! I knew who she is." Exposing a smile, all frustration vanished from the attendant''s face. "Ann... ording to my list, guest 6969 is in the 10th room."


    "Where is that?" From the outside, the hotel appeared to be at least five stories high.


    "On the second floor, to the left of the fire escape."


    In front of the reception counter, there was a long corridor and at the end of it, arge staircase, to which the second attendant pointed.


    As soon as the pair left the main counter, they spontaneously went to the indicated staircase. The entire space was lined with quartz, and the number of crystals and artwork everywhere was a reminder of how exquisite the hotel was.


    ''What the hell is a fire escape? Do I have to avoid it if there is a fire? Or is it more... mmable?'' The half-wolf was confused about the experienced receptionist''sst sentence. ''By the way, wasn''t that too easy?''


    However, like a curse, after thinking about the ease of the situation, a problem arose.


    "It was a pleasure, Miss Strogueher!" The attendant called out to Nathalia as she nodded contentedly.


    The Elf bent back and waved back, grateful. As they walked to the stairs, Luke inquired:


    "Do you know her?"<sub> </sub>


    "No, but she knows me."


    "How?"


    "I think it''s best to count everything with the help of the woman who helped us."


    Luke clenched his eyes and didn''t understand what the mystery was about, but he had to agree.


    Meeting someone for the first time, and the person already knowing you is not something very unusual, especially in the Adventurer''s business, where rumors spread like autumn leaves; however, for some reason, Nathalia was raised away from the spotlight of the nobles, so it was particrly strange for someone to call her by herst name in public the way it urred.


    In silence, they climbed the steps of the staircase leading to the second floor, and just to the left, they saw the number ten painted in beautiful calligraphy on a eucalyptus door.


    Without wasting any more time, Luke knocked just once on the door. Knock! They waited for at least two minutes, and no one answered.


    "Do you think she might have left to go to the grocery store?" Luke inquired. The smell of the half-dragon was strong in the hallway, so he knew it wasn''t false information and that she really was there.


    "I think it was because you hit it just once."


    "And what does that have to do with anything?"


    "Everything! Sigh... I don''t know how my mother didn''t get stressed out by this mania of yours."


    The half-beast was at a loss to understand what she meant. The Elf pushed him back and gave three quick taps on the door. Knocknocknock!


    Not even moments passed before Luke heard a rustling of objects and fabrics inside the room, as if there was someone looking for something.


    "We''re Nathalia and Luke... You helped us yesterday!" Nathalia shouted, also hearing the low noises. The sounds stopped soon after.


    The half-wolf could not contain himself and, even though considerably injured, raised his right leg and broke the door in half, fearing there was some intruder. In his mind, nothing could take away his concentration on the <Vind> skill, which he would use to subdue or hinder anyone''s escape.


    As soon as the loud bang of the door breaking open reverberated throughout the floor, Luke and Nathalia, upon breaking into the room, saw a small creature under a bed all messed up. Resembling a bird with its long feathers and thin legs, the little creature was less than twenty centimeters long and one of the cutest things Nathalia had ever seen.


    Disying a dark green tint to much of its body, the strange bird didn''t really look like a bird because it didn''t have wings, but it still retained the appearance of one by the very physiognomy of its body and because it had a ck beak.


    <o>,m The creature was confused for a few seconds, and when it realized what was happening, it stepped back with its four legs, and a huge topknot rose up, this one that was totally yellowish green.</o>


    "What a cute little thing!" Nathalia eximed.


    "What a strange creature..." Luke grumbled.


    "BY THE TESSEU BEARDS, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DOOR!!!?" The half-dragon questioned, dropping a bunch of paper bags on the floor, totally perplexed.


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 63 The Torments Suffered

    The half-wolf and Elf looked back in surprise, seeing the half-dragon''s terrified reaction, and somehow thought of the same answer:


    "He did it." They shouted in unison as they pointed at the green bird.


    The horned girl knelt on the ground next to the shopping bags. "How am I supposed to pay for that door!?" She wondered, bringing her hand to the floor as well, while an expression of tension gued her pretty face.


    Nathalia, worried, crouched down beside the half-dragon. "It''s okay... Luke will pay for you, after all, he''s the one who broke it."


    "ME!? I don''t even have a coffin to drop dead in, let alone pay for a door made of eucalyptus."


    Then the man and the girl looked at Nathalia, both with forgiving nces.


    "Sigh... okay, I''ll pay." The Elf replied, crossing her arms. She was still angry with Luke, but she didn''t feel it would be fair for Luke to use his entire month''s sry to pay for such an expensive door.


    The half-wolf took the door and just slid it into ce, so they could momentarily have privacy. The hotel room was huge, almost the size of an actual apartment.


    Although the bed was right next to the entrance door, further on, there was a living room with a small bookcase and even a kitchen at the far left end of the room.


    The half-dragon began to pick up some fruits and products spread on the floor as she dropped the bag, and while doing so, questioned:


    "To what do I owe the honor of your presence?"


    "Before I can thank you for saving my life, I need you to tell me about everything. Especially about that demon."


    The girl walked to the kitchen, carrying the bags, spread them out on the countertop near the sink, and turned to look at the pair of ss-E Adventurers.


    "I knew you would ask for that. Well... Can you leave us alone, Nat?" smiling, she inquired. "If you want, you can take Koven with you."


    Soon after, Nathalia took the green bird in her arms carefully, and Luke opened the door for her to leave. The Elf was not angry or stressed because she understood that even though she was a noblewoman, there were matters that she would be better off not knowing about or getting involved in.


    Meanwhile, the half-dragon began to take things out of the paper bags. When Luke approached, she even quietly offered a piece of bread, which the man dly epted.


    "Have you heard the story of The Cmity?"


    "Talk about the one about the heroes from hundreds of years ago?"


    She raised her eyebrows. "Oh! That''s the one. Well... You do know that most of the Dungeons that exist, came into existence after that series of oppressive events, right? Schrs dub this exponential growth as Irruption Flow."


    "And this is rted to the demons?"


    "The Irruption Flow is not only rted to demons, but also to everything we know today and it is kind of a supernatural event that can change the world quickly."


    "So, from what I could understand, this thing that spawned the Dungeons? No... there would be no way, ording to the story I heard, there were already Dungeons before The Cmity."


    "Yes, ording to various historical records, yes they already existed, however, what if The Cmity wasn''t the first Irruption Flow?"


    The half-wolf just stood waiting for her to continue talking. The man understood too little about all this to say that it was impossible.<sub> </sub>


    "There are monoliths with inscriptions from thousands of years ago that indicate conjunction, or rather an irruption, where monsters from another reality enter ours.


    "Are you meaning that the demons are these monsters?"


    "There is no way to know if they are or not because everyone refuses to answer these questions, but for all we know, demons are merely humans influenced by an energy or something."


    "Chaos?" Luke tried to integrate.


    The half-dragon once again looked surprised; however, this time, she acted the first time and decided to inquire about it.


    "What do you know about Chaos? How do you know him?"


    "Nathalia and I had a mission that ended up leading to a confrontation against his followers a few weeks ago.


    "Tell me more about it." The girl ordered when continued cleaning the house.


    Then Luke briefly summarized all the strange situations that had urred since they joined the Guild, including the Mission for Zion, the Guild Master.


    The half-wolf told of the Superior Goblins they found outside the Guild, also of the ss-D Spiders they found on the second floor, which generally only appear as ss-E and F Monsters. As well as, he also told of the murder of the man he rescued, the consequences that the search for the killer caused, and where the clues led him.


    "We went to The Dark, which is a ce in the suburbs of the harbor and we found a phrase there that mentioned the name Chaos."


    Luke told everything, from how he defeated the creature that emerged from a barrel with the remains of a Kobold to the confrontation against the Chaos Followers, where he had to kill most of them.


    At the end of it all, he didn''t hesitate to make a deal with something, which he hinted was Chaos himself.


    After hearing the whole story, the half-dragon pondered and reflected for a while, making it ufortable that he was the only one to share, even though the girl was so mysterious.


    Although his instincts did not indicate that she was a threat, Luke felt it was a mistake to hand over so much information on a tter as he did.


    However, after some time, she finally broke the silence:


    "Your deal with Chaos is worthless and there is no such thing as someone called Chaos."


    "What do you mean? They don''t worship a person called Chaos?"


    "Do you know the k Kingdom? There, they don''t worship Gods like most religions elsewhere, they worship the Sun, believing faithfully that this celestial body is actually an entity."


    "Are you saying that the Chaos Followers are the same thing?"


    "Same thing? Huh!" The half-dragon smiled wryly. "No... The Chaos Followers are influenced by something bigger and existing, just like the demons that receive orders. Well, in that case, if both are present in the same city, I fear there is something pretty big going on in Vasconcelos."


    "And we are in the middle of this whole mess..." Luke said after bringing his right hand to his lips.

 Chapter 64 Alexis

    Not knowing the identity of an enemy is the greatest disadvantage there is, and now, both the half-dragon and the half-wolf were at this impasse.


    Whether there were demons or not, Luke still had an obligation to continue his Mission of helping Nathalia reach at least D-ss; however, the danger from the demons and the Chaos Followers was still imminent.


    "Now, I think it''s the time for you to talk about yourself." The half-wolf spoke with a condescending smile.


    Earlier, the half-dragon was clearly thoughtful as she stared at the white granite of the kitchen counter, and after hearing the man''s speech, she let a smile slip.


    "To introduce myself, first I need to exin how it was that I found you."


    So, the girl got up, went to the broken door, whose handle and hinges had been detonated by a kick from the half-wolf a few minutes ago, and opened it.


    Nathalia was sitting on the floor of the hallway, with the odd bird on herp, looking down at the floor. Then, after noticing that the conversation, which hadsted some time, was over, she stood up digestively.


    "Come, sit with us. It''s time we told him how we met." Said the half-dragon, making room for Nathalia to enter.


    Sitting on the messy bed, the Elf said while her heart was racing:


    "Luke, I think I''ve made a mistake, one of those that are beyond repair."


    ****


    As soon as Nathalia heard a bang that day in the Dungeon five days ago, she tried for over an hour to open the gigantic stone door.


    Then, seeing that none of her efforts would have any effect, she left the Dungeon to seek help from someone.


    However, the bang was not only heard by her as it reverberated all the way to the surface. Desperate, Nathalia eagerly tried to find someone willing to enter the Dungeon with her, to try to open the door, but no one was willing to risk themselves in a supposed Dungeon Event with an E-ss as a partner, no matter how beautiful she was.


    So, when the Elf couldn''t think of any other options, she went to the Vasconcelos Guild and opened an official, Active Mission request in her real name. In addition, she announced to all those present in the Guild building that the Mission was to begin immediately and would be worth one hundred gold coins.


    "One hundred gold coins!? For me!?" The half-wolf questioned, startled because not even working for a year he would get that amount.


    "Desperate situations, require desperate measures." The Elf said, smiling and blushing.


    At that moment, Luke actually realized that Nathalia didn''t just consider him as an employee but as a real friend.


    "So? Did you ept the Mission?"


    "Actually, I had some problems about the value of it..."


    Since the value was exuberant and extremely attractive, as well as giving the opportunity for an Adventurer to carry out a Mission for a member of a noble family, it caused quite a bit of euphoria among the Adventurers.


    For this reason, Nathalia was soon called into the Zion Room, where she had to exin to him everything that had urred.


    "I understand that Luke is an important colleague."


    "He is my only colleague."


    "Yes, I understand perfectly, but we don''t even know what''s going on inside the Dungeon right now, and while I''m sure at least a hundred adventurers would be willing to take this on with you, I''m afraid it''s too dangerous and risky... I''m sorry."


    Luckily, there was a neer in town, who while she was pretty curious about the great sess that was the Vasconcelos Guild, was even more curious about a mission that offered a small fortune. This was Nathalia''s Quest, whose poster was on the counter.<sub> </sub>


    For the half-dragon, it was the ideal opportunity to finally get rid of the debts she had made in Stahurt. However, more than the reward value, a factor written in the description of the quest alerted her.


    [Quest for any Rank.


    Title: Missing.


    Apanion and I were scouring the depths of the second floor in search of an entrance to the third when we were surprised by a giant door made of stone. Upon opening it, we saw a giant white cube. Besides the cube was a lizard, which seemed extremely strong.


    I ran away, but mypanion, named Luke Lange, stayed to distract the creature. Then I heard the crash, and when I returned to check what had happened, my friend was gone.


    This quest is being proposed by Nathalia Yamazaki Strogueher, Ayumi Yamazaki Strogueher''s firstborn.


    Reward: 100 gold coins].


    ''A white cube!?'' The half-dragon thought, while trembling with excitement. ''White cubes are the hallmarks of a high-level sealing. And that kind of sealing is only done with demons! Great! That would allow me to kill two birds with just one stone!''


    The woman was very excited, both because of the reward value of the Mission and also because of the opportunity to meet yet another demon.


    With the Mission in hand, she decided that she would do it.


    However, she didn''t dare go knocking on the door of the mansion of a noble family to look for additional information about the Mission or even ask for confirmation in the guild that was taking the Mission, because there wasn''t much time either.


    Instead, she ran to the second floor and tried for a long time to find the giant door mentioned in the mission parchment and was unsessful for four days straight, which left her frustrated and hungry.


    <o>,m She didn''t know why the Dungeon was so empty while the city was so busy, but when she finally found the door mentioned in the quest parchment and opened it, that doubt found an answer: a nameless demon inhabited the ce.</o>


    "Now that you know how I found you, atst, I can tell you who I am." said the half-dragon, finishing telling the story and standing up with a severe expression. "Nice to meet you, my name is Alexis and I am a broke mercenary working for the Cardinal Church."


    At that moment, Luke stood up from his chair, looked her up and down, and spoke:


    "You work for a church? Hmph... You should review your repertoire of jokes."


    "Why? You don''t believe me?" She inquired, cing her hands on her waist and tapering her eyebrows.


    "A long time ago, my mistress told me about the dangers that dwell in a Dungeon, and from what she told me, the Cardinal Church keeps all those secrets under lock and key, why would there be someone like you distributing information about demons like that?"


    "You have a great point." The half-dragon said, stepping back with a faint smile.


    "Anyway, thanks for the help. I have quite a bit to think about, and I have to recover to get back to work." the man said, turning to leave.


    "Wait!" The woman called out to him. Nathalia and Luke, already heading for the broken door, braked and looked back, abstruse. "Can you guys do me a favor?"


    ______


    Discord for illustrations of the characters:


    https://discord.gg/qz2vDAn7Kb

 Chapter 65 Two Main Points

    "The sun will shine once again... The light will reach hearts! ??" A strong-voiced man was singing from the stage in the corner of the luxurious venue.


    Five people entered through the entrance door, where there was a receptionist with a kind smile and shiny hair. Three of these people caught everyone''s attention, not only because they were beautiful but also from the social status of the two of them.


    The Matriarch of the Strogueher Noble Family and her firstborn had never been seen in one ce before, so many doubted that Nathalia was really a Strogueher, but that night confirmation finally came.


    Ayumi was wearing a tight ck dress, with the hem just above her knee, emphasizing her sensuality. Nathalia was wearing a long white dress, entuating her purity and ambition. So was Alexis, the half-dragon, whose red dress matched her orange hair perfectly.


    Seeing this trio in person was like a gift from heaven for the men on the scene, yet a feeling of envy arose when they looked at the two men apanying them.


    Both were wearing simple, unshy tuxedos, and they didn''t seem to be essential people either; for this reason, a tsunami of whispers ran through the ce, ripping off offenses to the two.


    "Who do they think they are to hang out with Miss Strogueher like that?"


    "I bet they are waiters who came in through the wrong entrance..."


    "Haha! No, I''m sure it''s the coachmen."


    "ves?"


    "If we were to judge them by their attire, we might even say they are puppies."


    But the two men didn''t seem to mind these offenses and continued to appease, with serious looks on their faces.


    "Let me help you with your tie," said Shiro to Luke, whose ck tie was loose and crooked.


    "Ah... Okay, thank you very much." The half-wolf was quite ufortable in that kind of clothing he had never worn before.


    However, before I go on to tell how the wild Luke will fare at a nobleman''s party, I need to tell how he was put into this ce.


    The day the half-dragon told how she ended up saving Luke, she realized that she could trust him and hispanion. For that reason, she also felt she should keep them close.


    "Can you guys do me a favor?" Alexis inquired.


    Luke looked back and arched his eyebrows upon hearing her request; after all, Nathalia had already paid 100 gold coins to her and, in the middle of it all, even revealed her identity, so it was a bit awkward to ask for a favor at this point.


    "What do you need?" Nathalia asked, being charitable.


    Alexis was clearly d that the two adventurers didn''t deny her and ran to a kitchen cupboard. Then, from the closet, she took out a cloth bag, and inside it, something buzzed.


    "What is that?" The Elf questioned her, curious, as she approached.


    As a response to the girl''s questioning, the half-dragon removed an object from the bag, and now in her hand, there was a small white cube, which immediately made Nathalia flinch.


    "Don''t worry, that one is well sealed."


    "Is that the demon youmented on? And that you defeated?" The Elf''s huge red eyes reflected the rity of the cube, which emitted a low rumble. Vriimm~


    "Are you still with that?" Luke inquired of her.<sub> </sub>


    "I can''t just leave it with anyone or let it anywhere. I don''t want that thing being able to break free again."


    Vriimm~ The object pulsed again as the half-wolf stared at it.


    "It seems to sense your presence," Alexis spoke up, narrowing her gaze at Luke. "Anyway, this little guy here has been pretty noisy since yesterday, so I''m afraid there''s another demon in this town."


    "What do you mean?" Luke sat back down in the same chair as before.


    "These cubes here are perfect for trapping demons because they are truly worlds apart, which makes such powerful beings unable to escape, but as a consequence of this strength, they weaken when the energy of two demons are too close." The redhead exined, spinning the white cube on the tip of her index finger like a ball.


    ''Eh? Is that really true?'' Nathalia wondered, breaking into a cold sweat as she saw the sloppiness with which the woman handled the object.


    "If what you said was true, and there was already a creature in the ce where the cube was, it makes sense that it would have gotten as big as you described because it was already breaking the seal." The woman continued to exin.


    "Are you saying that the giant lizard, which we saw, was another demon? If so, that makes no sense, because he ran away from me." So exined calmly, the half-wolf.


    "I can''t answer you whether it was or not, but I can guarantee that there is another demon in Vasconcelos."


    "How?" Nathalia questioned her; after all, she had lived much of her adolescence in this up-anding city and could not imagine such terrible creatures so close to her home.


    "There are two main points to my theory," Alexis said proudly as she lifted her chin.


    ...


    Soon, she realized that the pair of ss-E adventurers were waiting for her to continue, so she cleared her throat timidly and went to therge hotel bed, where there were many scattered objects.


    Among vials of strange potions, skirts, daggers, scrolls, and XG bras, she finally found what she was looking for after a few seconds of poking around.


    "Here it is!" She eximed with a smile so pleased, that it made Luke feel his heart flutter for some reason. Then she held up a book amidst all the clutter.


    "What''s that?" Nathalia asked, standing next to her.


    Then the woman opened the book and read: "Instability in a peaceful system or ces where order prevails, can easily be exined by the presence of a demon because this type of creature causes anomalies wherever it goes. These are clear signs of instability: monsters walking wildly outside Dungeons; failure of the barriers made by the Sensorial mages and, among other aspects."


    "That would exin... No, it''s impossible that that was because of demons, we already concluded that it was the fault of the Chaos Followers." Nathalia spoke, not avoiding bringing her hand to her head.


    Luke stood up, walked over to the girl, and massaged her right shoulder. "Proceed." He motioned to Alexis.


    "Huh... The second factor that made me believe there is another demon, is the sound that this cube is making. I''ve never seen that before."


    The cube was still emitting the same sound as before, which was minimally simr to the ringing of a bell. Luke couldn''t tell if this simrity was thanks to the vibration of the object emitting this sound, or something greater.


    "What do you n to do?" The man inquired the redhead.


    "I want to make the cube lead us to the other demon."

 Chapter 66 Genes Skills (Part 1)

    "I want to make the cube take us to the other demon." The half-dragon request was still echoing in Luke''s head, who was not bold enough to give an answer on the spot.


    To follow and find out where the cube would take them, they needed to be prepared for another encounter with a demon and, at worst, the escape of the demon trapped in the cube.


    So he asked for a day to think and prepare. Since he is a half-beast, his regeneration is more elerated than that of normal humans; for this reason, he felt that all he needed to do was take a healing potion, and everything would be fine.


    However, the man was not only worried about himself but also about Nathalia. Although he waspletely sure that she would be able to give Alexis and him good support in a battle, he felt that the girl had no such confidence yet.


    As he reflected on this, the half-wolf stared at the ck Egg standing on his bed, which Alexis returned to him just before they left his room in the ''Flor de Lis''.


    ''It''s a shame she didn''t get the sword...'' Lukemented, stroking the Egg lightly. ''What am I going to tell Ynosuke? That a demon broke it? He would never believe it.''


    As he smoothed his rough hand over the Egg''s shell, he noticed that there were slight cracks, perhaps from the battle or from the half-dragon''s effort to carry him the half-wolf at the same time.


    "If I hand over the Egg like this, I''ll end up getting killed by those ss-C Adventurers. I think I''d better keep it to myself."


    In the end, Luke still had hopes in the Egg of a Summoner, and since that might solve the gang''s money problem, he decided not to give it back until he saw it hatch.


    Knock, knock! Two hurried chimes rang out in the small room of the half-wolf. Opening the door, Luke was faced with Nathalia, who had a smile on her face.


    "You said you were going to test me, didn''t you? I think I''m ready." The girl spoke.


    The half-wolf looked her over and could tell both by the smell she had and the sweat dripping from her forehead that she was now testing herself, until a short time ago.


    Luke smiled at her and said, "Yes, but this time let''s do it differently than the day we met, okay?"


    "How is it going to work?"


    "This time you can use all your gene skills, how about that?"


    The closed smile on the girl''s face transfigured into a broad grin as her confidence increased exponentially.


    So the Elf and the half-wolf opted to use the training room this time rather than the vast grounds behind the mansion. Since it was still daylight, they could take advantage of the sunlight, so Luke would not have any kind of advantage.


    With the watchful eyes of three guards, plus some of the mansion''s employees who stayed until after hours, Luke and Nathalia got ready to start.


    Both were wearing the clothes they normally wore on a daily basis in the Dungeon, and that should include their weapons. But Luke didn''t have one anymore, so he would fight with just his hands while Nathalia would use her powerful Pansperm Spear.


    The Elf was the first person to make a move. She ced the spear in front of her body, and while holding it with only one hand, she used the other to use <Malevolent Hook> and drew Luke towards her.


    The man decided not to resist the skill, so he was pulled in, leaving everyone watching stunned, including Martha, who had never seen her use a skill before.<sub> </sub>


    ''You guys are wrong if you think I won''t react.'' Luke spoke mentally. He then dug his feet deep into the ground and kicked some dirt into the girl''s face in a slide of his legs.


    "Ohhh! Is that worth it?!"


    "Luke is so kind to us, but he has no manners when fighting, right?


    "Shhh! Let them battle."


    Nathalia spat out some of the grass that got into her mouth and wiped her face, spreading some of the dirt even through her white hair as she smiled.


    "How many gene abilities do you have?" Luke questioned the girl, picking up her sinking feet off the ground.


    "Currently I have 3mons, 4 umon, and 1 a rare, but soon I will have an epic one!" She replied and then struck with the tip of her spear in his direction.


    Luke deflected with ease and grabbed the spear handle. "What do you mean ''soon''? There''s no telling when you''ll have an epic!"


    At that moment, the spear disappeared from the man''s left hand, and Nathalia stepped back. "My family has ordered many great genes from apany in J?rme Vige to encourage Adventurers to go to Oukiwa, but she will let me pick one for myself."


    Luke''s throat went dry on the spot, and he didn''t know what to answer; after all, for the first time in his life, he didn''t have the urge to steal this family.


    "If you want, you can help me pick when the transportes through Vasconcelos, and if you''re audacious, you can even try to convince my mother to sell you one for a better price." She said and struck again with her spear.


    Luke gave a faint smile and shook his head, trying to dispel these thoughts from his mind.


    ''You are testing the girl. Focus on that, you big idiot.'' He thought as he leaped backward, dodging the girl''s attack.


    He was testing her to decide whether or not he could take her on the demon quest because even though he had spent a few weeks with her, she never came close to being really challenged.


    In fact, the reason for this was that Luke always prioritized protecting her rather than fighting against her. However, that didn''t mean that he didn''t know that the girl was strong.


    While dodging the Elf''s spear attacks, and the audience watching was impressed with her movements, Luke was thoroughly analyzing her moves.


    "You''ve improved your leg game!" Heplimented her, which made her smile for a second and distract herself from the battle; at that moment, Luke spun around and hit her with a kick to the belly.


    However, the girl did something he really didn''t expect. Covering her back, there was now a kind of purple armor, somewhat transparent.


    "Let me introduce you to <Bj?rnens brystte>!" The Elf said, smiling.

 Chapter 67 Genes Skills (Part 2)

    Although Luke felt nothing as he struck the ability that protected Nathalia, he knew that thing was very tough.


    "Look, I have to admit, you surprised me. Why haven''t you used this before?" He questioned her.


    "This is a single-use skill, whose cooldown is 3,000 seconds. So, since I was never in such a great danger to felt that I needed it, I always saved it for a critical situation."


    "Oh! You''re a smart girl." The half-wolfplimented her, making her blush.


    "Back in action, slugs!" Shiro shouted from the beginning of thewn, just past the stairs that led to the back porch.


    Then Nathalia took advantage of the second, the half-wolf turned to look at the big guy and attacked him with another unusual ability.


    "<Aura Amplification>!" She shouted. Soon after, an outline appeared around the girl''s spear, and even though it was well away, the spear managed to hit Luke''s hair, trimming a few strands.


    The girl had already learned well that in a real battle, there is no such thing as a dirty trick, there are only lives at stake, and nothing is considered too dirty or cowardly.


    "You have many tricks up your sleeve!" He shouted and then used <Vind> to sessfully push her away. However, Luke still didn''t know the true strength of this ability when not tired.


    FLOOOSSH! The gale, formed by the simple hand signal from the half-wolf, pushed the girl not only far away but also high up. This wind was so strong that it shook the ss panes of the mansion and also managed to blow away arge part of the leaves from thewn.


    Nathalia, who had not yet had the opportunity to know such an ability, was so taken by surprise that she could not even use one of her gene skills to react.


    Luke looked down at his own hand and could hardly believe that he had done that, but with a brief nce upwards, he came back from his state of disbelief and jumped up to catch the Elf before she fell to the ground. It allsted only a few seconds, and people didn''t even know how to react.


    "Was that Mr.Luke? He''s even more powerful than I thought." An assistant cook thought, after having to hold his hat up to keep it from flying off in the gale.


    "Are you kidding? He trains at least half an hour a day every morning, I''ve never seen him get dragging his feet." A maid from the afternoon shiftplimented him.


    After taking Nathalia in his arms, Luke inquired worriedly:


    "Are you all right?"


    "Y-yes." She replied, embarrassed and not knowing how to react.


    Luke helped her tond on her feet and began to lightly pinch her ear from nervousness. "I''m sorry about that, I didn''t realize the ability was so strong. You know, I haven''t had much time to try it out yet."


    "Are you kidding? That was the <Vind> skill, wasn''t it?"


    The half-wolf arched his eyebrows. "How do you know?" He couldn''t remember if he had evermented to the girl about the ability.


    "You don''t know?" Nathalia inquired, with a mocking smile on her face. The girl even brought her right hand to her waist and rxed her body. "Anyway... Practice is over guys!" She shouted to the crowd watching.


    People were disappointed that it was so fast, but since they were also already tired from working all afternoon, they dissipated. As they walked to the balcony, where Martha and Shiro were waiting for them, Luke inquired:


    "What did you mean?"


    "Come, I''ll show you." She said and took the man''s right hand.


    The maidservant and the brute who was watching theming towards them were stunned by this.<sub> </sub>


    "Is he taking the maid and Miss Nathalia too?" Shiro thought, startled by the audacity of his childhood friend.


    "Have you fallen for him too?" Martha thought, perplexed.


    Both of them had not yet realized that the rtionship between Nathalia and Luke was like that of two close friends, a result of the care the man had for the girl and the respect she had created for him.


    When they entered the mansion, the girl led him to the house library. Shaack! The opening of the white curtains soundedforting to the half-wolf, as he knew what had already happened in that very room a few weeks ago.


    "It must be around here¡­ Somewhere..." the Elf whispered to herself as she read several book spines.


    All the books in that room were thick and looked very valuable, with covers made of chemically advanced materials that Luke could only tell them apart by their smell.


    "Here it is!" She eximed and delicately removed the chosen book from its ce.


    "Why all the mystery?" The half-wolf asked before she opened the book.


    "That way it''s more interesting!" She replied and smiled contentedly.


    So, the Elf opened the book and rummaged through a few pages until she finally found what she was looking for. "Look at this here." She said, cing the thick book between the two of them on the couch.


    On the open page, there was a huge text that Luke couldn''t understand. However, one illustration quickly came into focus.


    In this illustration, there were four main elements: the drawing of a me, red and orange; the drawing of a drop of water,pletely blue; the drawing of a wave, nk, andstly, the drawing of a tree leaf.


    "What do these drawings mean?"


    "They are not drawings, they are symbols. Look closely..." She touched the rough, yellowed page very carefully so as not to create any erasures. "These symbols represent four gene skills, which even though they are only of the rare level, are quite versatile and powerful."


    Below each symbol, there were words written; these were their names.


    "Fire Skill, Brann; Water Skill, Vann; Wind Skill, Vind and Earth Skill, Jord." Nathalia read them one by one.


    "So, I have a rare skill?"


    "Yes. If you gained it when you killed that Blood Spirit, he was surely at least rare level as well."


    A rare level creature on the loose in the middle of a city. That was certainly not a normal thing to happen and made the whole situation more rming.


    ''If the presence of a demon is causing this and if at best, the demon is not working with the Chaos Followers, I believe that these fanatics are using its presence to take advantage.'' Luke theorized.


    Seeing the thoughtful expression Luke had on his face, Nathalia had a certainty:


    ''He''s not thinking about how fucking strong the skill he gained is. I can bet he''s thinking about the town and other people.''


    Knock! Knock! The attention of the two ss-E Adventurers was drawn to the door of the library, where there was now a blond, green-eyed woman.


    "I''m here, and I have news," Ayumi said with a serious countenance.

 Chapter 68 Parasites

    The Matriarch of the Strogueher Noble Family wore a long crimson skirt and a white shirt, which left her breasts a little tight.


    "What happened, Mother?" The girl inquired, seeing that her mother looked more tense than usual.


    Luke found this strange because Ayumi usually had a lewd and often ironic smile. The woman entered the room with a book under her arm, much thicker than most of the books in that library.


    "I found your grandfather''s bestiary in the middle of the demolition of the family headquarters, and a few other things that might interest you." She replied, sitting down next to her daughter. "In it, there is information about the white cubes you said."


    Ayumi then opened the book to a page with an illustration of a perfect cube. Just below the cube, an arrow pointed to the illustration of a ck cloud with two eyes and a macabre smile, very reminiscent of the demon sealed by Alexis.


    "Did youment to her, Nathalia?" Luke asked, angry because he did not intend to involve the Matriarch in this mess.


    "She''s my mother, and she was as worried about you as well. She even postponed her trip to Oukiwa when she got home and heard what happened."


    "Is that true?" He questioned Ayumi.


    The night the half-wolf regained consciousness after the fight against the demon, he didn''t have time to talk with Ayumi, as they were both overwhelmed with the intense desire they felt for each other.


    "Of course not! I was just a little distressed because I would have to go through the trouble of hiring another guard for her." The woman replied, but her face flushed when the girl asked the question whether she realized it or not.


    Since Luke could not let such details go unnoticed, he decided not to bother with this answer and just followed up.


    "Can you summarize for me what is written, please?" He asked the Matriarch, pointing to the text just below the illustrations.


    "C-clear!" She read alone for a few seconds to recapitte the information and exined: "These white cubes are sealing objects for a type of parasitic creature, called a Demon by some, and apparently these beings are not very strong on their own, so when they are not trapped, they immediately search for a host."


    "That''s new..." Nathalia said, getting up from the couch, "That woman told us about the function of these cubes, except shemented nothing about them being parasites."


    "I think the monstermented something about wanting my body... It was all so confusing and he was so chatty, it''s kinda hard to remember everything." Luke spoke, slightly raising the bangs that covered his forehead.


    "Ah... This all must have been very arduous, right?" Ayumi inquired, draping herself on the couch''s leather to lessen the distance between her and the half-wolf. Then she ced her hands on the man''s left hand, which was on his knee, tofort him.


    Nathalia didn''t even mind this sudden closeness between her mother and her bodyguard; she just took the book from her mother''sp and began to read it eagerly.


    A little nervous because of the situation, Luke whispered to the blonde, "What are you doing? She''s right here..."


    Ayumi moved closer to his ear. "I''m justforting you... it''s okay, silly."<sub> </sub>


    "Hold on!" The white-haired girl eximed, startling them both. "There might be some clues here, and maybe we don''t need to risk the safety of the cube!"


    As the girl looked at the two people sitting on the couch for an answer, she saw that each was sitting in the corner of the furniture. While the half-wolf''s fuzzy ears were pink, the Matriarch''s legs kept moving.


    "Whatever!" In the end, she didn''t even care about it for more than a few thousandths. "It says here that demons seek out young and talented people. If it''s really true, that might help us get at the other demon."


    "Wait. There is another demon in town? How are you guys so sure?"


    "The woman who saved Luke is rted to the Cardinal Church, and she has a document that says that demons upset the bnce. Since the city got into this mess a few weeks ago, she believes there may be another one. One that isn''t sealed." Nathalia exined as she closed the bestiary.


    "But from what you told me, wasn''t it the Chaos Followers'' fault? I even told you guys that little story from The Cmity, which made me sound like a grandma."


    "We concluded that it was, and as far as we know, the trouble has ceased since that night, but I feel we won''t be sure it''s all over until we rule out the possibility of another demon."


    Many mysteries surrounded the day Luke and Nathalia found the giant stone door. The White Lizard, the words spoken by the demon about something or someone wanting Luke, and several other things that made the half-wolf feel uneasy.


    "A good ce to look for someone talented and young will be at the Vasconcelos guild anniversary g. I believe it will take ce tomorrow night." Ayumi exined, getting up from the couch. "I''m going to my office, decide today whether you''ll go or not, and then I can give you advance notice."


    It was already getting dark in the area, and the library was slowly getting darker, as was the rest of the mansion.


    With energy to spare from not going to the Dungeon, Luke and Nathalia went into the training room, where they lit the firece and the side torches, making the space well lit.


    "Do you want to go?" Nathalia questioned, brandishing a sword in the direction of the half-wolf.


    "I prefer the idea of following the cube. It seems better for someone like me." The half-wolf replied, defending the girl''s attack with another strike. "I don''t think a g is the most appropriate ce for me either."


    "Are you kidding? I think you''d look good in a tuxedo."


    "You do? Yeah, maybe... It wouldn''t be too bad to see you in a dress either." He teased her, but the girl didn''t fall for his bluff and didn''t even allow herself to be distracted.


    They kept practicing until Martha came to call them to dinner, and before they sat down at the table with the Matriarch, they had already made a decision.


    "We are going to the g." Their statements sounded like a unison to Ayumi, who smiled.


    "It will be great to see you in formalwear." So she spoke to the half-wolf, which caused the maid to shake her hands in nervousness and knock some tea out of her cup.

 Chapter 69 Plan A Or Plan B

    The next morning, Luke and Nathalia were up early, and before they even ate, they headed into town to let Alexis know about the n B they had in mind, which in turn would not involve the risk of exposing a sealed demon amid an entire city of possibilities.


    As they entered the hotel lobby, Nathalia was immediately recognized, just as she had been the day before, and so they had an easy time proceeding through the hotel.


    Luke was not as bothered by the revtion of the girl''s identity as she thought he would be. Yes, it was a problem for the half-wolf to be so close to those who were in the spotlight, especially the big noble families, yet he judged that there was no turning back and went on to not care.


    Not even Ayumi cared about this, after all, she judged that this was something imminent, especially with the future rise of the girl in the world of Adventurers.


    In the end, only Nathalia was bothered by this sudden fame since everywhere she went, everyone looked at her and whispered behind her back.


    "Do you think she will ept it?" Nathalia inquired, about knocking on Alexis'' bedroom door, which was already restored.


    "There''s no reason for not epting it, and even if this n B doesn''t work out, we can go back to n A."


    Next, Luke tapped on the door. Knock! And that was enough to get the half-dragon''s attention. "Wait a minute!" Her scream, muffled by the door, could be heard.


    The pair waited for a few seconds until the white door with gold details opened. Alexis Dmitry was with a sleepy expression and was wearing only small ck shorts, exposing her whole beautiful body, except for her breasts, as she was wearing a ck bra as well.


    Luke and Nathalia didn''t know how to react, they just turnedpletely red, and slowly a blush began to appear on the half-dragon''s face as her sleepiness passed.


    She looked down and saw that she was wearing almost nothing. "S-Sorr¡ª" Tumm! She mmed the door hard before evenpleting her speech and leaned back against the door.


    ''What''s gotten into me? I''ve gone crazy by any chance... Did he see me like this? What he''ll think of me?''


    The half-wolf and the Elf didn''t know how to react either after that, they just stood there, still and waiting for her to decide toe back at some point. A few minutes passed and nothing of a return.


    "She wille back, won''t she?"


    "N-not sure." Luke was still a little ecstatic about the situation just now. Somehow, the woman looked so beautiful and rxed that it made him excited.


    Tlec! The doortch rattled, and slowly the bedroom door opened again. The girl''s crimson eyes appeared in this small gap, and a brief murmur could be heard.


    "You may enter..." The half-dragon continued to hide behind the door as she opened it.


    ''She''s very cute.'' Luke and Nathalia thought, watching that reaction.


    The girl''s room was as messy as the day before, but this time the mess was on the floor and not on the bed.


    Near the table next to the kitchen was the little green creature, with a huge belly facing up, forcing another piece of bread down its throat.


    Knock! The door closed behind Nathalia and Luke, which reminded them again of Alexis.


    "Have you two made up your minds?" She inquired. The woman was not dressed as sloppily as she had been a few minutes ago. Now she was at least wearing a loose shirt, which covered much of her body.<sub> </sub>


    "Actually, we have another idea," Nathalia spoke, raising her right arm like a preschooler.


    Then Nathalia exined about n B, which involved a g meeting and young talents. She spared no detail and even told how she learned about the characteristic of demons who opt for a young and powerful host.


    "Yes, I already knew that, but I wasn''t aware that there would be a guild meeting. If I had known, I would have suggested that n as well, not least because there would be no other method for us to find young talents. Searching one by one in such a big city would beborious."


    "Yes, it''s a great n, isn''t it?" Nathalia spoke excitedly, with a huge smile stered on her face.


    "You took it easy and that''s good, but I thought of an important factor now. How are we going to know who the demon is? We can''t just get there and question one at a time." Luke spoke up. He was leaning on the counter, waiting patiently for Alexis to finish preparing the cups of hot chocte.


    Alexis stirred with a spoon the chocte, which was going down to the bottom of the cup, and then dragged it to the half-wolf.


    "There is a way, however, it is not morally correct."


    "Proceed." Luke and Nathalia said. They both had no problem with something morally incorrect, after all, the man used to be a thief, and the girl, well, the Strogueher''s wealthes from the profits of the Dungeons, a ce filled with death.


    Alexis Dmitry smiled and began to exin her idea:


    "I know the recipe for a potion that can poison a demon''s host and make it reveal its true identity. If there is a source of mead or any other drink, we could pour a few drops and just wait."


    "But... no side effect on other people?"


    "No. Actually, this potion restores stamina, so everyone who drinks it will feel even more motivated to dance and party."


    With a n with pirs prepared in advance, all that remained was to wait for night toe, and then the day went on naturally. However, in the end, things urred that Luke had not expected.


    "Why do you look so beautiful?" Luke inquired to Ayumi, who had juste down from the second floor in a gorgeous, bold dress.


    Her thick legs were so highlighted by the ck dress, that just by looking at them, Luke already felt like kissing the woman.


    "Why, we''lle with you."


    "We?"


    From behind her back, Luke heard hurried footsteps and gasping breaths. Up the stairs from the entrance, Shiro, who was wearing a very tight tuxedo, arrived panting.


    "Haa... Haa... I''m d I got here in time." The man spoke, as he was bent over and with his hands on his knees. "What was with that sudden invitation, Luke, I didn''t even intend to go to that silly party."


    "He''s a ss-C Adventurer, and he knows a lot of people too. He''ll help," said Ayumi, pretty confident that she did the right thing by calling the big guy.

 Chapter 70 Old Relationships

    On the way to the Hotel ''Flor de Lis'', the carriage where Shiro, Nathalia, Ayumi, and Luke were being a little cramped. Shiro and Nathalia were on the side with their backs to the coachman, and Ayumi and Luke were on the other.


    The Matriarch''s leg was touching the half-wolf''s, and as Shiro and Nathalia talked, they didn''t even notice the nces between the Elfdy and the half-wolf.


    In a silent conversation, he incessantly asked her to stop teasing him, and she eagerly continued testing him.


    The woman couldn''t tell what attracted her more to the half-wolf, if it was the mysterious air that surrounded him or if it was the adrenaline that she felt running through her body every time she did something with him.


    The carriage continued to be driven by the Jognart Brothers quietly. Although it was already night, the moonlight always appeared in the summer, so the road to the city was not inplete darkness.


    Vasconcelos was not the safest city in the world, just like Oukiwa, there was also the risk of muggings. In order to have the advantage in case something like this happened, Ayumi requested Shiro''s presence.


    When they finally arrived in front of the hotel where Alexis was staying, she was waiting in the lobby and when she saw Luke''s face through the window, she cracked a big smile.


    Alonso Jognart, the thinner brother, got down from the driving seat. "Good evening, mdy. You look beautiful." He greeted her, bowing.


    "Thank you very much." She thanked him for the courtesy, bowing slightly as well.


    Then the man opened the carriage door, however, the half-dragon''s smile transmuted to a look of fascination.


    "Good evening, Ayumi." She greeted the Matriarch, as she walked up the stairs of the carriage. Alexis was carrying a small shoulder bag, so small that only the potion could fit in there.


    Ayumi was awestruck for a few seconds and replied: "Good evening... I confess I didn''t expect that the Alexis that saved Luke was you."


    ''Wait... do they know each other?" Luke thought, dragging himself to the side, so Alexis would have somewhere to sit, but he soon felt a resistanceing from the blonde Elf.


    "Such amon, corny name... I thought it might belong to any rabble-rousing mercenary." Ayumi teased her.


    "Haha! As usual... you''re hrious." Alexis spoke, clearly debauched.


    "Khum!" Nathalia pretended to clear her throat. "You two know each other?"


    <o>,m The redheaded woman snuggled up next to Luke and when she saw that she wouldn''t have much room, she put her left leg over his right leg.</o>


    "Not much..." replied Alexis.


    "Well even too well." Ayumi retorted, which made the mood in the carriage different from before.


    Between the blonde Elf and the half-dragon was Luke, who understood nothing of what was going on, yet he tried to connect everything, while Shiro and Nathalia chose to remain quiet.


    "Let me just ask... You two don''t like each other very much, do you?"


    "I like her a lot," Alexis spoke, gently swinging her left leg.


    The Matriarch noticed this rubbing on the bodyguard''s leg. "Tsk! Not a bit." She said, crossing her arms.


    "Ahhh... Don''t talk like that, Ayu... I like you." She spoke, leaning towards Ayumi, which exposed the cleavage of her dress and a lot. "I just got a little angry when you didn''t pay for that contract."<sub> </sub>


    "Getting ''a little angry'' is an excuse for destroying three acres ofnd?"


    "I didn''t destroy it! I just helped n it."


    The Matriarch gave a corner smile and quickly tried to disguise it by crossing her legs. "Anyway, I''m d you''re still alive."


    "Thank you... It''s been what? Five years since we''ve seen each other?"


    "That''s right..."


    On the way to the venue, which was to be in a small castle at the foot of a mountain away from the city, the two women eventually exined where they knew each other from.


    Apparently, they were close friends back when they were attending college in the Cardinal Kingdom, a little over 10 years ago. While Alexis was a young prodigy who was attending college at the age of thirteen, Ayumi was a recent widow who was preparing to receive the most prestigious post in the Strogueher Family.


    This unusualbination yielded huge rewards for the two at the time, who helped each other all the way to graduation.


    "Ah... that was such a great time," Ayumi said, nostalgically.


    "Yeah... and in the end, you got what you wanted so badly, didn''t you? You managed to raise your daughter away from the clutches of the noble pigs. That''s quite an aplishment."


    "I still worry about her future, but I believe Nat now has many good examples to follow." The Matriarch spoke, looking at Shiro, Luke, and Alexis.


    "I-I?" The half-dragon inquired, pointing to her surprised face.


    By the end of the brief ride, the tense atmosphere hadpletely died down. As they felt the carriage stop, the group inside it looked out and saw many people climbing a marble staircase.


    Tlec! The carriage door opened and, amazingly enough, Luke got out before everyone else. The half-wolf had been sitting on the leather seat over his draught all this time, not to mention that he was in the middle of two beauties, so he sweated a lot.


    The ''small castle'' that Ayumimented on was huge. The marble staircase connected to a long bridge, which created a crossing between a deep ravine.


    "Shall we go?" inquired the Matriarch, touching the half-wolf''s shoulder.


    "Yes." He replied after refreshing himself, being bold enough to offer his arm to the woman.


    After the bridge, there was a mountain and at the base of that mountain, a castle with tall, pointed towers. On this same estate, there was a beautiful garden on its side, which looked very much like a chalice. Below this chalice, a small waterfall poured water over the precipice.


    The ce was well lit by small crystals, which Luke had never seen before. These small ores were even on themppost next to where the carriage stopped. They were greenish and created a pleasant ambiance.


    Before Ayumi and Luke even started walking toward the stairs, Alexis called out to him. "Hey, Luke! Can I have a minute alone with you?"


    "Sure." He replied, holding out his hand for the half-dragon to carefully climb down from the carriage.


    When a little further away from the carriage, the woman reached into her small purse and held out a sk to the half-wolf.


    "We don''t want to draw too much attention here, so drink this." She ordered, handing him a sk that held a bluish liquid.

 Chapter 71 The Guild Ball (Part 1)

    "We don''t want to draw too much attention here, so drink this." She said, handing him a sk, which was a bluish liquid.


    Luke tried to analyze the liquid and suddenly had his hand lowered by the woman. "What are you doing? Do you want the whole party to see it?"


    "What is it?" He inquired, suspicious.


    "It''s an elixir to hide our half-beastly features." She said, took the bottle from his hand, and took a quick sip.


    Soon after, the beautiful reddish horns of the half-dragon slowly disappeared like magic.


    "I-is that really possible?" He questioned, and without even asking, tried to touch Alexis'' horns. Toc! He touched the girl''s horns. ''So, they''re still here... just camouged.'' He concluded.


    ''Ah... Hah ?" Alexis let out a low, restrained groan, and as she looked at the man shyly, she requested: "Can you t-take your hand away, please?"


    Coming back to reality, Luke quickly removed his hand from her right horn and, to get out of the awkward situation as quickly as possible, drank the elixir. After that, he felt nothing, not even reflux.


    Gently, he smoothed his hair and felt that between them were still his ears. ''Did it really work?''


    Alexis noticed the half-wolf''s harried expression, so she pulled a small mirror from his bag and opened it in front of Luke''s face.


    "It''s really gone..." He spoke, barely able to believe that there was such a thing as this convenient.


    "N-now stop touching your ear, please... it''s embarrassing for me." Alexis said, face flushed as she put the mirror and vial away in her purse.


    The half-beast duo promptly joined the rest of the group, to enter the castle. Ayumi looked at the half-dragon with clenched eyes, filled with distrust until she noticed that the woman''s horns were gone, as were the half-wolf''s ears.


    "What have you done?" She inquired, running her hand over the half-wolf''s head.


    Luke shivered a little as he felt the woman''s delicate hand touch him. "And they''re still here. It''s just camouge, so we don''t draw too much attention."


    "And that''s been around since when? I''ve never heard of it..." Shiro spoke, also shocked, after all, this would have been very useful so that Luke and Meredith could have lived a more normal life.


    "It''s an expensive, custom-made product. I only use it when I really deem it necessary and if I take it constantly, the effect of the elixir willst for a shorter and shorter period."


    Elixirs are not the same things as potions, and this is general knowledge for everyone. While potions are easily prepared by those who have the necessary knowledge and resources, elixirs are imbued with magic that arises from some specific types of gene ability.


    Because these abilities are rare, so are elixirs, which makes them much more expensive than most potions.


    There are elixirs of various effects. Some can grant you night vision temporarily and others can increase all your attributes by several times, but the more powerful an elixir is, the shorter itsts.


    However, even Ayumi had never heard of an elixir that could cloak someone, much less specific body parts. Still, she decided not to focus too much on that and decided that she should enjoy the party, after all, she hadn''t had many opportunities to go for one in a while.


    As they walked up the marble stairs, the quintet immediately began to attract curious nces. There were many adventurers at this party, and most of them didn''t even know how to wear a tuxedo properly, so the three beautiful women quickly drew attention for their elegance.<sub> </sub>


    "Who are they?"


    "I''ll go talk to them..."


    "Nahh! You wouldn''t have the guts."


    After being doubted, the F-ss Adventurer couldn''t help but try, so he gathered his courage and walked toward the women as soon as they reached the top of the marble staircase.


    "Excuse me,dies. You are..." The man was ignored like a mere fly by the three women.


    They were used to all kinds of clueless men, and since they already had a goal in mind that night, they didn''t even bother to dismiss him formally.


    This contempt made one thing clear to everyone who saw it happen: they were unattainable and on another level.


    A gentle wind ruffled the treetops and carried on until it touched the end of the ravine through which the bridge passed, whistling on the rocks there. Shhhh!


    When they finally reached the other side of the bridge, Shiro, Nathalia, Ayumi, Luke, and Alexis saw how elegant the castle was. The architecture wasvishly detailed, especially the front columns, which disyed statues of the living dead wearing armor.


    To Luke and Alexis, this was macabre, but to the others, it was a clear sign of ostentation, because of the rich detail in them.


    After entering the castle, the quintet was greeted by several types of stares, but their main targets were Luke and Shiro, who were wearing not-so-good tuxedos because they had to rent thest ones avable in Vasconcelos'' only atelier.


    While Nathalia and Ayumi were immediately recognized, the ss-E and ss-C Adventurers began to be scorned with looks.


    "I bet they are waiters who came in through the wrong entrance..."


    "How do they have the nerve toe in here? They should stay outside with the rest of the Adventurer rabble..."


    "At least they''re brave... they''re following Miss Strogueher closely. I''m going to go over there and take care of them..." A man with a crooked smile spoke to the group of friends.


    From a distance, Shiro, Luke, and Alexis felt the bloodlust of the maning down the stairs from the second to the second floor. He was wearing a shy magenta suit, whose green tie did not match his dry blond hair at all.


    Therge curly staircase he was walking down gave him a highlight and caused him to attract the attention of several people.


    "That''s Nathan Dubois, isn''t it? I didn''t know he''d be here."


    "Girlfriend, it really is him. They say he''s close to reaching ss-C, isn''t that amazing?"


    With each rank, the number of quests required to move up can triple or double, depending on the Guild. That is, if it takes ten quests to move up from F-ss to E-ss, it will take at least twice as many quests to move up from E-ss, and so on.


    So even those who are not ss-A or Smand a lot of respect, mainly because of experience and motivation.

 Chapter 72 The Guild Ball (Part 2)

    Nathan Dubois, a ss-D adventurer, was looking for spaces to pass between the many guests in the main hall of the castle. Meanwhile, he continued to stare at his two targets.


    ''Ah! If I can touch my hand to the smaller one, he will surely cry while begging me to let go. Haha!'' He thought, staring at Luke, who was also staring at him.


    However, just as people recognized him andmented on him, they also recognized other famous adventurers in town.


    "Hey, isn''t that the only Rank-C Berserker in Vasconcelos?"


    "Wow, that''s him! Shiro is his name... Man, I hear he''s surreal at battling!"


    "But has he retired? It''s been a good few months since I''ve heard from him."


    "I don''t know... but it looks like he must be working for the Strogueher''s." A boymented, pointing to the big guy next to Nathalia and Ayumi.


    Thesements made Mr. Dubois feel a little less motivated to move on, however, with a nce to the second floor, he realized that the girls and their friends were watching him intently.


    ''Fuck... I''m already in the way anyway. But... he''s a Rank-C... Okay, Berserker''s a problem, but the other one''s probably just a rabble anyway.'' The idiot thought, continuing to walk after a brief moment of hesitation.


    Ayumi Strogueher was thest to notice the man''s aggressive look, and without difficulty deduced that he wanted to show off somehow.


    It was not an umon thing for people toe to the Matriarch to introduce themselves, flirt, or even fight, so her evasive skills were more than trained for this kind of situation.


    As soon as she got him within five feet, Ayumi grabbed Luke''s left arm and squeezed her breasts into the half-wolf''s body. This made her feel nervous, after all, she, like Luke, preferred a more discreet rtionship.


    Nathalia saw this and was confused. Shiro almost didn''t believe it either.


    ''You''re with the mother, the daughter, and the maid? What the fuck you are doing Luke?'' he thought, with confused open eyes.


    Alexis couldn''t help but chuckle wryly and turned away from the confusion that would soon form.


    The man, who had a bold smile on his face, was dumbfounded and wondered:


    ''WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS? HE IS... HER SON, RIGHT?'' Luke did not have the slightest trace of a nobleman, much less an Elf. His face, although quite handsome, had no sign of any skincare, something that was normal among nobles.


    Many of the people around were also not expecting the sudden tug that Ayumi made, and so the numerous whispers became even more intense and spread throughout the party.


    "W-what are you doing?" Luke whispered to Ayumi.


    "I don''t know...we''re just going to go with that flow...grab me too." She dared.


    "Do you want me to grab you? In the middle of everyone? A-are you crazy?"


    The woman didn''t answer, just smiled as they all looked at her.


    ''Ah, whatever!'' Luke thought and then grabbed the woman''s other arm.


    Now that they were facing each other, Luke slowly slid his hand down the Matriarch''s arm, from her shoulder to her right palm.


    Coincidentally, the singer started singing again at the same second of the tug. "I can hear the wind go by. Watch the wave crash. But the damage it does, Life''s too short to see~ ??"<sub> </sub>


    The people, who were startled to see the respectable Matriarch Strogueher with such an indigent man, now judged both of them with stern looks, however, for the half-wolf and the Elf, a small world made just for the two began to emerge.


    "Ara¡­Ara~ You sure know how to be bold, Luke..." said Ayumi, trying to y tough, as she felt little shivers at his touch.


    With his right hand, Luke finally intertwined his fingers with hers. With his left hand, he surprised her and grabbed her waist.


    "Hah~?" She let out a low moan and Luke slowly began to improvise a dance as he led her to the dance floor, which was a little empty.


    "?? A century, a month. Three lives and more. One step for yesterday..." Luke hummed the song out of tune at the same time as the singer. "Act natural... We have to get a lot of attention if we want to continue with the n." He whispered in her ear.


    As he started to walk away, the Matriarch brought her left hand to his hair and pulled him forward.


    "Do you think it''s a good n to draw attention to yourself? We''re here to try to find a demon, not to expose our rtionship."


    "Alexis is already taking care of that." He said, stepped back, and smiled.


    In the shadows away from all the overbearing stares, the half-dragon took advantage of themotion generated by Ayumi''s mere presence, to begin the main step of the outlined n.


    Nathalia didn''t take long to realize that Luke and Ayumi''s sudden approach was actually to conceal Alexis'' presence. As soon as she deduced this, she let out a sigh of relief and smiled.


    To the group''s misfortune, there were plenty of ces with drinks throughout the party, but since there was no bar, the n was still possible. So, the redhead quickly infiltrated the crowds and used her agility to pour a drop into each of the mead, beer, and punch fountains she located.


    However, as if by fate, right at thest fountain of beer drank a trio of drunks, who didn''t even care about all themotion generated.


    "See that one? She''s got an ass! I bet a sit-down would destroy you! Hahaha!" One of them spoke up, pointing to a woman in an orange dress.


    "Wanna bet I''ll fuck her and get her friend for free?" The fat man in the group replied, his eyes already half fallen from so much alcohol.


    Alexis didn''t think to stop with the n and although this fountain was far away from the core of the party, which was the dance floor and the stage, it was also the closest ce to the service exit.


    "Hey, hey, look at that oneing!" The third member of the trio tried to whisper to his friends, however, he was so drunk that he didn''t even realize he spoke up.


    "Ohhh! This one''s fucking hot!"


    Before the third could say anything, she made a quick sign with her right hand and whispered:


    "<Styre>."


    p Then everyone in the trio spoke together:</anda>


    "I think I drank too much."


    "We''d better get back to the hotel."


    "Yeah... My head is spinning."


    Finally, thest fountain was intoxicated with the elixir that Alexis herself had prepared for the asion. Now, all that remained was to wait and have a little luck, for the second demon to finally reveal itself.

 Chapter 73 The Guild Ball (Part 3)

    The Vasconcelos Guild''s birthday party brought together many adventurers who needed a break, merchants, mages, herbalists, as well as those who wanted towork, investors and prodigies.


    Theoretically, demons opt to choose the most powerful, but this is not always a viable alternative, because as with mind controls, magic, and poisons, powerful people have a high resistance to many other things as well.


    For this reason, experienced demons focus on the young, manipting their minds and numbing them with carnal desires and greed.


    However, there is one ingredient that demons hate more than anything, and if Alexis Dmitry were not part of the church, she would probably never know about it.


    Holy water? Garlic? Aconite? No, it is a simple material that can easily be found in many ces all over the world.


    Do you know that slimy surfaces are easily found on stones in rivers and waterfalls? This is called slime, and this simple organic material is more than enough to expose the true face of a parasite.


    While waiting for the slime potion to make its victim, the half-dragon returned to her group to exin the second part of the n. From a distance, she saw Luke, Ayumi, Shiro, and Nathalia talking to the blond man from before.


    Nathan hatched an impromptu n and went to greet the members of the Strogueher Family, taking the opportunity to learn more about the curious man apanying the respectable Ayumi Yamazaki.


    "What! Are you an E-ss?" He inquired with sweat beading down his face.


    "Actually, I was an F-ss untilst week." Luke rified.


    ''How can a jerk like that be with a hottie like this elf?'' The man wondered, adjusting his green tie. Just then, Nathan felt a hand touch his shoulder.


    "Beat it, son," Alexis spoke, startling him with an intimidating aura, which made Nathan''s heart race on the spot.


    Nathan left, walking briskly, and didn''t even look back. When he returned to the second floor, he simply lied to his friends, saying that he was a friend of the Strogueher''s as well and that he just went to say hello to them, however, he was left wondering:


    "What was that woman?" even from above, he didn''t dare to look in the direction of the half-dragon.


    p "Hahaha! Did you see his reaction?" Alexis scoffed after Nathan left the group. "Ouch... ouch... Anyway, I''m done with my part here. Can you guys go outside and check for other mead sources or something?" She inquired, reaching out her bag to Nathalia and Shiro.</anda>


    "Sure." The girl replied and picked up her bag.


    When Alexis saw the young woman and the big guy walk out the front door, she immediately questioned:


    "You really are together, aren''t you? I mean, you don''t even have to deny it, everyone saw it here. Your daughter may not believe her own eyes, or maybe she even already knew..."


    "She doesn''t know yet," Ayumi replied, seriously.


    "That''s not for me to say, but if you want to maintain a good rtionship with her, you know you''ll need to tell her, right?"


    "Rest assured, this thing we have is... different."


    Even with the loud music ying in the background and with his ears cloaked, the half-wolf could clearly hear Alexis and Ayumi''s hearts speed up upon hearing this.


    "What did you mean by ''different''?" The Matriarch inquired, clenching her gaze.


    There were many ways he could answer her questioning and among so many possibilities, the worst one kept hammering away in his head like a cksmith''s forge.<sub> </sub>


    In a way, Luke knew that his rtionship with Ayumi was temporary, both because of the astronomically fast way it happened, and also because of all the factors that revolve around their rtionship.


    She was a respected noblewoman, and he? The guy who was nning to steal from her. Even though his heart desired to stay with this woman, deep down Luke knew that certain romances are fleeting, and he couldn''t fail his fellow man''s dreams.


    However, like a second chance falling from the sky that kept the half-wolf from making one of the biggest mistakes of his life, something exploded on one of the castle walls. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


    A mist formed of dust and soot hovered around the ce for brief seconds, until Luke dispelled it using <Vind>.


    Between the massive concrete blocks, whose individual weight of each could exceed 100kgs and the party guests, three magical barriers prevented a massacre from happening.


    Next to Luke, Ayumi Yamazaki held up the smallest one with great effort. The barrier was green and since it was the first to be activated, it held a good amount of debris.


    But, the barriers that contained the destruction could not have much prominence, because there was a ck sphere that hung over the roof of the partially destroyed castle.


    When the half-wolf saw this strange sphere, he immediately remembered the dark world where he was trapped. Desperate, he opened his inventory and clicked on the first thing he saw to throw.


    [Panspermia Spear: Hades'' Daughter


    Level: Rare


    Affinity bonus: This spear was made with one owner in mind (Nathalia Strogueher). When wielded by the desired person, it will have a 50% critical damage increase, with a high chance for dismemberment].


    ''In the morning, she asked me to put this away... Huh! Who knew that woulde in handy so quickly.'' Luke thought, summoning the beautiful spear in his left hand.


    Soon after, the ck sphere dissipated, and still static in the air, a man appeared. His features looked familiar to Luke, only the half-wolf couldn''t remember where from.


    He had met many people throughout his life, and especially in Vasconcelos and the Dungeon he had seen many faces, but somehow this face remained engraved in his memory.


    As soon as the moonlight partially illuminated the man''s face, exposing the color of his eyes, Luke could almost smile. "Fate is ironic..." He spoke.


    The man who emerged from the ck sphere was Jean Pollo, the only other man Luke had ever met, apart from himself, who had yellow eyes.


    "Do you know him?" Alexis inquired, summoning his gauntlets of light.


    "I saw him only once, a few weeks ago. Even though he looked rich, he was hanging around the vicinity of The Dark with a friend, when he got caught in a crossfire from my battle against a Sun Apparition."


    As he finished exining, Nathalia and Shiro emerged at the front door and shouted to everyone: "It''s him! He''s the demon!"


    That exmation finally made the demon move. Jean turned his chin down slightly and looked at everyone with a look of contempt.


    Even without saying a single word, that gesture made Luke realize that this demon was way strongerpared to the one he fought. However, Luke was nowhere near alone in this battle.


    Beside him were dozens of adventurers thirsting for glory, who as soon as they heard the word ''demon'' began to daydream about how glorious their lives would be if only they had the chance to hurt such a sublime creature.

 Chapter 74 Demons

    Even in front of dozens of powerful adventurers, the demon didn''t tremble, in fact, he even looked confident.


    With a superb smile, he began to decrease his altitude, and when he finallynded on the ground, he nced at everyone and just clenched his eyes a few times.


    ''My barrier didn''t even identify him as a threat?'' Ayumi thought in shock, seeing that the demon simply walked through the barriers without even cracking them.


    The arrogance of the monster made many of the adventurers hesitate to attack first, thus waiting for the first idiot who was brave enough to strike.


    "You humans are disgusting creatures..." The demon spoke, seeing the sweat of apprehension that ran down the faces of most of them. "If you don''t want to start this confrontation, allo¡ª" A quick arrow hit the monster''s left shoulder, without even buzzing.


    This single arrow gave time for the civilians, who were there as escorts, to flee to the outside of the castle, as well as creating a gap for some other archers to summon their Panspermia Bows.


    Then a storm of blows tried to hit the demon, and Luke didn''t want to be left out. Although he didn''t know how to use a spear as well as Nathalia, he knew the basics, which he learned from hispanion during some practice breaks.


    Imitating his partner''s normal pose, he kept his left leg steady and slowly bent his right knee, aiming the spear at the demon.


    However, just as he was about to strike, he heard the woman next to him shout:


    "What are you doing? Get Nathalia and Ayumi out of here! I''ll take care of him!" Alexis then patted the half-wolf on the back and smiled. She had the light gauntlet''s skill active.


    Luke looked back and saw the Matriarch horrified by the demon''s overwhelming presence. To her, the monster''s whole countenance was unpleasant, and even his tone of voice didn''t sound like anything normal.


    "Are you okay? Come, I''ll take you to the carriage." The half-wolf spoke to the Elf.


    Startled, she just nodded and they both started to leave. With a nce back, Luke saw that the demon dodged all attacks with extreme ease.


    Luckily, Nathalia and Shiro were still at the door. Seeing them, the half-wolf grabbed the Matriarch with both hands. "Excuse me." He said, and started running towards the two, carrying Ayumi.


    After a few seconds, he arrived safely at the main door, through which some civilians were leaving in hurried steps.


    "Shiro put Nathalia and Ayumi in the carriage. I''ll try to help the people here!" He asked the big guy.


    Shiro smiled as he saw that he still had the full confidence of his childhood friend. "You can leave it to me, I''ll take good care of them!"


    "Mate, I think I''ll stick with that for a while longer." Then Luke evoked the Spear of Panspermia again.


    "Take good care of the Daughter of Hades!"


    Afterward, Luke didn''t even dare to say goodbye to Ayumi, because he was still confused about everything, he was about to say to her. With spear in hand, Luke returned to Alexis'' side and questioned:


    "What''s the n?" The half-dragon had not yet attacked, because she was analyzing her opponent.


    "We may not know what the demon''s name is, but luckily he has a receptacle. That way he won''t want to run away so quickly."


    "Okay... so do we have to do any rituals?" Luke inquired, after all, on the first demon it was necessary to do the sealing ritual.<sub> </sub>


    "If we knew his name? Yes, but since we don''t, just creating a hole in his chest will be enough to resolve the situation for now. Do you think you can do it?" She asked, with a look as if she was challenging him. "How about a bet? Whoever kills the demon''s receptacle gets a wish and the other person can''t refuse."


    "Huh... You''re weird, Alexis." Luke already thought the half-dragon was impressive, and now she was proposing a bet in the presence of a demon. This was something that far exceeded his expectations. "I ept."


    Soon after, the half-wolf extended his right hand to the woman, who shook it firmly as she smiled. "I''ll make you dye the hair on your ears pink." She shouted amid her first thrust against the monster.


    Luke didn''t want to be left behind, so he also propelled himself into an attack.


    ¡ª Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, eleven figures were gathering at a long table of twelve seats. ¡ª


    p "Hahaha! That''s pretty fucked up!" A thin-voiced man shouted, loud enough for all present to hear. "Oops... Sorry, Hihi!" He apologized, putting his hands in front of his lips like a child.</anda>


    "Are we not going to interfere with this degenerate''s actions?" A small silhouette inquired to everyone on the opposite side of the table.


    None of the other nine figures spoke up, just the sameughing man as before. "Why should they? I''m not doing anything wrong, am I?"


    "Erghh... Not yet." The smaller figure replied, crossing his arms like a child as well. "But are you going to reveal the existence of the demons? Last time, you guys almost didn''t survive."


    Theughing figure finally wiped the smile off his face upon hearing that question.


    With his left-handed fingers, which were pointed and made of steel, he began to move the crystal ball that showed the battle against the demon in the castle far away in Vasconcelos.


    At the scene of the battle, the monster was managing to dodge and return almost every blow itnded, except for one person: Alexis Dmitry. While Luke was struggling tond effective blows, the half-dragon was attacking five, ten, fifteen times.


    "Everything is going as nned." He answered the figure in a boyish voice, as he stopped moving the crystal ball. "Except for the contradictory little bugger." He whispered to himself.


    Then theughing figure rose from his seat and appeared in the light.


    He was wearing very colorful clothes, which seemed to have been made from patchwork, but with a certain finesse. In addition, he wore a hat with many tips, characteristic of court jesters.


    In his right hand, he carried a child''s wand. In his belt, a sword and many porcin masks.


    "If I may, I am leaving, gentlemen." He spoke, bowing formally. Soon after, he revealed his pale face in the light. His face was covered by make-up and paint, and yet everyone knew that the biggest fake the man wore was his macabre smile.


    ------


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    Consider also joining the discordmunity:


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 Chapter 75 An Oppressive Force

    Ka-Boom! A huge explosion burst next to the demon''s face, causing a surge of hope for all those injured by him on the battlefield.


    However, the same ufortable dark matter that covered his entire body protected him at the very moment of the explosion.


    Simr in appearance to goo or slime, the dark matter formed a kind of armor around Jean''s body, so that only a few parts of his everyday clothing were exposed.


    As the slime receded onto the man''s back, once again Jean''s droopy eyes appeared. He had a bored expression, and the prosaic gleam that Luke had seen that day in his eyes was not there.


    At that critical moment in the battle, the half-wolf put his arm in front of Alexis, interrupting her from starting another gale of blows against the monster. This gesture also caused all the supporting adventurers to stop their actions.


    Then Luke stewed his chest and questioned the demon: "You''re not him, are you?"


    Finally, a different expression appeared on the monster''s face. This one looked a little less bored.


    "The definition of ''he'' is very ambiguous, but if you are talking about my identity, you are correct. I am not ''he''."


    Normal people might think Luke was talking about the demon not being Jean Pollo, however, he was talking about the being he made the deal with.


    Just the fact that the demon was able to understand the half-wolf''s sudden question already confirmed one thing: the Chaos Followers and the demons were indeed interconnected somehow.


    Since Alexis had already rified that there was no such thing as someone called Chaos, Luke''s only doubt was who the thing he made the deal with was.


    "Do you know who he is?"


    "Do humans still need a name to go by? I believe an idea is a reason enough."


    As Luke and the demon talked, many whispers spread throughout the destroyed ce. Some discussed strategy, others praised the man''s courage, and there were even those who misjudged him for dialogue.


    Soon after hearing the monster''s response, Luke tightened his grip on the spear handle and vociferated:


    "If you don''t want to tell me, that''s fine... I''ll make you tell me when you start spitting blood on the ground."


    The half-wolf brandished the spear forward and advanced once more. Although he had been hit a few times by punches and kicks from the monster, all the blows hit only grazed him, for that reason he was not as badly hurt as others.


    Striking from above, Luke had his spear stopped by the right forearm of the demon, who tried to counter with a left-hand punch. Luke did a little hopping and, before the punch hit his rib cage once more, he kicked the monster in the chest, repelling him backward.


    "Back off!" An archer shouted at Luke. Then a wave of arrows cuts across the hall, heading toward the demon.


    Jean raised his right arm and, from his fingertips, the dark matter that protected his body dropped off it, stretched, and swallowed all the arrows at once.


    This was the first coordinated attack by the support team, and they certainly didn''t expect the demon to react like this.


    The dark matter did not return to the man''s body, it bubbled up and shot all the arrows back towards the archers on the second floor.<sub> </sub>


    The hissing of the dozens of arrows took everyone by surprise and the speed was so high that there was no time to get into a cover.


    Shackk! Shackk! Shack! The sound of the arrows piercing the men and women made the demon smile for the first time.


    As the people screamed in agony, the monster spoke:


    "That is the true melody of the universe... Their vocal cords almost burst as they screamed and the sound of flesh tearing apart... I could listen to that forever."


    With an expression of disgust, Alexis managed to seize the moment to strike the demon. The half-dragon''s light gauntlets hit his bare face and hurled him out of the ruined castle.


    "Puftt!" Alexis spat, as she walked toward the man''s bloodied body. Her face was frowning and slowly her horns began to appear again.


    In the outdoor garden, which was already quite messy from the first explosion, the demon found himself propped up among some nts.


    This garden was circr and from a distance could remind some people of the mouth of a chalice, while for others it could resemble an invocation battle arena.


    When he saw the half-dragon approaching, the demon quickly ordered the ck slime to return to armor mode, but this time he felt a slight sluggishness.


    ''What is it? What''s wrong with you people?'' he thought, watching the dark matter spread more slowly between his limbs. ''That damn thing is not normal...''


    The demon stood up, snapped his bones without moving a muscle, and prepared an incantation. From the palm of his left hand, a magic circle with erased runes appeared.


    Since Alexis was not willing to see what kind of blow the monster would unleash, she quickly used the rare ability <Morning Sense> and teleported to the demon''s back, which did not allow him to continue with the incantation.


    "EVIL!" He shouted, elbowing the woman in the face.


    With her cheeks crumpled from the blow, Alexis resisted the intense force of the demon while smiling. In a frightening exchange of forces, the slime on the demon''s elbow began to crack, and that scared him enough to back away.


    Taking two leaps backward, the demon stepped back and for the first time seemed to show some semnce of fear.


    The half-dragon didn''t want to give the monster time to recover from the jolt, so she quickly charged at it again. Through her absurd speed, she managed to grab his neck and immediately pressed him against the ground.


    Thisbination of movements caused such an atmospheric expression that everyone inside the castle could hear several loud bangs.


    With the ck armor cracked on his chest, even while pressed, the demon dared to inquire:


    "Wretch! What are you!?"


    Alexis smiled, but still kept an angry expression on her face. "I''m a ss-S, disgusting creature!"

 Chapter 76 The Gauntlets

    Among all the adventurers in the battle, only Alexis did considerable damage to the demon.


    Among the dozens, only she was able to crack his dark matter armor.


    Among all the people he had fought in the past years, the half-dragon was the only one who managed to put fear into him as well.


    "I''m an S-ss, disgusting being!" She shouted as she smiled and then punched the monster in the face.


    Its entire back dug deep into the stone floor of the ce, thus making the entire garden shake and wobble. The castle stood on the edge of a very deep ravine and was certainly not a ce built for battles of such intensity.


    Even though she felt everything shaking, the woman didn''t stop striking. TUM! TUM! TUM! Her hand didn''t even touch the demon''s skin, as the gauntlet was like an aura, which prevented this.


    Although she was ughtering a demon, internally she was angrier at herself, for once again not being strong enough to protect weak people.


    With each blow, she dealt, another massacre that she couldn''t avoid came up in her thoughts.


    ''Shit, shit, shit, shit...'' These feelings made the girl slow down by milliseconds, and this asioned a desperate counterattack from the demon. Dark matter stuck to the ck gauntlet during one of the punches and spread throughout the half-dragon''s body, consuming her.


    Just as before, this thing took the shape of a sphere and began to float. From inside the object, Alexis punched several times with the <Life Wedge> gauntlet and used <Divine st> even though it was in an enclosed ce, which made it crack even more.


    "I didn''t want to make something so iparable, but I have no choice." The man spoke and then began to guide the ball with one hand while standing up with difficulty with the other.


    When the ball reached above the cliff, he opened his left palm, and then the object plummeted at high speed.


    Luke climbed the wreckage of the castle wall in time to see this scene and, without a second thought, he used the sword-throwing stance he knew and hurled Nathalia''s spear toward the monster.


    The Daughter of Hades shed towards the demon and...Wuuft! He managed to hold the handle of the spear so that only the sharp point flickered near Jean''s thin nose.


    "What did you do with it?" The half-wolf inquired, sliding down with the help of the dust on the rubble. The concealing effect of the elixir given by Alexis had worn off, so his fuzzy ears were exposed.


    The demon straightened his spine, turned the spear, and drove the de into the ground. Without saying a single word, he just smiled briefly and used his left hand to call Luke into battle.


    Then Luke ran toward the demon and when he got close, he kicked with his left leg from the bottom up.


    Skillfully, the monster used the spear to shift its own body to the side. The weight of its body spanned the sturdy rod, and when the monster released the spear, the rod came back and hit the half-wolf''s face.


    To react to this, Luke used <Vind> in the direction of his opponent.


    Floshh! The demon was repelled and so was the half-wolf, due to the strength of the magic that seemed to get stronger and more concentrated.


    As luck would have it, Luke still managed to be quick enough to touch the spear and brought it back to the orb state, which was the portable mode of the Panspermia Weapons.<sub> </sub>


    Zisssh! The half-wolf''s worn shoes slipped on the fine dust that now covered the garden floor.


    "Hey! Where am I?" Luke heard a voice question him. He looked forward and it was Jean who asked. The sparkles in his eyes were there this time.


    Summoning the spear again, the fuzzy-eared man inquired:


    "What is your name?"


    "M-my name? I am Jean Pollo, of the Noble House Pollo...can you tell me where I am?"


    "Pollo... I understand... now I will know who to send the body to when we are done here. Thank you, demon." Luke said, smiling audaciously.


    The expression of confusion immediately vanished from Jean''s face at that moment, as did the glow in his yellowing pupils, giving way to the same faded expression as before.


    "You have good instincts."


    Luke raised his spear and ced it behind the back of his head, in that same rxed pose he joked: "My nose allows me to sense weak spirits."


    In a way, the half-wolf knew that the demon was using itsst strength as it took a lot of damage from Alexis and since it didn''t seem to have the ability to regenerate itself, it''s the best chance to get out alive would be to run over Luke or throw itself over the cliff, where Alexis was probably still alive.


    In a risky move, the creature raised his left arm, and once again the magic circles began to form on his palm. Since Luke didn''t know what this was, he decided he should try to stop it before it could conclude.


    Three magic circles quickly appeared on his palm, ovepping each other and forming a kind of tower. These circles got bigger and bigger, and when the fifth one appeared, the half-wolf was still a little more than a meter away.


    TROOOOOOMMMM! TROOMMMMM! TROOM! These three explosions echoed for miles, even reaching the ears of people walking in downtown Vasconcelos.


    "Cof... Cof..." Luke coughed up blood beside the rocks he was thrown at. ''How the hell am I still alive?'' He wondered, looking at the damage done by the demon''s ability.


    All around him, there were shards of ss scattered all over the floor, and it wasn''t hard to see with a nce upward that several of the castle''s pointed towers had been incinerated.


    ? When the half-wolf heard footstepsing toward him amidst the haze of dust created, he quickly found the strength to get up.


    Using the <Normal Inventory> skill, he picked up a vial of simple life potion and took it, while taking off his ck coat, remaining only in a white shirt and butterfly tie.


    "You''re still alive... Look, that''s surprising." said the demon, emerging among the smoke, this time with only his right arm in one piece, after the explosion all that was left of his left arm was a bit of flesh and a fraction of his humerus.


    "Let''s finish this soon..." Luke spoke, smiling wearily.

 Chapter 77 Fatal Cuts

    "Let''s finish this soon..." Luke spoke, smiling wearily.


    "Won''t you pity that noble boy''s body?" the demon questioned, alluding to Jean''s body, which he owned.


    "I will be riding him as a dirty parasite, why should I pity him?"


    Upon hearing this answer, the demon frowned most of his face and bit his teeth, highlighting the bones of his perfectly straight jaw. "You''re annoying..."


    Luke, this time, looked inexpressively at the monster, who in turn looked with contempt and disgust at the man.


    ''Even without that weird armor, he''s still pretty strong.'' The half-wolf concluded, taking into ount that the magic attack unleashed not long ago had almost killed him. ''I have to proceed with caution.''


    The demon was also cautious because he had lost his main weapon of attack and defense.


    If not for Luke, he would surely have dealt with all the other adventurers and fled by now, however, the persistence and endurance of the half-beast were truly admirable.


    Then Luke began to walk towards the demon, who began to walk as well. Before they knew it, they were walking in a circle as they stared at each other, waiting for the first blow from the other.


    Tap! Luke''s shoe made a noise as he suddenly stepped forward, managing to surprise even the watchful eyes of the demon.


    Using his right leg as a support, the dark-skinned man tried to stop Luke''s attack with another attack, a kick. This kick didn''t evene close to hitting the half-wolf, who deflected very deftly and then used <Vind> on the enemy''s leg.


    The fast wind hit Jean''s knee and destabilized him, causing him to almost fall, which created a window of opportunity for Luke.


    ''Tsk! I didn''t want to have to use these human abilities, but if that''s the way it is...'' The demon judged and then clenched his fist and hit the ground as he fell.


    Before the half-wolf could seize the opportunity, a wall of water came out of nowhere, stopping him.


    Still, Luke didn''t let the surprise factor get in his way. Using the tip of his spear, he cut through the water and rushed forward. Soon after cutting through the wall, he was once again surprised by a water attack, this time an intense jet that threw him several meters back.


    As hended and pulled himself together, Luke threw back his wet hair, which further highlighted his semi-cute ears on top of his head.


    The water barrier came down after a few brief seconds, soaking some of the ground and revealing that the demon was already standing.


    Once again, the half-wolf began to feel weak, as if he was unable to finish a difficult fight without someone''s help. He looked at the spear in his hand and dropped it to the ground, concluding that at this stage of the battle, the object was slowing him down more than helping him.


    The ng of the spear falling to the ground sounded like a melody to the monster''s ears, who thought that the half-wolf was acting arrogant preferring to fight without a weapon.


    However, when the two opponents approached each other once again for a hand-to-hand fight, Luke showed in practice that he was not unarmed.<sub> </sub>


    With his left palm fully open, Luke lightly struck the demon''s belly, as his strength was abnormal, this simple blow was enough to create a deep cut.


    ''Arghh! What the fuck was that? He''s stronger than I thought...'' The demon judged, staking the wound with his one remaining hand as he walked away.


    Luke didn''t want to give the monster time to use his water abilities again, so he continued to press him with fierce attacks. Finally, a right hand managed to go through Jean Pollo''s chest in full and drove right in the back.


    "Urgh! Wretched..." The demon said, still using force to try to pull Luke''s arm out of his chest.


    Before asking about anything else, the half-beast inquired: "What have you done with Alexis, scumbag!?"


    Even in the face of his receptacle''s death, the monster smiled debauched as blood stained its white teeth. "Are you worried about her? How cute... Next time we meet, I will kill her in front of you, then."


    Luke frowned and only then remembered what the half-dragon had told him that demons only die when their true names are spoken, for that reason Alexis sealed the first one they met.


    "Shit..." Shaaack! Luke removed his arm from Jean''s chest, thus letting it fall to the ground. "Next time we meet, I will already know your name," Luke said, and for the first time in his life, he smiled like a real assassin. That was also the first time he deeply desired to kill someone.


    The demon showed a look of disgust as he looked at the half-wolf, and slowly that expression died away.


    Then, from the wound created by Luke''s fatal blow, the ck cloud-shaped demon came out and spread in four directions quickly.


    <o>,m Luke stared at the body of the deceased Jean for a few seconds, hoping that maybe he could have a few brief moments of consciousness. In the end, all he got from that wait was a slight stirring of his pupil and a faint smile.</o>


    "I''m not very religious, but I hope you find rest where you are going now," Luke said to the dead man and walked toward the ravine, aiming to find some remnant of Alexis.


    As soon as he approached the edge, Luke saw a hand strike the stone sidewalk of the ce. Soon after, the half-dragon leaped up andnded right in front of him.


    "Heey! Were you here already, Luke?" She inquired as she was startled by the man''s presence. "Where is the demon?"


    Without saying a single word, Luke pointed to Jean''s body, whichy beside the ruins that the castle had be.


    "So, he did run away. Coward..." Alexis spoke, with a downcast look on his face.


    "Not very far." A gentle voice answered the half-dragon.


    Luke looked quickly to the side and saw an almost translucent figure. She had the appearance of a child and, at the same time, a deep, experienced gaze.


    "Pontiff Reba!? What are you doing here!?" Surprised, Alexis straightened her spine in respect to the girl.

 Chapter 78 The Pontiff

    Surprised, Alexis straightened her spine in respect for the girl. "Pontiff Rebeca!? What are you doing here!?"


    This Rebeca had short, snowy hair, and also had eyes as blue as sapphire. Although she had the appearance of a little girl of ten or eleven, her look was reminiscent of someone experienced. Well, at least that''s what Luke thought at the first moment...


    "AAAAAAHH! I can''t believe you ignored me for two years!" Reba eximed, crossed her arms, turned her face, and inted her cheeks.


    A small bead of sweat dripped down the left side of Alexis'' face as she scratched her nose slightly, showing nervousness.


    "I didn''t ignore you on purpose..." The half-dragon said, looking away. To Luke, that was a clear sign of a lie.


    But Reba seemed to believe it because in the next instant her eyes were shining because of the huge number of tears that had clustered in her eye sockets.


    "Is it true? Sniff... Sniff..." She inquired, pulling back the bit of gooing out of her nostrils.


    "Yes..." The redhead replied, still looking away and with a lot more sweat running down her face than when she was fighting the demon.


    "Sorry to disturb you, but... who are you? And why did you show up just now?" Luke inquired, feeling that he was witnessing a situation he shouldn''t be.


    The little girl pulled herself together in a moment and introduced herself with a slight nod:


    "My name is Rebeca Bollevard, and I am the current Pontiff of the Cardinal Church."


    "Oh!? Then it is an honor for me to meet such an important figure."


    The girl''s cheeks flushed upon hearing this. She brought her hand up to them to try to hide her shyness, while at the same time she had a silly smile on her face and wiggled her ass.


    "Ahhh~... what a gentleman~"


    Alexis clenched her eyes and said to Luke: "Don''t let her reaction get you... she''s already 79 years old, something like that."


    "Ah?! Alexis! Why did you tell him? It''s so much fun when they find out in practice..." Reba said, looking lewdly at the half-wolf.


    "With all due respect, ma''am, but I like women with a more grown-up appearance." He replied, moving a little further away from the translucent figure. "By the way, why are you here? If you''re a powerful Pontiff, you could have shown up a few minutes ago...it would have been an enormous help."


    "Actually, I only showed up because Miss Dmitry called me...is there something going on out there?"


    Luke looked at his destroyed surroundings, in which half of a small castley in ruins and close to falling over a cliff. "Can''t you see?" He asked, opening his arms in a sense of confusion.


    "Luke, this is an astral projection, so she can''t see the scenery, just like we can''t see where she is either." Alexis rified. Then the girl knelt to the little white-haired girl. "Mistress..."


    ''Mistress!?'' Luke questioned startled.


    "... I am currently in Vasconcelos, and although I have a demon sealed with me, I, unfortunately, let another demon escape. I know I may be asking too much for not contacting you in a while, but I ask that you look up sealed demons in Dungeons in our library, because I don''t know who this demon I captured is."


    Bringing her right hand to her chin, the girl did not seem surprised by the information revealed.


    "This demon you captured... was he strong?"


    "Considering he was without a host? More or less. It was able to easily withstand the blows of the <Fist of Life> and a <Divine st>. If it weren''t for Luke''s help, I certainly would have had more trouble."<sub> </sub>


    "I see... What about the demon that escaped, did he have a host?"


    "Yes, and I didn''t recognize him from the books either."


    "At least you got him out of the host, didn''t you? So, he should stay on the sly for a while until he finds a new one."


    "I know...I''m just afraid he''lle back seeking revenge. You know how spiteful these creatures are."


    "Revenge against you? Would that be a problem? It would even make our job of having to look for it easier."


    "Actually, it was Luke who killed the host," Alexis exined, pointing to the half-wolf.


    Reba looked surprised for a moment until she expressed a wide, mysterious smile as she ced her right palm in front of her mouth.


    "Hmm~ Tell you what... I''ll send an emissary to Vasconcelos with an experimental magic item that Chris has developed. When he arrives, you send the demon sealed by him, and he will deliver the item to you that was able to assist you both."


    "Chris finally managed to develop something? I guess two years is long enough for someone to change." Alexis spoke, with a debauched expression.


    "Yeah... he''s only developed this and one other item in that time, but I think you''d be better off seeing it in practice than me telling you."


    "This item will help us with what exactly?" Luke inquired as obviously, the girl had included him in this. To the boy, if there were no more demons in Vasconcelos, the issue had already been solved.


    Reba snorted at his insistence on knowing what the item did, however, she had to give in, even if it was less fun that way. "It detects the spores emitted by demons that are normally invisible supernatural beings."


    "Ok... So, then we''ll be able to know where he ran off to, right?"


    "Yes... I will also use this time to look for more information about demons sealed in Dungeons. That''s quite unusual... Anyway, see you, young people." Pontiff didn''t wait for the half-beasts to answer her and suddenly disappeared.


    Alexis and Luke exchanged confused looks. "H-how did you survive the fall?" Luke inquired, suddenly changing the subject.


    "Ehh... I held onto a branch and finished incinerating the ck thing that the demon was dominating." She replied, setting off toward the hole that had been created in a wall of the castle. "Shall we? We still have wounded to help and report the whole situation to the Guild Master."


    Luke nodded in agreement.


    At the same time, a few miles away, over the treetops of a closed forest, four ck clouds gathered together, forming a single being.


    ''Wretch, wretch...'' This was being repeated to himself, incessantly, with a wave of anger so intense that he never felt it before.


    He only calmed down when he saw from afar a small group gathering around a campfire. The crackling of the wood breaking with the heatforted the tired quintet that gathered there.


    "Do you guys think we should go into town? That bang just now was not normal..." The short, brown-haired girl inquired herpanions.


    "Rx, sweetie..." One of the boys answered her, slipping his right arm behind her shoulders and hugging her. "It was probably andslide on some mountain or a good mage testing some powerful magic. This town isn''t that big, and we''re not on a continent that''s at war anymore. Rest assured~"


    Soon after, the boy and the girl started kissing, disturbing the other three boys who were present, but what they didn''t know was that during this brief conversation, the cause of the bang prated their shadows.

 Chapter 79 The Impacts Of Such A Savage Battle

    Vasconcelos is a growing city that receives investment from many nobles throughout the Broteforge Empire. So, a situation with a demon could both attract more investment and also drive it away.


    With this in mind, it was up to the Guild Master and the other investors to choose whether to suffer this risk or not, and one fact was already public: during the party celebrating the anniversary of the Vasconcelos Guild, thirteen people died, including a young nobleman named Jean Pollo.


    In the three days following that gloomy night, the guild received floods of telegrams demanding an exnation, including one from the Pollo family.


    While this disturbance gained ground in the discussions, those responsible for solving the problem were... busy, shall we say.


    "Hey, hey! That''s my room!" Ayumi shouted to Alexis, who was snooping around the mansion room by room.


    "Oh! That room is spectacr!" The half-dragon eximed.


    Ayumi''s room was truly amazing. With a bed sorge that a giant could sleepfortably, and simple decorations mirrored throughout the room, the ce looked ideal for getting a good night''s sleep.


    "I know, now we''re leaving..." The blonde Elf said, pushing Alexis out.


    "You had no problems when we shared a room in college~."


    "Hehe! Back then you weren''t so disorganized!" Ayumi replied, with a vein popping out of her forehead.


    "I never saw my mother like that," Nathalia spoke to Luke. They were both watching the situation from a few feet away.


    The Strogueher Mansion is huge, and the architecture can be a bit confusing. For this reason, the half-wolf always had trouble remembering where each thing was.


    For this reason, he just memorized that on the second floor were the service areas, such as the kitchen, the pantry, the storage room, as well as a small library, therge dining room, some living rooms, and other things.


    Since the second floor was more restricted and more personal to the Strogueher''s, Luke didn''t like to hang around there, but he knew that there were several bedrooms there, Ayumi''s office, and a sauna room, among other spaces.


    "Do you really need to snoop through every room?" Ayumi inquired Alexis, putting her hands on her waist.


    "Yeah? I have to make sure I''m going to be safe here."


    Soon after all the survivors were rescued that night, the S-ss and the half-wolf exined to the Matriarch what would happen next.


    Alexis'' current n was simple. When the emissary arrived with the item, she would use it to try to locate where the demon fled to, although she doubted that anything Chris developed would actually work.


    However, Luke still didn''t understand why she had to wait for the emissary precisely at the Strogueher Mansion.


    "Before I forget...where is Luke''s room? He sleeps here, doesn''t he?" She inquired, bringing her right index finger to her pink lips.


    That question made Luke, Ayumi, and Nathalia blush.


    "So, shall we get going? We need to go downtown." Understanding that the half-dragon just liked to tease the Matriarch, the half-wolf quickly diverted the subject.


    In the end, he really needed to get to the city.


    "May I go too?" Alexis inquired, hopelessly hoping that the pair would let her apany them.


    "Sure, you cane," Nathalia replied. Sometimes she could push the limits of innocence, so much so that she didn''t even notice the half-wolf''s fearful reaction.<sub> </sub>


    Ayumi brought her hand to her forehead and snorted. "Huf... Yeah, you can go... At least you won''t be tormenting me while you search all my rooms."


    As soon as they left the mansion and started walking down the big dirt road that led into the town, Luke decided to get some things clear.


    "Alexis, can you answer a few questions? I''m pretty confused about some things."


    "Sure! Go ahead and ask!" She replied, confidently. She thought the half-wolf would ask about demons or her spectacr abilities.


    "Why are you staying at the Mansion? I mean, it makes no difference to me, but it seems Ayumi didn''t like the idea that much..."


    The half-dragon immediately felt as if the weight of a monolith had fallen on her back. "Ehh... We can say that I''ve gone into a financial crisis recently..." She replied, scratching the back of her neck in embarrassment.


    "Financial crisis?" Luke and Nathalia inquired together.


    "Yeah..."


    "But I gave you a hundred gold coins for Luke''s rescue and ten for the door we destroyed, and that wasn''t even that long ago." Nathalia was in shock. How could anyone lose that much money so quickly?


    Luke felt his soul leave his body as soon as he heard the exorbitant amount.


    ''A hundred coins would be the equivalent of one, two, three...'' He began to do the math with the help of the fingers on his hand, however, he soon gave up knowing how long and how much work it would take for him to umte that amount.


    "So, the hotel wasn''t very cheap and the food wasn''t either... Then, when I was walking through an alley near the main square, a hooded man stopped me."


    "You were robbed!?" The Elf questioned, surprised that someone as strong as Alexis had been bullied in such a way.


    "Actually, he offered me a chance to double my money twice over, and I ended up losing the bet..."


    ''Worse... She was baited...'' Luke and Nathalia thought, disappointed.


    After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived in town. Luke needed to send the month''s money to his friends and also needed to write a letter to inquire about how they were doing.


    ''I wonder how things are going over there... I bet they are bored with nothing to do.''


    Since the half-wolf made Meredith, Zack, John, Ynosuke, and Matthew promise not to send anything or show up by surprise, they didn''t.


    Right at the entrance to the town, the trio of adventurers encountered a stumbling block. Monsters? Bandits? Trouble? No, actually the problem was Alexis, who spotted the ''Knor, Special Armor and Spears'' store from afar.


    "How much is this here?" she inquired, pointing to arge ck ax with ky details. The handle of the ax was over six feet long, and it sure looked like it was made for someone giant to carry.


    "Sorry, I don''t sell my items to...you know what you are." The hairy Elf who was cleaning the disy case answered her, crossing her arms.


    "Woman? Half-beast? Hot?" Alexis inquired, intimidating the cksmith with her frightening aura, which made even experienced adventurers stop to observe the situation.


    "No,e on... I meant you''re poor." He replied, sounding more offended than intimidated.

 Chapter 80 The Genes Skill Store (Part 1)

    "Don''t be like that...in the future, you can buy that weapon, and then you can brag with it." Nathaliaforted Alexis, as she stroked the half-dragon''s head, walking through the city.


    "You''re right! I''m going to buy that axe! That one has be my dream!" The half-beast said, raising her right arm as a sign of her enormous determination.


    "Ehh!? Wait, your dream is going to be to buy an axe like that? He didn''t even look that impressive."


    "What are you talking about? He looked pretty good to me..." Alexis replied, cing his hand on his chin and analyzing the details of the object that was etched in his memory. "He was very nice, and although he had some ws, I bet the effects built into him were very useful."


    Nathalia and Alexis'' conversation made Luke remember something. So, he opened his inventory in the middle of the street to return the ''Daughter of Hades'' spear.


    As he took the weapon out of the inventory, a merchant saw the object sticking out of the yellowish square and smiled lustfully.


    "Ow! That is an impressive skill, man. Would you like to sell it?" He inquired, approaching the half-wolf and hispanions.


    "Are you talking about that?" Luke pointed to the square that showed the items in his inventory.


    "Yes! It''s an inventory skill, isn''t it? From the color, I could tell it''s... a small inventory? No! I''m sure it could be a normal one."


    "You got it right. How much do you want it for?" The half-wolf inquired, as he tapped the handle of his spear on the ground.


    "Let''s say... 400 pieces of silver is a fair value, no?"


    Luke immediately closed his inventory, indicating that he didn''t agree with the proposal one bit.


    "Are you a skilled merchant, or just a hustler?" Alexis inquired, approaching the situation.


    The simple-looking man, who was wearing simple leather armor, took three steps back. "800 silver coins is the best I can do." He spoke, trying to sound like he was not intimidated.


    "800 silver coins for a normal skill?" The half-dragon smiled contentedly. "I have a few skills to sell if that''s the case." She said, reversing the situation and the man had no way to refuse, after all, he needed skills to make up his new business.


    For this reason, the three adventurers apanied the man to his small store. It was still early and there was no reason to rush, even with so many things to do.


    Upon entering the ce, Luke saw many shelves full of scrolls and books, but this store, unlike the store where they bought the Return Stones, looked very new and restored.


    Knock! The object, which the merchant ced on the counter, made a noise due to its weight as it touched the wood.


    The man carefully removed the cloth covering the object, revealing a crystal cut perfectly into a square shape. In the center of that crystal was an octagram with distinct runes at each of its ends.


    "Oh! An Epic ss Skill Reader!" Nathalia seemed surprised to see the object, yet Alexis didn''t sketch any reaction, either positive or negative.


    "You know how to use it, don''t you?" The merchant inquired to the half-dragon, avoiding looking at her horns.


    "I want to sell 3 rare skills, 5 umon, and 14mons. Then prepare lots of scrolls, please." She replied, leaving not only the man in shock but also the half-wolf and Elf who apanied her.<sub> </sub>


    Although the practice of buying and selling Gene Skills was something well established among adventurers, it was not an isted case of those who disliked the practice.


    Why? That is simple to answer.


    Gene Skills, like Panspermia Weapons and physical boosts, are rewards earned after warriors defeat monsters, and this rtionship between reward and rewarded creates an important bond for some people.


    There are adventurers of all Ranks who choose to continue with theirmon and umon abilities because they have be attached to them.


    "A-are you sure? That''s a lot of Gene Skills¡­ I mean, I''d be crazy to deny it."


    "I just want some money, young man..." She said, stamping a nervous smile on her face.


    Then the merchant gathered twenty-two scrolls with octagrams drawn on them and ced them on the counter as well. At that moment, the woman ced her right hand on top of the square crystal and the man ced his left hand on hers.


    For some reason, which Luke could not exin, he felt a restlessness in his chest at seeing this scene. ''What is it?'' he wondered.


    This was the first time Luke had witnessed a skill transfer, so he put the reason for the uneasiness into the situation.


    With each skill transferred to the scrolls, a faint glow illuminated the surroundings, drawing the attention of some people passing on the street. This made the merchant smile because his establishment was new and few people entered a store without fame.


    "Oh! I didn''t know there was a Skill Shop around here." A redheaded girl said as she entered the store, apanied by a friend.


    Nathalia and Luke immediately recognized the girl. ''She''s the girl we found in the Giant Spiders'' cocoon...good thing she''s alive. We haven''t heard from her again.'' Luke thought, letting a small smile escape from the corner of his mouth.


    ''Make yourselves at home! I''m just finishing up some sales and will be right with you. Every scroll has a tag with a skill description!" The simple merchant shouted to the two who walked in.


    The two just ignored the merchant, looked around the store for a while, and left. For Nathalia, it was a little frustrating not to be recognized by the girl, but for Luke, it was somewhat predictable.


    After all, he was wearing his everyday cape, which hid any recognizable features, and white hair like Nathalia''s was not that hard to find around the continent of Broteforge.


    However, the girl''s appearance was for one thing: after Luke heard about the tags on the scrolls, he began to consider buying a skill.


    ''Common Skills can''t be very expensive, can they?'' Luke thought and opened his coin bag to check how much he had.


    In it were two gold coins, which were his first month''s wages, thirty silver coins, and three bronze coins, which were his share of the rewards from various F-ss missions.


    ''Off! Why do I feel even poorer after I joined this world of adventurers? And to think that it''s been over a month now that I''ve been living this life... I don''t think I''ve ever been under so much stress.'' Luke said to himself, massaging the sides of his nose with one hand.


    But he still wanted to buy a skill, even with little money.


    ''Ideally, a skill that would help me to steal and also to escape...'' he plotted.

 Chapter 81 The Genes Skill Store (Part 2)

    Undecided about which skill he should choose, Luke was tempted by two in specific, the price of each was only 100 silver coins.


    "Will you read this one again, please?" The half-wolf asked Nathalia, handing her the small parchment, which had a purple band locking it and a tag hanging from it.


    Written in cursive handwriting was the description of Gene''s Skill that luded within the parchment:


    <strong>[Skill Name:</strong> <Sirkelig>


    <strong>Level:</strong> Umon.


    <strong>Description:</strong> A ten-foot circle is created on the ground. This circle provides a 10% boost to the user''s critical hits and decreases 50% of all Status of the Supernatural Creature within the circle.


    <strong>Price:</strong> 100 silver coins.<strong>]</strong>


    "Hey, old man! Why is this umon skill so cheap?" Luke inquired the simple man who served Alexis at the counter.


    The man looked in his direction curiously and, like a good merchant, recognized the scroll just by seeing thebel and the purple bow on the scroll.


    "Ah! The man who sold me this skill was suspicious and sold it for a very low price! Since he didn''t give me many details of how he got it, I decided to sell it for the same price I bought it, so I wouldn''t get in trouble!"


    ''So, if he was suspicious, he may well have lied about what the skill does too.'' Luke cogitated on the possibility. "You do refunds!!!?"


    "No! It''s at your own risk!" Like everything else in the adventurer''s course, buying and selling Gene Skills is also a high risk. There are no ways to know what is inside a scroll until you open it, so consumers and sellers need to trust each other.


    "Would you like me to reread the other skill?" Nathalia inquired, realizing that the half-wolf was quite engaged. ''He looks so cute when he acts like that...'' she said to herself, watching Luke act ted as he analyzed the skills.


    "Yes, please."


    <strong>[Skill Name:</strong> <Connect>


    <strong>Level:</strong> Umon.


    <strong>Description:</strong> Provides a significant damage increase for each hit of abo of up to eight hits.


    <strong>Price:</strong> 100 silver coins.<strong>]</strong>


    "That one looks pretty good." Alexis praised, approaching after finishing transferring the skills.


    "You''re right, but I don''t think that skill suits Luke''s fighting style very well," Nathalia answered her.


    "Really? To me, it seems like it matches perfectly."


    "No, no... Luke is a stealth warrior who finishes off most monsters with a single blow, plus he''s very good at dodging."


    The Elf''s description was going on the opposite side of what the half-dragon witnessed in the two battles alongside Luke. Against the first demon, Luke fought bravely as a decoy, who captured the demon''s attention with ease until Alexis was ready for the seal.


    And in the second battle urred the exact same way at the beginning. Although she did not see how the fight between Luke and the second demon ended, she knew that it was not stealthily because of the several wounds the receptacle had in the region of its abdomen.


    "You''re right." The half-wolf said to Nathalia. "I have always trained to fight stealthily and have great limitations when I have to face an opponent head-on."


    The half-dragon analyzed the shes of memory she remembered of Luke''s battles for a while. "So, you''re a Rogue, but you basically improvise a warrior ss when you have to?" She inquired Luke.<sub> </sub>


    "What''s a rogue?" He asked, not understanding what she meant.


    "Rogue is the role of a person of stealth skills, who can carefully analyze and discover patterns of monsters and Bosses."


    Bringing his hand to his chin, Luke pondered for a while. He felt that the girl''s ssification somehow fits him.


    "That''s exactly what he does when he lets me fight! However, when a strong monster appears, he puts himself in danger without hesitation." The Elf eximed excitedly.


    "Here''s your money, youngdy." The store owner said from the counter, catching Alexis'' attention.


    As she approached, she saw nine gold coins in the man''s fistful. She took a tiny disappointed amount, thanked him, and walked back to Nathalia and Luke.


    As soon as she approached, Luke got out and walked over to the counter. "Which of the two did he choose?" The half-dragon asked Nathalia.


    "He chose the <Sirkelig>. Apparently, he wants to be ready if we face other supernatural creatures. Like ghosts and demons."


    Luke was upset that no cheap skills sounded interesting toplement, but he was d he found something to help him when the demon came back for revenge.


    "I''ll want to buy that skill, please." He said to the merchant, cing a purple bow scroll on the table.


    "All right, it''s 100 silver coins." The man asked, surprised that Luke was willing to buy that skill.


    Since he didn''t have the exact amount, Luke gave him one gold coin and waited for the man to return with the change; however, he couldn''t bear to wait any longer.


    ''I can open it, no? I already paid.'' He thought literally seconds before opening the parchment.


    [Skill <Sirkelig> learned.]


    The voice resonated in the half-wolf''s mind, and he felt pleasure hearing it. Every time he remembered that he got stronger, that voice was present, so it was undoubtedly alwaysforting to listen to it.


    After Luke received his change, he left the store, closely followed by Nathalia and Alexis.


    For some reason unknown to Luke, the half-dragon began to re at him as they walked to the post office as if she wanted to talk to him, but whenever he nced back, she immediately stopped looking.


    Disregarding any possibility that he had offended her in some way, Luke didn''t care much and just deduced that the woman was wary of his presence.


    When they finally arrived at the post office, which was close to the outskirts of the Guild, the half-wolf noticed that the area was busier than on previous days.


    Among many buzzing conversations, Luke realized that the subject of many of them was the same.


    "A partner of mine died... I need to know what happened! He was an experienced archer. How could he have died if he was outside the Dungeon!!!?"


    "I know, ma''am. I understand youpletely, I just need you to calm down." The old Guild receptionist tried to calm down a tall, muscr woman causing a ruckus at the Dungeon door.


    Behind the old man''s skinny body was a sign. On it was written:


    [The Guild and Dungeon are closed until further notice. A formal pronouncement will be made at sunrise tomorrow].

 Chapter 82 The Message To Old Friends

    ''Huf... They really are in trouble.'' Alexis judged, seeing from afar the warning about the Guild and the Dungeon of Vasconcelos being closed.


    Besides the port, the town of Vasconcelos, like Oukiwa, is a town that grows up around the exploitation of its Dungeon.


    There is no farming, no mining, no tourism, and even fewer universities or temples in this city. In other words, the entire economy revolves solely around the adventurers'' Dungeoneering and efforts to explore.


    However, the fact that the Dungeon is closed does not mean that the economy freezes; in fact, it tends to plummet. Because it is a rare urrence, wealthy people begin to take their investments out of the city.


    ''Isn''t Ayu an investor in that Dungeon too? I wonder why she didn''t seem worried?'' The half-dragon wondered. ''Anyway, once the Cardinal Church learns that the news went public, they''ll probably send someone here to sort it out.''


    Silently, Luke, Nathalia, and Alexis walked to the post office, hoping not to be recognized by anyone who had been at the g.


    As they entered the post office building and closed the double door, the crowd''s chatter and the shouting of the merchants ceased.


    The establishment was charming. The entire dark granite floor gleamed, as did the beautiful columns that supported the open-concept architecture of the ce.


    Everything was calm, empty, and silent until Alexis broke that peace. "Ah! That ce is pretty fancy!" Fascinated, she eximed.


    "How may I help you?" A stylish receptionist with brown hair and a long skirt asked.


    Since Luke had never done the process of sending money this way, early on, he asked Nathalia to help him with the process.


    "Yes, I need to send money to some friends and a letter."


    "I''ll be d to help you. Can you follow me?" The woman said, but Luke could quickly tell that the girl was judging him with her eyes while maintaining a fake smile.


    ''I knew this would happen...'' he thought and started to follow the woman to the counter. ''Should I invest in more... respectable clothes?'' Looking down and seeing her shabby clothes, he wondered.


    Nathalia followed the half-wolf closely the whole time, and Alexis sat on a stool to wait, next to a woman holding a baby in her arms.


    As they approached the counter, the receptionist passed the customer to an attendant, who also analyzed the half-wolf from head to toe.


    "Tsk!" he clicked his tongue, a little stressed. If there was one thing Luke didn''t like, it was bureaucracy and bellyaching.


    ''Tsk? What a poor rude... I''ll have his shipment misced.'' She thought, with a wicked smile on her face.


    However, when she looked back at Luke, she saw him staring at her intensely, with his piercing yellow eyes.


    ''He''s staring at me... I wonder if he''s going to rob the post office. No... No one would have the courage to do that in broad daylight.'' She cogitated.


    Some force made her not want to look at the half-wolf again, so she started pretending to sign some papers. Knock! She heard a tapping on the wood of the counter and then dragging. Rrrrr!


    ''Is it a letter that says not to scream? Or worse... is he threatening me with a knife?'' Soon, the woman couldn''t help being curious and looked to see what he had ced on the counter.


    On the counter was a heavy bag of coins. "Now will you help me, please?" Luke asked, almost losing his patience.


    The woman looked at him fearfully and then looked at the girl standing next to him. "What do you need, sir?"


    "I need to write a letter and send money to Oukiwa."


    "That''s fine; we''ll just need you to sign some papers, plus the fee of 10% of the amount sent."


    Luke looked at the woman and quickly tried to calcte by himself how much that would give. Already knowing that the half-wolf had the equivalent of 900 silver coins, Nathalia helped him by whispering the result of the bill in his ear:<sub> </sub>


    "The fee is 90 silver coins."


    "90!? That''s too much stuff, that''s not a fee, that''s theft." Luke eximed.


    In the end, he had to give in, as this was the only postage institution present in Vasconcelos. Luckily, Luke called Nathalia to apany him in this process, so he didn''t have to ask a stranger for help when it came time to write the letter.


    "Address?" The Elf inquired before dipping the fiber quill into the ck ink.


    ''I don''t think it''s a good idea to put my real address.'' The half-wolf judged. "Please send it to a tavern called Lemon Barrel."


    "A tavern?"


    "Yes, there is no way for me to know if my colleagues have changed their address, so since I know the owner of this tavern, I trust that he will deliver the money to them."


    "Okay~, then it will be in the tavern. Next step... The message."


    Then Luke narrated everything he wanted to tell Meredith andpany. Although he tried to make it clear that he was proceeding carefully to not raise the Strogueher''s suspicion, it was a bit difficult considering that the possible victim of the theft was the one writing the letter.


    ''Huf... That was harder than I thought.'' Luke was exasperated as he watched Nathalia go to the counter to hand over the letter.


    When the Elf returned, she decided to finally clear up her doubt. "Luke, why are you sending such an amount of your sry to your colleagues?"


    The half-wolf thought long and hard before answering; after all, he couldn''t tell them that the money would help them get by without stealing.


    "Ann... This money will serve as a thank-you. You see, I was always alone until I met them and since then we have grown together. In a way, I feel that I will always have to do my best to help them... To repay them for giving me the joy that kept me warm on cold mornings."


    Nathalia smiled, satisfied as she heard the man''s response.


    "Ahhh!" The adventuring duo heard Alexis'' voice approaching, and it captured their attention. "Can you believe that woman managed to win half my precious money?" she pointed to the woman holding a baby on herp.


    "You''re pretty unlucky." Luke and Nathalia said with a negative expressions.


    *


    Letter to the gang of thieves in Oukiwa:


    <strong>[Address intended:</strong> Lemon Barrel Tavern.


    Hi guys, how are you doing? Great, I hope.


    Things have been pretty busy around here, and well, Vasconcelos is a much cleaner town than Oukiwa, so I''ll tell you that if you ever want to move here, I will help you with everything I can.


    By the way, remember the ns we made for the future? I am thinking calmly. There are many people stronger than us in this world and things that we cannot even understand what they are.


    In Vasconcelos, there are many more things than I thought, and let''s just say that the Strogueher people were much more receptive than I expected.


    Regardless of all this, don''t wait to hear from me to pursue your dreams. I have already reached E-ss, and the goal of the contract was to make it to D-ss, but I feel that this goal may take a little longer than the first rank.


    I can''t wait to tell you guys some stories.


    <strong>Signed:</strong> Luke.<strong>]</strong>

 Chapter 83 Reflections About The Future

    Tock! Tock! The sound of the sh of wooden swords crossing each other became moremon and intense every day in the Strogueher Mansion.


    "No, you''re hitting it wrong," Luke warned Nathalia. "You''re applying too much energy into your fingers when really you should be using it on your wrist."


    Then the half-wolf demonstrated the correct way to strike diagonally. With one violent stroke, he hit the right rib region of the training dummy, which was more than two meters tall.


    The young Elf pped her hands together several times as her eyes sparkled from seeing the precision of Luke''s blow. p! p! p!


    "If it was a real opponent, he would have blocked it." Alexis alerted them from the corner of the room. She was at the end of a 1 kg bag of cocoa beans.


    Luke simply pretended she wasn''t there. "Now, try again." He asked Nathalia.


    Then the girl fixed her right foot as a fulcrum to support her entire body weight, and, holding the wooden sword with both hands, she struck from top to bottom.


    The wooden te shed toward the dummy''s right rib at a reasonable speed; however, it ended up meeting the dummy''s arm midway.


    "Urgh! I can''t do it as you did." Sheined to Luke, a little frustrated because this was already the twentieth attempt.


    Of all the three dummies in the training room, this one was the biggest, and it was also the only one that had its arms farthest from the body and held a sword, so it was perfect for practicing hitting killing blows.


    "Keep trying, and if you don''t seed with the sword, try with another weapon that you are morefortable with. Just don''t overdo it."


    Luke slowly withdrew from the training area and walked over to Alexis. He was bing increasingly bored as the days passed at home; after all, he had somehow created a routine of exploring Dungeons.


    Since Ayumi was again not in town, he was also slowly umting more stress.


    "If you want to give her some tips as well, I wouldn''t mind," Luke said to the half-dragon as he grabbed a towel to dry his forehead.


    "N-no! You misunderstood me. I wasn''t trying to take away your position as a trainer or anything like that; I was just warning you."


    The half-wolf carefully dried his face and then his neck. "I''m not her trainer. I''m just a bodyguard."


    "Ahh~ Well, I was really curious about what rank you had here since I saw Ayumi giving you a payment yesterday morning."


    The half-wolf did not answer her and continued to dry the sweat from his body. After drying his neck, he put the white towel under his shirt and started drying his abdomen. This movement made Alexis blush a little and look away.


    "Have you assimted the skill you bought?" she inquired, smoothing behind her ear with one finger. "If you want, I can help you with that."


    "Actually, thanks for reminding me, I''d almost forgotten about it, but you don''t have to help me." Luke threw the towel over his shoulder and left the training room to go to his room.


    Watching the man leave, the half-dragon thought:


    ''Why is he so cold to me? We went through an intense battle together; shouldn''t he be a little more... polite?''<sub> </sub>


    The S-ss was definitely not used to the way Luke treated her. Usually, men fell at her feet, even those with dislike against her race.


    When Luke arrived in his room, he saw that the ck Egg was on his bed, exactly as he had left it.


    ''That thing has to hatch in less than 2 months.'' He thought as he gently smoothed the rigid shell. ''Should I tell Alexis about it?''


    Although the half-dragon had only been at the Strogueher mansion for 1 day, she had already gained the respect of many of the staff. However, Luke still didn''t know what she was exactly, so he remained closed to conversations with her outside of Nathalia''s presence.


    The reason for this? He always felt that she was watching him. Even during meals, during training, on the way back to the city, and even inside the post office. Whenever he looked at her, she would look back at him and continue to stare as if attentive to his presence.


    ''No... she didn''tment at all when I brought this from the Dungeon with me, so she must not know much either.'' He concluded.


    Since the half-wolf didn''t know much about her, other than that she is extremely strong, he decided to not give any space for confusion and opted to not tell the half-dragon about the egg.


    However, Luke should have taken one factor into ount when making this decision: the egg was found between the arms of the White Lizard, who was sleepingfortably next to the white cube in the Dungeon.


    Now, focused on assimting the skill he bought, he put all the other thoughts aside, put the egg under the bed, and sat on the bed, cross-legged.


    ''Should I start with <Vind> or with the <Sirkelig>?''


    Luke was concerned about the performance of the <Vind> skill because although he could use it with ease, the skill''s power fluctuation was not unusual. Sometimes the wind was very powerful and effective, sometimes just a weak breeze.


    And the mental image he now had of the ability was like an endless cliff down, which he plummeted as he felt the wind throw his hair back.


    After a few tiresome minutes of assimtion, Luke finally felt he had arrived somewhere, but he decided not to test <Vind> right away since he was inside his room.


    ''Let''s get to the hard part now.'' He thought after resting for a few seconds and began to focus on the description he had of the <Sirkelig> skill. ''A circle, a circle...''


    What could make a supernatural creature weaker? A symbol? A material? Luke understood not that much to give an exact answer, and all he knew was that slime is toxic to demons.


    However, this ability bought for only 100 silver seemed to be the right answer because it can weaken these supernatural beings and strengthen the user. It is perfect and convenient.


    As soon as the assimtion began, a kind of chill spread down Luke''s entire spine. It imparted a nefarious feeling, which was familiar to the half-wolf.


    This feeling was the same feeling he felt when he touched the door of the Giant Spiders, the same feeling he felt when he was paralyzed by something in that chamber, and the same feeling he felt whenever he remembered the demons.


    Deep down, the half-wolf knew that the problem with demons was not close to being over in Vasconcelos. In fact, he could even predict that it would get much worse and, without knowing how to exin the exact reason, he just wished he was out of the city before this mix-up burst.


    So he didn''t continue with the assimtion and stood up determinedly and opened the bedroom door.


    ''I like you, Ayumi, but I can''t stand still until this egg hatches.'' Luke thought and started walking towards Ayumi''s office, where he intended to look for clues about the Strogueher''s purchase of the Genes.

 Chapter 84 Ayumis Office

    It was after three in the afternoon in Vasconcelos, and Luke quietly made his way to the second floor as if he were going to take a sauna bath after another long practice session.


    The shift changed time for the kitchen and cleaning staff, so the mansion was considerably less busy.


    When he found himself in front of Ayumi''s office door, Luke hesitated for a moment but moved on. He turned the knob and pushed the door forward. The knobtched.


    ''Yeah, obviously a Matriarch''s door would be locked, dumbass.'' Luke mocked his past self.


    He looked both ways down the long hallway and focused his eyes on the staircase ahead. With his hearing sharpened by the focus of his vision, Luke did not detect a single breath in the surroundings.


    Relieved, he knelt down and opened his inventory. ''I didn''t bring a lock pick, but I think this should do the trick in opening this simple door.''


    He pulled out arge kobold bone from the inventory, which looked like it had been part of a leg by the strong shape. Luke then removed a small fraction of that bone and saved the rest to perhaps sell.


    ''Who knew that would be handy.'' Luke thought as he watched the sliver of bone is inserted into the lock.


    The makeshift lock pick fitted perfectly into the lock''s channel. Immediately, Luke began to force the bone shard upward while looking to feel for spring. As soon as he felt the spring tension, he kept pressing upward, and in a straightforward motion, he forced the spring back.


    Tlec! Thetch sound of the lock receding announced that the door was unlocked.


    ''Looks like I''m rusty anyway...'' he judged himself, even though the series of movements took less than 10 seconds.


    After opening the door, Luke did not find the tidy office he always found when he needed to discuss something with Ayumi. There were papers all over the floor this time, and the window, which was behind the Matriarch''s big chair, was open.


    The half-wolf closed the door slowly and went to the window to close it. However, before closing the window, Luke went back on his decision and kept it open; after all, he couldn''t waste time tidying up the room, and it would be bizarre for someone to find the ce messy and the window closed.


    Careful not to leave footprints on the carpet and the sheets of paper on the floor, Luke''s feet gently touched the floor, not making any noise.


    Among so many papers, only two of them caught the eye of an illiterate Luke because they were not on the floor but on weight on the Matriarch''s desk.


    The first of them had a guild stamp, which was just a circle with a knife in the middle, both in red ink.


    From the fresh smell of the ink, Luke could tell it was a recent stamp. He also identified the patterns of the odd symbols to see if it was a mission and concluded that it did not appear to be.


    ''A request for a private escort? No, it must be something more important.'' He judged as he saw that on the paper, there was a muchrger amount of text than on the posters and mission contracts.


    Paying a little more attention, Luke noticed that there was another symbol underneath the Vasconcelos guild stamp.


    This older stamp was a crooked tree whose diagonal trunk resembled the bonsai trees that the half-wolf used to see in the backyards of the wealthy part of Oukiwa.


    After widening his eyes, he finally remembered where he knew this stamp from. ''This is the symbol of the Central Pce, or rather the council...''<sub> </sub>


    The Central Pce is Oukiwa''s main building and is located right in the center of the vast city.


    Inside, criminals are judged and punished by a council of nobles handpicked by the Emperor, and it is also where the leading choices for the future of thergest city in the Broteforge Empire are made.


    Seeing these two symbols together, Luke could only think of one usible answer:


    ''Ayumi is sharing guild information with the council, or vice versa. Yeah, it doesn''t matter; I''m not here to find out about that...'' He said to himself and pulled out the second document that was on the table, which also had the council symbol on it.


    However, as soon as he shifted his weight a little to pull the document out, a low squeak repulsed through the four corners of the office. ''Bbrrzz!


    ''What the fuck is that!!!'' Luke wondered, looking at the paperweight, which was now emitting a frosted glow.


    Then the object, which was shaped and weighed like an oval cobblestone, split in two, and the top part began to float, intensifying the glow of the artefact. A small man appeared between the two ends, whose identity Luke already knew.


    The small projection of the guard Olive looked like an identical copy of him. "Ma''am, the other families have called a meeting for today. The rest of the Strogueher require your presence."


    Fascinated, Luke tried to touch the small man''s face gently, but his index finger went straight through the projection.


    ''Is it magic? No, it''s impossible...'' He didn''t believe it could have been activated simply like that if it was magic. ''That surely must be very expensive... Wait, can he see me too?!''


    Next, Oliver''s figure continued to speak:


    "Madam, I also have to report that the family''s opinions about Ste have plummeted a lot since the real result about that test leaked out. They ridicule her for losing to a half-beast."


    ...


    ''Got it. I''ll let her know about it; she''s sure to be happy.''


    Soon after, the projection from Oliver''s back disappeared, and the glow of the artefact exhausted itself; simultaneously, the top of the object contracted once again.


    "Whew... That looked like it was just some kind of recording, I don''t know." Luke said, relieved. ''Wait, is someoneing!?''


    Strong, harsh footsteps stopped in front of the office door, and as soon as the door opened, Martha saw the mess strewn about that room.


    "Ouch! She forgot the window open again."


    Barely, Luke managed to be quick enough to hide under the Matriarch''s desk in time; however, as mobile is right in front of the window, the encounter between the two is imminent.

 Chapter 85 Breath

    Martha entered Ayumi''s office with a broom and bucket in hand, ced them on the floor, and began to gather the various papers scattered around the room.


    ''Shit... If she finds me here, I''ll have no way to exin myself.'' Luke thought.


    The room wasn''t big, but it wasn''t small either. Besides the huge table at the back of the room and the armchair, there were three shelves with books, documents, and scrolls on each side.


    "Atchhinn!" Martha sneezed loudly because of the dense forest dusting in through the window. "I guess it won''t do any good if I try to gather everything and the window remains open." She talked to herself.


    Then the servant girl walked past the two guest chairs and stopped beside the table.


    The half-wolf was holding his breath. ncing around, he could see the pantyhose Martha was wearing and a bit of the ck skirt from her uniform.


    ''I know it''s been a while, but now is not a good time to think about it.'' If the situation allowed it, Luke would have pped himself in the face for staring at the maid''s legs.


    ''''Transfer document? Looks like things aren''t going well in Oukiwa either." After absentmindedly reading the first document in the stack of papers she picked up off the floor, she said. "No, no... That''s none of your business. You''re just a maid and one of the best. Take care of your own problems."


    ''Oh! So, she''s reliable like that? You should try to learn from her, Luke.'' The half-wolf cautioned himself as he took advantage of the slight sound of the wind to breathe a little more.


    Luke heard the woman carefully leave the papers on the table. As soon as she finished organizing them, she saw the projection artifact on the table. "What is that doing here? I guess she forgot to put it away, too."


    Martha opened one of the desk drawers and put the artifact away. As she turned to close the window, Luke took a moment to get out from under the table and walked by the woman''s side.


    Martha heard the sound of the window locking and returned to the table. Since the Matriarch''s chair was far away, she pushed it into the slot, which was where Luke had previously been hiding.


    However, although he managed to get out of the room in time, Luke couldn''t help but gasp for holding his breath for so long. Martha heard his breathing in the hallway.


    "Is anyone there?" she fearfully questioned loudly. The silence remained for a few until the same one broke it. "Huf! I think I need more rest... I''m starting to hear things." Martha muttered low.


    "Hi, excuse me. Did I make too much noise?" Luke inquired, appearing in the doorway. His ck T-shirt had parts of it highlighted by sweat.


    "Oh, it''s you... No, you just startled me a little. Is practice over already?" she questioned, turning to the window again, trying to disguise not looking at the man''s breasts. ''Did he hear me talking to myself? I guess not, huh?''


    "Ann... Yes, training just ended. I was on my way to the sauna. Is everything okay here?"


    "Yes, everything is okay. Have a nice shower."


    Luke nodded and withdrew. After closing the sauna door, he sighed deeply. It was frustrating that he couldn''t find anything relevant about therge batch of genes, but Luke didn''t let himself get discouraged.


    A little more rxed, he left the sauna just twenty minutester. However, he did not expect to find Alexis waiting for him outside.


    "Can I help you?" He inquired as he put on a white shirt.


    Luke didn''t even realize that the half-dragon was dressed differently than usual. Alexis looked ready for a special asion with a short red skirt, a zer with white embroidery on the sleeves, and a neckline that highlighted her breasts.<sub> </sub>


    "Actually, you can..." she said, looking more coy than usual, and then handed Luke a flyer.


    On the paper was a drawing of a ssic festive mask. At first, Luke didn''t understand what she meant, and he didn''t try to hide that fact.


    "What do you want? I can''t read."


    "Ah! Sorry about that... it''s just that there''s a festival in town tonight, and Nathalia and I would like to go. Would you join us?"


    "Sure." Luke agreed; he didn''t have much else to do after all.


    Alexis smiled, satisfied, and patted the half-wolf on the back as she whispered:


    "I convinced Nath to pay everything for us. Take it easy..."


    "That''s great! I don''t have any money."


    During the sunset of that day, Vasconcelos looked like a typical city. Cheerful merchants set up their food stalls for that evening, and excited children ran through the streets. For the first time in a long time, the adventurers took off their armor and weapon belts.


    With the Dungeon and the Guild closed, the adventurers now had an excuse to rest.


    Meanwhile, things were beginning to heat up behind the scenes in the neighboring town a few miles away.


    Gathered in a circr hall with eight thrones, the eightmanders of the eight noble families of the Broteforge Empire would soon be discussing the past, present, and future of the kingdom.


    "Vasconcelos was a farming town until you discovered the Dungeon there, and then I agreed to sell mynd to you. I trust the decision-making potential of both of you, especially yours, Mrs. Strogueher." Jimbe Colto stated and finished with a smile for Ayumi.


    Jimbe is a balding old man whose dark skin manages to hide his true age well. He has sharp eyes and clothes full of details, which assert his elegance.


    The blind owl over the old man''s shoulder gives him even more respect, both for those who judge him as a pulchritudinous man and those who realize that this handicapped owl is actually a very powerful invocation.


    "Thank you, Mr.Colto. Your support means a lot to us." Ayumi said, pleased, after all, many years ago, Jimbe was against her ascension to the post of Matriarch of the Strogueher in order of her young age.


    "It is no more than your duty." Amanda Hangen retorted, with her arms crossed. This woman is a redhead and is over six feet tall. Her barbaric clothes, made from monster hide, do not show her real social standing.


    Among the eight families, the Hangen family is one of the most powerful, not because of their influence over several cities in the empire, as the Stroguehers are, but because this family owns a good part of therge city of Forge Hill.


    "They''ve arrived!" announced Oliver to Jimbe, Amanda, and Ayumi, who were the only three present in the hall.


    When the five othermanders of the noble families entered the hall, they each sat on the throne whose symbol was carved on top corresponding to the coat of arms of their respective families.


    "Shall we begin?" The Elf with white hair and tattoos on the upper part of her face inquired. This was Nico Sallow.

 Chapter 86 The Council

    When the five othermanders of the noble families entered the hall, each sat on the throne whose symbol carved at the top correspond to the coat of arms of their respective families.


    "Shall we begin?" The Elf with white hair and tattoos on the upper part of her face inquired. This was Nico Sallow.


    All themanders nodded without saying a word, and then Oliver left the hall.


    "What business is so important to bring us together so urgently? I thought our next trial meeting was not until next week." Shanks Bard, the owner of most parts of Suzano City, questioned.


    "Demons." Amanda Hangen replied. The woman leaned forward on her throne, resting her body on her archaic gavel.


    Soon after her answer, buzzing among themanders themselves began. Not wanting to waste any time, she began to exin.


    "They are in Vasconcelos, or at least they were. There have already been two first-degree contacts and also several other incidents caused by their presence."


    "Tsk!" A man with gray hair and a beard clicked his tongue. He wore a stylish outfit, entirely ck except for the inside of his cape, which was red. "Why should we bother with that? That''s exactly the kind of problem we fund the Cardinal Church for."


    "Yes, but w¡ª"


    "If we''re having problems with this kind of gue, why should we continue to keep this Church standing?" Erick Smakusa continued to criticize, interrupting Hangen.


    Understanding the political strategy Erick wanted to use, Ayumi interfered with his speech. "Mr. Smakusa, you should know well why we keep the Cardinal Church up to this day, right?"


    "What do you mean?" He asked, clenching his eyes.


    Then the Elf stood up and began walking to the center of the circle in the hall.


    "The Cardinal Church is a major yer in getting the general poption out of further trouble, without wishing to belittle our adventurers and, of course, the Daren family." She exined and pointed to a man with white hair, dark skin, and a proud smile, sitting on one of the thrones.


    "It is... I do not disagree that our adventurers and the Daren Family do a good job; however, I judge that it is a great waste for us to fund a foreign organization."


    "Mr. Smakusa, you would be right, however, even being originated on another continent, the Cardinal Church has already established roots here and gained many believers." Ayumi gestured as she conversed.


    "Yes, that is true, but the Sakan Religion has been gaining many adherents in the South as well."


    "Forget that, Mr.Smakusa. The agenda of the moment is not religions." Jimbe Colto, the oldest member of that generation of the council, osted the discussion.


    "Well then, exin the situation in Vasconcelos, Mrs.Strogueher." Erick Smakusa said, disappointed while resting his head on his right arm.


    "One of the first-degree contacts with the demon was public. Although a Secr managed to stop him, he apparently managed to escape." Yamazaki exined, omitting that it was Luke who managed to kill the demon''s receptacle.


    "How public was that?" Nico Sallow inquired, seeming interested in the meeting for the first time.<sub> </sub>


    "Enough that I learned about it before I even got here," Jimbe answered her. Although his family mostly takes care of agriculture in the Empire, the old man has ears for all corners of the continent.


    The eightmanders continued the meeting for another six hours as they discussed how they should act to solve this problem among others.


    The plot of the Strogueher, Hangen, and Colto paid off, managing to draw the Sallow to their side of the discussion, but Thomas Landford, Erick Smakusa, Rujierd Daran, and Shanks Bard were still wary of proceeding.


    "That would cost too much." Mr. Daran said. "Come on, that''s the price of an Epic Gene Skill, and we wouldn''t have any guarantee it would work either."


    "Offering a hundred gold coins for each person who witnessed it is too much." Erick Smakusa demurred.


    "Concealing deaths will never be cheap either," Jimbe spoke while stroking the neck of his owl.


    "You have me all wrong. I''m not asking for money. I will pay for this out of my own pocket." Ayumi said to nullify any excuses the other nobles might have. "Or do you really think the best decision would be to publicize the existence of demons? That would create enormous insecurity in the poption, which would leave the Broteforge Empire vulnerable."


    "Let''s vote." Ms.Hangen spoke up. "Those who are in favor of publicizing the existence of demons should raise their hands."


    Then, the man with white hair and ck clothes was the first to raise his hand, surprising a total of zero people. At the same time, Shanks Bard, the other gray-haired old man, also raised his hand.


    Next, Thomas Landford, the only one who didn''t say a word during the entire meeting, also came out in favor.


    Jimbe, Ayumi, Nico, and Amanda gave no sign of raising their hands, leaving only Rujierd Daren to vote. The man in the detailed yellow clothing stared at the floor and drummed the fingers of his right hand on the throne support.


    If there was a tie, the decision would have to be made in a few more days, giving themanders time to think it over; however, this would provide enough time to disseminate the information.


    To hasten the man''s decision, Amanda Hangen said, "The vote ends in ten seconds."


    In the end, the required ten seconds passed, and Rujierd did not raise either arm, which left everyone who did not return relieved.


    In the view of the Matriarch of the Strogueher, publicizing an incident with demons, from amercial point of view, would be very useful for business; however, the social impacts that it would start could be catastrophic and the insecurity of the poption would skyrocket upon discovering that there are monsters outside the Dungeons as well.


    *


    The festivals in Vasconcelos usually took ce every three months. Still, this particr one drew a lot of attention from the poption because, for the first time in history, there would be a sporting event and not the typicalpetition of who can eat the most.


    "Come on, Dad! The first match of the ''Luck or Fight Tournament is about to begin." A lively, froggy little boy eximed, striding between the legs of the crowd as he left his father behind.


    In the za in front of the Dungeon building, many stalls were gathered, mixing people of various ages and social sses. From nobles and adventurers to refugees from the neighboring continent. All this crowd was gathered to see the tournament''s first match, which would be of an E-ss against a C-ss.


    "How the hell did I go along with that?" Luke wondered during his stretching.

 Chapter 87 Tournament Of Luck Or Fight (Part 1)

    In front of Luke, there was a strong man with a shaved head. The tattoos that ran down the big man''s arms were two different colored dragons. The dragon on his right arm was blue, and the dragon on his left arm was green.


    Waiting for the signal to start, the big guy heard some whispers from his partner, which Luke could hear even though the crowd''s noise.


    "See he''s leaning a little to the left? That means he''s got some bruised ribs, so focus on pressing them." The man with the ponytail whispered this and also some more advice.


    ''Oh! He has good eyes.'' Luke thought because he really had some bruised ribs, and every time he straightened his spine, an intense pain gued him in his right ribs. ''How the hell did I end up agreeing to participate in this?''


    ''Come on, Luke! If you win, I''m going to sit on your face!" Alexis shouted from one corner of the crowd.


    ''I just remembered why.'' The half-wolf huffed and hid his face a little more with his wide hood.


    In truth, Luke wasn''t participating just for the half-dragon''s indecent proposal. A few minutes ago, Alexis had learned about the tournament through a side conversation she overheard from the crowd and was thirsty for the prize of two thousand five hundred silver coins.


    However, she judged that it would be unfair for her to participate, so she signed Luke up to fight. Before he knew it, the half-wolf was already in the improvised court in the center of the huge square, packed with people, but he only agreed because he wanted to keep the prize.


    Four small wooden towers formed arge square, delimiting how far the spectators could go. In one of these four towers, there was the narrator, and in the other three, the judges.


    "Ladies and gentlemen! Children and senile old men! I present to you the first Luck or Fight Tournament of the city of Vasconcelos. As you know, the city is experiencing aplica¡ª"


    "Huuuuuu!"


    "Shut up and start right away!"


    The spectators started booing the young narrator for touching such a boring subject in the middle of the party.


    Now a little nervous from hearing and seeing the huge adventurers who threatened him, the narrator announced:


    "The first round will be between an E-ss and a D-ss adventurer." He pointed to Luke and the big guy on the other side of the arena, respectively. "Show your identities."


    Then, Luke raised his weak metal ne, and the other man raised his copper ne high. Surprisingly, the cries of support seemed to be more on Luke''s side than ss-D''s.


    "Crumple that turd''s face, ss-E!"


    "That''s it! We believe in you!"


    "Ha! Are you guys kidding? He''s going to die!"


    "What are you talking about, you piece of shit? Grey matter eater!"


    Instinctively, humans always take the side of the weakest, the losers, and that was exactly why Luke was getting so much support. Everyone knew that there was a massive difference in power and experience between an E-ss and a D-ss.


    "3... 2... 1... start!"<sub> </sub>


    Luke promptly bent his knees, formed a w with his hands, and took a deep breath.


    ''Easy, Luke... You''ve yed Luck or Fight dozens of times, so just focus on deflecting and immobilizing him.''


    The D-ss charged fiercely at the half-wolf, trusting that the size difference between them was too clear an advantage to not take of. Moreover, the big guy was deeply angry with Luke, even looking into his eyes during the whole waiting time.


    Luke waited for his opponent to get close enough to him. As soon as the man approached, Luke stopped his arms using pure force.


    The man was surprised to see the half-wolf show such strength; after all, he didn''t look any stronger than most. Luke held his muscr arms quite tightly, stopping him from moving further forward.


    The three main rules of the game ''Luck or Fight'' are simple. The first is not to get outside help, the second is not to use any kind of weapon, and the third is to make your opponent surrender by saying the phrase ''Three-Legged Smoked Lizard'' or make him faint.


    Luke started the match by holding back to not hurt the D-ss, but the man was not a normal person either. Taking advantage that the half-wolf didn''t pull away or dodge, the big man struggled and repelled him.


    When Luke least expected it, he saw the blue dragoning toward him, which matched a right jab. Luke sidestepped and pulled away a little as he saw the potential spinning that had the blow.


    "Hey! Is that allowed?!" A teenage girl questioned one of the judges.


    The mostmon thing in ''Luck or Fight'' games are martial demonstrations, and immobilizations have be so famous in recent times that the vast majority would rather see them than an exchange of punches and kicks.


    Luckily, Luke had practiced with Shiro right when he arrived at the Strogueher Mansion, so defeating someone as big as his friend would be no problem. And although Shiro still hadn''t paid the three months'' wages bet for losing, the half-wolf still hadn''t forgotten.


    Concentrating, Luke took advantage of the fact that the big man was running toward him again to test something bolder. When the man came close, Luke swerved to the right and put his foot in front of the man''s legs, causing him to stumble.


    ''Shit!'' ss-D thought as he heard a crowdughing at his tumble. Next, he felt a huge weight on his back.


    "I think you''d better not get up," Luke said with a debauched smile, sitting on the man''s back.


    Despite being warned, the D-ss tried to use the strength of his arms to get up. Luke applied even more weight against the ground, preventing him from getting up.


    When he finally lost his strength, the big man whispered low: "Three-Legged Smoked Lizard."


    The spectators went wild at Luke''s victory. To most, that was indeed an impressive feat, even more so the way Luke used his opponent''s arrogance to his advantage.


    ''Such fluid movements.'' Alexis noted, cing her hand on her chin. To her, Luke was an excellent warrior, and nothing could change that, but she found the way he fought this time really interesting.


    "Round two begins as soon as the other first matches are over." The narrator announced, hoping that the next few rounds wouldn''t go so quickly and he would have a chance to actually narrate.


    The half-wolf joined Nathalia and Alexis, standing next to one of the towers, to watch the other matches.

 Chapter 88 Tournament Of Luck Or Fight (Part 2)

    "Now, let''s go to the second match!" The narrator announced, and the crowd went wild again. "On my left side, we have another ss-D adventurer and on the right a civilian, his name is Kyor Amakusa."


    Obviously, people would normally choose to bet on the adventurer, but there was something different about Kyor that made people fear him. The ck strands of his hair thrown back,bined with his indifferent expression, gave off a sense of gruffness.


    Kyor was strangely wearing formal clothes for the asion. With his ck social vest, a ck tie, and a white shirt underneath it all, the man stood out amidst the leather clothing of themon folk.


    "Can we get started soon?" Kyor asked as he took out the cigarette he kept on the side of his mouth.


    The narrator swallowed his saliva as he heard Kyor''s acrid voice. "Y-yes, of course!" The boy answered him a little nervously. "Let''s get started! 3... 2... 1... Fight!"


    As soon as he had his start decreed, the ss-D adventurer, who had a good physical build, did not start advancing desperately like the one in the previous fight. Calmly, he circled his opponent, and Kyor followed him with his eyes the whole time without even moving his head.


    The D-ss trembled a little when he realized that there were no escaping Kyor''s frosted-green eyes.


    "Are you going to keep staring, or are you going toe right away?" He questioned the ss-D and put the cigarette in his mouth again.


    With no other options, that''s exactly what the adventurer did next. Investing with speed, he tried to punch his opponent. Kyor dodged with ease; however, there was something else about his dodge that piqued the interest of the onlookers.


    ''His move now was exactly like mine?'' Luke wondered as he saw the ck-haired man throw his back behind him and let the adventurer pass him in front. ''Maybe it was sort of...''


    When the man''s matte-green eyes met his own amidst the movement, Luke was about to conclude.


    The D-ss was undeterred and punched again in Kyor''s direction. Again, the blow was deflected, and then the adventurer punched a few dozen more times until he was exhausted.


    For the audience, that had not been boring to watch because Kyor''s movements were perfect so that the ss-D''s blows narrowly missed.


    "Arf... Arf..." The adventurer gasped wearily, but he was nowhere near giving up. He raised his fists once more and bounced back in his own spot.


    After watching Kyor''s moves for a few minutes, Alexis understood how he dodged every blow so precisely. "Hey, Luke. Be smart about him..."


    "I''d rather you didn''t tell me. I want to figure it out by the time I defeat him." The half-wolf answered her while looking at Kyor with his arms crossed.


    At that moment, the half-dragon saw Luke''s eyes moring for this fight.


    The adventurer tried to punch a few more times until he was surprised by a leg in front of his feet during a thrust. Bump! He fell face-first to the ground, just like the other man in the previous fight.


    Kyor dropped what was left of his unlit cigarette on the man''s face and then stomped hard with his social shoe. "What you should say?" He mocked the adventurer, however, not even smiling.


    As the cigarette was still hot, the D-ss pleaded, "Arghh! Fuck! You fucking sadist! I''m going to fuck your mother, you son of a bitch."


    Disappointed, Kyor finished the match with a harder stomp, which made the adventurer pass out.


    <o>,m "AEEEEEEEEEH!" Several adventurers shouted in delight at the sight of such violence; however, most civilians were annoyed at the impetuosity.<sub> </sub></o>


    The other first five matches went on, and no one managed to impact the spectators as much as Luke and Kyor. Although the crowd wasrge, few people signed up, only fourteen participants.


    "Now that the first matches are over, let''s start the second round! On one side we have the mysterious E-ss who humiliated his opponent in the first round, and on the other side we have the beautiful C-ss, who showed powerful immobilizations."


    Luke lifted his head up slightly to look his opponent in the eye and realized that this was a teenage girl, who did not appear to be past the age of majority.


    The girl saw the bright yellow eyes of the half-wolf in the dark hood and shuddered a little, but continued to chew her gum.


    "Ready?" The narrator asked, and when he saw them both nod, he called out, "Fight!"


    ''For her age and ss, she must be a girl from a rich family who studied at some university, so she''s sure to be cautious about attacking.'' Luke reasoned.


    Just as Luke thought, she did not invest in a direct attack. So the half-wolf was the one who ran towards her and tried to grab her wrist.


    p! The girl put Luke''s hand down with a p with both hands and then pushed him back with a two-palm strike to his chest.


    The ss-C had watched Luke''s first match, so she knew well how dangerous it was to underestimate him. However, the half-wolf didn''t show even 10% of his techniques in the first match.


    ''What! He''s gone?'' she thought, watching Luke disappear into thin air right after being repelled.


    Suddenly, she felt a weight on her back and intense pressure on both shoulders. Before she could realize it, she was on the ground, pinned down by Luke''s four limbs.


    "Please don''t resist too much," Luke whispered in her ear. He is integer enough not to mock a girl how he maded fun with his opponent who underestimated him in the first match.


    The girl could feel the half-wolf''s rigid body pressing against her and knew there was no way out.


    A little blood almost ran down Alexis'' nose as she watched that scene. Luke''s arms were very close to the girl''s breasts, and she didn''t even seem bothered by it.


    "Three-Legged Smoked Lizard." The ss-C girl surrendered.


    "And the mysterious ss-E wins once again! Will he really go that far?" The narrator asked the spectators, and they again supported the mysterious E-ss.


    The next rounds went on without any big surprises. Kyor gained even more support from the adventurers who were blood fans, and Luke won the third round without difficulty.


    In the end, only the two surprises of the championship remained: an E-ss and an ''ordinary civilian''.


    "Are you guys ready for the grand finale of the first Vasconcelos Luck or Fight tournament!?"


    "WE AREEEEE!" The crowd shuddered. Their shouts drew the attention even of those not participating in the festival.


    Luke and Kyor exchanged nces. Kyor smiled, and Luke remained inexpressive.

 Chapter 89 Tournament Of Luck Or Fight (Part 3)

    As soon as the narrator announced the start of the final, the audience was taken aback by the bloodlust that Kyor had not shown in the other matches. Within seconds, Luke waspletely in defense mode against the tall, strong man.


    Although Kyor had looked elegant since the first match, now in the finale he was no longer so wellposed. With his ck hair drenched with sweat, the man could not resist the heat and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt before the fight.


    Luke was trying to protect himself, while at the same time trying to learn from that man''s strength.


    Kyor''s wave of blows was fast, not to mention the strength of each of the blows thatbined with his impable legwork put Luke in a bind.


    Pow! Luke heard a blow graze his left ear. At that moment, the half-wolf tried to seize the moment to grab Kyor''s arm, but by the time he looked away, the arm was gone.


    ''He''s strong.'' Kyor and Luke concluded in that movement. The half-wolf''s opponent knew he couldn''t make any mistakes or he would be punished.


    The spectators were fascinated by that match. It wasn''t every day that you could see a good fight so close.


    "I think those guys lied on the application, didn''t they?"


    "Get him E-ss!"


    "Break his arm, Kyor! Break an arm!"


    The half-wolf''s dungeon partner had rarely seen him as focused as he was. It was as if Luke was paying attention not just to Kyor''s fists, but to the movement of every muscle in his body.


    However, the reality was crueler. Luke didn''t mind losing, but he wanted to find out the secret to such explosive strength, because with each punch from Kyor, Luke felt like his arms were about to explode.


    ''Their movements are ordinary. How does he have such strength? I can only think it''s supernatural strength.'' Luke couldn''t believe that Kyor was using Gene Abilities in a tournament that forbids them.


    Tired of having to defend himself, the half-wolf once again tried to take advantage of the deflection of a punch to grab his opponent''s arm. Kyor saw that he would not be able to avoid Luke''s grab, so he also grabbed him and threw him away.


    ''What a pushy bastard!'' Kyor mentally insulted him.


    ''There''s no way I can beat that here with my weak range of immobilizations... there are simply no openings to grab him efficiently.''


    After a few moments of recovery, it was Luke''s turn to surprise everyone. In this tournament, he only demonstrated his passivity, calmness, and observation skills, but from that second on he demonstrated his versatility.


    In the blink of an eye, Luke appeared in front of Kyor and kicked him in the chest. Because he had a high reflex, the man was able to block the kick. Luke didn''t mind and returned the blow several more times.


    Although his kicks and punchescked Luke''s explosive force, they quickly began to umte damage.


    With his clothes all bunched up, Kyor was annoyed by the speed of the half-wolf, who could sometimesnd painful blows. When Kyor also began to attack, both were forced to alternate between attack and defense.


    The green-eyed man kicked high towards the half-wolf, who in turn managed to dodge by spinning backward, resting his hands on the ground.


    Since Luke didn''t want to be at a disadvantage, right after the spin he ran and kicked Kyor with his right leg. Again, Kyor sidesteps and rests his left arm on the ground to strike his opponent with a right jab.


    Luke took the punch directly to the face, which made the audience roar in empathy at the pain he felt, and then took a two-footed kick to the face as well. Irritated, Luke came forward again, punched Kyor twice, and kicked him in the chest.


    Pressed against the confines of the arena, Kyor banked on a direct punch to Luke''s chin that would knock him out or, at the very least, stun him.


    The half-wolf was not surprised and feinted to the side, dodging the punch and at his first clear opportunity, he grabbed Kyor with a sleeper hold.<sub> </sub>


    "Give up!" Luke ordered the man, avoiding choking him too hard.


    Since Kyor was a bit taller than Luke, he was also being pressed down with the hold.


    "The E-ss finally managed to catch Kyor!" The young narrator eximed. Several different phrases wereing from the crowd, but the half-wolf''s brain was processing nothing other than the battle.


    Kyor was squeezing Luke''s forearms tightly with his hands and at one point the half-wolf almost gave in, however, Kyor gave a nce to the audience and momentster, he uttered:


    "Three-Legged Smoked Lizard."


    "And, amazingly enough, an E-ss is the grand champion of the first Vasconcelos Luck or Fight tournament!"


    As he released Kyor from the sleeper hold, Luke was cheered by the spectators. He was confused because he could have sworn that his opponent still had the strength to resist.


    "Why did you quit?" Luke asked the man, who was putting on ck rubber gloves to cover his hands.


    Kyor didn''t answer him and walked off, and blended into the sea of people. When everything quieted down, Luke went to the organization''s tent to receive his prize.


    "Hi, I''m the winner of the tournament. I can pick up my prize now, can''t I?"


    The droopy-eyed attendant measured him with her gaze. "Sure... Here..."


    She then ced a small bag of silver coins on the table. Luke found it strange but initially didn''tin. Before he had even finished counting, Luke knew that in the bag there were no more than five hundred coins and thebined prize included at least two thousand more.


    "Look, there''s a problem with my payout."


    "The advertised prize is two thousand and five hundred coins, but you had andslide at the castle and it is under reconstruction. Please ept only that."


    The half-wolf could leave the money for the reconstruction of the castle, however, he didn''t want that and didn''t even believe the woman''s pious speech.


    Luke removed his hood and showed his wolf ears. "You know, don''t try to make a fool of me, because I''m not. If you want trouble, you''re going to get trouble."


    The woman instantly regretted it. In the end, Luke came out of the stall with a bag of coins ten times the size of the first one.


    "Look, you bullying a woman... I didn''t expect that," Alexis said. She was waiting for him outside the tent, while Nathalia was buying cookies in a tent across the street.


    "What do you mean?" Luke inquired, putting his hoodie back on.


    "It''s just that you seem to be the very gant type of man."


    "That is, you''re calling me a woman seeker?."


    "Ehhh... Maybe."


    Even a little stressed by the situation just now, Luke smiled wryly. Until recently, he was not a man who cared for romance and even got quite nervous when he was alone in thepany of any woman. At some point, he just got used to it.

 Chapter 90 The Festival

    On that summer night, Vasconcelos seemed like a more beautiful town than usual. Hundreds of families gathered in the main square of the area and enjoyed themselves at the many different games and food stalls.


    Young men were looking for girls to flirt with and maybe kiss. The adults had fun drinking and rxing. The children spent their energy running around.


    Nathalia, Luke, and Alexis visited most of the stalls and spent a lot of money. Luckily, Luke managed to keep the two thousand and five hundred silver coins he earned in his inventory, so whenever he needed to spend some money, he took only the necessary amount he needed.


    However, Nathalia proved to have the energy of a child and wanted to y in several tents.


    "Go Luke, you can do it!" Nathalia cheered for the half-wolf, who was using a paper sieve to try to pull goldfish out of a tank of water.


    He ced the sieve in the water carefully so as not to tear the paper. This was already his third attempt. Luke slowly moved the sieve into the water and began to follow the movement of the fish.


    As soon as he tried to lift the sieve, the weight of the goldfish tore the paper.


    "Ah, my friend! It wasn''t that time! Want to try some more?" The shack merchant tempted him.


    The half-wolf did the math quickly and realized that he had already spent fifteen silver coins on this game alone, and he hadn''t evene close to winning.


    "N-no, thanks." He said, fighting his pride. Alexis and Nathalia had a goodugh at Luke''s disappointed expression.


    During the party, many looked at Alexis with contempt, disgust, and curiosity, after all, it wasn''t every day you saw a woman with horns.


    To Luke''s surprise, the woman didn''t seem to mind it. He had already noticed that Alexis was not afraid to show herself to be a half-beast, but that day she affirmed this even more.


    If it were the half-wolf exposing himself, he would surely have attracted the attention of many annoyed people, as had happened on several asions throughout his life, but there was something different about Alexis that made people respect her.


    When Nathalia finally ran out of energy, Alexis put her on her back and began to carry her back to the Strogueher mansion. Halfway there, the Elf slept while being carried.


    "It''s no wonder she''s like this. She trained all day and still had so much energy... Ahh! Youth is so good."


    "You talk as if you are an old woman. How old are you?" Luke questioned her. After having fun together, he was feeling morefortable talking to Alexis.


    "Should I talk~? I don''t think it''s a fair trade just me saying."


    "I''m twenty," Luke answered her bluntly.


    "Twenty!? You''re surprisingly young for your looks."


    "Look, I know I don''t take much care of myself, but you don''t have to humiliate me either."


    "AH!? No, that''s not what I meant!" Alexis eximed, almost letting go of the hands that held Nathalia''s white thighs.


    "Rx, it was just a silly joke." He said, punched his forehead weakly, and stuck the tip of his tongue out of his mouth.


    "You have a sense of humor!? I don''t believe it!" Alexis spoke ironically and brought her hands to her mouth, feigning surprise.


    Nathalia fell backward as she was released by the half-dragon. Tomp! The Elf''s back hit the dirt floor. "Ouch, ouch, ouch!" she expressed as she stood up while massaging her back.


    As soon as they arrived at the mansion, the servant girl Martha weed them. This time, she was not wearing everyday ck and white clothes. She wore a long satin camisole that highlighted her body.<sub> </sub>


    Martha weed Nathalia into her arms so that she could carry her to her room. "Are you going to sleep now? If not, I can serve you some tea in a moment. At that time, the guards should be patrolling the back of the mansion." Thepetent woman said, with Nathalia propped up in her arms, who was about to sleep again.


    "That sounds good. Would you join me, Luke?" Alexis inquired, as she removed her white embroidered blouse.


    "S-sure."


    Although Luke liked to go to bed early to wake up early, he didn''t have much to do the next day, so he was d for the invitation. During the time it took Martha to prepare the tea and put Nathalia to her bed, the half-wolf and Alexis sat on the couches in the main living room to talk.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Luke decided to clear up a doubt he had about Pontiff Reba. "How can she manage to appear so young when she''s that old?"


    "Eh... Don''t tell her that I told you about it, but she suffers from a curse. Let''s just say that when I met her she appeared to be older, and over time she was..."


    "Rejuvenating." The half-wolf surmised.


    "Yes. Many would think that is a blessing, but I believe that for her it must not be good at all to see everything get older but her."


    "Could she end up turning into a baby? That would be... cruel, to say the least." Luke theorized.


    In the back and forth of several other subjects, Alexis ended up touching on an even more delicate issue than curses.


    "So? What did you do for a living before you ended up here?" she asked, as she adjusted the cushion on the couch she was propped up against.


    "Do I really need to answer that?"


    "Oh,e on! Tell me something about yourself! You already know a lot of things about me, and I know practically nothing about you."


    "You have to earn my trust first. Or do you really think I''ve forgotten that you owe me a wish? We had a bet, and I ended up killing the demon receptacle."


    The half-dragon, instead of backing away as Luke expected her to do, stood up and sat down next to the half-wolf.


    "Don''t worry, I can pay for it. What do you think you can ask me?" Alexis asked, leaning her bust forward.


    Since she was now wearing a thinner T-shirt, her breasts were well highlighted. Without asking permission, she moved her face closer to Luke''s face. Alexis ced a hand on his thigh and began to move up.


    Initially, the half-wolf had no desire to stop her, in fact, he was almost mesmerized by the woman''s red eyes. However, soon a weight fell on his consciousness.


    "I can''t do that to Ayumi..." he said, stopping the advance of Alexis'' hand.


    The half-dragon also seemed toe back from a trance-like state and stepped back. "S-sorry. I didn''t know you guys were getting like this, you know, in such a serious way."


    "It''s not that...actually, it''splicated."


    In the end, when Martha arrived in the room carrying the trays with the teas, Alexis and Luke had each gone to their rooms.


    A few more days passed and the atmosphere between the two of them became awkward again during that time. Ayumi Yamazaki also did not return to the Mansion, and this made Luke even more stressed and worried, however, he soon focused on what he had to do next.


    "Shall we? The emissary from the Church warned me that it is already close." The half-dragon said, putting on her boots at the entrance to the mansion.

 Chapter 91 Emissary

    "What do you mean the emissary ''warned you?'' Did you guys exchange letters?" Luke inquired, curious, after being called by Alexis to apany her.


    Just in front of the entrance to the Mansion, the half-dragon stopped and looked at Luke. "Ah! I showed it to Nathalia, but I didn''t show it to you, did I?"


    Luke was confused. Alexis stretched her arm forward, and momentster, something emerged from sparks. With a beautiful green hue, something began to adopt a shape amidst the sparks, ultimately bing the strange bird he saw in the half-dragon''s room.


    She didn''t need to exin for Luke to understand. "Is that ugly little thing really a Summoner?" He inquired, poking the little creature''s face. Surprisingly, the bird seemed to take offense.


    "Yes. He''s not abat type, so he''s not very strong, but he sure is very useful and keeps mepany in lonely times." She said while stroking the creature''s neck.


    "Useful? Useful how?"


    "Well, there are many things it is capable of. Flying, storing objects, and we also have a hybrid ability that allows me to sense everything he hears and sees."


    "That exins... So, the white cube is... in him?" Luke inquired because he had already realized that the half-dragon was not carrying any bags.


    "That''s it... Shall we get going? Apparently, the emissary isn''t that far away." She proposed, causing the bird to disappear.


    The half-wolf merely nodded. While being guided by Alexis, he kept thinking how a Summoner like the bird could have been useful on several asions.


    First, he would never get trouble gathering information for robberies, not to mention that it would be even easier to find easy people to rob.


    ''It''s... a shame that if I ever get the chance to find one, I''ll definitely sell it.''


    In silence, Alexis and Luke followed the dirt road from the Strogueher gate until the half-dragon recognized a sign. On the trunk of a tree, she saw the drawing of a carved cat''s face.


    "We''re close."


    From there, they turned off the road and into the woods. This reminded Luke of when he entered that same forest to kill the Superior Goblins. If at that time he had known howplicated things would get, he would have done things more cautiously or not even gotten involved in other people''s problems.


    When Alexis and Luke saw a man kneeling in the middle of a small clearing, they knew it was the emissary.


    "Hello, Tenth. How are you?" The half-dragon greeted him.


    The man opened his eyes slowly and remained intact. He had shoulder-length brown hair and a full beard. His clothes were thick and almostpletely blue except for the brown leather gloves, boots, and belts.


    "Alexis, I already asked you to stop calling me that." The man said. Although he didn''t have his left arm, he stood up without showing difficulty. "What about you? Who are you?" He asked Luke.


    "Just a chaperone today," Luke answered him, remaining inexpressive.


    "Huu~ I liked that tension between you two." Alexis joked, cing her right hand on her chin while pretending to analyze them like an artist. "Rest assured, Tenth. He can be trusted."


    The emissary shrugged and asked, "Did you bring that?"<sub> </sub>


    In response to the man''s questioning, the half-dragon made her Summoning arise again. Then she whispered a few things to the bird, and the white cube was supernaturally ejected from the creature''s green feathers.


    Tenth picked up the white cube thaty on the green grass of the ce. "Great job. I''m still amazed at the little things that this Summoner of yours is capable of doing." He spoke while wiping the cube on his pants.


    "So, did you guys manage to find out the name of this bastard?"


    "Not only him, but the other one as well. The descriptions you sent were quite helpful. However, you know that these are just theories, you can never be one hundred percent sure until they actually die."


    ording to Alexis, a demon''s name is the only thing that can kill it. Lacking this crucial information, it is still possible to seal up it or kill its vessel.


    Luckily, most demons are not strong without a receptacle, and the demon found in the Dungeon proved to be an exception, so he was especially dangerous, even more so than the demon that escaped.


    Luke was impressed by the short period of time it took to gather information to find out the names of the two demons.


    "How do you guys manage to find out the names of the demons? I mean, you don''t have a little list of names, do you?" he inquired as he watched Alexis and the Tenth work in a sort of magic circle on the grass of the clearing.


    "Yeah... sort of. We have a library with thousands of books that report encounters with demons, so we know them well. For some reason, it was never a custom of the other religions to kill the demons, so that was left to us in the Cardinal Church. I don''t know how they know which names fit either. Alexis would be able to exin more to you about that."


    "I understand, thank you for exining." Soon after, Luke stepped aside to let them continue.


    The half-wolf now understood quite a bit about the demons because he had been finding out some things over the past few weeks, but he had no interest in knowing more than that, so he didn''t want to bother Alexis with any more questions.


    When Tenth and Alexis finished the circle, Luke noticed several symbols drawn all over its outline.


    "What are those letters?" He questioned, interested because he saw the same thing in the powerful ability the second demon used.


    "They are runes. You''ve never seen them?" The emissary wondered that someone who was apparently trusted by Alexis never even saw runes.


    "I saw them in the ability that the second demon''s receptacle used, but I didn''t really know what they were."


    "Runes are powerful letters that whenbined can activate an ''ability''. That''s ancient magic. Something that predates the advent of Gene''s Abilities."


    The circumference of the magic circle was only five meters and wasposed of a white powder whose weight closely resembled iron dust.


    "So, shall we begin? Luke, please just watch the process, for now, I will need you to help me with the second demon."


    The half-wolf just nodded and stood quite a distance away from the circle. He was curious to see how the Cardinal Church''s emissary would act and eager to see Alexis in action again.


    Now he understood why they had chosen a ce away from the city and the Manor to do this; after all, they would have to get the demon out of the seal in order to kill him.

 Chapter 92 A Ancient Demon

    In the shade of the trees, away from the light of the clear camp, Luke watched Alexis and the emissary act. At one point, Tenth took a notebook from his bag, flipped through a few pages, and showed it to the woman.


    Soon after, he moved a few feet away from the circle. The half-dragon walked to the circle''s center and ced the white cube on the floor. She didn''t seem nervous, but in return, the emissary was even biting his nails.


    "Release," Alexis said, low enough for only her to hear. Secondster, the cube began spouting white shes.


    In the blink of an eye, the shes became more intense, and as they intensified, the cube doubled in size.


    When the cube finally exploded into small white particles, the figure of a demon appeared. Unlike the endearing figure with red skin and long horns that is widespread, demons are macabre and confusing figures, which desperately try to copy human traits.


    There was a wide grin of pointed teeth and quivering white eyes in the shadow that emerged.


    "Oh! You finally let me go! Do you feel sorry? If you want, I can let you go. Hihihi! Go, go!" The demon teased Alexis. His tone managed to be fetid and still preserved the sadism from before.


    To answer him, the half-dragon summoned the two gauntlets of light and reminded him of the powerful blows that debilitated himst time.


    "Tell you what, Allocer. You shut up and answer everything we want to know, and maybe we''ll be good enough to kill you now and not leave you to the guys who will want to study you." Alexis said as he pped his gauntlets once.


    The ck shadow, which copied a human silhouette, backed away startled and was eventually stopped by an invisible wall.


    "Ah! You know what that is, don''t you? A containment barrier? It''s a bitborious to make, but it''s useful."


    Soon, the demon seemed to show respect for the first time by saying, "Okay, okay, I''ll answer anything you want, you know-it-all."


    "Why did Demiurge choose to seal you instead of killing you? He knew your name."


    Just hearing that name, the demon seemed to have shuddered even more than when he knew he was going to die.


    Demiurge was one of the four heroes who helped the world during The Cmity. His actions directly impacted the course of history, but little is known about what kind of person he was.


    "Demiurge was the scariest human I have ever met. After dozens of us were sealed by him, we began to think he was some kind of god. Even our blended strength was no match for his. Despite this, he never killed a demon..."


    "And that''s exactly why you feared him, isn''t it Allocer?" The silhouette merely nodded. "So you said ''we'', don''t you? But demons are not known for gathering as a group."


    "In times like these, we need to, but doing it needs a powerful leader."


    "Ok... so you mean there is a powerful leader, interesting... You speak ''times like this, but it was sealed for hundreds of years in the Dungeon, that confirms that there is a collective consciousness among you demons, doesn''t it?"


    The demon was startled by the amount of information the half-dragon was able to extract with just two sentencesing out of her mouth, "Did you guys already know about that too?"<sub> </sub>


    "It was just a theory, only now it has just been confirmed." The half-dragon spoke while smiling wryly.


    "Sigh... it''s something supernatural you know. I have no way to exin how this connection works. We simply know each other''s desires and fears, but we can''t talk directly."


    The demon''s response matched the moment the emissary whistled. That was the signal for the end of the interrogation because the barrier could not hold out much longer.


    Ingeniously, Alexis made a magical extinction circle underneath the magical imprisonment circle, allowing the demon to have a quick and painless death. That was the least to pay for the information he gave up before he died.


    When they saw that all the soot of the demon''s existence had dissipated into thin air, Tenth snorted with stress.


    "I hate how they only turn minimally rational when they''re scared." He said to Luke, venting.


    "His reaction was more...mature than I thought. I imagined he would cry and ask for forgiveness like a child, yet he only conformed."


    "Man, his kind of existence is not the same as ours. Don''t be emotional, they don''t deserve that." The emissary said, putting one arm over Luke''s left shoulder. Luke just stood still, "Look, take this. And when Alexis is done cleaning up the circle, please finish this whole mess. If you two get any more information, I''ll talk to her."


    Then, Tenth handed over a metal pendant. Although it was small, it was quite heavy. Hanging from the chain was a metal sun, and in the center of that sun was a red stone.


    "How do you wear this here?" Luke inquired, assuming that this was the item that could help them find the second demon.


    "It''s simple. Rub some slime on the stone and let it stick well. Within a few seconds, open the sun and put an eye to see through the stone. That way, you should be able to see the tracks of a demon."


    After that, the emissary said goodbye to Alexis from a distance and entered the woods again. Luke approached the half-dragon, holding the pendant with all the care in the world to not break it. When she saw the object in Luke''s palms, she took it sloppily and judged it.


    "Is it seriously that it took him two years to make this ugly thing? Chris never surprises me about how bad he can be."


    "Will you know how to use this trinket?"


    "Shouldn''t be too hard."


    Just as Alexis said, sheplied, managing to masterfully use the pendant. After taking some of the slimes she still had with her and passing it on the stone, she ced the object in her right eye and saw a ck tower rise up to the sky on the horizon, indicating the position of the second demon.


    "Oh! If that''s not defective, it could have been really useful. Luke, I know you wanted to ask questions for this first one, and the Church also needed information to supplement some theories. In this second demon, we can try to get more stuff out, except we won''t have the bargaining power we had now, so we should try to trick him."


    Luke felt a shiver run down his spine as he looked Alexis in the eye. Her willpower was absurd; however, fooling a demon would not be an easy task at all. So they set off on their second hunt of the day.

 Chapter 93 The Inn Devil

    Alexis and Luke headed towards the ck beam that the pendant showed in the sky, which took a few hours. The ce was far away from Vasconcelos, specifically on the road between Vasconcelos and Sheltered Halv?y.


    Above an inn, the beam was appearing even far away from the clouds when looked at through the red stone. The inn did not appear to be veryrge and it looked closed. There was an open-door carriage in the front, which stood next to a sign with the establishment''s name: ''Inn of the Crusade.


    "First of all, you must know this demon''s name. He may be called Berith or Beherit. There is confusion in the trantion since the book describing him must be old."


    "So, what do I do with the name?" Luke inquired having no idea of what killed the first demon exactly.


    Knowing that using a magic circle would be impossible to kill an unsealed demon, Alexis exined: "The chance is pretty high that he possessed someone out of desperation, so you have to kill the receptacle and before the demon has a chance to escape, you must call him by name."


    "Me? But what about you?" Luke inquired, confused.


    "I will be covering the exits. The inn doesn''t look big, but it''s in a region with a lot of ways to escape, as you can see. So, if he manages to get away from us, he could end up hiding easily."


    "I see, so you want to stay out here."


    The half-dragon just nodded. Luke, at the time, knew that it wasn''t just for that reason that she didn''t want to go. He knew that if Alexis found the demon that killed so many people in the castle, she wouldn''t hold back, and they wouldn''t get any answers.


    "Why didn''t your emissary friend stay to help us with the second demon as well?" The half-wolf inquired because he didn''t seem to have been very helpful on the first demon.


    "Emissaries are particrly quick to run and hide, yet they are not strong or resilient at all. The Tenth is no exception, so his mission is only of collection and delivery. In case the first elimination didn''t work out, I would have to seal the demon again and send it to the Cardinal Church through Tenth."


    "That''s why he seemed so nervous..."


    So, Luke headed toward the entrance of the inn. There weren''t many trees around, and the little vegetation there was low, except that the uneven terrain was a serious problem should the fight run to the outside of the inn.


    Nheeec! The door of the establishment creaked when being open. The wooden windows were closed, and the entire premises were dark so that only the strong light of the mid-afternoon sun illuminated the ce.


    As soon as he entered, Luke saw the floor covered in dark, dried blood, indicating that it had been some time since it had been fresh. There was also a rotten smell stinking up the ce. This was the same smell that Luke found impregnated in the morgue.


    With one hand protecting his nostrils and the other ready to defend himself from any attack, the half-wolf began to walk around the ce. His footsteps creaked on the old wood floor, and these creaks echoed throughout the room.


    Slowly, Luke''s vision began to get used to the darkness, and he could begin to better take in what he was seeing. The atmosphere was typical of an inn. To the right of the entrance, there were a few tables and a small bar with shelves full of ss jugs. There was a corridor so dark that the half-wolf could not see anything to the left.


    When the rotten smell intensified, Luke knew he had found something. Beside his feet and near the bar, he found a headless human body. It was impossible to tell how old the man was, but based on the pudgy body and the wrinkles on his hand, Luke judged that he must be over forty and that he was probably the innkeeper.


    While analyzing the man''s body, Luke was surprised by a voice. "How did you find me?" The voice seemed toe from all directions at once.<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf slowly stood up and replied: "That doesn''t matter. Reveal yourself, or are you afraid?" Tactically, he tried to tease the demon.


    "Huh! Why should I reveal myself so easily? First of all, I have an offer for you."


    Luke clicked his tongue and made his hands as sharp as ever. "Do you think I will listen to any litany thates from your mouth?"


    "Do you have another option? Just know that I have some hostages with me."


    After hearing the demon say that, Luke heard some wailing and pained moans as if begging for help. "Ughh! Ahn! Nnhh!"


    "Say what you want. I''m listening." Luke said and lowered his hands.


    The demon was quiet for a few seconds and then appeared among the shadows in the far-right corner of the establishment, behind some tables and chairs. Just as Alexis theorized, he already possessed someone.


    Unlike the strong and influential boy that was Jean Pollo, this time, he had to bond with a normal girl with brown hair and a familiar face.


    At that moment, Luke felt like attacking him and putting the girl out of her misery; however, he held back.


    With a dissolute smile on his face, the demon pulled out a chair, sat down, and then indicated with his hand for Luke to join him. The half-wolf sat down and looked into the eyes of the cur without fear.


    "I believe you are intelligent enough to have figured it out by now. We are mere puppets in a show. Someone is using us."


    Luke didn''t want to expose that he already suspected this, both from the number of coincidences that had urred since he arrived in Vasconcelos and from all the mess he had witnessed in the past few weeks.


    "Do you know anything?" Luke questioned him as he ced both hands with fingers crossed on the table.


    "I know a few things, which I may or may not be willing to talk about."


    "If you tell me everything you know, I''ll let you go, otherwise, I''ll kill you, after all, my half-beast friend is out there."


    Looking into the half-wolf''s eyes, the demon couldn''t tell if what he said was a bluff or a statement.


    "But first, I need a confirmation that you know something useful. In case you don''t, It''s not a problem for me if a few more people die." Luke continued to speak to make his side even more favorable in the negotiation.


    Of course, he wasn''t thinking of letting the demon get away with it; however, he had too much interest in the subject the damned thing mentioned to not allow him to continue talking.

 Chapter 94 The Fight In The Dark (Part 1)

    After Luke''s request, the demon''s proud expression disappeared. The being stood up from his chair and turned his back to Luke, "You know that from the moment I reveal a piece of information, I will be a renegade, right?"


    "I have learned that demons are not very close. Is there a problem with being rejected?" The half-wolf asked debauchedly.


    "The Age toe will be a time that will bring us all together again and then we will be powerful like never before. You wouldn''t understand."


    Impatient, Luke stood up from his chair. "If you want to see this so-called Age happen, you need to tell me everything you know, Berith."


    The demon slowly turned to look into Luke''s eyes. With a wry smile, he said: "So you managed to find my name quickly. You must have a direct connection to the Cardinal Church, right?"


    "More or less like that," Luke said as he walked toward the inn''s bar.


    When he got there, Luke saw many familiar drinks, which his friends used to drink, bringing back good memories.


    "Chaos Followers are associated with demons." The demon confessed, sighed, stressed, and sat again at the table.


    Luke looked at the disappointed girl''s face, which still contained the demon''s thick voice. "Say something that interests me. I don''t care about the Chaos Followers anymore, I just had to take care of them in a brief contract with the Guild."


    The demon mmed his hands on the table, irritated. BOOMP! "What!? What do you mean!? You messed up all my ns and yet you say you have no interest!!!?" Luke was not afraid of the demon''s sudden aggressiveness, even though he already knew its strength.


    The half-wolf spun a bottle he picked up at the bar upwards, and when he picked it up, he pointed at the demon and said: "We''re getting somewhere... You already knew me, yet you never showed any sign of revealing it. How do you know me? You can still get away with it here."


    "I am¡ª I was one of themanders of the Chaos Followers. The First Servant sent me here so we could expand our influence, to free another ancient demon and get a new receptacle."


    The demon''s expression looked like one of pure hatred and frustration as he spoke; however, this time, all those negative emotions didn''t seem to be being directed at Luke. The half-wolf felt that this was more like the clear grudge of a deserter, so he said nothing and let him continue talking.


    "I was one of the best...I already had a perfect receptacle, but he wanted me to have a better one. It had already been three months that I was in Vasconcelos and my presence was already causing major mayhem..."


    "Both in the Dungeon and out of it, right?"


    The demon nodded, shaking his brown hair. "I eagerly tried to cover up the events that were caused by my presence. Like the monsters managing to escape the Dungeon, the deaths, everything... and when I finally thought I had found the perfect receptacle, you, that damned thing interfered."


    "The Chaos?"


    "Yes, that''s exactly what the idiots call it... I had managed to lure you into a perfect trap. I saw you killing the Spiders in the Dungeon and even used a Sun Apparition to bepletely sure you were the right person; then I used my wiles to link you to someone who already had a past with the Followers..."


    "Latmenfar Kriolo..." The half-wolf said low. Disgruntled, at that moment, Luke realized the demon''s hypocrisy when he said a puppeteer was controlling him because all this time, Luke had been in his hands.


    "Everything was going so well. I even let you kill my two best assassins, to test you even more..."<sub> </sub>


    "You are a sick man. That night, I didn''t just kill two people because of you, it was almost a dozen. I thought they were psychopathic freaks, but a demon was just manipting them." Luke said, almost to the point of punching himself in the face for being so easily manipted.


    "Yeah, yeah, now you know how I feel. All right they were crazy, for believing in a being like me..." The demon said as he realized that Luke had lost the badass pose for the first time. "That night, I had the opportunity to get your body. I was stronger, faster, and smarter. I had it all, but he interfered and told me it was still early."


    This revtion left the half-wolf a little confused because he couldn''t understand if the mastermind of all this was someone who had saved his life or was just ying around.


    All he understood was that the fear he felting from the creepy being that had possessed the corpse that night was real.


    Then the demon continued to speak: "That bastard... since I was contradictory to him at that synod, I knew what he would find a way to get rid of me."


    "Hold on...you demons have been meeting for how long now?"


    The demon didn''t seem to listen to Luke and continued toin. "If it wasn''t for him if it wasn''t for him... But no, I obeyed him even though I knew something was wrong and when I finally found you, Luke... You were with a damn S-ss by your side."


    The half-wolf knew on the spot that he was talking about Alexis. Soon after, the demon didn''t stop grumbling anymore.


    Knowing that the demon would no longer answer him rationally as in the beginning and that he would not be able to get any more information out of him, Luke did not hold back his indignation, came up behind the girl, and tried to slit her throat. Suddenly, he was pushed backward by a supernatural force.


    When Luke managed to get up, he saw a kind of shield protecting the young girl''s body that the demon-possessed.


    "That body is weak, but it has some good tricks." He said as he straightened his thin shoulders.


    Luke quickly stood up and set off again. With a quick st of water, he was again thrown far away, breaking a few wooden chairs in the process.


    ''Shit... so he can keep his abilities even after he no longer possesses the owner of them? That''s so strong!''


    Conveniently, the dark was the ideal ce for someone with abilities like Luke''s to fight, so the moment he threw a chair to distract the bastard, he also managed to prate the darkness.


    "Ah! I think you were bluffing when you said the half-beast was with you! Otherwise, you would have run towards her already!" The demon teased him, opening his arms with pride stamped on his face.


    ? In that short time, there were many opportunities for Luke to attack him, only they all ended the same way in the simtions that took ce in the half-beast''s brain: being blocked by the body shield.


    He knew he could call on Alexis for help; however, he wanted to end it with his own hands. He had been in the hand of this demon and another stronger and smarter one for over a month, so he wanted to have this little revenge.


    Determined to kill this second demon with his bare hands, he closed the inn''s door with <Vind>, leaving the entire room in aplete haze, which scared the demon.

 Chapter 95 The Fight In The Dark (Part 2)

    The half-dragon heard the noise the inn door made as it closed; however, she decided not to interfere to see how Luke would do. She hadn''t known him long, so she felt the constant need to test him.


    The half-wolf had already proven himself to be insanely talented and also very virile when he rejected her, even though he was horny. However, the half-dragon was very curious about where such talent came from.


    "Most people don''t care where a persones from, because our past doesn''t necessarily predict our future, but there is something about him that makes me curious..."


    The seed of mystery and doubt that the half-wolf usually leaves wherever he goes slowly grows in the mind of the S-ss, who even when lost in her thoughts, can''t get him out of her head.


    Meanwhile, inside the inn, everything seemed calm. In the pitch created by the absence of light, all that could be heard was the demon''s gasping breath and his confusing steps. He was spinning in his ce, trying to predict where Luke would spring from.


    ''My reflexes are fast, but not unlimited... if I can predict him urately, I can win easily.'' The demon thought. On the outside, his expression did not match his confident thoughts. Tapering his vision with the muscles in his face, he tried to see in the dark while making an almost funny expression.


    Taking advantage of his terrain, Luke moved to the bar, making sure not to make any noise as he walked and listened carefully to his opponent''s footsteps. The half-wolf picked up five ss jugs, which still had alcohol in them, and threw them in the demon''s direction.


    T-Thwackr! They exploded on the demon''s shield and shattered in the same second, emitting a single loud sound.


    ''Just moments before, I heard something different...'' Luke thought. His hearing is already normally sharp, but now it was even better; with such a precise sense, he didn''t miss the smallest details.


    There were only two bottles left in his hand, so he only threw one this time. Th-Thwackr! ''Same sound as before.'' The half-wolf determined.


    ? Luke knew that the four bottles could not do any damage to the demon. His shield was quite strong and didn''t seem to break easily, at least not with light attacks, and it also managed to repel him when he got close.


    "You''re pretty annoying, you know that? You won me over and let me throw information to the wind... you''re pretty smart for a son of a bitc¡ª" A ss bottle burst over the girl''s head, filling her face with ss fragments and interrupting her speech.


    The demon had already shown great resistance to pain when he left his arm only in pure bone and continued to fight, so shards of ss were nothing to him.


    "Haha! You know buddy... I''ve got a great idea. I will take your body right here, right now! And then, I''ll go back to the First Servant with all his and the other possessed''s abilities and kill him with my bare hands. That''s a good n, what do you think?" He said as he removed a shard of ss that went into the corner of his left eye.


    However, the demon didn''t expect that Luke had already figured out the trick of his new ability. And since the half-wolf didn''t want his opponent to use another big explosion like the other time, he quickly picked up the first bottle he left on the counter seconds before the battle started and threw it, at the same time running towards the demon.


    Now even closer to the demon, Luke could perfectly hear the sound the demon''s shield made milliseconds before activating. Pleenc! The bottle broke on the shield. Thwackrrr!


    Protecting his face with his arm, Luke moved forward, and when he heard the sound of the bottle breaking, he stopped hiding his steps to gather even more speed. He wiped the demon''s confident smile from existence in one precise cut and drew a nk expression.


    With his hand across the throat of the demon who was on guard-low thanks to the shield, Luke felt even angrier that the cursed one showed no surprise, only hollowness.


    "Berith." He whispered before it was toote; however, the ck discharge came out soon after. "Beherith!" he shouted, the other name Alexismunicated. This time, the discharge withered and greyed out. ''Die stubborn bastard!''


    The half-wolf huffed in stress and stood up. A few momentster, he was surprised by a voice in his head warning him:<sub> </sub>


    [Lower Demon Beherith has been killed, Demon Core Obtained].


    ''Oh, that sounds interesting... if I could inherit that shield ability, it would be helpful.'' Luke analyzed.


    Secondster, he heard muffled shoutsing from the hallway.


    "Hmmmmm!"


    "Ehmhmhm!"


    His ears raised as he picked up the sounds, and Luke followed the sounds, which made him not pay much attention to the voice in his head at that moment.


    He walked to the darker hallway and, as he opened the door, saw two young men tied up and the corpse of a third in the far corner of the small room, which was dimly lit bymplight.


    "Are you guys okay?" Luke inquired, seeing the frightened looks on the faces of the two gagged boys.


    At first, they nodded obediently, almost to the point of tears, and then transmuted to an expression of dread, peering up at Luke''s shoulders.


    The half-wolf heard no noise behind his back but turned his neck just in case. Looking over his shoulder, Luke saw arge headless body.


    rmed, he spun the body around and kicked it. His heel was stopped by the tworge hands that, being illuminated by themplight, Luke recognized as the corpse he had found in the lobby a few minutes ago.


    The veins in this man''s body bulged all over, glowing like sparks. As he was being held, Luke heard from the bare neck a voice erupt and roar throughout the ce, making the walls of the inn shake.


    "Haha! Luke, I warned you to not mess with us! I even offered you a deal, which you epted! but you just broke it~ When you kill a demon, you have to be prepared for the enemies that wille with that burden!"


    The imposing voice that scared Luke greatly the first time he heard it, only surprised him this time. On the first asion, what scared him was the unknown; he didn''t understand what that thing was all about. The mystical figure created by the word ''Chaos'' had scared him, but now he knew very well who threatened him: A demon, apparently also known as the First Servant.


    "It may be that my hands can''t reach you yet, but my fingers sure can reach your thieving little friends. Ynosuke, Zack, Matthew¡ª"


    "SHUT UP!" Luke shouted angrily. "DON''T YOU DARE SPEAK THEIR NAMES WITH THAT DIRTY MOUTH!"


    "Um~ You''re even simpler than I thought!" The First Servant said, and then the pudgy body of the innkeeper plummeted backward, releasing the leg of the half-wolf. The glowing veins on the corpse were gone.


    "SHIT!" Luke shouted, and all the windows in the room opened with the force of the <Vind> he unwittingly used.

 Chapter 96 The Leftovers

    Luke looked at the two boys in shock in front of him and did what Nathalia would have done. He helped them before he called the other problems. Using the point of his fingers, which were still covered in blood, he cut the ropes that bound the two and then let them take off their gags by themselves.


    "Fuck! You''re pretty fucked up bro, thanks a lot!"


    "What the hell was that, bro?"


    "I don''t know, but I''ve never seen anything like it, Anne just went crazy overnight!"


    "Not to mention that creepy thick voice."


    "No calming down, please." Luke requested, after enduring the two chatterers for seconds long enough. "Did you guys know the girl?"


    "If we knew her!?"


    "What did you do with her!?"


    "Did you exorcise her?


    "Did you kill her?


    "I killed her. A demon was using her body as a receptacle." The half-wolf exined the situation as he wiped the excess blood from his hand on the inside of his cloak. "There was no other way."


    "A demon?"


    "Shit! Not another one..."


    "Wait a minute! Did you say a demon!?"


    "Shit... first Rodrigo, now Anne..."


    Luke huffed, stressed and tired. "Just stop with the litany of you two. I don''t have time for this. Get up, and let''s go. I''ll leave you two somewhere safe."


    The inn was at least a few hours'' drive from any nearby towns, so Luke didn''t feel it would be right to leave them there. The two young men nodded to the half-wolf and stood up, avoiding looking at the corpse of their former friend on the floor of the room.


    The smell of the ce was now as rotten as ever. There was an acidic mixture of stale blood with demon slurry and alcohol in the air.


    When Alexis saw the half-wolf leave without any injuries, she judged him as someone to really keep an eye on since he would prove to be a tremendous beast in the future. Following him were two boys just over six feet tall; they had the same physique, same skin tone, same hair color, and even the shocking expression they disyed were almost the same. The only thing that made them different was their haircuts.


    "How was it?" The half-dragon asked excitedly, not noticing the look of anger Luke had on his face.


    "I''m not going to talk about it in front of them. Let''s get going." Luke said and walked past the half-dragon, starting to follow the barren dirt road.


    Alexis didn''t understand the reason for such stress, but she wasn''t the one who expressed dissatisfaction.


    "Hey, wait a minute! We have to burn our friends'' bodies."


    "Yeah, they were just travelingpanions, but we were together for many months and went through a lot." The twins said, stopping from following the half-wolf almost at the same time.<sub> </sub>


    Luke looked back, snorted, and replied, "Whatever...Just don''t take too long."


    "Lucky I hid the flint under the seat thatst night."


    "Are you sure? I saw Rodrigo picking it up afterward."


    "Really?"


    The two young men ran to the carriage and began to rummage through it. It was not spacious at all; for that reason, they were able to find what they were looking for in a few seconds.


    "Aren''t you going to help them with the corpses?" Luke asked Alexis as she sat down next to him on the floor, a little ways away from the inn.


    "Actually, I''d rather you tell me what happened in there. You look different."


    Luke snorted once again. "Everything went well, I managed to kill the damn thing. He told me that the demons running the ultists of the Chaos Followers, and he also said a lot of other things."


    "Okay, but I wasn''t referring to that. Did he say something personal? Something that offended you or reminded you of something?"


    "Remember when I told you that I had made a contract with ''Chaos''? Then today I found out that it was with a certain First Servant. And apparently, I broke that contract a few minutes ago, and for that, he threatened my family."


    "Fuck... And if the demons are behind even the Chaos Followers, everything just got worse. They have a lot of influence in the underworld."


    "Apparently, this First Servant guy already knew months before that I was going to Vasconcelos. He gave Beherith several missions and one of them was to try to make me a receptacle."


    Then, as the twins grudgingly brought the corpses out of the inn, the half-wolf told absolutely everything that happened inside the establishment.


    In the end, any and all information he was able to extract was more useful after Alexis and the Cardinal Church helped, and Luke felt he should repay them, even though he now found himself in a major stalemate for having killed a demon.


    Alexis was chilled at the thought that even her going to Vasconcelos may have been foreseen because even she didn''t n to stay so long. Her initial intention was just to spend the night.


    "This First Servant guy must be strong, much stronger than any demon apparently... But if he already knew all this was going to happen, why does he want you on the opposite side of him? He even sacrificed a being of his own race. What is the reason for this? You are strong, skilled, and talented, the normal thing would be for a demon to persuade you, no?"


    "I don''t know... I just know that I need to protect my family. I wouldn''t forgive myself if something happened to them." The half-wolf rose from the ground and clenched his fists. Unlike when the First Servant was present, he now had a serious and focused expression.


    "Are you sure? Apparently, that''s exactly what he wants."


    "I''ve always been in shit situations, I can''t believe I almost forgot about it... I have been inside the board of a demon before, if we are inside the board of this First Servant, I will make sure to kill him, even if I die in the process."


    Next, Luke pulled the ck orb whose size was simr to a marble ball out of his pocket and ced it in his mouth.


    <strong>[</strong>The Beherith Demon Gene has been ingested. You received the following Panspermia Weapon: Behemoth Axe.


    <strong>ss:</strong> Epic<strong>.]</strong>


    The half-wolf was almost disappointed when he heard that he didn''t receive a new ability, except that as soon as he summoned the Behemoth Axe for the first time, he smiled with trepidation to use it.

 Chapter 97 Behemoth Axe

    The Behemoth Axe weighed heavy in Luke''s hands. Despite this, he felt he could easily use it with just one hand since the great weight of the weapon was perfectly bnced from de to grip.


    The weapon''s handle was slightly curved at first, near the head attachment. Still, its ergonomics were nowhere near bad. The handle material was something unlike anything Luke had seen in his entire life; although it had the appearance of a typical ckwood, he could feel the same firmness as if he were holding the handle of a great metal spear.


    "Did you get this little beauty by killing Beherith?" Alexis asked Luke. Impressed, she stood up to look at the Panspermia Weapon more closely.


    Luke ignored her and continued to admire his new acquisition. The knob of the ax was coated with a different kind of material, and even running his hand over could not recognize the texture or appearance.


    ''That doesn''t look like leather, or metal, or cloth... what the hell is that?'' There were weird, mirrored designs on this material, like the designs Luke had seen several times before on traditional Kaloru decks. All the rest of the handle also had sturdy bands and tiny runes carved into its side.


    The ax head was another show of detail and grandeur. Without runes, on the sides of the head were geometric shapes that interconnected and created other designs and symbols that the S-ss had never seen before.


    "Do you want to sell it?" The half-dragon asked eagerly. Until a few seconds ago, she thought the sizeable heavy ax she saw in the window of Elf Knor''s store was the most beautiful of all, yet the Behemoth Axe looked even more beautiful and powerful.


    Luke quickly hid the ax. "Let''s hurry, we have to help those boys. They won''t be able to hold the body of the man inside."


    "Hey, don''t ignore me! I''ll pay you 50 gold coins!"


    "You earned twice that to get me out of the Dungeon."


    "Okay, okay! You''re good at trading..." The half-dragon said and put her right hand on her chin to think. "Fine! I''ll give you 200 gold coins!"


    "You''re as poor as I am, and you don''t have a penny in your pocket. Where would you get this money from?"


    "Loan?"


    Then, before night came, Luke allowed himself to help the twins give their friends a proper burial. He didn''t usually participate much in this kind of ceremony, but he understood that it is quite essential; after all, it wasn''t any of these dead people''s fault that a demon crossed their lives.


    Luke was still uneasy because he knew that his friends were in trouble, but he also trusted that Ynosuke would be able to keep them out of problems until he could make sure that everything would be all right.


    Because of the cremating bodies in front of the inn, the former thief knew that soon they would havepany. In ces away from big cities, that''s where wild animals congregate, and so do people with bad intentions.


    "Come on; I want to get back to Vasconcelos before night falls," Luke said after closing the door of the inn and checking for anything that would identify the owner. He found nothing.


    The half-dragon and the twins nodded, crestfallen for different reasons. As they walked at a fast pace along the trails of the steep terrain in the area, the two boys did not stop pestering Alexis even for a second, asking dozens of questions.


    "What is a demon?"


    "Where are we going?"


    "What''s the name of the tall, frowny-faced guy?"


    "Were you born with big horns already?"<sub> </sub>


    "Why don''t you have a tail?"


    The two had already understood that they should not irritate Luke; however, they had not yet seen Alexis angry. Her patience also filled up after answering all of the two''s questions with irony and seeing that they would not stop.


    Alexis summoned amon dagger from Panspermia and pointed at the twin with the sides of his hair shaved off. "If you two don''t shut up, I''m going to rip both of your ears off and stick them on my horn, how about it!"


    Luke noticed that the yellow details on her horns glowed a little more intensely in that instant, and the twins'' watchful eyes didn''t miss that detail either.


    "Ohh!"


    "Oww!"


    In reflex, they tried to touch her horn without permission, which ended up asioning a double knockout and a fist mark on each other''s foreheads.


    Despite all the worry, Luke managed to smile at that moment. He crouched down, ced each of the boys under one of his arms, and spoke to Alexis:


    "That''s it, boys. Only I can touch Alexis'' horn." Without giving much thought to what he said, he walked back.


    Obviously, the half-dragon blushed on the spot. Like the ears, the horns of a half-beast are highly erogenous regions. ''He''s an idiot...'' she thought with her hands on her cheeks, to pick out the color red.


    At around eight in the evening, they finally arrived at the Strogueher Mansion. From afar, Luke smelled a sweet smell in the air. As soon as Ayumi and Nathalia opened the double door of the mansion''s entrance together, Luke felt as if he had just returned from a long battle.


    "You guys have been gone all day. What happened?" Nathalia questioned. The two half-beasts had forgotten to warn about leaving because Luke didn''t even know what was going on, and Alexis didn''t know it would take so long.


    "Let''s just say that the gue of demons in Vasconcelos is solved," Alexis said, pping his palms together as if removing dust as she walked into the mansion.


    Of course, before returning to the mansion, she wore the pendant delivered by Tenth to make sure there was nothing left in the area. The half-dragon hated to admit it, but Chris did a job worthy of a genius.


    <o>,m Luke looked at Ayumi Yamazaki far more mildly than at anyone else and asked, "Can we talk?"</o>


    The Matriarch smiled briefly as she nodded. Of course, the Matriarch was not expecting a warm wee, much less a kiss back, but she realized at that moment that something had happened.


    "How nice of you to return, Mr. Luke and Miss Alexis. May I ask who the two guests are?" Martha asked, pointing to the two boys hiding behind the half-beasts'' backs.


    Luke grabbed the twins by the back of their cors, pulled them forward, and introduced them, "This is Leo and Noah. They''re both very chatty, but I think they learned their lesson on the way here."


    Upon their release, the twins reacted to the imposing Strogueher Mansion in different ways. While Leo, the one with the shaved sides of his hair, crossed his arms and posed like a badass to try to impress Nathalia, Noah filled his eyes with tears.


    "We''re not going to be ves, right?"

 Chapter 98 The Truth About Everything (Part 1)

    When Nathalia, Luke, and Ayumi had already left the dinner table, Leo and Noah took advantage of the moment to chew even more intensely. Chunc! Chunc! Their jaws made such loud, rapid noises that Luke and Ayumi felt the need to go outside to talk.


    On the back porch, the half-wolf was still searching for the right words to say to the Matriarch. It was night and the weak wind, which shook both of their hair, also made the light of the modernntern he was holding flicker.


    Luke ced thentern on the porch''s wood and turned to look at the Matriarch. Just then, a strong wind tossed the woman''s long blond hair back, and the light illuminated her emerald green eyes.


    Blushing, Luke resisted the urge to kiss her and turned away. "What time did you get back?" he asked, starting the conversation.


    "Early afternoon...what did you want to talk about? Did everything go well?"


    "Yes, as Alexis said, the problem was fully resolved. Sigh... The demons behind the Chaos Followers, so everything was interconnected."


    Ayumi tenderly touched the half-wolf''s shoulder and asked, "So why don''t you seem satisfied with that? Now you and Nathalia can continue your missions without fear that something bad will happen."


    Luke took the right hand that was touching his shoulder affectionately and fitted his fingers together. "No, that won''t happen. The demon who coordinated this whole order of events knows me very well, well enough to know the extent to which it affects me, my friends, my family."


    Arching her eyebrows, the Matriarch was surprised to hear the half-wolf talk about his personal life. "Did he threaten them?"


    "He didn''t use the blessed cliche words, but I could sense it from his tone. And he is strong, very strong."


    "So, you thought about resigning, so you could go protect them, right?"


    Luke''s throat locked for a few seconds, and he felt it was dry; however, soon, the answer came out. "Yes... Oukiwa is a huge city, with many dangerous people, Dungeons, Adventurers and, if what Alexis said is true, the Chaos Followers have a strong influence in the underworld."


    "And no other city in this Empire has an underworld as leavened as that of Oukiwa..." The woman''s hands were shaking, as were the pupils in her eye sockets.


    Ayumi has no desire to lose the exemry employee that Luke is. In fact... she does not wish to lose the warmpanionship that the half-wolf provides her. So, she turned around and hugged him tightly around the waist. The half-wolf is a few inches bigger than she is, so he stood at just the right height to kiss her forehead.


    After a few seconds in this position, she whispered, her voice muffled by Luke''s clothing, "Luke, tell me who you really are, and I will give you all the resources you need to help your friends. I will keep them safe."


    The woman didn''t request something so hard for the half-wolf as she looked him in the eye. Instead, she chose to hug him tightly so that he would at least have a sense of how cold he would leave when he rejected telling.


    Luke''s heart pounded, and he pushed her away with both arms. He couldn''t reveal to her who he really was and about his dark past because the fact that the Elf didn''t know who he was was the only thing that allowed him to work for her.


    At that time, Luke did not know that Ayumi was never a woman to care about her employees'' pasts. Was that always a risk she took? Yes, but it gave her the best professionals in the job market and guaranteed the undying loyalty of those who didn''t dare to betray her.<sub> </sub>


    Martha and Shiro were two of the best examples. The maid was just an abandoned girl when Ayumi found her and adopted her, and the patrol guard, Shiro, bears the surname of a great noble family that rivals the Strogueher''s and has been all but extinct. Although these facts about them are recent, she still epted them in the ce where she hid her daughter and entrusted her safety to them.


    However, what made Ayumi care about the past of the bodyguard, Luke, was a brief conversation she had with Thomas Landford. Right after the meeting of the eight familymanders, he took advantage of the fact that she was thest to leave the hall and pulled her into a conversation.


    "Mrs.Strogueher, may we have a word?" he asked, stepping out of the shadows that formed behind therge gold door that closed the meeting hall.


    The man''s gray eyes were imposing, but Ayumi was not the least bit frightened. "What do you want, Mr. Landford? I''m in a hurry."


    "Sure, sure... lots of problems to solve right? It''s just that some rumors are going around the streets that you''ve hired a half-beast. Is that true? Are you doing charity work now? You''ve been more... adamant than that, haven''t you?"


    Ayumi''s eyelids drooped halfway down her eye, and she looked at him as if bored and annoyed.


    "Okay, I overreacted this time. Let''s just answer me this, and I''ll leave you alone."


    "For someone who didn''t say a word during the meeting, you''re quite talkative... Yes, I hired a half-beast."


    Thomas'' eyes manifested surprise, and a devious smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "What''s he like? I need to know."


    "That doesn''t interest you."


    The man closed his face as he heard the Matriarch''s answer. "That is really important. I never told anyone about it, but my family was murdered by a half-beast... That night, I could only hide in my room and watch him through the keyhole. For a few minutes, I watched him kill everyone dear to me."


    "Oh... I''m sorry, Mr. Landford. I swear I didn''t know that you had witnessed the massacre personally. Are you sure it was a half-beast who did all this? You''ve even gone so far as to say it was a demon."


    "Demon? No... a demon wouldn''t tear people''s skin off as easily as a beast. I''m sure that being I saw was a..."


    "It upsets me that I can''t help you. The half-beast that''s working for me is pretty serious and hardworking, plus he''s cute, he would never do something like that."


    Thomas opened his mouth to answer her but closed it soon after and nodded as he stepped out of Ayumi''s way.


    Since that night, the possibility of the half-wolf being the half-beast that ughtered the Landfords had crossed Yamazaki''s mind a few times, creating a certain amount of doubt. She knew nothing about his past. Moreover, she didn''t know how he was so strong without ever entering a Dungeon, and she also didn''t know what he spent his own money on.


    ''So, he''s not going to say, right?'' she thought, looking away to the dark green field at the back of the residence. What she couldn''t foresee was that within the half-wolf, the urge to tell kept growing.

 Chapter 99 The Truth About Everything (Part 2)

    Amidst a whirlwind of thoughts, Luke ponders whether or not to tell Ayumi. He is not ashamed that he has been a thief since childhood; after all, this was the easiest way to survive that he found.


    When the Matriarch clung her body to his, the half-wolf swallowed his dry saliva, and as soon as he pushed her away, he felt an inexplicable chill. Ayumi had warmed his bed many times, as well as being the partner who helped him through several of his first times.


    Seeing the woman''s hopeless look, Luke turned her chin toward him and said thoughtfully, "I grew up a Thief. I am not a good man, much less an honorable one. I steal when I need to, and I kill when I need to protect the ones I love."


    For some reason, upon hearing the half-wolf''s response, Ayumi smiled and kissed him. Of course, this was a huge revtion for her, but internally she was relieved.


    "You promise that only killed when you needed to?" She asked after the kiss, with her forehead still glued to Luke''s forehead.


    The half-wolf was surprised that she didn''t seem to mind. "For what other reason would I take a person''s life?"


    "Yes, you''re right...as for the fact that you used to be a thief...I''m not bothered by that. Oliver also used to be a thief before he became an adventurer, and yet he is my most loyal guard."


    "Oliver? That old guard? Hard to believe."


    "Luke, you must understand well that sometimes we have no choices, and since we have no way back, we must learn to live with these burdens. Now, you don''t have to steal anymore, because you work for me and I will give you every support to keep your friends safe."


    Watching her saying those words, the half-wolf felt like a damn lucky fucking idiot. Then he returned the kiss even more intensely. Their tongues swirled in harmony inside each other''s mouths, and the clicks of their lips touching gradually became more vigorous.


    Glued to the ss window that overlooked this scene, the twins watched it with excitement. "Ow! The creepy guy is giving the little auntie a hand job!" Leo eximed, awestruck. Noah just stood still, watching with his facepletely red.


    The skilled half-wolf''s ears detected the strong vibration in the ss, which forced him to look back.


    "Ah! Finished eating? You can go outside, then!" He eximed, smiling for the first time in front of the boys while not letting go of Ayumi from his arms.


    The Matriarch promptly let go, embarrassed that she had been caught in the act. "Shall we go inside? It''s starting to get cold. We still have to talk to Nathalia."


    *


    Searching the house''s various rooms for Nathalia, Luke almost forgot to look in the ce she liked to be the most thest few days. Alone, Luke knocked once before opening the door to the training room.


    When Luke opened the door, he saw the girl waving a wooden sword with even more speed than the day before. Her learning speed was insane, and the main factor in her evolution was her continued focus.


    "I won''t be an adventurer anymore starting tomorrow, at least not for a while." He said without bluntness orpliments.


    At that exact moment, Nathalia stopped striking. She knew that someday she would hear thating from Luke; she just didn''t expect it would be so soon.


    "Why? You defeated two demons in a single day, if you tell Zion about this, you might even get a ss promotion." She remained with her back to the half-wolf.<sub> </sub>


    The man leisurely approached the wooden swords near the wall and picked one up. "I have to get back to Oukiwa. I have friends there who need my help."


    "What did my mother tell you?"


    "She released me and offered me support. I''m facing a huge problem."


    The white-haired Elf remained quiet for a few seconds, and when Luke opened his mouth to say something, she turned and spoke, "Then I''m going to Oukiwa too."


    Luke stopped smoothing the wooden sword in his hands and looked at the girl on the spot. "What did you mean by that? What about your adventurous life?"


    There are two types of Dungeons in the world. The most popr are tower-type Dungeons, like Vasconcelos'', in which there are dozens of floors to explore and monsters to kill. The second type is mine-type Dungeons, which are true naturalbyrinths filled with ores and some monsters, and this is the only type that exists in Oukiwa.


    "In Oukiwa there are three Mine-Dungeons, so I can still move up a ss. All I have to do is follow the boss''s orders." She joked, supporting her body weight on the wooden sword she propped on the ground. "Actually, I... I know my mother pays you a sry, but I feel like we really are mates. How could I abandon a friend who might need help?"


    Luke had no way to refute her, and he didn''t know how much help he would need. The Chaos Followers are a strong organization, not to mention that there are demons behind this crazy cult, so Luke is sure that the problem will not be solved in dialogue.


    Watching how ponderous Luke was, Nathalia walked over and ced the tip of her wooden sword on his chest, teasing him.


    "Luke, I have always wondered why my mother raised me away from the big city, away from the Strogueher''s. Only a few members of my family knew I existed. A few years ago, I created my theory about it: she wanted to make me strong and capable enough to handle the pressure she almost couldn''t handle when it was her turn."


    Nathalia slowly lowered her sword, looking into Luke''s eyes.


    "Do you know why? Because one day, when my mother wants to retire or when they try to remove her from power, it will be my turn to run this family. That''s why I..."


    "That''s why you wanted to be an Adventurer."


    "Yes, I wanted to prove to them that I was someone strong, even though they never saw me."


    Luke understood her point; however, he couldn''t say anything conclusive to her. Nathalia''s speech made him understand that she already had ns to move to Oukiwa and meet her family, now that her existence had already been revealed.


    After talking with her, Luke went up to the Mansion''s second floor and knocked on Ayumi''s office door. Knock! His one loud knock was already recognizable to those who lived in the house. Secondster, he heard: "Psst!"


    Luke looked down the partially dark hallway on the second floor, felt a shiver, and followed the sound. Suddenly, he was pulled into a doorway and pressed against the door.


    Ayumi looked at him with a lecherous look while wearing only a ck bra and ck panties.

 Chapter 100 The Changes (R-18)

    When Luke was pulled by Ayumi into her huge bedroom, and he saw that the Elf was practical without any clothes on, he could not resist and kissed her.


    With the woman''s breasts pressed against his abdomen, he ran his hands down her legs, grabbed them, and lifted the woman onto hisp. The woman''s thick legs gripped the half-wolf''s waist like the w of a scorpion. Feeling the scorching heat of the woman''s body, he spun around, and this time he was the one pressing her back against the door as he kissed her intensely.


    Ayumi''s sweet smell intoxicated the room in a way that was almost to the point of driving Luke crazy. Their passionate kisses made loud noises, and the brief moans of pleasure the woman gave excited Luke even more.


    "Honey~" she said, her face was hot and her heart racing.


    "Ah... Let''s lie down first..."


    He sat the Elf down on the bed, and she instinctively threw herself backward, falling headfirst into the pillows. As Luke looked at the beautiful scene of Ayumi stretching her arms out to have him, she said:


    "Today we will use the mixture of our bodies to begin a new era. Right~? If you are a man,e and destroy me." She teased him, as she always does.


    At that very moment, Luke removed all the clothes he was wearing and looked at the woman, who watched all this intently. He skillfully removed the woman''s bra and fitted both hands to her breasts without getting nervous like the first few times they did this.


    "Hmmm ?." She moaned low and closed her eyes. Next, Luke looked down and saw that something was crying out for him. "Euuuuuuuuue!?!! ?" Ayumi moaned loudly as she felt something prate down there.


    "I''m sorry, Am I going too strong?" The half-wolf asked, worried, as she started to move.


    "Nggh... No, you just scared me a little, honey~."


    Luke smiled, brought the Elf''s legs together at the top, and began to move with more intensity. The burning pleasure he had felt a few seconds ago gradually began to get more intense, to the point that it made his mind foggy.


    From one minute to the next, nothing else mattered. The half-wolf wished he could do this forever, without stopping. The panting moans and the sweat from the Matriarchpletely took over his senses.


    "Nngh... Honey! Honey?! More?!"


    Meanwhile, a few feet below the Matriarch''s bedroom window, the night shift guards, who were patrolling in the area outside the house, could hear everything that was happening.


    "Sighh... even with how hot it is today; they''re having it all." One of themined.


    "Tell me about it..." The other taller man said. He had his sword sheathed around his waist and used both hands to try to plug the holes in his ears.


    Although almost all the walls of the Mansion are very thick in order to cope with the cold, the architect who designed it did not use foam between the walls so that it would not get overheated in the summer. For this reason, Ayumi''s moans, which could always be heard from outside the house, could also be heard from inside if someone paid attention.


    As she was passing through the second-floor hallway to go to her room, Nathalia heard the gasping moans and innocently thought:


    "Wow, my mother must be training hard today."


    The saintly white-haired Elf concluded by herself that her mother was working out during the night because the next morning of the nights she heard her mom screaming like that, she always heard Ayumiining of pain in her knees.<sub> </sub>


    *


    When Ayumi asked all the employees to gather after breakfast, everyone knew something was wrong. Most of the employees worked at the Mansion for years, and something like this had never happened.


    Gathered in the main room, the chefs, the maids, and the guards didn''t dare whisper or gossip among themselves and just waited for the Matriarch to arrive. As soon as Ayumi entered, apanied by Nathalia, everyone followed her with their gaze.


    "Is everyone here?" Ayumi questioned to be sure.


    "Yes, Mistress," Martha replied from the far corner of the room. He was already aware of the big news because out of respect for his full-time maid, Ayumi told him beforehand.


    Ayumi smiled at everyone and said loudly: "I will be turning this Mansion into the new Vasconcelos Guild building, and I will be moving back to live in Oukiwa."


    Everyone was unsure how to react when they heard the revtion. Ayumi never gave any indication that she disliked living in Vasconcelos and even submitted to travel almost every week to Oukiwa. Yet, she returned with a huge smile for her daughter. In the minds of some, several different reasons began to bubble up like Champagne.


    ''I wonder if something happened?''


    ''Ayumi is probably tired of traveling.''


    ''Is it okay for the only nobleman living in Vasconcelos to retreat like this? I wonder if something happened?''


    ''Nathalia already grew...does she want to go to University? She''s already an Adventurer, so probably not.''


    Only a few staff members could correctly surmise why Ayumi would stop living in Vasconcelos. Shiro was the only one who raised his hand to confirm his suspicions among all those present.


    When Ayumi saw the big guy''s raised hand, she nodded, allowing him to speak. "What was the reason for this decision for us so sudden?"


    "Nathalia has lived her entire life in Vasconcelos, and now it has been almost two months since she became an Adventurer. I believe she is more than ready to meet her family members, so there is no longer any reason to keep us here."


    "And what will happen to us?"


    "I will not fire anyone. You can choose to follow me or not. I will be living in the Strogueher Main Manor for a while until I find a nice residence to call my own. Anyone who doesn''t want toe with me can choose to continue working here, after all, the current amount of Guild staff will not be able to fill so much space."


    Everyone was extremely happy with the way Ayumi Yamazaki handled the situation. Some of them hated living in Vasconcelos, but the work was rewarding, so it was worth it, and having the chance to keep the same job in Oukiwa, would be great.


    Oukiwa is arge city, which, although it has been well affected by the pollution from the heavy movement of mining there, also holds many types of people and businesses.


    As one of the most famous cities in the Broteforge Empire, Oukiwa is not more famous than Sheltered Halv?y, the city where the Emperor lives.

 Chapter 101 Port

    The port of Vasconcelos gathers crowds daily. Every day,rge ships unload tons of food that supply the city that was once just an agricultural town.


    Amidst so many ships anchored in the bay, the most beautiful ones are the crossing ships. These ships do not hold all the general stuff of a fishing vessel, for example, nor do they have a storage opening like others. There are only the guest rooms and the beautiful masts that carry sturdy white sails of this type.


    In front of such a ship, Luke was ecstatic. It was not the first time he had seen one of this type, but this one looked even more beautiful than the others. The ship''s hull was beige, and there were hardly any barnacles or any moss, which was remarkable.


    It was a very sunnyte morning, and the seagulls that flew over the harbor skies naturally made a lot of noise. Whoo! Cu¨¢!


    "Don''t you have any bags, sir?" The baggage porter politely asked Luke, after he had already put Alexis'' three bags on a cart to go up.


    Coming back from his trance-like state, Luke answered him, "That won''t be necessary. Thank you." The half-wolf has the <Inventory Normal> ability, so he never again relied on carrying a backpack.


    "Good journey to you two. The crossing shouldn''t take more than five hours." Ayumi spoke from afar, with one of her arms on Nathalia. "We''re leaving in three days, so meet us at the agreed-upon ce."


    Luke and Alexis nodded and began to climb the ship''sdder. The half-wolf never thought his service as a bodyguard would end in such an unusual and positive way, so deep down, he was genuinely happy but worried about what his friends would think.


    He had been selfish to reveal that he was once a thief and thus abandoned the whole n of stealing the gene chariot, but he didn''t feel bad about it.


    When they finally entered the room on the boat, Luke saw two single beds and threw himself on the nearest one. The half-dragon did the same thing, on the other bed.


    "Now can you tell me the real reason you decided to join me?" Luke asked the girl. He thought she would either stay in the Mansion like the twins or go on her own journey.


    "What are you talking about? I didn''t lie when I said that."


    During the walk back to the Mansion the day before, Alexis decided that she would follow Luke regardless of the Matriarch''s answer because she feels that Luke will attract a demon sooner orter. She wants to be there to help him, especially if it is the First Servant.


    "You are a very good person, Alexis. That''s even cute." Lukeplimented her, almost falling asleep on thefortable bed.


    "What are you talking about? I''m just doing my job as a mercenary for the Church."


    Luke smiled, satisfied. Now he was even more confident with the half-dragon at his side; after all, there are few forces in the world that can conflict with a ss-S Adventurer ande out alive.


    Little did he know that as soon as the ship''s bells rang and the ropes that bound him in the bay were loosened, his body would be surprised by the rocking waves and would cause extreme nausea, including rounds of vomiting. This was his first bout of kosis.


    The fast trip between Vasconcelos and Oukiwa is only possible because of thergeke between the two cities. Thiske is sorge that it is two to three times the size of Vasconcelos, and for this reason, even though it is only oneke, there are waves and tides.


    The hours went by, and Luke gave up staying in the room and focused only on looking at the horizon, trying not to pay attention to the up and down that the bar was doing.<sub> </sub>


    Finally, when the gigantic Oukiwa could be seen from the bow, the bells once again rang, announcing that they were close. A few clouds were gathering over the city sky, and some of these clouds were very dark, but it seemed that the rain would onlyeter in the afternoon.


    In the waters of the city bay, many other boats and ships could be seen, even more than in Vasconcelos. When the crossing ship finally docked, Alexis got her three heavy bags and escorted Luke out.


    "Can I try something?" The half-wolf asked as soon as they stepped onto the wood of the harbor. He pointed to the bags she carried.


    "Sure, what is it?"


    "I''ve been thinking about it during the trip and wanted to see if it works." So, Luke opened the <Inventory Normal> and tried to slip the pouch into the yellow square. To his surprise, the ability did indeed ept the bag.


    [Two spaces avable.] The voice in his head warned him.


    ''Oh, it will fit the exact amount.'' Luke ced the other bags inside the yellow square and then listened to the voice alert him that there were no more spaces left. ''If I had known that, I wouldn''t have kept one item at a time. That way we won''t have to carry weight.''


    Usually, therger stuff that Luke had no way to carry in his pockets, he chose to carry in his inventory, but nothing was so big that it couldn''t fit in a bag like Alexis''.


    "Shall we go? My friends'' house isn''t far."


    "Let''s go for it! I can''t wait to meet them!"


    The crossing ship docked in the rich part of the port, so they were indeed a few minutes away from the more industrialized region.


    In the rich part of this port, many guards patrolled and made sure to give a good impression to those who arrived in the Oukiwa port, one of the meeting points of the big cities in the West.


    In this vast city, there are two ports, one on theke and one on the sea, on the other side of the town, which receive new arrivals from different continents and the Parato Inds. Luckily, the shed where Luke lived with Meredith and the others was not far away.


    In a hurry, the half-blood duo moved quickly until they reached the poor area of the port. The dirt roads, always muddy because of the constant flooding caused by therge ships, still made the half-wolf ufortable, but he focused on the good memories he had of the ce this time.


    However, the scene he saw from afar almost broke his heart. The shed where he had lived for some years was in ruins. In disbelief, he went for a closer look.


    The beams that used to hold up the ceiling on the second floor were now on the dirty ground. The wooden ceiling, which always caved in when it rained heavily, was almost non-existent. All the remaining beams, floor, and furniture were ck as coal. There were no more doors in the shed, and the only intact part was the stone foundation of the ce.


    Luke didn''t know how to react; after all, the odor of burning wood soot was not fresh.

 Chapter 102 The Fire

    Disgruntled, Luke began to rummage through the timbers of what had once been the entrance to the shed; at the same time, memories of his past, which now seemed distant, began to well up in his mind.


    That very entrance was where hest saw his friends and where he had to say goodbye to all of them. Now there was nothing there. Meredith managed to create the shoe rack with her own hands, the rug that some of them stole from some clothesline, and even the wood of the floor was almost gone. It was a long fire.


    "Can you tell how many days ago that happened?" Alexis asked him, moving closer to see the destruction more clearly. The entire floor of the second floor had copsed to the first one, and now only the plumbing pipes were left standing.


    Inexpressive, Luke turned to answer her. "The smells from a fire only linger in the air for a few hours. After that, the soot from the smoke covers everything. Even if they died here, I''m not able to tell."


    "No, I don''t think they died here. The charred bodies would still be here."


    The half-dragon was right because even though the fire was long enough to consume much of the walls and bring down the second floor, some more oversized furniture still remained left.


    "Don''t think the worst. It may have simply been an ordinary fire... Should we ask the people around if they know anything?" Alexis asked, pointing to a group of fishermen who were a little way off.


    "No. The owner of the shed doesn''t live far away, I think I''d better go talk to him."


    Praying that Mr. Lombard hadn''t moved away, Luke walked with the half-dragon two streets up from the one he was on. When he found arge building with many wagons in front, he saw a short old man with gray hair inspecting them.


    Walking at a strong and aggressive pace, Luke didn''t care about the number of people around and lifted the old man with a single hand.


    "Hey, hey, what are you doing, brat!? Let me go!" The old man shouted in a hoarse voice, at the same time kicking Luke''s resistant abdomen.


    "Pay attention and answer calmly, sir...where are my friends?"


    "Hey, Luke. What are you doing? Let that old man go! He''ll die of a heart attack; he''s so old." The half-dragon was worried and frightened at the threatening behavior Luke disyed.


    Mr. Lombard felt as if a stone had just fallen on his head when he heard the word ''old man''.


    "Wait, she called you ''Luke''?" So the old man looked at the man who was lifting him and was startled when he recognized the yellow eyes in the dark hood, "Is that you, half-beast?"


    Luke released the old man and, this time, asked more politely, "Tell me everything you know about the fire that urred in your old shed."


    "I think it''s best not to talk that sort of thing out here. Let''s go inside."


    Next, Luke and Alexis enter the old man''s modest home. Mr.Lombard has arge wagon and carriage shop, and thanks to this, he manages to survive well while doing what he loves.


    As he walked through the front door of his humble apartment in the same building as the workshop, the old man said: "Lucky it''ste afternoon and all my employees have left. Otherwise, they would have kicked your ass, Luke."


    "Oh, excuse us again for that, old man. I''m sure it wasn''t his intention to hurt you." The half-dragon said, a little nervous about the situation.


    "Look, you are well-mannered, my dear. Why are you with a rude brute like that?" Mr.Lombard said, trying to ignore that she had called him an old man.<sub> </sub>


    "I''m helping him find his friends."


    "Speaking of which, when are you going to stop bbering and talk soon, sir?" Luke said while analyzing the furniture of the ce. ''He never invited me in. Is he doing this just because I''m with Alexis?''


    The old man stopped with his back to Luke in the middle of the small room and answered:


    "The fire happened a fortnight ago... I was told that during the night, a fervent group of people showed up. For some reason, they started shouting and banging in front of the shed, and apparently, no one answered them. That''s when one of them picked up a torch and threw it at the house."


    "And the guards? None showed up even with all the noise?" Alexis asked; after all, she saw many guards on the way to the shed.


    "Huh!" Lukeughed wryly. "If the guards saw, they probably wouldn''t have done anything. There are nozier guards than those in Oukiwa."


    Mr.Lombard continued walking and went to the small kitchen in the apartment, which could be seen wide even from the living room.


    "If that was all...why did you want toe in here?" Luke asked the old man as he closed the living room door.


    "Do you want to know why people were screaming that night?" Then the old man turned his face to look over his shoulder, just enough to see Luke''s face.


    "Yes."


    "Apparently, they were screaming for someone called ''The Beast''. Do you know anything about it?"


    Luke pondered for a few seconds and couldn''te up with any answers. He always took every possible care that his race was not found out, and the people who managed to find out unintentionally were very well-kept quiet. So he dismissed the possibility that it was someone who knew him.


    Meredith was a little less careful about hiding her race, yet she had always had the same custom as Luke, of hiding her tail inside her pants and her ears under a long hood.


    "I don''t know anything about that," Luke answered him, discouraged. "Is that all you know?"


    The old man was quiet for a few seconds and then walked back into the room, looking into Luke''s eyes. "That''s all anyone knows... I hope your friends are all right, Luke. I wish I could help more and even I miss seeing you guys wandering around."


    The half-wolf smiled and finally took off his hood. "I''m sorry about before, Mr. Lombard. When I find them, I''ll bring them in for a visit." Soon after, Luke held out his right hand for the old man to shake, and the man shook it.


    Blinded by anger and fear, Luke almost forgot that Mr. Lombard was one of the few people who was kind to himself and his friends. At one point, the old man even offered everyone a job in his workshop, but the pay was nothingpared to the thief''s sry, so no one chose to change professions.


    As the half-dragon and half-wolf left the building where the former shed owner''s apartment was located, the redhead with horns questioned Luke:


    "Where do we go now? We have no leads."


    "I know someone who knows everything that happens in this town. Let''s go to him."

 Chapter 103 Dwarven

    A dirty, filthy, greasy ce. This is how the Lemon Barrel Tavern can be easily described. The facade of the ce is shabby, and if it were not for the huge sign there, people could easily mistake it for any old morgue, both by smell and appearance.


    The Lemon Barrel Tavern is, besides being a great meeting ce for the many young people who attend the Oukiwa Academy, the old ce that used to gather the half-wolf gang.


    When Luke entered the Tavern, he could almost hear the loudughter of the gigantic Zack, whose sound was as striking as a Globorc''s scream. The ce was empty because it was still daylight.


    "Arrggh! What''s that smell?" As soon as he stepped inside the establishment, Alexis immediately plugged his nostrils because of the intense odor.


    There was arge man in a small room behind the counter. Seeing the two half-beasts enter, he stepped out and quickly closed the door. "Oh, I''m sorry about that. The scrap''s collector hasn''te to remove it yet."


    ''And that should be so close to where the customers are served?'' However, the half-dragon noticed that the counter with seating was right next to it.


    The tavern owner looked embarrassed. Despite his long gray hair, this man does not have a beard on his face, and his hair is neatly pinned up. He also has onepletely white eye and a scar over this apparently blind eye.


    As soon as the man with huge muscles saw the ck hood and the worn clothing, he recognized Luke without seeing his face. There was no way to forget a man who had worn the same clothes daily for years.


    "Luke? It''s you, isn''t it?"


    The half-wolf removed his hood and revealed his fuzzy ears. Smiling, he stepped closer and joked:


    "It''s been a while since we''ve seen each other. You''re not going to collect that debt from me, are you?"


    "Hahaha! I would never do that!" As he went around the counter to give Luke a tight hug, the man said. They hugged each other tightly and pped each other on the back a few hard times. "You''re gone, man!"


    "I''ve been working."


    "You? Working? Don''t joke to me..." The Tavern owner was about to mock the half-wolf but saw that behind him was a beautiful woman, who was even better dressed than some Upper City nobles. "Wait, is it serious?"


    "Yes, except that''s a subject for another time. I want to know if you saw Meredith or any of my other friends."


    "Naah! I''d see Matthew around the street a few times, but even his girlfriend, who usually works here at night, said he hasn''t been over to her house in over two weeks.


    Initially, I reassured her by saying that you really do disappear for a while and usually reappear afterward.


    "No, I''m afraid to say that''s not it this time... Did you hear about the fire in a shed in the harbor? Do you know anything about it?"


    "Of course, I know... They say that about a fortnight ago a bunch of crazies set fire to it. The City Guards had to run around to try to contain the fire from spreading to other houses. What does that have to do with it?"


    "Our group used to live there, it''s been a few years now."


    "Ah... that sucks, man. It must have been hard..."<sub> </sub>


    "It wasn''t hard. I just got into town, I was out of town. I just want to find my friends, and then we can start over and find another ce."


    The big man was quiet for a few seconds, thinking of something that might help his old customer. "Man, the city''s been pretty weirdtely...busier than usual in the center and quieter in the alleys, so I don''t know if I can help you much. I know a guy who might know something about the robbery, he has more contacts than I do."


    "Who? I can go after him right now, I can''t think of any ce or person they can trust."


    "You know Rubiao''s Commercial Alley? Follow it to the end and turn at the corner of ''Locks and Pigeons''. After that, you will see some clothing stores. You will have to enter the store with blue details and ask for a man named ''Jonak''. That is your man."


    Then, just as Luke was about to say thank you and leave, he heard loud footstepsing toward the Tavern, and the feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu ran through his head. Someone knocked hard on door three and then shouted:


    "Open the door, Dwarven! We''vee to collect our taxes!" A thick-voiced man shouted; that voice was familiar to Luke.


    "Shit... not them again." The Tavern ownerined and walked to the establishment''s door to answer it.


    The moment he opened the door, a pudgy face revealed itself. Luke had never seen its face, but he recognized that this voice was the same one that had made the announcement about the Strogueher Family employee vacancy that night in this very Tavern.


    "What do you want? I paid your monthly taxesst week."


    The fat man smiled unpleasantly and replied, "The taxes have increased... It is now 300 pieces of silver." He was not afraid to act like this because next to him were three strong men, rated as at least ss-E Adventurers. "Either you pay, or we close this ce down..."


    "But tonight is Friday...it''s the busiest night."


    "That''s great, so you''ll make a lot of profit. It''ll be too bad if you can''t open it, right?"


    "Jonathan, I''m afraid 300 silver is a lot. I won''t evene close to a figure like that, even on a Friday or Saturday."


    p! The fat man gave the huge Tavern owner a scorching p across the face and suffered internally from the pain caused by it. "Those are the Strogueher''s orders. Don''t you dare question it? Just pay it."


    The moment Luke saw his acquaintance get pped, he almost interfered with the situation; however, he looked at Alexis, and the redhead herself was already clenching her fists in indignation.


    ''Of course... if even I felt the urge for justice, it would be impossible for her not to feel it too.'' The half-wolf had already understood that Alexis was the exact opposite of the kind of person he was.


    "Come on boys, go in and break some things. If you have to, break even the customers, so no one elsees to this joint," said Jonathan, seeing there were two people in the Tavern.


    However, when he saw the enormous horns of the half-dragon, he didn''t even have time to warn his three henchmen to stop. Alexis faded away in a second and appeared at the side of one of the men in the next second. She gave the man a shove, causing him to m his own head into another of the henchmen.


    Annoyed, the third evoked a Panspermia knife he had saved so much money to buy.

 Chapter 104 Fault

    The half-dragon was not even shocked when she saw the third man summon a Panspermia knife. A crooked smile quickly grew on Jonathan''s face, and he thought:


    ''It doesn''t matter who you are, I just know that you are going to die now.''


    The man jabbed the knife toward the redheaded woman. Furiously she punched the tip of the de and the knife, instead of cutting her hand in half, the knife broke like a y jug. Traack!


    Everyone who saw that was ecstatic, even Luke. Panspermia weapons are known worldwide to be considerably stronger than weapons made by ordinary smiths because the resistance and the secret effects applied to them are unnatural.


    But for Alexis, the knife didn''t even scratch her skin, and that made Luke intrigued from that moment on because no skill he knew of could make his skin that resistant.


    "Ahhh! What the fuck are you? A monster!?" The third man asked, desperate. When the Panspermia''s knife broke, his fighting spirit broke in half as well.


    Dizzy the other two goons who hit their heads couldn''t see the scene properly, so they didn''t give up the fight.


    "Look, you should get your boys under control before I have to take them to the council for public disturbance," Alexis said, dodging the simultaneous attacks of the two remaining bodyguards.


    Jonathan smiled weakly, at the same time as a lot of sweat trickled down his forehead. He felt that the half-beast in front of him was not just anyone, but his pride was too great to admit failure.


    "Guys, finish this soon!" He shouted and stopped them from passing through the door so that the third one wouldn''t dare to run away.


    All three men wore ordinary leather clothes, but they were still so new that they retained the smell of the animal. The belts on the side of their waists, which generally should carry objects, bags, and the scabbard of a sword, were empty. This indicated that, besides being uncoordinated and weak, they were unprepared.


    "Ahhh! Bitch, you''re going to pay for this!" One of them shouted with a bleeding nose.


    The other kept on the defensive and thought about using his ally''s dinghy to get a chance to attack. "It''s okay if you don''t want to pay us, just let me use your body tonight. That''s enough."


    Unwittingly, Alexis was mistaken as some employee of the establishment of a rtive of Dwarven. For a few seconds, the half-dragon dodged all of one of the men''s punch attempts with extreme ease.


    "Is it okay to let the woman take care of the problem?" Dwarven asked the half-wolf, turning away from the mess.


    The half-wolf was sitting on one of the stools at the counter and answered his old acquaintance, "Are you really asking me that? She''s just ying with him, that''s what''s going on."


    "ying?"


    Luke had already noticed one thing about the S-ss: she always contains herself as much as she can. That could only happen for two different reasons in the half-wolf''s mind.


    The first would be the same reason he contained himself when he was in the Dungeon, that is, to not get in the way of other people''s evolution, but that didn''t make much sense to Alexis. The second usible reason would be not to kill someone unintentionally, which would not fit with the situation with the demon, which she held back as well.


    In the end, Luke could not say the exact reason and concluded that the half-dragon must just have her own personal reasons for this.<sub> </sub>


    Alexis dodged the man''s punches with such skill that just punching the man in the air made him tired in moments.


    "You... should improve your... physical conditioning." She sneered at him as she dodged a right punch and a left punch.


    "Use your legs, you idiot!" Luke shouted, giving the man a hint. The figure was using a lot of punches and no kicks.


    "Tsk!" Jonathan clicked his tongue as he saw that his henchman was being humiliated and turned to leave. ''I''m going to avoid this ce for a while...''


    However, just as he turned and put his foot out of the Tavern, a ck ax with a bright gray de struck the door. The weapon didn''t even make a sound as it flew, only when it wedged into the door.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" Luke asked, still sitting near the counter. He was internally surprised at how urately he managed to throw the ax. "Give back all the money you''ve already taken from my friend here."


    Jonathan looked at the ax and saw that it was no ordinary ax. ''Shit... first the half-beast and now this hooded guy... I thought this fucking Dwarven only knew students.'' The fat man thought, gritting his teeth with his mouth closed.


    "Stop that shit right there, you idiot. Don''t you realize you won''t be able to beat her?" He said to the henchman who was still trying tond punches on the half-dragon. Then Jonathan pulled a bag of coins from the side of his belt and tossed it to the tavern owner. "There you have that more than you gave me... Come on, guys. There''s nothing more to do here."


    Once all four men had left, humiliated, Dwarvenughed loudly and pped Luke''s left shoulder twice hard. "You''ve changed a lot, Luke. In the past, if this happened, you would never interfere, you would disappear in the blink of an eye, but look at you now... You''ve helped me."


    Luke smiled wryly because he didn''t do anything much; the one who really took care of the problem was Alexis.


    "Here, this here is yours," Dwarven spoke as he pulled a bag of coins and a letter from inside his apron. "They arrived earlier in the week, and I kept waiting for one of you to show up to deliver them."


    When the half-wolf opened the bag of coins, he counted, and there were the exact 810 silver coins he sent to his friends. This meant that the letter he wrote was not read by anyone. Upset, Luke said goodbye to the old acquaintance and left the Tavern.


    On the way to the Dwarven acquaintance who could help Luke, he tore up the letter that Nathalia helped him write and threw it into a sewer canal.


    "Sorry for taking up so much time with that today... I never like to finish fights quickly, I always learn something new." The half-dragon thought Luke''s silence was because he was angry with her.


    "Don''t bother about that... I''m just worried... You know, I feel that if something has happened to my friends, it will be all my fault."


    "What are you talking about? it''s not your fault."


    "Yes it is...after all, I was the one who kept getting into trouble that wasn''t mine in Vasconcelos and the whole situation that unfolded with the demons happened because I got shafted."


    "Luke, human beings are curious, and you had your reasons for continuing to get involved in all this. Don''t think too much about it...we''ll find them, even if we have to turn this town upside down."

 Chapter 105 Dauphin茅

    When Luke and Alexis finally arrived at the address they had been told, they knew they were in the right ce because there was a single store with blue details. On the second floor of a five-storymercial building, there was a shop window withrge letters that read ''Dauphin¨¦ - From embroidery to cors''.


    The half-wolf entered the store, and the bell on top of the door shook, causing a ruckus. He held the door, and Alexis entered right behind him.


    "This is right here, isn''t it?" She asked looking to the ce that was totally different from the tavern, they were in just a few minutes ago.


    "I think so."


    All around the room were expensive-looking clothes of all kinds. There were clothes with embroidery and social clothing in the window disy, but inside the store, there were even some types of cloaks for winter and pieces of clothing with room for armor.


    "Hello, how can I help you?" A gray-haired, thin man with thick sses asked. He was wearing a typical ck vest, and underneath was a red social shirt, which matched perfectly with all the rest of his also red clothing.


    Luke looked at the store''s surroundings and made sure that there was no one present to eavesdrop on. "Are you Jonak?"


    "Maybe I am. What could you offer me?"


    "Money in exchange for information," Luke answered quickly, in a way that surprised even hispanion, who no longer had a penny in his pocket.


    "Ha... I''m sorry, man. I don''t need any money... Hmmmm... I got it. You buy one of my clothes and I''ll tell you everything I know. How about that? The best way to promote my brand is with customers wearing my clothes."


    Luke shrugged; after all, that would be the same as giving money to the man, except at least he would get something. "Which one would you rmend to me?" He asked the shopkeeper.


    "This one would look perfect on you." Alexis cut in and pointed to a mannequin on the left, disying a thick jacket in which you could see a bulge in the breasts. "Hahaha! Kidding... Is that really a man thing?"


    "That''s fashion, miss! Male breasts are in fashion here in Uptown, haven''t you heard?" The shopkeeper replied nervously.


    None of the half-beasts doubted because the rich part of Oukiwa really did seem to be weird. Internally, the shopkeeper was embarrassed because this was only a test model.


    Luke walked for a few seconds through the store window and stopped in front of something that looked to his liking. "I liked that one," Luke said.


    He was standing in front of a cloak almost identical to his own, except that the fabric was not faded and seemed much more rain resistant, plus the fact that there were actually buttons at chest height.


    The shopkeeper looked at the half-wolf from head to toe and wasn''t even surprised by the choice because this was one of the best-selling pieces of clothing in his store.


    "That''s 300 silver coins, please."


    "100 silver coins." Luke bargained, for 300 coins was something otherworldly for such a simple item.


    "There''s no such thing as a stranger''s discount..." The shopkeeper saw Luke''s serious look and turned back before he finished his sentence. "150 coins are a fair value, don''t you think?"


    "It will be a fair value if what you are going to say really worth it, don''t you think?"


    The half-dragon held back from giggling while impressed with Luke''s shopping skills.


    "Sigh... Son! Come here; there''s someone wanting to know about your gossip!" The man shouted. Then quick footsteps came down the discreetdder behind the counter, hidden by some hanging clothes.


    "Who needs me?" A boy no older than sixteen questioned, excited to be asked. "Who are you?" He asked the half-beads.<sub> </sub>


    "Do you know anything about the fire at the con in the harbor?"


    <o>,m The boy closed his eyes and began to discourse as fast as he could, "One day, I left the Academy and went to a tavern for some juice. After a few minutes there, a man came in desperate and said he had found out where ''The Beast'' lived and shouted out the address of the shed. After saying this in the tavern, he went to several other ces shouting the same thing. Since there are many stupid people in this town, some people believed him and went there to take action. The rest you probably already know..."</o>


    "Do you know what this rumor about ''The Beast'' is? And why did people get so worked up that they set a ce on fire?" Alexis stepped forward and inquired.


    "There are rumors going around town that there is a humanoid monster in the forests surrounding Oukiwa. Since no one knows if it''s actually a monster or a killer, they get aggressive like that."


    "So... it''s just another legend and there really were people who believed it?"


    "Well, it really could be just another legend, however, over a month ago almost a dozen dead men were found in a nearby wood, and this was confirmed by the guards."


    "What a waste of time..." Just then, Luke ced a small bag of coins in the shed.


    From the bulk in the bag, the shopkeeper could clearly see that there were no more than 100 coins inside the bag.


    "Wait, wait, wait. There''s more stuff, isn''t there, son?"


    "Yes, yes!"


    The teenager agreed with excitement. He didn''t seem to care one bit about the money, only about the gossip anyway.


    "Apparently, there was indeed someone inside the shed and the person managed to survive, but few people got to know about it, because someone paid the guards to hide it."


    Luke''s eyes widened as he finally heard an intriguing clue. "Does that mean the person is still in the hospital?"


    "Did you see the state the shed was in? If someone managed to survive that, they must surely be in the hospital for at least a month."


    So pleased with the information he received, Luke gave another 100 coins and left the ''Dauphin¨¦'' Shop.


    "Luke, you''re not thinking about going to the hospital, right?" Alexis questioned, seeing the burning look on the man''s face.


    "Why not? That''s the only clue I have, not to mention there''s only onerge hospital in town, and it''s not too far away."


    "You won''t be able to get in. You must know well that hospitals in cities like Oukiwa are very secure and strict..."


    At that time, the S-ss didn''t know that Luke was an experienced thief, and although he is a terrible investigator and horrible at making ns, he is excellent at invading.


    Initially, Luke pretended to agree with Alexis, so they gave up the idea of going to the hospital. Since it was almost night and both were tired from the trip, they went together to hunt for a cheap andfortable hotel.


    The half-dragon current idea was to wait until Ayumi Yamazaki arrived in town, and then they could quickly get into the hospital. However, Luke thought that those 3 days would be too long to wait.


    Therefore, he took a single mid-standard hotel room away from the Upper City and waited until Alexis fell asleep. To his misfortune, this only happened after a few hours of darkness, and when he went out the hotel room window, there were hardly any people on the street.

 Chapter 106 Invading A Hospital (Part 1)

    The hotel room that Luke and Alexis chose was neither luxurious nor destitute. There were two single beds and a simple bathroom, plus candleholders that stood in strategic ces in the room.


    Unlike the suburbs that used to be bustling day and night, the rest of Oukiwa did not function like this, except for a few neighborhoods.


    In the silence of the night, Luke waited until the half-dragon was asleep before he could finally get out of the room. He knew that if he opened the door, the red-haired woman would wake up, so he decided to leave through the window that was already open to help with the heat.


    Before running away, he took a brief look at Alexis to make sure that she was indeed asleep. He stopped in front of her bed, looked away from her huge breasts, and analyzed her breathing. The half-dragon had her mouth open and was drooling, and this confirmed to Luke that she was not faking it.


    ''I hope she''s a heavy sleeper...'' Luke thought as he hung out the window. Since his room was on the third floor, he had a choice between climbing three more floors or going down and taking the street.


    Based on his experience, the half-wolf plotted a route over the buildings to the hospital.


    He followed the route he made in his mind and in a few minutes, he walked more than twenty blocks and arrived again in the Uptown area. Where is the only hospital in town, which was maintained by the noble families. In the rest of Oukiwa, there were only small clinics that catered to people who could not afford such expensive services.


    When Luke came upon a huge white building, supported by thick columns and filled with golden details, he knew he had arrived at his final destination. The building was more like aplex of towers connected by several high bridges than an actual building.


    In the square in front of the hospital were three strong guards, protected by heavy armor and thick helmets. Each of them held an imposing-looking spear. Even after evolving so much, Luke knew it would be stupid to face them.


    Relying on his stealth, Luke kept walking through the buildings until he got closer to the hospital. As he got closer, he saw that the route he used to use as a teenager was still intact. He found the frayed rope that was connected to one of the hospital towers and hung from it.


    Throughout his life, Luke had needed to steal medicine and bandages from clinics and when this proved to be more dangerous than taking his chances in the hospital, he began to just break into the hospital.


    Before hanging himself, Luke pulled hard on the rope and as he felt the firmness of it, he knew it was still safe to use. Hanging from the rope, he turned his back to the ground and began to make progress. At first, the rope swayed heavily and almost gave way with the man''s weight, but he managed to reach the other side in a few minutes.


    However, as soon as he found a foothold in the tower, the rope snapped. "Hmph! That was too close." He spoke breathlessly.


    Luke was over 20 meters high, and yet he didn''t shiver as he looked down. Instead of getting nervous, he jumped up and using the ability to get his fingers sharp, he stuck his hand into the wall to create a crack. Soon after, he swung his body around and jumped toward a balcony on his left.


    To his misfortune, there were two guards crossing the bridge at that very moment.


    "Have you tried that new beer they''re talking about?" One of the guards patrolling the ce asked his colleague.


    "Are you talking about that ck beer shit? Of course not... it looks like dung. My cousin told me there''s even cocaine in that stuff."


    "Ouch... is that serious? But a doctor here who told me it was good."<sub> </sub>


    "Do you really take anything these doctors say seriously? They''re all dumb virgins and the ones who aren''t, have a bought clearance, are ipetent."


    "Ahh... I don''t know. I saw some guys taking it today at ''GodClock'' and it doesn''t look that bad to me."


    "Whatever you say, man. If you want to drink it, drink it¡ª" Suddenly, the guard was kicked in the back of the head and passed out from the strong impact. The other still tried to turn to see who had attacked his colleague, but before he couldplete the move, he felt something cold on his neck.


    Luke had the de of the Behemoth Axe pressed against the man''s throat so that if the guard dared to make a sudden movement, he would decapitate him.


    "Don''t worry about your friend. He is not dead. Now raise your hands at head height and just tell me what I want to know and everything will be fine."


    Like an experienced guard who values his own life, the man did exactly what Luke ordered him to do.


    "Where do the patients stay?"


    "In almost every tower there are rooms, man. And I usually only take care of Tower Four and five."


    "It''s fine, but I suppose the doctors may separate the patients by clinical case as well, right? Tell me where the patients who have suffered burns are."


    "I think they stay in tower six. Please don''t kill me."


    "Which way is tower six?"


    Then the guard, trembling, pointed with his right hand to two towers away from the bridge they were on. Without thanks, Luke made the ax disappear and punched the man in the head as hard as he could, and that was enough to dent his helmet and make him pass out.


    The half-wolf wouldn''t normally take such a risky approach, to the point of hitting two guards in the middle of a bridge with the risk of someone seeing him, but he was impatient and anxious.


    On the way to the sixth tower, he came across many guards, and instead of doing as he did with the first two, he waited for the guards to pass him or overtook them through the shadows.


    When he finally reached the medical wing of those being treated for burns, he was faced with a muchrger volume of guards. In this tower, which was a littlerger than the others, there was a huge hall and dozens of curtains dividing the beds of the victims.


    In the center of this room were four guards ying cards and chatting loudly.

 Chapter 107 Invading A Hospital (Part 2)

    "What are you talking about!? The Wizard is worth 15 points alone and if he is with the Scorpion his points will double!"


    "What the fuck! you just made up this rule!"


    Two of the four guards were arguing with the cards on the table. Meanwhile, the other two guards looked bored and sleepy at their excited colleagues. It was past midnight and their shift was just beginning.


    "Get going soon, boys. The rules of ''Luck or Fight'' with the Kaloru Deck are flexible..."


    "That''s it... stopining, Jefferson."


    In the card version of ''Luck or Fight'', an imaginary war camp is formed and each card in the deck has a specific value and effect on the battlefield. Each of the participants receives four cards per turn and can choose to hold them in his hand for the next turn or discard them.


    In the end, the participant with the most points wins the round, and themon winning number to win is two, meaning it''s a best-of-three match. You are also allowed to put cards in the deck that is not from Kaloru''s deck, and in some regions, participants may even have unique decks.


    Jefferson huffed in frustration because he was very close to winning the round and let his colleague double his Wizard''s points.


    "Go on, get it over soon." He said and threw hisst card on the table.


    The card thatnded on the table had the drawing of a Hawkeye, which nullifies all the Scorpio cards on the table. Without even realizing the move he made, the man stood there with a shit expression, while his colleagues stared at him dumbfounded.


    "Bro, you''re really good at bluffing. There''s no way..."


    "Fuck, you''re giving your life to win this game. What a dumb bastard.


    "You might as well be a circus performer instead of a guard, motherfucker."


    The men cursed Jefferson and began arranging their cards on the table for the next round. It took the young guard a few seconds to understand why his friends were berating him, and when he finally realized it, a haughty smile appeared.


    Little did the guards know that just a few meters inside that huge hall, a half-beast was snooping bed by bed in search of a familiar smell. There were dozens of patients separated by curtains and doing this search in silence took a few minutes, however, Luke''s meticulousness and his sense of smell ensured that he found what he was looking for.


    Amidst so many different smells, he did indeed find a familiar one, but one that seemed to be distorted. He followed this smell and on a bed very close to the guards'' table, he found Matthew sleeping.


    His childhood friend had changed almost nothing in the short time they had not seen each other. The white strands in his hair, which blended in among the brown strands, had not got much further.


    However, something had changed. The left side of his body, the same side where hecked an arm, was partially warm, and thick bandages were mainly reversing that region of his body.


    Seeing his friend, the half-wolf mentally joked, ''If he were awake, he would surely be betting right now with those noisy guards.''


    Matthew is a shrewd, fair, handsome, and smart man, but one of his biggest ws is not knowing when to stop. One day, when he was around fifteen years old, he got involved in a bet with a lucky crazy man.


    The crazy man bet a bag of ten gold coins, and Matthew, with no penny in his pocket and no close friend to warn him, bet the only thing that was worth anything to him: his good arm, his left.<sub> </sub>


    When he came home without an arm, but with 10 gold coins, everyone knew he had done the possible and the impossible. At the time, Luke told him that he should have robbed the guy before he lost his arm, not the other way around.


    "So, you''re still alive, Luke...that''s a relief." Matthew surprised the half-wolf by suddenly waking up.


    Luke approached his friend and knelt beside the stretcher, "How are you?"


    "I''m great, can''t you see?" He said with his voice a little slurred, obviously because of the tearing pain he was feeling.


    "It wasn''t easy to find you. Where are the others?"


    Matthew smiled wryly, and when he opened his mouth to answer, the guards'' chatter ceased, which caused enough strangeness that Matthew didn''t say anything and widened his eyes.


    "What the fuck is that¡ª!?" The sound of meat being cut could be heard. Shaaack! And the smell of blood wafted through the air and onto the floor.


    "WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?!" Ssshack! Again, the same sound was closely followed by a sound of a de. Slimm...


    "PLEASE DON''T!"


    Confused, Luke pulled the curtain away from the bed just enough to snoop around to see what was going on. What he saw in the next second brought sweat down his forehead.


    Pressing against Jefferson''s chest was a dark figure in ck clothing and a sort of uniform that was much tighter than usual. This figure was wearing a strange mask, which resembled a more distorted human face, imitating pointed teeth like those of a beast.


    In this thing''s right hand was a one-sided sword, and this sword was stuck in the middle of the young guard''s head. The fact that the guards were killed already confirmed that this thing was dangerous.


    Apanied by this figure that killed Jefferson, four others were wearing the same ninja outfit as the first one and wore the same mask, which seemed to be made of metal.


    "We havepany," Luke whispered to Matthew, calmly closing the small part he opened of the curtain.


    "What? Those were death screams. What''s going on?" He said, trying to stay seated. The pain from the burn was still enormous.


    "Matt, we have a lot to talk about, but now is not the time. You just have to know that I have now made a very, very strong enemy."


    Matthew swallowed his saliva seeing the serious look on the half-wolf''s face and asked, "What are we gonna do? I can''t fight..."


    Then Luke moved a little further away from the bed and summoned the Behemoth Axe. By the time the Panspermia Weapon appeared, Matthew saw particles of light and the clean de of the ax reflected the orange light from thentern that was on the bedside desk.


    ''I think it''s time to test this beauty.'' Luke thought and dragged the bedside curtain tightly.

 Chapter 108 Invading A Hospital (Part 3)

    The five masked figures said nothing when they saw Luke, they just turned their heads toward him, lined up, and then took a triangr formation.


    Although there were already four bodies on the ground, the half-wolf tried to talk. "What do you guys want? There are only sick people here." He inquired. There were also some patients snooping through the curtains.


    None of the figures said anything, and if they moved their mouths to speak anything, Luke didn''t understand. Within moments, the same figure that killed Jefferson ran toward Luke, being closely followed by two others.


    The eyes of these masked figures closely resembled those of a demon. The half-wolf couldn''t even see a cornea in them, it was just a frosted, intense red glow, but not vivid.


    Luke only had time to step out of Matthew''s bed before he had to defend against the first attack. With his Katana-type sword, a masked man attacked and Luke defended with the handle of his ax, which was not even scratched.


    <o>,m Next, the half-wolf tried to kick the figure away, however, he felt his foot pass through the creature. Confused, Luke used his strength to throw the creature up with the contact of his sword and ax. His idea worked, and the figure crashed into the ceiling.</o>


    Quickly, Luke blocked another Katana sh and kicked the third enemy, which exploded like a smoke bomb due to the force of the blow.


    Matthew was impressed watching his best friend fight. He always knew that Luke has a special gift, but he never imagined that he would evolve so much in a short time.


    The speed of Luke''s fight with the other two remaining shadows was so far above normal, that Matthew couldn''t even keep up. After killing the first opponent, Luke heard a voice echo in his head:


    [Shadow Ninja killed, Monster Core was not obtained.]


    "Tsk! Shit... so that means you guys are monsters." Lukeined after clicking his tongue. "That exins a few things."


    Not wanting to give the monsters any more chances, Luke held his ax firmly and struck against the head of the Ninja that killed Jefferson. The Ninja still tried to block with the side of his Katana, but his sword broke with the immense force of the half-wolf.


    [Shadow Ninja killed, Monster Core was not obtained.]


    There were still three enemies left. The two Ninjas that had been standing still since the beginning of the fight joined forces with the third monster that tried to attack Luke. Luke smiled as he saw them form the exact same formation as the first wave of attacks because this allowed him to know exactly where the attacks would start from.


    The Ninja in the middle invested with speed, and before he could even brandish his Katana, he was surprised by a hand on his mask. Luke grabbed the metal mask and angrily broke it like a piece of bread.


    [Shadow Ninja killed, Monster Core was not obtained.]


    The two remaining figures did not hesitate at any time, even after seeing three of their fellows die. However, when they saw Luke Lange''s cold stare, their legs almost locked.


    For the first time in their lives, the monsters felt the fear of death run through every inch of their bodies.


    Luke threw his ax in the direction of one of them and, at the same time, ran at almost the same speed as the ax flew. Luke reached one of the Ninjas with a hard punch, and beside him, his ax killed thest monster.


    [Shadow Ninja killed, Monster Core was not obtained.]


    [Shadow Ninja killed, Monster Core obtained.]


    ''Oh! And I still got Gene... that''s great.'' Luke celebrated internally. The bodies of the five ninjas fell apart shortly after they were killed.<sub> </sub>


    "Damn, brother... you managed to defeat all of them," said Matthew, impressed, at his bedside door. He was hunched over and clearly struggling to stand.


    "Don''t try so hard, Matt," Luke spoke as he approached, and put Matthew''s arm around his neck to help him stand. "Do you have any clue where the others are? Just as those things came after you, they wille after them."


    "Damn, Luke... What did you get up to this time, brother? Anyway, I don''t know where the others are either."


    "What do you mean? You guys split up?"


    Matthew sat up in his bed with the help of the half-wolf. "Yeah... Once you infiltrated the all-powerful Strogueher family, some of us got very tense. I can''t tell if it was because of boredom, or if it was because of the stress and guilt we felt for putting you on a n that you didn''t agree with..."


    The man was quiet for a few moments and then continued:


    "... I think we all knew that, in a way, we were abusing your proactivity, in fact of your desire to protect us, like a big older brother."


    "What are you talking about? I''m the one who insisted that I should be the one to suffer the risk because I''m the one who received Yoelona''s training." Luke said, putting his best friend on the bed.


    "I know, I know... While we were all able to learn Dwarven, you had to go through hell with Yoelona."


    "And then what? What happened after your fights started?"


    "After a fortnight, I decided to spend a few days at Jess''s house and when I went to visit at our Shed a weekter, everyone was gone. The beds were tidy, and the dishes were clean, but much of everyone''s clothes were gone."


    "You mean...they shook me- abandoned the n?"


    "I don''t know, brother... I really don''t know what to think." Matthew said as he rubbed his forehead. "I just know that I don''t believe that they would just leave, and that''s exactly why I continued to visit our house every night. Well... until that happens." The man looked down at the bandages that reversed his chest.


    A whirlwind of possibilities went through Luke Lange''s head because he didn''t believe his friends would abandon him either, but their disappearance happened long before the contract was broken.


    ''Was the First Servant already moving so far ahead of me like that?'' Luke wondered.


    A momentter, the half-wolf felt a shiver run through his spine and a mist reverse his mind. Within this mist, there was something warning him of danger. Luke suddenly came back from this feeling and looked behind him, as if he already knew where to look.


    In the shadows of the corner of the bed, a ce where the dim light of thentern could not reach, Luke saw that somehow the shadow was shaking.


    "Get back, Matt!" Luke eximed, summoned his ax once more, and attacked the shadow.


    The Behemoth Axe snapped something in half before crashing into the ground. Dust-like particles levitated from the ground.


    [Abyss Watcher killed, Monster Core was not obtained.]

 Chapter 109 The Nearest Exit

    Luke had seen many things throughout his life, yet he had never seen a monster that could hide as well in the shadows as the one he killed that night. If it wasn''t for the chill he felt, he would never have thought there was anything wrong in the environment.


    "It''s not safe here, Matt. You''re going to have toe with me.... I''ll exin everything to you when we''re safe."


    Matthew merely agreed and stood up. Leaning on the half-wolf''s shoulders, they walked through some corridors and even had to hide to avoid being seen by other guards patrolling the tower.


    Apparently, none of them heard the screams of the four guards who were coldly killed by the Ninjas, yet Luke knew that it was still not safe to remain in the hospital.


    "Do you know a way out of here?" Matthew asked at one of the times they stopped for him to rest.


    Luke just denied with his head, after all, the only way in and out he knew was the rope and now that it was blown, he knew of no route.


    "I was able to walk a few times to recover from my burns, so I know a few exits. If you want, I can take us to them, but I don''t know if they will be clear now."


    "If they''re not, leave the guards to me." The half-wolf spoke, inexpressive, as he snooped around to see if anyone came from the next hallway.


    Matthew raised his eyebrows upon hearing his best friend''s retort. "Gee, seeing you talk like that...you''ve changed a bit, Luke. Did you finally getid for the first time?" He asked with a mischievous grin.


    The half-wolf blushed slightly, grabbed the man''s arm tightly, and supported it around his neck. "Shut up and walk. We don''t have all the time in the world."


    So the pair of thieves walked down some corridors and down some stairs, silently.


    The hospital was a quiet and not very busy ce, and the towers, although they had many guards, had almost no doctors or nurses wandering around because the patients with serious cases that needed supervision were in the central tower.


    So when they finally managed to get to the base of a tower, they found a door with a direct exit to the outside garden. There was no one protecting it, so all Luke had to do was pick the lock on the door.


    As soon as they sneaked out of the property, Luke opened his inventory and pulled out his old para ck to cover Matthew. The one-armed man was wearing a typical hospital sweatshirt, which left his butt sticking out.


    "Y-you gave in to that, brother?" Matthew questioned as he watched his best friend use a Gene Skill. Yoelona taught them that they should never even consider buying a Gene Skill or a Monster Core because that was sorcery.


    "I''ll exinter..." Luke replied and closed the <Normal Inventory>. The half-wolf had even forgotten that he once cared about the teachings of his Mistress.


    The two men walked for a few minutes until they finally left the Upper Town area and just as Matthew thought about heading towards the Lower Town, he was pulled along by Luke. Without even hearing a word, Matthew knew that Luke already had a ce in mind to stay that night.


    A few people passed the two of them on the street, which Luke kept an eye out for so as not to be mugged. Oukiwa is a very safe citypared to the other major metropolises of the Broteforge Empire, but the Upper Town is like an alligator tank at night.<sub> </sub>


    When Luke finally managed to find the hotel in which he stayed, he tapped on the ss to get the sleeping doorman''s attention.


    "Uhn? Who are you?" The doorman questioned while wiping away the bit of saliva that dripped from the corner of his mouth.


    The half-wolf merely showed his copy of the room key, on which there was a keychain hanging that showed the room number.


    "You guys are staying in room nine? Oh, all right... I''ll get it." So the doorman opened the door and let Matthew and Luke in. As the pair of men started up the stairs, they heard the elderly doorman babble, "These young men these days are looking pretty strange... I think they were in the brothel."


    Thisment made Matthewugh, even though he felt a bit of pain doing so. "Haha... You in a brothel? That would be a miracle...you''re more innocent than a child." he spoke, as he walked up the stairs.


    However, when Luke opened the bedroom door and the light from the bedroom lit up the beds in the room, Matthew saw a beautiful woman sleeping. Alexis was only wearing a skirt, and when Luke realized that half of the half-dragon''s ass was showing, he quickly closed the door.


    "Y-you..."


    "Shut up. She''s just a friend." Luke exined himself quickly.


    "The same Luke who used to blush and stutter whenever a woman flirted with him... now he''s even sharing a room with a ''friend''? That''s not real, is it? Pinch me, go ahead."


    Luke looked at Matthew as if his best friend was the dumbest person in the world. He then summoned the Behemoth Axe and spoke:


    "Hold this and stay here. If anythinges up, swing it like you usually do with your knives. I''ll exin the situation to her..."


    The half-wolf dropped the ax into Matthew''s hand, which was so heavy that when Matthew tried to hold it, he sank to the floor with the weapon.


    Luke entered the room reluctantly and trying not to make any noise. Alexis was in a sexy position. Her butt was pert, and her strong arms were hugging a pillow.


    Although she was wearing the same clothes she had worn during the day, the red skirt was a little higher and showed much more of her thick legs. Not to mention the vest and her white shirt, whose buttons were unbuttoned and thus her cleavage was much more on disy.


    The half-wolf took the matchbox that was on the desk beside the woman''s bed and lit the chandelier on the wall. The rubbing sound of the matchstick and the faint me, which zed across the room, woke Alexis.


    "Yawnn!" She yawned loudly. Soon after, Luke felt a tug and by the time he realized it, he was between the half-dragon''s arms and breasts.


    "Hey, Alexis... Are you awake or are you faking it?" Luke questioned, suspicious. At that moment, the affectionate squeeze turned out to be a sleeper hold.

 Chapter 110 Choices Which Change The Future.

    Alexis'' unkind hands touching the half-wolf''s body caused such strangeness that heughed. "Haha! Alexis? Please let go of me. You''re about to choke me." Luke pleaded.


    After the plea, the sleeper hold was quickly undone and the half-dragon spoke, "I''m sorry, Luke. I didn''t mean to..."


    She tried to exin herself, her gaze averted and her face flushed. Luke realized that she pretended to be asleep, although he didn''t understand why she hugged him.


    "Don''t worry about it. If you want a hug or somepany at night, just let me know. You saved my life once, and I would never forget that I owe you a debt." Luke scoffed, as he got up from the bed.


    At that instant, Alexis'' eyes sparkled with vigor. ''He''s kidding me, isn''t he? Saying that just days after rejecting me...'' She was almost angry with the half-wolf.


    When Matthew opened the bedroom door and saw Luke the beautiful woman standing next to Luke, he was almost jealous, but he quickly scolded himself and was happy for his best friend.


    "Can Ie in?" Shyly, Matthew asked.


    One thing Luke hadn''t realized yet was that Alexis'' senses weren''t as sharp as his, so she didn''t hear Matthew and Luke talking in the hallway while she slept. So when Matthew opened the door, to Alexis he was just a stranger in a ck cloak that shadowed his face.


    Luke slowly saw the gauntlet of light form around one of Alexis'' hands. Before she could invest against Matthew and possibly kill him with just one punch, Luke held her forearm.


    "It''s okay...he''s one of my friends."


    The pressure emanating from the half-dragon was so strong that it almost made Matthew faint. Just at that moment, he noticed that the woman had horns sticking out of the sides of her head. When all the tension had calmed down, Luke sat each of them down in a corner of the room.


    "Who is she, Luke, can she be trusted?" Matthew asked, smoothing his almost white goatee.


    The half-wolf snorted. "Before I introduce her, I''ll tell you everything that happened in Vasconcelos and why I came back earlier than nned."


    "All right."


    After that, Luke told about how his first mission for the Adventurers Guild was to investigate disappearances in Dungeon and how this ended up in the future bing intertwined with real demons.


    Matthew almost couldn''t believe it when Luke told him that he faced real demons, but once Luke told him that the half-dragon in the room was an S-ss and that the beautiful ax he held was the fruit of a demon''s death, he had no way not to believe it.


    "And that''s it... By the way, I almost forgot, Alexis works for the Cardinal Church and is very kind. Only I don''t rmend staying near her."


    "Why?" Matthew and Alexis asked simultaneously.


    "She''s mine." Luke teased her once again and smiled. The half-dragon blushed on the spot and turned her face away, nervous.


    Matthew scratched his right temple and sighed, "Let me get this straight...you were only supposed to protect a teenage girl and ended up bing the target of a demon who, besides not having an identity, has a lot of influence? Not to mention that apparently, these demons can control monsters too?"


    Without pondering, Luke answered him with a nod.<sub> </sub>


    "Sigh... So does that mean that those things that attacked the hospital and killed the guards were monsters, like real monsters?" Matthew, like most people who have never entered a Dungeon, has never seen a monster up close.


    "Yes, the voice in my head said they were Shadow Ninjas and there was another monster called the Abyss Watcher."


    "Besides the fact that you tricked me and went to the hospital alone, there were monsters and dead people, Luke? Couldn''t you draw less attention?" Alexis brought her hand to her forehead and, stressed, she huffed just like Matthew.


    "I got in and out without causing any fuss, and I didn''t remove my hood at any time either. I believe we are safe still, and trust me, if I hadn''t gone, Matthew probably wouldn''t be alive."


    "Maybe you are right, but somehow they located your friend exactly as soon as you showed up to help him? Isn''t that too much of a coincidence? We have no way of knowing if it was through you, Luke, or if it was some other way, but we have to keep an eye out."


    "So what should we do? Meredith and the others have been gone for a few weeks now, so they''re safe, right?" Matthew questioned, sitting on the bed that was supposed to be the half-wolf.


    Luke and Alexis didn''t know what to say to Matthew, after all, if the rest of the gang had been missing for over a month, they might as well have been caught already or worse, be dead.


    "Luke, I don''t think the First Servant is omniscient. I just think he has all the pieces of a small chessboard. What if, by chance, your friends disappeared because they noticed something strange?"


    Of all the possible event options, the idea that Meredith, Zack, Ynosuke, and John realized what was happening was the one that appealed to Luke the most.


    "John and Meredith are smart, plus Ynosuke and Zack are pretty strong... If the First Servant underestimated them, they may indeed have run away, but where would they go?" Luke wondered.


    The brown-haired man with white locks stood up, looked at the upset look on the half-wolf''s face, and said:


    "Man, why are you so worried? I think you are the one who is underestimating them. I don''t have an arm, I''m the dumbest of the whole bunch and I didn''t even hide and look at me, I''m alive. They should be fine."


    Luke uncrossed his arms and looked at his friend. "Matthew...you''re right, but I still have to look for them."


    "I don''t disagree with that, but just as happened when Shiro and Sarah disappeared, we don''t have a single lead yet. Finding them could take months or even years... You know how big this world is and finding them won''t be easy at all, not to mention that there''s a creepy creature out to kill us..."


    The half-wolf sat down next to the half-dragon and began to reflect. A few months ago, he would cause hell in Oukiwa if he had to find his friends, but now it was different. Now, he had other people who were quite important to him.


    "Do you think that..." Luke was going to ask, but he saw his friend shaking his head to the side.


    "I don''t think anything, brother. I just think we should proceed very calmly, just as Meredith would."


    Luke, resigned, understood that he could not search desperately for his friends. He nodded and spoke:


    "You''re right... I think it''s time to pull the reins on this chariot and slow down a bit."

 Chapter 111 Like A Restart...

    <strong>¡ª Monday morning,te July, Year 512 of the Arani Era, thest hero to die. 1 year and 9 months before the Decay of the Broteforge Empire. ¡ª</strong>


    When Luke entered the hotel room again, he saw Alexis cing a scroll inside her Invocation. Then she whispered a few things to the green bird, which took off northward.


    It was a very sunny morning in Oukiwa and Luke was feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from his back after he had decided not to start a lifelong search for his friends.


    Internally, Luke was convinced that he had really underestimated his friends too much, and now he was quite sure that it would be easier for him to get caught by the First Servant than to quickly find the others in the gang.


    If the First Servant referred to Oukiwa as a city that was at his fingertips but Vasconcelos was not, that could mean that Luke could now also be reached by the demon and if he could be reached, he needed to get even stronger to protect himself.


    Once he was sure that Koven was headed in the right direction, Alexis asked:


    "Did you leave Matthew where he asked?"


    "Yes. I think after the weekend we managed to camouge our tracks well. It should be safe to leave by now and when I exined to him that I still work for the Strogueher''s, he preferred to go his own way. I don''t judge him for that..."


    "But will he be safe that way? We still don''t know how the First Servant found him in the hospital."


    "It was his choice, but I hope that theory of ours is correct... Matthew was hospitalized for two weeks, yet the First Servant didn''t try to kill him before... It''s a little strange, but I still think he just has a vastwork of informants."


    "I believe that too. Although I felt myself watching when we fought in the castle, I never felt anything like that again... Somehow we got in the way of his ns that night."


    "When he said his fingers reach out to us in Oukiwa, I think he meant his subordinates... He must have more influence here." Luke theorized, sitting down on the half-dragon''s bed.


    "If he does, we can try to use that to our advantage. I have contacts who owe me some favors here." Alexis replied, winked her right eye, and smiled at the half-wolf.


    Luke smiled back. "I appreciate everything you are doing for me."


    "D-don''t be an idiot...I''m doing this because I want to kill demons." She said, turning her face to the side to hide her blush.


    "Well, then we have nothing left to do. Shall we hand over the room key?" Luke asked with a smile to the half-dragon and held out his arm as if calling him to dance.


    That weekend, Luke found a new favorite pastime: teasing Alexis. She turned, opened the pouch on her bed, and took out thest vial of Elixir of concealment of half-beast traits. She drank a little and replied:


    "Let''s go soon, silly."


    So, Luke and Alexis went to the West Port to receive Ayumi and Nathalia. When they got there, they saw from afar a very beautiful small boat. On the hull of the boat was the word ''Strogueher'' painted in silver.


    Just before the boat docked in the harbor, the white sails were lowered, and from then on only the remaining power was enough toplete the movement.


    As soon as a small bridge came down, connecting the ship to the pier, Luke saw beautiful blond hair fluttering in the wind. Following Ayumi closely were Nathalia, Martha, Shiro, and two other guards that Luke recognized as the morning shift ones.


    The people in the harbor recognized the craft from afar as well and stopped to watch.


    "Is that the Matriarch of the Strogueher?"<sub> </sub>


    "Yes... it is almost a must to stop what we are doing to admire her. If she''s not one of the most beautiful women in the world, I want lightning to snap me in half right now."


    "Ah, man...you would never have a chance with her."


    "And who would? She''s a rich, powerful, beautiful Elf and already has a daughter. What could someone like me offer her?"


    <o>,m "You''re right! also, normal guys like us could never stand the sexual appetite of an Elf."</o>


    Two old fishermen chatted casually as they watched the beautiful Ayumi walk down the stairs of the bridge. Other people whisperedpliments and some even insulted the blonde Elf with envy. The reality is that the Matriarch of the Strogueher''s is a figure highly respected by some, and feared by others, so any public appearance by her usually causes quite a stir.


    Alexis and Luke paid no attention to thements and went to greet Ayumi. As they approached, they were briefly stopped by five guards who were preventing movement near the ship. Even from a distance, Ayumi recognized the lively red hair of the half-dragon and also her attire.


    "Let them pass. They are new employees." Ayumi said, seriously. She needed to keep her posture rigid and inflexible in public.


    "Yes, ma''am!" The guards saluted and opened the formation for Luke and Alexis.


    Nathalia recognized the hooded figure from afar and felt as if it had been a hundred years since she hadst seen Luke. In a way, she really had grown ustomed to his presence.


    Before Ayumi could even greet her lover, her daughter stepped forward and hugged Luke tightly, who returned the affection.


    "Miss... I think that''s enough." He said after being hugged for more than five seconds by Nathalia. For some reason, this time his heart palpitated as much as the first time he saw her.


    "Khun!" Nathalia cleared her throat, at the same time blushing slightly. "I think you''re right." Immediately she began to try to disguise herself, pretending to unpick the fabric of her clothes.


    The white-haired, red-eyed Elf looked beautiful. She was wearing a long lc dress made of organza with goldce details. This dress did not make her look like the usual young warrior, on the contrary, it highlighted the girl''s young and innocent look.


    "Feeling nostalgic?" Luke asked Shiro as he greeted him with a firm handshake.


    Shiro looked around and inhaled the air through his nose with his eyes closed. "This ce stinks as much as I remember, but it''s good to be back." He spoke smiling at the half-wolf.


    Since Luke had not yet said anything about Shiro to Matthew, he was secretly anxious to reveal that the big man was indeed alive, however, Luke was still afraid to tell him about Meredith''s disappearance.


    Surprising Luke, Shiro whispered to him as Ayumi and Nathalia greeted Alexis, "We''ll find them, don''t worry about it."


    Luke looked at him, smiled, and nodded. ''So, he already knows everything... Ayumi must have told.''


    Martha realized that the two men were talking about something, but she didn''t care enough and went to greet Alexis as well.


    "Where are we going now? We have a lot to talk about." The half-dragon asked, propping herself on the Matriarch''s shoulder, which surprised the family guards.


    Not caring about Alexis'' extra weight, Ayumi replied, "I know there must be a lot for us to talk about, but first we have to formally introduce Nathalia to the rest of the Strogueher family. And something tells me that''s not going to be easy..."

 Chapter 112 More Problems

    In front of a huge iron gate, away from any busy part of Oukiwa, three carriages pulled up.


    Oliver waited patiently for each of the people in the main carriage to get out. The old bodyguard of the Strogueher Family had his hands resting on the hilt of his sword, which was resting on the ground. When Oliver saw Ayumi, he straightened his spine and bowed his head.


    "Is everyone inside?" The Matriarch asked.


    "Everyone is waiting for you." Oliver looked at all the people who came out of the carriage with his sharp gaze. Suddenly, he was startled by how many extraordinary people came out of the carriage.


    Ayumi sighed and massaged her forehead with her right hand. "All right... Well, I''ll introduce the new members to you first. The First one is..."


    "Luke, the half-beast. It would be impossible for me not to recognize the enormous talent of this boy." The old knightpleted the Matriarch''s sentence.


    ''So, he also noticed it just by looking? That old man is a good one...'' Alexis thought, clenching her eyes.


    "It''s a pleasure to see you again, sir," Luke spoke, as he removed his hood.


    "I''ll never forget the humility you showed in choosing to take a lower sry than I did, even if it was for a position with many more risks."


    The half-wolf smiled and nodded. Although Luke still didn''t understand why Oliver had chosen him over a Tournament of Legends Champion, he was very grateful to the old man.


    Soon after, Ayumi introduced some others, "This man''s name is Shiro. This beautiful woman is called Martha and these other two men are called... Kenan and Kel, respectively."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you." Oliver greeted.


    "The pleasure is ours, sir." The others replied firmly and respectfully.


    Before Ayumi even introduced her, Alexis noticed Oliver''s eyes stop on her. She promptly showed her charisma and nodded in respect to the veteran. "I am Alexis Dmitry. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "She is... a friend." The Matriarch surprised the half-dragon. "She also works for the Cardinal Church and is an S-ss, so technically she is your superior, Oliver. So treat her with respect..." Finally, the Elf gave a mischievous chuckle.


    The two guards, who had never seen Ayumi behave any other way than the usual inflexible woman, almost fell in love with the beautiful Elf. A simple nce from the half-wolf, however, was enough for them to put it out of their minds.


    But among all those present, Alexis was the one who was most surprised by the Matriarch''s presentation, because she faithfully believed that Ayumi hated her. What the half-dragon didn''t understand was that Ayumi had some time to think about the weekend that had passed and she realized that Alexis was only there to help and not to hinder her like the other times they meet after finishing college.


    "And finally, I believe you must remember her well...this is Nathalia, my daughter."


    "Oh! It would be impossible for me to forget her. It''s great to be able to see her again after so long." Oliver said, tilting his head forward slightly out of respect for Nathalia.


    "I remember you...you used to be my father''s bodyguard or something?"


    "Actually, I was a nmate of young Akai... I know he wasn''t a good man, but he cared about you, Miss."


    "I know that."


    After all the introductions, Oliver was finally allowed to open the gate to the estate. When the huge gate was opened buzzing could be heard.


    Suddenly, Luke was faced with two dozen white-haired Elves of all different ages, genders, and body types. They were all gathered to wee the newest member of the family.


    So, as soon as they saw that Nathalia''s white hair was like their own, they breathed a sigh of relief, however, the girl''s red eyes drew even more attention than her silver strands.<sub> </sub>


    Nathalia''s red eyes are intense, and you can almost feel pressure in your chest just by looking at them, and if the Strogueher were not afraid of red eyes like that, they would certainly be as ecstatic as anyone else who sees beautiful Nathalia for the first time.


    Unlike the twenty-plus Elves who recoiled at the sight of Nathalia''s eyes, an old man approached. He was wearing a casual, somewhat stuffy white shirt, and a side belt with three empty knife holders. For some reason, the old Elf was wearing a gauntlet only on his right hand and on his left a thick leather glove.


    "Oh! She''s beautiful, Ayumi!" Heplimented Nathalia as if the young girl were a little girl.


    Nathalia picked up the side of her dress, bent her knees, bowed her head, and introduced herself in a tone loud enough for everyone to hear:


    "Nice to meet you all, my name is Nathalia Strogueher, and I am about to turn 20. I look forward to meeting each of you."


    Nathalia''s silky voice,bined with her good manners, surprised many who were one foot behind her.


    During the meeting that morning, Luke eventually discovered that within the Strogueher Family there is a fear about the color of their eyes because they believe that the color of a person''s eyes says a lot about who they are or will be.


    ck eyes mean rigidity; Blue eyes mean talent; Brown eyes mean virtue; Green eyes mean love, and from the moment the first red-eyed Elf was born, Akai Strogueher, red eyes came to mean anger.


    This did not affect Nathalia emotionally; she was already prepared to be belittled. In fact, ever since the Return Stones she bought in that Magic Items Shop in Vasconcelos didn''t work, Nathalia decided not to believe in any kind of superstition anymore.


    However, to some superstitious members of the Strogueher Family, the politeness Nathalia disyed was not enough to convince them that she deserved to be there.


    From a distance, Luke saw the man Wang Strogueher walking towards Nathalia, who was having a nice conversation with her cousin, Jilly Strogueher.


    The man''s appearance was intimidating, to say the least. In the middle of summer, he was wearing a thick coat made of white bear leather. He was also veryrge, easily exceeding two meters in height.


    "Mister Wang, I''m afraid you won''t be able to get past here," Luke said, breaking his walk. "Nathalia is busy talking right now."


    ? Wang measured Luke from head to toe and made sure that Luke was who he thought he was. "Hunf... So you are the new puppy that Ayumi hired? You''re pretty well known around here, you know that?"


    Luke looked at him inexpressively. At the same time, the lockstep of the two men began to attract attention from a few watchful eyes of the family.


    "If you wish to talk with Miss Nathalia, you must wait for her to finish the current conversation."


    "Actually, I''m here to challenge her, not to talk," Wang eximed loudly and impatiently. The huge man''s pointed ears swiveled simultaneously with his roar.


    ss-S, who had a considerable amount of snacks in her mouth, was amazed as she watched the scene from afar.


    Nathalia had to suddenly stop her conversation with Jilly to see what was urring, but before she could approach, Ayumi stepped in front of her and stopped her. "Leave it to Luke. It''s dangerous now..."


    The half-wolf looked briefly over her own shoulder and, with assent from Ayumi, was allowed to continue.


    "What kind of challenge are you talking about? Nathalia is young and learning a lot still, so you''re not thinking of challenging her yourself, are you? That would be ridiculousing from a man almost forty years old like you." Luke said, this time being the one who analyzed Wang from head to toe.


    A few sympathizersughed low for a second and held their breaths soon after. Wang Strogueher''s eyes looked lost for a moment as well.


    "Hunf... Actually, the annual Tournament of Legends will take ce in a fortnight and I want to see how she will do. Considering that she has Strogueher blood, she shouldn''t embarrass us."


    Then, Wang snorted once again, turned his back, and walked away without giving any further details.

 Chapter 113 I Have A Plan

    Set back from any of Oukiwa''s popted areas is the Strogueher estate. More than two kilometers in diameter, the estate is a veritable private resort within Oukiwa, containing gyms, swimming pools, a few luxury residences, and many different buildings.


    Although each branch of the Strogueher Family lives in different houses, they are practically next door to each other, so coexistence is inevitable.


    When Akai Strogueher died, Nathalia and Ayumi inherited his residence. Right at the entrance of the house was arge painting of Akai, which authentically depicted his true face.


    The man, who died very young, had silver hair and red eyes, just like Nathalia''s. Unlike the beautiful girl, Akai had pale, parched skin and deep dark circles under his eyes. His gaze was heavy and ignoble, which made Luke think that he must not be a veryfortablepany to keep.


    The inherited residence was not on its best days, but it was still preserved and without considerable damage. On the first day of their amodation, Martha and other employees had a lot of work to do.


    As they settled into their respective rooms and got to know the house, as soon as he had the chance Luke exined to Ayumi, Nathalia, and Shiro the reasons why he decided not to start an intense search for his friends.


    If he did that, he might never find them, plus it would draw too much attention to himself and might reveal to the First Servant their location, and now that he felt duty-bound to protect Ayumi and Nathalia, he didn''t want to put them at risk.


    However, the challenge made by Wang Strogueher was going in the opposite direction of all that is discreet.


    Known as thergest cradle of talent in the entire Broteforge Empire, the Tournament of Legends takes ce every year and brings together young people from all nine major cities and many aspirants from other smaller cities in the empire.


    One who bes the Champion of the Tournament of Legends also bes known throughout the nation, and can easily be recognized by the Emperor himself or even a promising candidate to join his personal guard.


    At thest Tournament of Legends, the Champion of the day was Ste Hoka, a powerful young woman who is versed in several sses of Gene Skills, but her main strength is magic ranged attacks.


    She also became quite famous when she was hired by the Strogueher''s, and even more so when someone leaked that she was not the first choice of the Noble Family at the selective. Rumor had it that an unknown half-beast even managed to immobilize her.


    On the first night in the living room of the new residence, Nathalia and Jilly, E-ss'' cousin, were talking about the challenge made by Wang.


    "Here''s the thing... although thepetition is publicly advertised as an individual, in practice that''s not what happens." Jilly directed, pacing back and forth across the room. She looked even more nervous than Nathalia herself, who was challenged.


    Jilly Strogueher has long white hair and sapphire blue eyes. Her skin is white as cotton, and most of the time she stands with her arms crossed and a tense look on her face.


    Nathalia was confused by the fact that apetition with a single champion, could be done in groups. "Are you meaning that people form pairs or something?"


    "If we are to ignore thest year, all the Champions in history were from important Families like ours or powerful ns. While there are no grouppetitions per se, forming alliances is almost a requirement to make it past the first stages."


    Nathalia pouted, and as she pondered the question, she questioned, "What if I happen to choose not to do that?"


    "Nath, I don''t know how strong you are, so I can''t tell you with all the certainty in the world, but you should know that many people die in this tournament."


    Vasconcelos has never hosted an edition of the Tournament of Legends, so Nathalia knew about thepetition only from books and newspapers. After a little more talking, Jilly realized that it was gettingte and went to her house, which was only a few yards away.


    As Nathalia closed therge wooden door of the residence and huffed, she heard a voice echo through the nearly empty room.


    "Are you okay, you sound stressed," Luke asked, descending the snail-shaped staircase that connected the second floor to the second floor.<sub> </sub>


    Nathalia gave a little jump in fright and smiled in relief as she realized it was only the half-wolf. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine...it''s just that all of this is a little more stressful than I imagined it would be."


    "Being challenged by your own family? Is that your first time?" Luke Lange joked as he lit a candbra whose me had already been extinguished.


    Nathalia smiled and mocked as well, "Nah... my mom used to challenge me a lot when I was a kid. She never even won an arm-wrestling match against me."


    "Now, seriously... I could hear a little bit about what you guys were talking about. You know you can count on me, right? Even more so now that your mother has doubled my sry." Looking into the girl''s eyes, Luke spoke frankly.


    Nathalia stopped to analyze and sure enough, if there was one person in the world she trusted to be her partner in a life and death contest, it was the half-wolf. Even more than Alexis, who was a ss-S.


    "Wouldn''t it be dangerous for you? Or rather... for us? If this so-called First Servant doesn''t like you, it would be dangerous for him to know where you are, as you exined to us. You even said you don''t want to look for your friends so as not to expose us."


    Luke focused on getting the chandelier up and was quiet for a few seconds.


    "Actually... your mother has thought of a n that might work and that I won''t have to keep hiding forever, after all, that would be terrible."


    The Elf arched her eyebrows and almost unconsciously smiled with happiness because if the half-wolf could participate in the Tournament of Legends, that would be perfect.


    "I''m listening..." she said seriously.


    Ayumi Yamazaki, besides being beautiful, has a lot of experience and wit. More than anyone else, she knows the influence she has in Oukiwa and how the city works. However, now that she had discovered a hitherto unknown variable, she wanted to get rid of the First Servant as quickly as possible.


    For this reason, the Matriarch outlined a simple n with many risks, but with the right people and the right moves on the board, everything could turn out well.


    Unfortunately, all that is known about the First Servant is that he is part of the ''Followers of Chaos'' religion and that he has a great power of persuasion, especially on the weakest part of the poption, who more easily believe in empty promises.


    For this reason, just as Luke Lange deduced, Ayumi considered it too risky for Luke to expose himself while he searches for clues from Meredith and the others in the underworld, the territory of this cult.


    But what if the reverse was not only possible but also very advantageous?


    Once Luke is exposed in the spotlight of the Broteforge Empire and Oukiwa, the demon''s rotten fingers will have a harder time reaching him, and, possibly frustrated, the First Servant will shift his attention from the underworld and this will open a huge window of opportunity.


    Therefore, a search for the half-wolf''s friends will still be possible. Although he cannot do it himself, Luke has epted the n to have his identity exposed once and for all, after all, this would be much better than hiding until the dust settles.


    However, he demanded two things of Ayumi. First, she must always be protected. Second, the search should be done by people he trusts.


    In the end, Matthew Oliveira and Alexis Dmitry were the people chosen for this stealth mission. Luke did not trust anyone but them. Even if Matthew would rather not risk so much, he would still go along with this n, because there is no other way.


    Using the Strogueher informationwork, the power of an S-ss, and all of Matthew''s knowledge of the underworld, it would be impossible not to find at least one clue to the whereabouts of Meredith and the rest of the gang.

 Chapter 114 Sacrifices Of The Past

    <strong>~ Two weeks before the start of the Tournament of Legends ~</strong>


    Sometimes good preparation before apetition is as important as the ability to adapt during it. Therefore, Nathalia decided to ask Luke to teach her some of his moves.


    During his expeditions through the Vasconcelos Dungeon, the half-wolf always demonstrated above-average agility and very precise dodges, besides his ability to read practically impable battles.


    In the eyes of the young Elf, Luke was a perfect adventurer, who over the years, could even reach the level of an S-ss. And that impression became even more fitting after the battle against the Demon in the Castle at Vasconcelos.


    Since the half-wolf always used to give tips for improvement after her practices, but never actually trained Nathalia, she felt she would have to ask him.


    "Hah... Hah..." Nathalia gasped. She was sitting on the wooden floor of the gym near her new home, after another practice feeling. "Luke... you''re more energetic than usual."


    Luke extended his arm to the right one to help her stand up. "It''s just your impression, after all, you haven''t been in action for a while." Nathalia took his hand and stood up.


    Nathalia didn''t have what to answer, as it had been almost two weeks since she hadst been in a real battle.


    "I had an idea. What do you think about the idea of training me? I could pay you extra."


    Luke arched his eyebrows, surprised. "Hm... Are you sure about that? I mean, I''ve never taught anyone, and you''ve had a formal instructor. I could end up getting in the way more than helping."


    "I''mpletely sure about that. And what would change? You already usually correct my postures and vices of attack and defense. Besides, you''ve had an instructor too, haven''t you? You must know some methods to teach without impacting my other fundamentals-"


    "Actually, I haven''t had an instructor. So, it''s impossible."


    "Really?" Nathalia questioned, finding the statement strange.


    Without a formal instructor, it would be impossible for someone to know as many stances with different weapons as the half-wolf showed he knew.


    "It''s true. I just had a mistress who took care of me and my friends for a while. She used to bring food, so we wouldn''t starve to death in the alleys."


    With Luke''s permission, Ayumi told Nathalia everything a few days ago. So the young Elf already knew that Luke was a thief and had gone through many hardships. Only in her mind, does she conclude that Luke learned everything he knows after he passed a hard time, not during.


    "Ah... excuse me for bringing that up," Nathalia said, looking away shy. ''Of course, he didn''t have a formal instructor, Nathalia¡­ you idiot.'' She mentally scolded herself.


    Before she knew that Luke used to be a thief, Nathalia attributed hisck of knowledge in grammar and arithmetic to normal causes. Even in a developed Empire and a wealthy city like Oukiwa, the schooling rate is low for two reasons: childbor and paid education.


    Any elementary school in Oukiwa charges a fee of at least one gold coin per month, and since normal jobs pay less than two hundred and fifty silver coins, it is almost impossible for children from poor families to have a chance at any formal education.


    For Luke, Meredith, Matthew, and the others it was no different. None of them went to school, but among all of them, only Luke couldn''t learn the basics. Why? Well, sometimes the hand that gives is also the hand that takes away.


    "I don''t mind talking about that. This woman who fed us was named Yoelona. She introduced us to the owner of a tavern, who of his own free will began teaching grammar and mathematics to my friends."


    "What do you mean? Only to your friends? What about you?"


    "Yoelona said that knowledge is no guarantee of survival, but strength is, so at least one of us should give up our studies and devote herselfpletely to intense training, where she would be a Master, not an instructor."<sub> </sub>


    The difference between a Formal Instructor to a Master is enormous. While a Formal Instructor teaches you postures that suit you, a Master introduces you to ready-made techniques that are passed down from generation to generation, which don''t always go in the same direction as your talents.


    "Couldn''t you split the workload? I would study with books in the morning and with the sword in the afternoon."


    Luke denied it with his head. "ording to my master, if we were to learn several things at once, it could take years. We had to devote as much time to it as possible."


    For this reason, Luke trained hard for months with Yoelona''s instructions, for almost sixteen hours every single day.


    His skinny arms nearly broke when he had to lift an entire trunk from a fallen tree. Virtually every attack position his Master demanded was almost impossible with his strength and body at the time.


    As the months went by, Luke learned many things and gradually evolved. Yes, he had to give up the warmpany of Matthew and Meredith at this time, but he knew it was a passing thing.


    Luke climbed mountains, hunted wild animals with only his primitive senses, and even had to sneak into a Dungeon to pass a Yoelona test. That day, he saw and killed his first monster, a simple little Goblin, but it almost killed him too.


    The half-wolf''s strength did note overnight, because, like any evolution, his strength is the result of a thorny effort. Luke only learned that his training was over when his mysterious Master disappeared.


    "Back to the other subject... If you want, I can give you a tip or two sometimes, but it would be impossible for me to teach you some techniques in just two weeks. That might hinder you more than help you."


    "What are you talking about?" Alexis asked, entering the gym.


    "She wants me to teach her some things."


    "Why not? You must already know well the techniques that would fit her style, right? And you should know her Gene Skills that can match your techniques."


    The S-ss''s agreement made Nathalia hopeful about being able to learn from Luke Lange, and the powerful half-dragon''s arguments soon proved to be good ones.


    "Well.. Maybe you''re right..." Luke concluded. He was pouting and looking up as he pondered.


    A huge smile appeared on Nathalia''s face, who, ever since she met the half-wolf, secretly wished she could learn everything he knew.


    "But on two conditions..." The half-wolf crossed his arms and looked sternly at the Elf and the half-dragon, who were standing side by side.


    "First, until the n gets underway, and we can leave here for the Tournament, I want you, Alexis, to help me train Nathalia." Before the S-ss could open her mouth to argue, Luke continued to speak. "Second, in exchange for the training, I want to start learning writing and math..."


    Nathalia marveled at the idea because then she could learn not only from an exceptionally experienced person but also a mercenary of the Cardinal Church who is also a very famous Adventurer in the Northern Broteforge Empire.


    Curious, Alexis asked the half-wolf, "What made you want to learn these things now? You know, there is so much going on around us..."


    "I always thought I would have Meredith to read things for me, and then I had you, Nathalia. But I got tired of using those things as an excuse not to learn such important things."


    Both women looked proudly at him and nodded, agreeing to the demand.


    A new journey was beginning in the half-wolf''s life, and he certainly didn''t want to get stagnant learning like before. In the past two months, he had seen in practice how his investigative, bargaining, and espionage skills weregging because he didn''t know the basics of a formal apprenticeship, and he wanted to be ready so that in the future he wouldn''t go through the same thing.

 Chapter 115 The Training Gym (Part 1)

    "All right. Now write the letter A in both forms." Nathalia asked Luke.


    The half-wolf nodded. He then firmly took the quill, dipped it in the ck ink, and gently touched the paper with it. He had to control his strength well because besides the writing quill being a fragile object, the ink could get thick and that would make the handwriting illegible.


    Carefully, he repeated the letter A a few times on the thick sheet. Luke found this strangely pleasurable.


    In his life, there were very few times when he had the chance to touch a writing quill, because in addition to ink always being something very expensive, parchment sheets are also expensive because even with the rampant advance of the economy, the market for this is still not sorge.


    A sheet of parchment usually costs two silver coins, and with that same amount, anyone can buy a bag of apples at the fair.


    Nathalia saw that Luke was managing to write the Letter A well. "Very well... now you have to do the same with all the letters of the alphabet."


    Luke arched his eyebrows, surprised because learning to write was something that required more patience than he imagined. Learning grammar and striking with a sword, in a way, are two simr things. Both arts need a lot of repetition, fault correction, time, and patience.


    This is why Luke did not want to learn to write as soon as he was released from Yoelona''s Masters because he wanted to use all the free time to continue evolving his strength on his own. If he had chosen to start learning writing, he would have had less time to improve himself, and thus his skills would havegged. To keep his friends safe, his techniques and his body should always be at their maximum.


    "Okay. Now I think you are ready to start learning the phonemes. Can you take over now, Alexis?" Nathalia questioned the half-dragon who was polishing the Behemoth Axe with admiration.


    "Yes, of course," Alexis replied and carefully ced the Axe on the table again. "Well... phonemes and letters are two of the main grammar sses when you are learning to read, because..."


    All morning, the trio of Adventurers would gather in the small, empty library of the new residence they lived in. Gradually Luke began to learn more and more about grammar and math, as well as other subjects that Nathalia and Alexis casually introduced.


    When there was some time left in Ayumi Yamazaki''s schedule, she would show up and stay for a while. In the few minutes he was taught by her, Luke got to know another side of the exquisite Elf who is so feared by some, and respected by others.


    Unlike how she is in bed, Ayumi is usually calm and reverent, and around her, a demanding atmosphere is created. Luke began to find this contrast in personality something extremely exciting.


    During the afternoons, Luke began to introduce Nathalia to some of his techniques. Of all the powerful body positions the half-wolf could teach, from knives to spears, the one that Nathalia was most interested in was the one that uses the strength of the shoulders to amplify the power of individual blows.


    Luckily, Alexis Dmitry was following the training closely, so she was able to provide tips for Luke to teach Nathalia. The S-ss acted as a trantor. When Luke was trying to describe a method and Nathalia didn''t understand, Alexis would trante it in a way more akin to that of a Formal Instructor.


    Before they knew it, the three began exchanging tips and advice. Although Alexis was already ssified as an S-ss and her style was quite different from the other two Adventurers, Luke dared to give her posture tips as well.


    "You have to curve your spine more and tuck your arms more. That way, when you use a quick thrust, you can gain even more speed." Luke said, touching the half-dragon to exin in more detail, as she instructed him to do.


    <o>,m Secretly, Alexis enjoyed being touched by the half-wolf, but controlled herself, because she now fully understood how serious his rtionship was with her friend. "I understand...but I asked because I want to control the speed, not increase it."</o>


    "Oh? And isn''t that what I exined? If your speed is going to increase by doing that, just don''t do that, and it won''t be as fast. That''s how you control speed." Scratching his left temple with one index finger, Luke found it strange that ss-S didn''t understand his perfect exnation.<sub> </sub>


    Nathalia and Alexis couldn''t hold back theirughter and almost cry withughter at the confused expression of the half-wolf, who remained serious for a few seconds until he understood why his exnation wasn''t good.


    Gradually, they evolved together and with Alexis Dmitry''s help and experience, Luke started to be even stronger. Mistakes that he would never notice on his own, began to be pointed out by the half-dragon and vice versa.


    As the days passed, their training began to draw a lot of attention from the staff working in the other residences and the security guards of the estate. The noises of the skills the trio used were loud and drew attention to the gym they often used.


    Gradually, rumors about the three began to spread like pollen in the spring through the staff.


    Alexis impressed them with her explosive strength and firepower.


    Nathalia captivated them with the variety of Gene Skills andbat techniques she demonstrated she had.


    And the half-wolf won them over with each of his dodges and stealth skills. The seriousness he brought to battle, mixed with the cleanliness of each of his blows, was something admirable.


    At the edges of the huge gymnasium, people began to gather daily to watch their training.


    "The guardsmented on him, so I had toe here to confirm if it was true..." A man in a cook''s outfitmented.


    "Are you kidding? He knocks and retreats, knocks and retreats. He acts like he''s a rogue. I don''t like that. If Ste wasn''t on a trip, I doubt he''d beat her."


    "Did you really say that? It''s very rare to see a rogue in real life. You should be grateful to see one in action with your own eyes."


    "I''m more the other half-beast... the one with the horns. She uses only her fists and that''s so fucking strong."


    "It''s hard to admit, but she would beat Ste with one hand on her back... She doesn''t even seem to sweat while moving around..."


    "What are you talking about?" A Strogueher surprised the two employees, who were running away from work.


    "We''re watching the... wait... are YOU, LADY LILY?! We''re sorry! We''re not running away or anything like that!"


    "Uhum!" The other cook quickly agreed with his head. "We just stopped for a breather!"


    Livia Strogueher smiled, put her hand on the shoulder of one of the men, who was a bit fat, and gave it a firm squeeze. "I''m not angry. Just stay calm and get back to work... I have to take care of some things here..."

 Chapter 116 The Training Gym (Part 2)

    Livia Strogueher smiled, put her hand on the shoulder of one of the men, who was chubby and gave it a firm squeeze. "I''m not angry. Just stay calm and get back to work. I have to take care of some things here..."


    The short, white-haired Elf mostly kept a snobbish smile at the corner of her mouth, almost as if she underestimated everything and everyone.


    As they left the gym, the two cooks sighed with relief that they had not been punished. Livia has a bad reputation among the staff for being very demanding.


    The other people who were following Nathalia, Luke, and Alexis'' training from the edge of the square were surprised when they saw Livia enter the gym.


    "Is that Miss Livia?"


    "Is she back from her trip already? I heard she was on vacation in the Parato Inds."


    "On vacation? I thought she was on a mission for the Guild.


    "You never can tell where she is...she rarely stays here on the estate."


    In Oukiwa, quests are unlike any other town, so it is not umon for Adventurers to need to travel. Unlike Vasconcelos, where quests usually vary between just collecting items, aid, rescues, escorts, and investigations.


    However, in Oukiwa there is no Tower Dungeons, meaning that Dungeons cannot be divided into levels by Sense Mages. What does this mean? Basically, the chance that a miner is digging a vein of gold and a monster much stronger than him shows up to kill him is much higher.


    For this and other reasons, in Oukiwa the biggest Quests are given to ns that will be able to fulfill them and so it is almost impossible to rise in Rank without being in a n.


    "On a mission for the Guild? Nah! She knows it''s suicide to enter a Dungeon alone! she would never travel alone on a diplomatic mission either."


    "Why doesn''t she join some famous n then? I know nobles aren''t allowed to have ns of their own, but she could still join one."


    "I don''t know..."


    While some off-shift guards were theorizing about Livia Strogueher, she didn''t even seem to care. From the moment she entered the gym, she propped herself up on a wall and just watched the practice.


    Within minutes, Livia began to bepletely shocked by what she was watching. She had heard about her new cousin and her bodyguard, but she had never imagined that they were so good.


    Nathalia was practicing new attack positions, while Luke practiced his art of dodging. The half-wolf''s goal was to copy the way he had seen Kyor Amakusa dodge his opponents'' blows in the ''Luck or Fight'' tournament held in Vasconcelos. Even though he had beaten him, Luke knew that Kyor didn''t use everything he knew and it was still bitter to his taste.


    Nathalia attacked with the wooden sword, and just as Alexis instructed him to do, Luke did not focus on the movement of the sword as he normally did, but on the body of his opponent.


    Nathalia''s movements were much more polished now, so it would not be so easy to predict where she would strike, but that was not the intention either.


    Kyor didn''t predict attacks, he actually reacted with an enhanced reflex to almost supernatural levels and thisbined with his superhuman speed, guaranteed him victories without burning too much energy.


    Nathalia''s sword-wielding was swift and came very close to hitting Luke''s face, but he ducked in time and rolled backward.


    Nathalia breathed in and out at this moment, renewing the oxygen inside her lung, which didn''t let her lose her breath. Before Luke could stand, Nathalia firmly gripped the hilt of his sword and struck out with the point of the sword.<sub> </sub>


    Luke had expected such a simple move, so it would be enough for him to move inches to the side to be able to deflect.


    However, Nathalia was in a monstrous constant evolution. During the movement, she stopped holding the sword with both hands. In moments, Luke saw Nathalia''s left hand slide down the wooden de and change the already set trajectory of the sword.


    The de lightly struck the half-wolf''s abdomen, creating a sharp sound. Tock!


    "I hit it!?" Nathalia asked to confirm. Although she felt and heard that the sword did indeed hit something, she still couldn''t believe that her maneuver had worked.


    Luke lifted his shirt a little and showed his abdomen. Slowly you could see a vermilion forming. The Elf''s eyes shone, and she had to move a little closer to get a better look. Alexis also moved closer to check if the red mark was a result of Nathalia''s attack or if it was from another of their training.


    "It is... I think it is from now... Luke wouldn''t lie about that." Alexis said, gently smoothing the bruise that was on the half-wolf''s abdomen


    "So, did I really get it right?! Why didn''t you react on the spot, Luke?" Nathalia asked, suspicious, also closely analyzing the region he struck.


    Luke lifted his shirt a bit more and reminded Nathalia that he already had huge battle scars, so he was also already more resistant to pain.


    "Khumm!" A throat clearing caught the trio''s attention.


    They looked back and saw a recognizable young girl with white hair. Her hair was short and did not reach shoulder height, but it was voluminous enough to cover her pointed ears. Her eyes were frosted blue, with a shade simr to the blue of a pond.


    "Can we help you with something?" Luke inquired after lowering his shirt. He was already aware of Livia''s presence, he just didn''t think she woulde to greet them, after all, many Strogueher passed by to see them and none greeted them.


    "Actually, I came to meet my cousin. Nathalia, Jilly has told me very well about you. It''s a pleasure to meet you." Soon after, Livia extended her right hand in Nathalia''s direction.


    Nathalia reciprocated the greeting. "The pleasure is all mine. You must be Jilly''s twin sister."


    At that moment, Luke was surprised. Except for their white hair and blue eyes, Jilly and Livia bore no resemnce in faces.


    "Sorry...you said she and Jilly are twins!!!?" Alexis eximed, externalizing the sense of confusion that the half-wolf also felt.


    "Yeah... My sister is a prettyplicated person. Ipletely understand your fuss. If she had my humble and wonderful personality, she would surely be more epted by others. And I''ve already told her that, but she just doesn''t listen to me."


    "Really? I didn''t feel you like that." Luke said, without measuring his words.


    ? Jilly is the kind of tense, anxious person who is always thinking about the future and what might happen. This is certainly a personality problem, but Livia seemed to be theplete opposite of this in Luke''s eyes, which was an even bigger problem.


    With her snub chin and unassuming dress, Livia practically advertised her petnt personality and this was confirmed when she spoke:


    "Forget my sister. I''ve been watching your training, and I''m here to join your team. You need people to have a chance for the tournament, don''t you? I''m the perfect candidate."

 Chapter 117 The Training Gym (Part 3)

    "Forget my sister. I''ve been watching your training, and I''m here to join your team. You need people to have a chance for the tournament, don''t you? I''m the perfect candidate."


    Luke, Alexis, and Nathalia arched their eyebrows almost in sync. "And what makes you think that?" The half-dragon inquired, serious, and analyzed the girl from head to toe.


    Even though she was wearing a white jumpsuit, it wasn''t hard to tell that Livia was in good shape.


    She was wearing armor only in the area of her arms and legs, more specifically in the area from mid-thigh down. The fact that only her back was unprotected, announced that she had exaggerated confidence that she would never be hit in this region.


    In the same way that Alexis looked at her, Livia also looked at Alexis, only instead of analyzing the half-dragon, Liviapared herself, and upon realizing that her body was not as beautiful as hers, the Elf turned her face away annoyed.


    "I don''t need to exin myself to other people, only to my cousin. If she wants, she can test me..." said Livia and then took her hands from her waist to summon a beautiful Panspermia sword.


    Nathalia looked at Luke and when she saw the man nod, she summoned her Panspermia spear. "I will test you, but then you will answer some questions. All right?" she said, confidently as well.


    The only people Nathalia had in mind to team up with were Luke, Alexis, and Shiro, but since Ayumi''s n involved taking advantage of the tournament''s attention to the search for Luke''s friends, the half-dragon couldn''t participate, so perhaps they might need more people.


    In addition, there were strict requirements for participating in the tournament of legends. The main one was that people over the age of thirty couldn''t participate, so old people like Oliver couldn''t help. This rule served as a reason why leaders of powerful ns couldn''t participate.


    "So, are you ready? If you want, you know we don''t have to use our Panspermia Weapons, right?" Nathalia spoke to Livia, as she walked to one end of the gym.


    "And what would I use? A cute little wooden sword? That wouldn''t bring out my full potential."


    Nathalia simply couldn''t find ways to contradict her cousin. The gym wasn''trge and so within minutes, the four edges of the gym were crowded with employees.


    The floor and walls made of emerald white granite could barely withstand the intense workouts normally, so Luke was a little worried about what Nathalia''s abilities might cause the gym''s structure.


    If Nathalia went with everything she had, Luke did not doubt that she would be able to win. However, Livia was aplete enigma, one he had never even heard of.


    Seeing the two girls, Alexis raised her arms to get their attention and spoke in a relentless:


    "Look... I''ll make the rules clear, pay attention. First, be aware that I can and must stop the fight if I feel it is necessary. Second, don''t get too excited, this is just a test, and we don''t want to cause any damage to the structure of the gym. Andstly... there are no winners or losers, but the match ends immediately if I see a drop of blood."


    These rules served as much for the safety of the participants as they did for those watching. Alexis did not doubt that the two girls were strong people, so she had to impose restraints for a real weapon fight in such a tight space.


    Then the half-dragon questioned, "Are you two in agreement with the imposed rules?" Nathalia and Livia nodded to her, as they faced each other with their weapons in hand. "Very well, you may begin."


    The Panspermia sword that Livia carried was the one-handed type, and yet there was a huge hole where the guard ring would normally be, which meant that there wasn''t much strength in the part that should be the strongest ce on the sword.<sub> </sub>


    As soon as Livia stepped forward, she saw Nathalia running towards her, holding her spear with only one hand. With pride, Livia smiled wryly, as if Nathalia was making a dumb decision.


    Even though it was a one-handed sword, Livia held her sword with both hands at chest height with the tip pointing toward the ceiling. "<Thunder Razor>!" She shouted and a thunderous crash broke through the ce.


    From one second to the next, Livia''s de was surrounded by sparks of electricity, which was something so rare to see that it was only seen when literally thunder was falling.


    People watching would be amazed at such beauty and grandeur. In addition, where before there had been an empty hole in Livia''s de, there was now a small ball of sma.


    Nathalia was not shaken, nor did she show any surprise. Running towards her cousin, Nathalia roared, "<Malevolent Hook>!"


    Livia felt her body light for a moment and in the blink of an eye, she was already being pulled by Nathalia''s ability. Livia stuck her sword into the ground and knelt to resist the pull, which seemed to be wrapping around her entire body.


    After a few seconds, the effect disappeared, but Livia didn''t even have time to get up, because when she realized, Nathalia was already in front of her. However, even though she was so close and had a spear in her hands, Nathalia chose not to attack, which gave Livia time to pull her sword from the ground and stand up.


    During the next three minutes, the spear and sword crossed paths several times, but the result was always the same. Livia was forced to retreat and Nathalia had to advance.


    Gradually, this irritated Livia, who did not have the chance to use any more of her skills. She still had no practice in using Gene Skills during fast movements, and this made it even worse when she was being pressed.


    "Can you keep going?" Nathalia asked pulling away for a moment.


    "Hah... Hah... You are strong." The short-haired Elf dered, panting. Although she had only known Nathalia for such a little time, she was alreadypletely surrendered to her cousin''s talents.


    "You''re not bad at all."


    "Where did you get so muchbat experience?"


    "In the Vasconcelos Dungeon and you?"


    "At the Oukiwa Academy."


    Neither wanted to continue the test and the result was dered a tie, although the oue was obvious. And unexpectedly, from that day on the two began to exchange experiences and in a short time, L¨ªvia joined the daily training sessions.


    For the proud Livia Strogueher, who did not have many ambitions until that moment, the defeat against her hitherto unknown cousin made her realize how inexperienced she was by relying exclusively on her strong skills.

 Chapter 118 One Day Before The Start (R-18)

    For the two weeks leading up to the start of the Tournament of Legends, Luke used whole days just training. This would be the most importantpetition of his entire life up to that point, and he wanted to live up to the expectations Ayumi had ced on him.


    This championship would bring together young people from all over the Broteforge Empire, from respected students of Maxia Academy to future candidates for renowned n leaders. Everyone would be keeping a watchful eye on the Tournament of Legends, and the hope was that the First Servant, or at least some of his subordinates, would too.


    For that reason, Luke spared no effort in preparation. He assimted the <Sirkelig> skill without fear this time and also ingested the Monster Core of thest Shadow Ninja he killed in the hospital. By ingesting the small ck orb, he learned the skill <Invisible Trail>.


    ording to the mental image Luke had, and as the name of the skill says, this new ability allows him to hide the traces where he passes. The half-wolf wasn''t too happy with the ability he gained, but he didn''t mind too much either, after all, it was a stroke of luck to have gotten this and still saved his friend.


    And on the nights when he had some time and inclination left, Luke began to receive the best kind of visitors he could ask for. The Strogueher matriarch would sneak into the second-floor hallway and open the half-wolf door that was always unlocked. Each night was crazier than thest. Luke and Ayumi always started with intense and passionate kisses, and before they knew it they werepletely naked.


    On one of those nights, therge ck sofa in his room was the chosen one.


    Luke held Ayumi''s waist tightly, while she was mounted on hisp. Ayumi''s tied-up hair was tied up like a ponytail, and for some reason, this always made Luke even more excited. As they kissed, Luke groped her body with constancy, making her sure that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.


    The meeting of their lips was so harmonious that sometimes Luke made sure to open his eyes so that he wouldn''t go crazy amidst so many different feelings.


    On one of those asions when he opened his eyes, Ayumi opened them too, and they finally parted their lips. A little saliva still connected them. The Elf was panting, yet she smiled happily at Luke.


    The half-wolf looked down and saw her huge breasts and the rest of her magnificent body. Before he knew it, he was already fucking her enthusiastically. Ayumi had her arms resting on the wall as she was being fucked relentlessly by Luke.


    "Haa... ??" She moaned in a controlled manner not wanting to alert the entire neighborhood.


    <o>,m As he shoved his cock into the Matriarch, who was on her back, Luke slid his hands down her back, starting from her ass. Her blonde hair was swaying and begging to be pulled. He grabbed her ponytail, which surprised her for an instant. Then he wrapped the strands in his hand and pulled.</o>


    "Aaaah! ??" she eximed loudly, but Luke didn''t stop fucking her even for an instant. "Hnnngh!??"


    Closer up now, they could hear each other''s gasping breaths more clearly, as well as feel the heat from their bodies. In this position, the Matriarch had to stand on her tiptoes, so it was certainly more difficult, but with Luke reaching his sweet spot without stopping, she didn''t even bother with the difficulties.


    As he listened to the Elf''s restrained moans, Luke blushed. In the next second, he risked taking her neck gently.


    "Ah...fuck! Fuck me harder! ??"<sub> </sub>


    "What?! Did you just tell me to... fuck you harder?! Aaah... If you say something like that to me... I won''t hold back!"


    Then, Luke fucked Ayumi with even more intensity than before, until he finished, cumming inside her. Minutester, Luke was left feeling guilty for having cum without warning her.


    "I''m sorry..." He said with his head down. Even on his first time, he didn''t make such a mistake, and he managed to hold himself back from cumming out.


    After cleaning himself, Ayumi lifted his tight pants that were made of cotton. "... It''s okay. I''m not mad. Sometimes people get carried away during sex. It happens a lot."


    The half-wolf nodded. ''My god... how embarrassing. I hope she doesn''t think I''m that way.''


    If only Luke knew why Ayumi Yamazaki''s heart was racing so fast.


    ''I can''t believe I let my daughter''s bodyguard cum inside me while fucking me hard...'' Her heart was beating euphorically. dum! dum! ''I''ll end up getting addicted to this... ??'' she thought, blushing and turning her back to him.


    Then Ayumi went to her room, which was right next door, after wishing the half-wolf a good night. Luke threw himself on his bed and regretted that the Tournament of Legends was already the next day, otherwise he would have been willing to do the Matriarch all night long.


    "I wonder what kinds of trials we''ll have to go through..." Luke whispered to himself as he looked at the worn wallpaper on the ceiling.


    Every year the first trials of the Tournament of Legends follow different patterns. The first ones serve to eliminaterge numbers of participants, there are usually from a thousand to ten thousand entrants, there can be up to four selective rounds, to only the best groups get into the yoffs.


    As far as Luke knew, the first phase of each year usually divides the participants into two colossal groups, so it was also risky to be only him and Nathalia because if they were separated, they obviously wouldn''t stand a chance alone against huge ns.


    For this reason, Nathalia had to give in and invited Shiro, Jilly, and Livia to make up the group. Nathalia began to fully trust her two cousins after they started training together, but Ayumi asked Luke to keep an eye on them since there was no other Strogueher group participating this year, and the girls might want to do something at Wang''s behest.


    The half-wolf also doubted that Wang Strogueher wasn''t up to something. If he challenged her, it was because he surely had something in mind.


    Even with so many thoughts running through his head, Luke soon managed to fall asleep easily thanks to Ayumi. The next day, he woke up

 Chapter 119 The Gift

    Luke looked at the clothes on the trunk and next to them was a letter. Luke opened it a little worried since he still didn''t know enough about phonemes yet to read something by himself.


    To his delight, on the letter, there was not a text, but a drawing. It was a hand-made illustration of a heart, and inside it was a woman with long ears and hair. Luke smiled and lovingly put the drawing away in the <Normal Inventory>, to make sure he wouldn''t lose it.


    ''So, you mean this here is a gift from Ayumi...'' Luke thought as he held up the new outfit to get a better look. When he felt what the garment was made of, he was dumbfounded. ''I don''t even think I deserve all this...''


    He quickly began to get dressed. After wearing it, Luke opened the closet that was inside his room, and on the closet door was a mirror. The half-wolf looked at himself and almost couldn''t believe it was him. The gift was a set of clothes, armor, and belts that Luke could not even imagine the price.


    The jacket he was wearing was gray and thick enough to protect him, but not too thick to make him overheat. There were red stripes on it, and some of it fell behind his left leg as if Ayumi knew that he used to keep throwing knives in that same area.


    On the jacket were shoulder pads made of sturdy metal, the shape of which resembled the head of a gargoyle. In addition, there was a belt that connected the shoulder pads. This restricted his movements, yet he continued to wear the shoulder pads.


    <o>,m In the ensemble, there were also bracelets. Ordinary bracelets are usually made of leather and carry some belts, but these looked like small shields to protect his forearms. Their material was brown and didn''t look like metal, but it was still hard as a rock.</o>


    "I think I''ll finally be able to use my arms to protect myself," Luke said, smoothing the object.


    Having armor that protects some parts of your body was almost like a blessing, the boy would be less worried about getting hit and focusing much more on hitting his opponents.


    However, Luke knew that the reason Ayumi gave so many parts with armor was not for this reason. There are abilities so strong that they can turn a person into dust, and wearing strong armor serves as a guarantee that you won''t die from a single hit.


    In addition to the garments to protect his chest, Luke was given iron knee pads, side pouches for his waist belt, and sturdy pants ordered especially for him.


    During the time he was looking at his new items, Luke heard two firm knocks on the door, then a serene voice, "Mr. Lange, are you up yet? You have to be ready in fifteen minutes." Martha said.


    The half-wolf walked to his bedroom door and opened it. The maid was surprised but tried not to show it.


    "The breakfast is on the table, but I''m afraid you''ll have to eat alone. Shiro and Nathalia are warming up and Alexis and Mrs. Yamazaki left early." She said and moved out of the way of the door, so he could get out.


    "Alright...how about you...have you eaten yet?"


    "Not yet."


    "Thene with me please," Luke asked, as he walked out of the room. He was used to eating with thepany since he was a child.<sub> </sub>


    Martha was unresponsive for a second but soon pulled herself together. "As you wish..."


    At that moment, Luke Lange looked like another person in Martha''s eyes. He was not wearing the everyday cloak that covered much of his face, nor even his worn and old clothes.


    His fluffy ears were showing, as was his tail. The tail of the half-wolf was just over forty centimeters long and looked very soft with his hair seeming to be well cared for. His fur was ck, and at the very tip of his tail, it turned a little white.


    Soon Martha controlled herself and stopped staring at the man. After eating breakfast, Nathalia appeared to call him. Then they got into the carriage for the event, which was being escorted by two otherrge carriages. As the representatives of a renowned noble family, they had to be safe.


    The road was long, and they would have to cross the city, but with four horses pulling the carriage, this trip should not take more than fifteen minutes.


    The Tournament of Legends usuallysts three days, but there have been times when it hassted even more than a week. It all depends on the types of tests that will be imposed.


    "Which event do you think will be the first? They say that the first one is always the hardest and that many people even die during it..." Jilly said while biting her nails. The young Elf, although she always looked nervous, was never frowning, only looking tense.


    Livia gave Jilly two weak ps on the back. "Rx~ We have very talented members, and you have me. No one will be able to stop us. I''m sure one of us will be the Champion." She said, smiling confidently.


    At that moment, Nathalia was sure she made the right choice in deciding to bring the twins. One of them was a realist and the other would boost the morale of the group, it was a perfect bnce between doom and glory.


    However, during the trip, Nathalia noticed that Luke was a little nervous. How did she know? He was nonstop eating all the truffles delivered by Martha.


    She didn''t me him, after all, there was a great deal of pressure on his shoulders. The half-wolf would have to get the public''s attention amidst thousands of participants and among many strong ns, while Nathalia''s goal was just to hold out until the yoffs.


    Ironically, Nathalia was happy to see the nervousness of the half-wolf, because it brought reassurance to her. ''So that means that even people with monstrous talents get like this... how nice.'' She thought, relieved.


    "By the way, why didn''t Alexis sign up too? She''s also so strong." Jilly asked, leaning forward in her seat.


    Shiro, Nathalia, and Luke exchanged nces, and the first person to open her mouth was Shiro. "Look... as far as I know... She doesn''t like to expose herself too much. Because of the horns and stuff..." He lied and fumbled a bit with his words.


    Luckily, Jilly and Livia faithfully believed the big guy, and after that they arrived at the Central Pce, the biggest and most beautiful building in Oukiwa.

 Chapter 120 Central Palace

    There were few times in Luke''s life that had the audacity to get this close to the Central Pce after what had happened in his childhood, and it certainly brought back memories.


    The area was way different from what it used to be. The buildings seemedrger, and everything seemed even more dystopian than the reality in the Lower City. At one point, the stone roads changed to something more sophisticated, of a material simr to light basalt, where the horses'' footsteps were even louder.


    Besides being thergest building in the entire city, the Central Pce was also the tallest building and the one located at the highest altitude as well. At its entrance was a colossal staircase with hundreds of steps.


    In front of the staircase was a broad za, and in it, Luke saw a sea of people. Many of the people were wearing imposing armor and carrying their weapons. At the foot of the staircase, there were more than fifty knights in steel armor, forming a chain of protection so that no one dared to climb the steps.


    That day, the half-wolf experienced first-hand the privileges he earned by working for the Strogueher. The carriage he was in made a turn and turned onto a side road. The car stopped, and Luke saw through the window that the coachman handed a document to a guard and a bag with money.


    Then the passage of the three carriages, which made up the Strogueher protection train, was cleared for overtaking. Then the carriage drove up a side road to the top of the Central Pce so that they would not have to stand in the middle of the crowd.


    When they finally arrived at the Pce, Luke admired the massive building from a distance he had never imagined. The Central Pce was not only a beautiful building in Oukiwa; this was also the ce where everything happened.


    ''Ow... that thing is even bigger up close.'' He concluded as he looked up.


    The Central Pce sits on top of a small mountain, plus it is the only building that can be seen even from outside the city. Its characteristic pointed towers, reminiscent of the Gothic Era, are one of the most beautiful features of its architecture, in addition to the dozens of ss panes with designs that pay homage to The Four Heroes of Cmity.


    "That''s pretty high up here!" Livia eximed, leaning on the ledge that separated her from a cliff.


    When Jilly saw her sister, she inhaled and shouted, "Get out of there, you crazy girl!"


    "Oh~? Why~? The view is so cool from here!" Livia said joking. She was really excited.


    Luke didn''t me the girl; after all, since they had started training together, he had always seen her trying very hard, as well as showing good progress.


    "If the goal was to get attention...with them it won''t be hard." Luke joked with Nathalia, whoughed at the situation.


    Shiro saw that andpared it to his past. If he had been told a year ago that he would bepeting in the Tournament of Legends alongside his great childhood friend Luke and three other members of the Strogueher Family, he would have found it hard to believe.


    ? "Then why did wee up here?" Livia asked, walking away.


    Since the escort had already left, Nathalia had to deduce. "I believe my mother must have asked us to have a better view of the Presentation of the Sensory Magician who will be running the rounds, and also so we wouldn''t be in the middle of all that." She spoke and pointed to the thousands of people in the square below, who were now the same size as insects.


    "We were lucky that this year the city chosen to host thepetition was Oukiwa... If it was in Broteforge, we would have had to travel for at least a week." Spoke Jilly as she held her sister by the arm, so she wouldn''t go to the ledge again.


    Everyone nodded; after all, it would be a terrible thing to travel in such a hurry for an event that requires so much preparation.


    The quintet was not the only group ofpetition participants that were in the Central Pce, and they were slowly beginning to attract attention. This was the only group of Stroguehers that was participating in the Tournament of Legends this year, and this was reason enough for many to respect and hate them.<sub> </sub>


    However, this year there was something different that intensified this difference of feelings, the half-wolf. This outfit didn''t let Luke hide his tail and ears, so his group drew even more attention. Since there were rumors that a half-wolf, who surpassed the strength of the previous edition''s Champion, was hired by the Strogueher''s, Luke''s mere presence in the Central Pce was enough to boil up somepetitors'' fighting spirit.


    As the sun reached precisely the top of the sky, marking noon, something began to appear over the Central Square, which was what the thousands of people were called.


    The crowd shouted with excitement when they saw arge sphere over their heads, which expanded as the seconds passed.


    "Look! It''s going to start!" A green-haired woman, who came out of the lobby of the Central Pce to smoke, warned all the inattentive people.


    The sphere was at the same height as the Central Pce, so the half-wolf group and the other members of noble families and powerful ns could see it easily.


    Suddenly, the object pulsed and doubled in size, but this pulse didn''t just serve to make it grow. If the participants looked to the horizon, they could see that six other spheres hovered over the sky from other vital ces in the city.


    Just below the sphere, Luke was looking at, a white me appeared. Immediately, a serene voice reverberated throughout all directions of Oukiwa.


    "Long ago... the native peoples of this continent deified fire as if it were indeed a mythical being, an entity, a God... And that to this day makes me wonder: what if it actually was?"


    Following the narration of the voice, the fire began to metamorphose, finally taking on a shape that resembled a human silhouette.


    "It is a fact that... there are many things we do not understand about our history... The Dungeons, the monsters, life, fate, love... But if there is one thing we do know it is... we are strong. Although we have every reason to give up, we all keep moving forward... trying and trying."


    Just like that, weapons appeared in the silhouette''s hand, both made of mes. A shield in his right arm and a spear in his left hand.


    "And it''s to prove the strength that you signed up for the Tournament of Legends, isn''t it?"


    At no time in history have warriors so different from each other agreed on the same sentence as they did in that instant. Without exception, all were there to show how strong they were or could be.


    "I am Mika ?kerman, and I am here to help you achieve your goals... or hinder you." said the woman who took the ce of the burning figure under the colossal cubes.


    Everyone could see her very clearly. Her hair was blonde and curly, but it was tied back. In addition, she wore ck tiaras on her head that resembled the shape of two horns and essories on her ears that resembled the shape of pointed ears, like those of an Elf.


    "The first phase of the Tournament of Legends will be simple... There are just over six thousand people signed up, and all of you will be teleported to a distant, secret forest. In that forest, there will be 500 birds, and only those who kill at least one bird will move on to the second phase... Good luck."


    The seven spheres pulsed and disappeared at the same time as the thousands of people began to tense up at the announcement. In the end, Luke only had time to look at Nathalia and say:


    "Look for me before you go after any of the birds."


    The Elf nodded, and then golden magic circles appeared beneath the feet of all the participants. In the blink of an eye, they were all teleported away.

 Chapter 121 Colossal Trees (Part 1)

    <strong>¡ª Skd?dsgen Forest, Suzano Region. Half an hour after the mass teleportation. ¡ª</strong>


    In many regions of the world, there are ces with truly frightening and impactful scenery that are unlike anywhere else in the world. And the Skd?dsgen Forest is one of these peculiar environments.


    In this strange forest grows a kind of tree that can easily grow hundreds of meters tall. These trees often have trunks as thick as entire buildings and branches as long as whole roads, making it difficult for the sun to reach the ground.


    This vile environment was chosen to host the first stage of the Tournament of Legends, where thousands of people were supposed topete for a maximum of five hundred ces in the second stage.


    Luke moved quickly between the tall branches of the trees. To him, this was not much different than moving on the rooftops of the city of Oukiwa; in fact, this was just a lot higher.


    Before looking for the birds, Luke thought he should first find Nathalia and help her. Above all, he still worked for her and wanted to help her prove herself to her family.


    In that jungle, which should be silent for its vastness, the half-wolf kept hearing cries of despair and roars. He didn''t care to help anyone, but he was curious when he heard loudughter echoing.


    ''Who with a sane mind wouldugh in a contest like this?'' Luke wondered as he lowered the height he was on.


    The thick branches of the trees formed different paths, which were often interconnected, making even the treetops a maze. Since Luke was curious, he just jumped between two branches of a tree andnded on the swampy forest floor.


    Hystericalughter obscured the noise of the half-wolf''snding. Luke turned his fingers sharp and snuck between the shadows until he saw four strong, tall men wearing light armor.


    These individuals were watching a girl fight a huge boar, and as she tried to draw her one-handed sword from her back, the archer in the group shot an arrow in her direction. The young girl did not have enough speed to dodge the arrows, the boar''s thrusts, and draw her sword at the same time.


    Normally, Luke would turn his back on such a situation and go his own way, but he had two reasons for not doing so.


    The first and main reason was the fact that one of the men had a dead bird tied around his waist. This bird waspletely golden and no bigger than a brown sparrow. If this was the requested bird, Luke could not let an opportunity like this pass him by.


    Second, and the least important reason, the person the men were pressing was none other than Livia Strogueher.


    ''Ah... She''s not worth the risk, but she might be useful in the future.'' Luke thought, trying to fool himself that he would not act just for the bird.


    The half-wolf didn''t know these four individuals, so he couldn''t go off on them and knock them out as he did with the Hospital guards. Luke knew well that anyone brave enough to enter apetition where death is not against the rules was undoubtedly a strong and confident person.


    Luke did not draw the Behemoth Axe, as it considerably decreased his mobility in most situations. Instead, he used his new skill, <Invisible Trail>.


    Taking advantage of the fact that the four men were well separated by being at different heights on the terrain and in divergent directions, Luke concluded that he should be as stealthy as he could.<sub> </sub>


    Using the dense woods of the area, he moved to the back of a log and began to climb it. At one point, he poked around with his head, and when he saw that he was at the same height as the archer, he climbed some more.


    Thanks to the <Invisible Trail> skill, any trace that could expose his location was hidden. So he was able to walk through the bush without the vegetation swaying, just as he was also able to walk through the thin log over the archer''s head without the wood swaying or creaking.


    Luke''s jump didn''t even make a sound, and thanks to this, he was able tond behind the archer silently. Skillfully, the half-wolf covered the archer''s mouth with his left hand and, with his right hand, slit the hooded man''s throat. It would be too risky to leave him alive.


    At that moment, Livia looked up to try to predict the arrow the archer would shoot, but when she saw a shadow with ears, she unconsciously smiled and focused on the rabid boar.


    Livia drew her sword with speed and shouted, "<Thunder Razor>!"


    The characteristic rumble of her skill echoed for hundreds of meters inside the jungle. However, this time there was something different. The sound came apanied by a sh, and the sparks reversing the girl''s sword were more active and faster.


    "What the fuck is that?!" The man with the golden bird shouted, startled, after covering his eyes because of the glow.


    The other two quickly drew their swords from their side scabbards. Both were using curved-ded sabers, simr to the one Luke once had. The trio looked at the archer, who was hindering the girl so far; however, their partner had disappeared.


    "Shit... she''s got help! Spread out!" The one who seemed to be the leader and who carried the key to winning the first phase shouted. ''Fuck it... it was just an archer anyway. I''m not going to risk myself for foolish revenge...'' He judged as he turned to run.


    Livia managed to dodge an attack from the boar and struck the side of the animal''s chest, killing it with the shock of her skill. The animal grunted and fell hard to the ground.


    "Where are you running to!!!? Cowards! Bastards!" Livia screamed, panting and frustrated.


    Beside the archer''s body, Luke watched from above as the three men scattered off in different directions. ''Tsk! If only I was a little faster...'' he thought.


    The small group leader was running in an open region, and unlike the other two, he was not jumping with speed. Then Luke saw an opportunity.


    Luke looked at the bow in the hands of the corpse beside him, took an arrow from his quiver, lined the arrow up with the thin string, and shot. The half-wolf heard the whirr of the arrow as it left the bow. Zimmm...


    The arrow was quick as the half-wolf pulled the string tightly. However, the wood of the arrow wobbled a bit and just hit the ground.


    "Sigh... there goes a shot." Luke spoke and reached down to check on Livia. He wasn''t upset that he didn''t hit it; after all, he had never pulled the string of a bow to draw in his entire life.

 Chapter 122 Colossal Trees (Part 2)

    Livia was very frustrated and stressed about being humiliated, but Luke managed to calm her down. Since the trio could return at any moment with reinforcements, the half-wolf and the proud Elf had to get out of that ce as soon as possible.


    "Come on! just follow me," Luke said, turning his back to the girl and slightly leaning forward.


    "What are you doing?" She asked and stepped back shyly.


    "This forest looks pretty big, and I think it''s way better for us to stay on higher ground. Do you think you can climb it on your own?"


    The girl nced up briefly and saw the colossal trees that surrounded her.


    "If we stay here, a good archer can attack us, and we won''t even be able to see where the arrow came from." Luke continued to exin. He actually didn''t want to stay on the firm ground because, in addition to the mud puddles and small ponds of standing water, a mist was also beginning to form.


    If the Sensory Magician who made the presentation in Oukiwa could also teleport thousands of people at once, the half-wolf didn''t doubt anything else, not even that she could control the weather in the forest.


    "Sigh... it''s okay. I agree with you..." said Livia, disappointed, and climbed onto the half-wolf''s back while hugging him tightly as he began to use his hands to climb.


    Since the duration of Luke''s <Invisible Trail> skill had already run out, he needed to be a little more careful. When they got close to the thinner logs at thirty meters high, Luke knew that this was the perfect spot to rest for a while.


    "Do you know anything about where we are?" Luke asked the girl because he had no idea.


    Livia thought for a while, looked around, and replied with a smile, "I have no idea."


    When she said that, Luke almost regretted saving her because now he had neither the bird nor any idea how to find Nathalia. The jungle was dense, and although it was afternoon, almost no light prated through the canopies. On top of all that, the screams and roars had almostpletely stopped after the crash caused by the <Thunder Razor> skill.


    "But I can try to find out..." Liviapleted her own answer.


    Luke looked at her, hopeful, "What do you mean?"


    The girl smiled, proud of herself, and pulled out something inside the armor lining her right trough. "That doesn''t always work, but it has gotten me out of many problems. I didn''t try to use it before because I didn''t think it was necessary."


    Livia''s haughtiness did not let her confess that she did not think to use her trick because she was frightened by the forest environment. Now in the palm of her hand was a scroll. She opened the parchment and revealed there was a magic circle drawn on it.


    "My great-uncle Manilyn who made it... he''s a weird fellow, but he''s also the most brilliant mind I''ve ever known. Now, all I have to do is do this..." Then Livia drew her sword from one hand.


    Luke held the girl''s wrist. "What are you doing?" Neither of them carried a purse, and Luke had only three simple healing potions in his inventory, which he didn''t want to spend on nonsense.


    "Trust me," said Livia, looking confidently into the man''s eyes.<sub> </sub>


    p Although he was hesitant, Luke released her wrist. Soon after, the Elf used her sword to sh lightly at the palm of his left hand. Then she closed her hand and let the blood drip onto the paper.</anda>


    At first, the paper was just soaked with blood; however, after a few moments, the paper glowed, and from it appeared a magical hologram of what appeared to be a map of the forest. Just above the map was the name of the ce.


    "Skd?dsgen Forest..." Livia read aloud as she began to analyze the map.


    Still, a little shocked by the blood and parchment thing, Luke inquired, "Isn''t that the legendary forest?"


    "Oh... you''re smarter than you look. Yes, that''s exactly what I thought."


    "If it is as the legends say, the only dangers here are not the humans..." As if it were the work of fate, a red dot began to glow on the magic map at that very moment. "What is that?" The half-wolf inquired.


    "I don''t know... that never happened the other times I used it. That was only meant to show the region around the scroll."


    "What if it''s Nathalia?" The thought crossed Luke''s mind.


    They had nothing else to do and didn''t even know what the time limit was for the test or when all the birds had already been killed, so they quickly had to decide.


    Offhand, they headed in the direction that the map pointed the red dot. It was difficult for Luke to carry Livia on his back, but he didn''t find her totally useless now.


    As they approached, loud battle noises could be heard. The loud sounds of metal caused by the meeting of des rang out from the thick trunks and up into the tall branches.


    Luke stopped, looked down, and saw not only Nathalia but also Shiro and Jilly. For a moment, he almost smiled with relief that he had managed to find the three, but he saw that the trio was facing a group of men, who had three archers, two swordsmen, a tank, and even a wizard.


    Shiro was being pressed, and his metal armor was barely enough to withstand the attacksing from many directions. Nathalia had an arrow stuck in her left shoulder, and Jilly looked for useful spells in her grimoire. The two girls were only still alive because Luke blocked as many attacks as possible.


    "You''re tough~ How long are you going to act this way? Just hand it over!" One of the archers shouted at Shiro. The big guy was carrying a golden bird hidden inside his armor.


    "Why don''t you leave? There are hundreds of birds like that in the forest." Nathalia shouted and took advantage of Shiro''s protection to remove the arrow from her shoulder. "Agggh!" she howled in pain.


    "Bitch... do you know how big this forest is?"


    Right after the man''s questioning, the enemy wizard took advantage of the moment of distraction to use one of the Abilities from his grimoire. A blue fireball appeared over the battlefield, and it was more than a meter in diameter. Tank and the sworders quickly retreated from the front line.


    "Son of a bitch, you were just distracting us," said Nathalia and started walking backward, startled.

 Chapter 123 A Bloody Battle

    When the bluish fireball was thrown in the direction of Shiro and the others, Nathalia was ready to use <Bj?rnens brystte>, to at least be able to protect herself and maybe Jilly, but Shiro didn''t take even one step back when he saw the fireballing straight at him.


    The huge man wedged his ymore into the ground, pped the palms of his metal gloves, and stretched his arms forward.


    "<Renegade''s Barrier>!" He roared. From one second to the next, a barrier appeared with the same golden color as the ornaments of his armor.


    This barrier looked like a bear''s mouth, but instead of teeth, there were vines, and as soon as the fireball collided with the vines, they wrapped around it and swallowed it. The Wizard''s spell was nullified entirely.


    After using the ability, Shiro tossed his hair to the side and smiled confidently.


    "How did you do that, you son of a bitch!?" The Wizard asked, falling to his knees. The fireball was the most potent magic he knew, and yet it was not effective.


    Shiro picked up his huge sword from the ground and replied, "You are weak. Try again."


    "Attack them!" The Tank shouted and began to run forward. In his mind, there was no way such arge group could lose to just three.


    "<Aura Amplification>!" Nathalia shouted, and in the next instant, a loud m cut through the enemy Tank''s armor, causing him to break his onught.


    However, even without Tank, the swordmen did not stop and kept running, ready to stockpile anything that came their way.


    As soon as they approached Shiro, everyone could hear a loud shout from the Berserker''s back. "Get down!"


    Shiro was not very fast, but he tried to duck as quickly as possible because he recognized the voice that gave the order.


    Just then, a dish ax that came from high in the trees made an abnormal turn and decapitated one of the sworders. The archers, who already had their strings intending to shoot, were confused, and the Wizard was disturbed.


    They looked at the ax that dug into the ground and the head that rolled beside it. Followed by a massive ssh of blood, the archers screamed in horror.


    Without the Behemoth Axe in hand, Luke jumped from over 10 meters high right onto the shoulders of the remaining swordsman and knocked him out with a kick. Then he bounced back with a backflip and fell in front of Shiro.


    "How did you find us? Our scent?" The big man asked.


    "Are you kidding? It''s impossible to tell your stench apart with so much blood and mud smelling in this forest," said Luke, joking about the fact that Shiro only used to take two baths a week.


    Shiro almostughed but was not moved by the turn of events that the half-wolf provided for the battle. The archers quickly began firing as fast as they could at the emerging half-wolf, which confirmed to Luke that they were not going to give up and run away like the men of minutes ago.


    Dodging the arrows with ease, Luke picked up his ax in the middle of the path and continued running toward the Tank and the Wizard, who he thought were his most significant problems.<sub> </sub>


    The Tank was a huge knight who, like Shiro, wielded arge ymore-style sword. However, this man''s ymore was different because it was over six feet tall.


    As soon as Luke saw the giant sword approaching him, he decided between dodging or blocking. The half-wolf quickly chose to block. He held each end of his ax with one hand and ced it in front of the de that shed toward him.


    When the sword collided with the ax handle, it seeded only in repelling Luke backward. Dragging his feet in the dirt, Luke almost fell, but the weights of his new boots made sure that didn''t happen.


    "Shiro, can you distract the big guy? He''s a good Tank, so it''s going to hard get to the Wizard."


    "Leave it to me!" eximed Shiro and started running toward the other big man in armor.


    This was rugged terrain for the two huge knights to move because should the joints of their armor lock because of the mud on the ground, it would decree their deaths. Shiro was soon caught up with Luke, but the half-wolf didn''t try to overtake him because he needed his cover.


    With no other options left, the Tank drove his sword into the ground and shouted, "Seiangrep!"


    Then the ground of the battlefield began to shake in such a high magnitude that the tops of the colossal trees shook, and severalrge trunks snapped. Not expecting such a sudden earthquake, Luke was no longer able to steady himself on the ground, and by the time he realized it, the Tank was running toward him.


    "Now, Livia!" The half-wolf shouted, but when he looked up, Livia was holding on to keep from falling off one of the tree branches. ''... Ah, I fucked up.''


    Instead of the Tank aiming his blow at Shiro, he mustered up all the anger he was at the half-beast, having coldly killed one of hispanions and brandished his sword at Luke.


    Seeing that the attack wasing toward him, Luke tried to get up and jump to the side. He managed to get up, but a violent headache came over him, followed closely by a tormenting ringing in his ears.


    In the end, the huge sword nearly pierced Luke''s heart. Even after wedging the ymore into the thorax of the half-wolf, the Tank only stopped running when he collided with the root of one of the enormous trees on the other side of the battlefield.


    Slowly the tremor of his ability reduced until it ceased once and for all. Luke looked down where there was a throbbing pain and saw that a huge sword was running through him, but it was thin.


    With his vision a little blurred, Luke saw over the Tank''s shoulder Jilly finally use an ability from his white grimoire. Three stakes of light appeared in the air and pierced through the archer''s chest.


    Luke was proud that despite the tension and inexperience, the girl was able to act. Nathalia, who was standing next to where the Tank stopped, looked stunned to see that the half-wolf couldn''t dodge.


    Even though she was bleeding profusely, another round of the atrocious buzzing started. The half-wolf felt as if there were millions of bells jingling inside his head. He fought the urge to faint and held on to the smell of blood he was smelling. Slowly, the taste of iron became marked in his mouth as well.


    When Luke opened his eyes again, he was still in great pain. He looked on the left side of his chest and saw that he was holding with his left hand the ymore across his chest. Then he looked at his right hand and saw that, despite the enormous pain, his animal instincts had saved him. His right hand was across the Tank''s chest, and on the other side, he was holding the man''s heart.

 Chapter 124 Survival Of The Fittest

    Soon, Luke felt the buzzing go away, and the pain of the sword running through him came back into the foreground. A little amount of blood dripped down the sides of the Tank''s mouth, whose eyes Luke couldn''t even see because of the shape of the helmet that covered them.


    ''This guy was strong...'' Luke thought and pushed the man''s body back, which already appeared to be lifeless. The thud of the corpse was metallic and raised some dust.


    The half-wolf looked at the sword on his chest and analyzed the situation.


    ''I think because of the shaking he ended up missing my heart... How damn lucky I am.''


    ymore had gone through two of the half-wolf''s ribs and came out the other side, where the root of one of the trees was. Despite the pain, Luke was feeling, the fact that the sword had not been removed immediately ensured that he did not lose much blood.


    A healing potion has the power to heal the vast majority of simple injuries, but a potion will never magically add more blood to someone''s body.


    "ARE YOU OKAY!?" Nathalia questioned him, approaching him in desperation. She looked at the wound and quickly looked into his eyes to see if he was still alive.


    "Yes, I''m fine-"


    "Come on, drink this!" The Elf pulled from one of the small pockets of her armor a medium potion, which instead of the characteristic wine-like hue of the simple potions, this one had a more vivid reddish hue.


    Luke grabbed the girl''s wrist before she could shove the vial of potion into her mouth and spoke:


    "I said I''m fine. Now focus on the battle Nathalia. There''s still one left. Keep this, I have one for myself."


    The girl''s eyes widened, but she understood the message, evoked her Panspermia spear, and ran towards the wizard, who was bravely resisting Shiro''s sword blows.


    "OH, I''M SORRY! I''M SORRY! I swear I won''t torment you anymore! Just leave me alive!" The wizard shouted. He was wearing long clothes, and a hood covered his face.


    "What''s the point of leaving you alive? How would we know if you will want to follow us or not?" Shiro shouted and hit the wizard''s magic shield again.


    "Shiro, let him go. If he tries to follow us, he knows what he will find. We have no more time to waste. Now that we are together, we have to focus on the goal." Nathalia approached, and although she wielded a spear, she made the smart choice.


    "As you wish, Miss..." Then Shiro lowered his sword and walked away.


    Jilly and Livia were the only ones who stayed away from the situation looking horrified by the bloodbath. Jilly had never killed someone in her life, and Livia couldn''t do anything about it.


    Only after Nathalia approached him did he recognize the three girls'' white hair, high-ss robes, and pointed ears.


    "You are from the Strogueher Family, aren''t you? I swear I will be eternally grateful to you!" The man said and knelt once more.


    At Nathalia''s request, Shiro chose to leave the wizard alone. As soon as the strange man had a chance, he threw himself into the tall leaves of some bushes and abandoned the swordsman of his group, who was passed out on the ground.


    "What are we going to do with him?" Shiro questioned Nathalia while pointing at the swordsman.


    The Elf flickered her eyes but quickly made a decision. "Leave him. He''ll have a better chance of staying alive if he''s not walking around."<sub> </sub>


    From afar, Luke watched his group taking action, and he usually would have killed the wizard to prevent future problems, something he always did, however now he didn''t want to go against Nathalia''s decision.


    As soon as Luke removed the ymore from his chest, he stored it in his inventory. He resisted the pain until he took a simple healing potion. When he did, the pain immediately went away, and his skin tissue in seconds regenerated.


    Taking a healing potion is always a risk because it can heal wrong or trap bacteria inside the body. But in inhospitable regions like the Dungeons and the Skd?dsgen Forest, this may be the only alternative that will keep someone away from death.


    Before anyone could say a thing, Jilly showed concern as always. "What are we going to do now? We''ve been here for almost an hour already..."


    "After all, this is an endurance test. Now that we are united, we have to choose between dominating a region of the forest or walking through it." aimed Shiro, while tapping his heels on the ground to remove the excess dirt from his boots.


    "First, let''s get out of here, and we''ll discuss it in a moment." Luke proposed, and everyone nodded firmly.


    Thanks to the tear in his clothes, everyone could see that another scar had formed on Luke''s chest, but no one asked about his state of health because they knew he was strong.


    With such arge group, it would be impossible to walk through the branches of the trees as before, even among the thickest ones, because Shiro was wearing very heavy armor, so they had to walk on the jungle floor.


    After a short time of walking, they came upon a hollow trunk. Livia tripped over a rock, tried to lean against the tree, and ended up breaking its old, parched bark, which eventually revealed their future shelter.


    "Oww! This is spectacr!" Nathalia said, looking at the inside of the tree. It felt the same as looking up from the ground at the bottom of a well or a very tall building.


    "So, what''s the n now?" Jilly inquired, not even caring about the scenery.


    "First, how did you get the golden bird, Shiro?" Luke had already noticed that the big guy was feeling ufortable about something as he walked.


    Shiro was not wearing any protection around his waist, so all it took was for him to pull the armor pressed against his abdomen a little for the golden bird to fall to the ground. As he made this movement, he exined that he found the bird as soon as he arrived in the forest. However, he did not have to hunt the bird as he thought he should; the bird flew towards him and with a single attack on the head, it died.


    "All right... the woman said we had to kill it to pass the test, but then killing isn''t enough..."


    Skillfully, Luke opened the small golden bird to see anything inside it.


    "Of course, the Tournament of Legends would not be so simple..." He said as he opened the animal''s chest and found a golden sphere. "I guess that''s the exit door to the outside, but it''s still an individual trial, so..." Luke held out the orb to Nathalia.


    The Elf was unresponsive but quickly denied it valiantly. "We''re here together, so we should get out of here together."


    "I understand but, keep it with you... if things get asplicated as before, promise me you''ll get out of here. There''s a little button here, see?" Luke pointed to the activation button on the sphere.


    So, after hatching a n, the quintet decided not to stay in that area. They didn''t know how the golden birds behaved or how to find them, so they thought it would be better to not park in one ce.


    The screaming had stopped, and the Skd?dsgen Forest was as silent as ever, but that didn''t mean there was no more danger. Luke and Livia still feared the legends about this forest, that ghosts often lurk its visitors.


    After walking for an hour and feeling their bellies growl with hunger, they finally found something encouraging. Fifty meters up, in an even more enclosed part of the jungle, where there were only huge branches and leaves, they found a flock of golden birds. There were at least thirty of them.

 Chapter 125 Golden Birds

    As soon as they saw the birds, Luke''s group hid themselves to not be seen. Earlier, they had walked for an hour and found not a sign of another living thing, only corpses of whole groups; for that reason, it was a shock to find the animals so suddenly.


    "What are we gonna do?" Jilly questioned, with a tone of voice so low that the sound almost didn''te out of her mouth.


    "You don''t have to keep it down. They''re over fifty feet up. They wouldn''t be able to hear us." Shiro tried to be as polite as possible to the girl.


    Nathalia was confident. She picked up a stick on the ground, moved some bush aside, and began to draw in the mud while exining:


    "Pay attention. We are here, and they are here." E-ss quickly drew something that resembled the trunk of a tree. At the top of that drawing, she made a circle at the bottom of it. "We will only get one chance to attack them, and we have to kill at least four. So we have to make a fail-safe n."


    "You have a n?" The half-wolf asked, looking directly into the girl''s eyes.


    "Yes. Now, pay attention..."


    Nathalia outlined a n that would require the help of everyone in the group and their abilities. Since no one in the group knew if the animals were easily frightened or if they were extremely aggressive, they worked with both possibilities.


    As ordered, Luke used the <Invisible Trail> skill to approach the flock silently by the massive trunk of a tree. Meanwhile, Shiro positioned himself at the indicated spot; next to him were Livia and Nathalia behind him.


    The moment everyone got into their positions, the sign of the start of the ambush was the bang caused by the skill <Thunder Razor>, used by Livia. Trrooommm!


    The birds freaked out a little. They looked down and saw a giant man with a girl beside him. Being such territorial birds, they were not at all pleased to see invaders in their area, and all dived toward Shiro.


    "Trrrrrriu!" The golden birds squealed, enraged.


    Luke saw the birds leave their field of attack and quickly began to descend from the colossal tree, jumping from branch to branch.


    When the birds got close enough, Shiro pped his palms together and shouted, "<Renegade''s Barrier>!"


    Seeing the barrier, the birds slowed down and prepared to dodge. However, Nathalia jumped out of the bushes behind the big man and used the <Malevolent Hook> skill. This skill pulled five birds from the flock right into the shield.


    The rest of the flock tried to dodge, but Luke was right behind them. He used <Vind> and pushed a few more birds toward the shield. The necks of more than a dozen golden birds broke on Shiro''s sturdy shield, thanks to the cooperation between Luke and Nathalia.


    The rest of the animals scattered in various directions in the forest as they continued to squeal bravely. These birds looked proud, but they were not dumb.


    Jilly saw some of them fly over her head, and even though they had managed to kill enough of them, she decided to use the <Endel?setau> ability.


    Four semitransparent stakes appeared in the air, and they had a slightly yellowish hue. These stakes followed four birds and pierced them a few meterster. Jilly took the four birds by the necks and joined the rest of the group.


    When the quintet grouped, they counted sixteen dead golden birds. Luke dissected four of them and took a golden orb from inside each of them. The rest of the animals he gathered into a bag and ced the dead animals in the <Normal Inventory>.


    Although he didn''t need to do this, the poor man''s spirit within him warned him that these things might be worth some money. Since the dissection work took a while, some members of the group had to keep vigil.<sub> </sub>


    "I left Livia watching the perimeter." spoke Nathalia, as she approached, "Have you finished?"


    "Yeah, I think we can get out of that creepy forest now. And... good job earlier. You should take more of the leadership role. You have the skills for it." Lukeplimented her and leaned lightly on her right shoulder.


    Nathalia smiled proudly. "Thank you so much..."


    "All right guys, you cane!" Luke eximed.


    Shiro, Jilly and Livia approached, eager to get going. The half-wolf ced a golden orb in each person''s hand and kept one for himself. Finally, he took a brief look around to check that no one was there and saw nothing.


    "At the end of my count, we will all press the buttons... Three, two, one..."


    Then everyone pressed the buttons simultaneously. They began to feel the same tingling sensation that invaded their bodies just before they emerged in the Skd?dsgen Forest. Then a blinding sh blurred their vision.


    From one second to the next, the half-wolf stopped hearing the rustling of the wind in the tall leaves of the colossal trees, and this was reced by silence. His eyesight gradually returned to normal in a moment. Thus, the half-wolf found himself in the middle of an extremely t ce.


    This environment was extremely different from anything Luke had ever seen in his entire life. The sky was very blue, and there was not a cloud in the sky, plus he was stepping on thin, short grass. The half-wolf had never seen a field so t and without any trees or rocks.


    "Luke... Luke! Wake up, Luke!" He heard a distant voice call out to him.


    At that moment, Luke woke up from his dream. "Huh? Where am I?" he asked, still a little sleepy.


    Nathalia was next to his bed, and they were not alone; there was also a nurse next to her with a cold towel in her hands.


    p "Step away, I have to check on him." The nurse said and pushed Nathalia aside a little. "Can you see that?" She asked, showing three fingers with her right hand.</anda>


    "Yes, it''s three fingers. Did something happen to me?" Luke asked, a little confused.


    Then with Nathalia''s help, the nurse exined to the half-wolf what had urred. Apparently, when the quintet was teleported back to the Central Pce, the doctors rushed to be able to help possible injured people, but among Shiro, Jilly, Livia, Nathalia and Luke, only the half-wolf fainted.


    Everyone''s first suspicion was the injury caused in the fight against the Tank, but...


    "Everyone who has examined you has no idea what happened. It wasn''t dpression, blood loss, weakness, a drop in pressure, much less ack of sugar." The nurse continued to exin how his case was a mystery.


    "But I feel great..." The half-wolf voiced, looking down at his own hands that were not even shaking.


    "Do you usually visit a doctor you trust? One who understands about your race?"


    "No... I''ve never even had an appointment with a real doctor."

 Chapter 126 389

    After being discharged from the nurse, Luke, instead of putting on his armor, chose to keep it in his inventory.


    "Luke, you''re going to be okay, aren''t you?" Nathalia inquired worriedly.


    The half-wolf ced hisrge hand on the top of the girl''s head and stroked. "Don''t bother with that...it shouldn''t be a big deal."


    As the two left the infirmary, they found Martha and Ayumi waiting for them. The long white corridor was empty except for the presence of the four of them.


    "Hi, are you okay? Did they exin anything to you?" The Matriarch asked, in a voice caring enough to show concern but not so much to reveal to Nathalia her rtionship with the half-wolf.


    Luke looked at her and smiled slightly. "It''s okay...they don''t know what happened, but they told me to see a doctor who specializes in my race."


    In Luke''s mind, if even the doctors in the medical wing of the Central Pce couldn''t help him, maybe no one could. And he didn''t want to frequent some crazy guru who could open him up with bizarre tools.


    "Where are Shiro and the other two girls?" He inquired to change the subject as quickly as possible and push away the negative thoughts.


    "They are resting. Phase Two should start in two or three hours. All the birds have already been killed." Martha replied. She had an unwavering expression as always.


    Nathalia was surprised at this revtion; after all, Phase One was still going on until half an hour ago. She hardly had time to rest. "Wasn''t that too fast? How many people passed?"


    "From what I talked to Mika ?kerman, Phase One was scheduled tost twenty-four hours, but the ns are pretty tight this year, so only 389 participants passed," Ayumi revealed.


    "How many died?" Luke inquired; after all, Phase One is known for having a lot of deaths.


    "Over two hundred people didn''te back. That''s why I say rest now... there''s no telling how Phase Two will be..." Ayumi said as she walked away, with Martha following closely behind her.


    "Wait a minute... have you heard from Alexis?" Luke asked. He was still worried about the secondary mission.


    "She''s made some progress, but she''s asked that you focus on the tournament. You are one yourself, Luke."


    The half-wolf had no choice but to ept that answer. The night before, he had passed the address of Matthew''s girlfriend to Alexis so that she could find him. However, Matthew could still reject the n, thinking that an S-ss might draw too much attention, so Luke was apprehensive. But he decided to take the wise counsel of the women and focus on the tournament.


    As soon as Ayumi and Martha left, Nathalia and Luke were directed by apetition auxiliary to the lodgings in the Central Pce itself. Since there were no more single rooms, the two were left together in one room.


    Nathalia threw herself on one of the beds in the room and sighed with fatigue. "Ah... Phase One was not easy at all."


    "From what I remember,st year''s Tournament of Legends didn''t have that many deaths," Luke said as he sat on the bed and admired the room. All the furniture in the room was white and had gold details. "By the way, why are there so many rooms in the Central Pce?"


    Nathalia pouted and began to ponder this as well. "Maybe it was some kind of house in the past? Or a church with nuns? Anyway, forget about it. Tell me about what the other tournaments you''ve seen were like..."<sub> </sub>


    "Well, each one is very different from the other. The powers of the Sensorial allow for a huge range of possibilities. They can create manyplicated situations for the participants."


    "Like for example...?"


    "There was one time that Phase One threw all the participants into the middle of the sea. There was also another that the participants were left in the desert for three days... It''s extremes like that have made the Tournament of Legends the sess it is."


    "That sounds incredible to me..." replied Nathalia. She had her head resting on her right arm and looked contentedly at Luke as she watched him. "Why have you never participated?"


    Luke took a few moments to think and give the girl an appropriate answer.


    "I guess... I never thought I would draw so much attention... I was taught to be discreet and that it would save my life and those of my friends... And here I am, contradicting yet another lesson from my master."


    So the Adventurer duo had to wait for a little over an hour in their room until a tournament auxiliary knocked on their door and instructed them to go down to the main courtyard of the Pce. They went downstairs and found hundreds of people gathered. In a way, this was nothingpared to the sea of people in the square at the beginning of thepetition.


    In that courtyard, some people wore the armor of powerful ns, and others could prove their strength with just a look. Livia Strogueher saw herpanions from afar and eximed:


    "Hey, Nath! Over here! We''re here!"


    All thepetitors present turned to look at the girl, and she felt so pressured by the angry stares that instead of her excitement deting, she began to burst into mes. Livia''s pride was something unshakable so far.


    "Ha! Those Strogueher always think they''re the powerful ones, don''t they? This year they don''t seem so strong to me." a girl, who was holding a spear, sneered, not hiding her debauched smile.


    "Shut up, Danubia... Don''t tease them." Arge, muscr man standing next to the woman scolded her.


    "Wait... that''s the half-beast hired by them, isn''t it? Wow, and who is that girl next to him?" A young boy whispered to hispanion.


    Thatment reminded everyone of the rumors that went around town a few weeks ago about a half-beast who managed to defeat the Tournament of Legends Champion at the Strogueher selective and was also hired.


    Half-beasts had consistently been underestimated and hated by many, who judged them simply for being too different from ordinary humans and Elves, so for many people, it was a nuisance for someone of that race to be so strong.


    Luke didn''t mind the buzz and walked over to Shiro, Jilly, and Livia.


    "How are you?" questioned Shiro, concerned. He hadn''t heard from the half-wolf since he saw him being taken to the infirmary.


    "I''m fine." He replied and punched the big guy''s armor lightly in the chest. "So, what are we waiting for?" In front of the courtyard, there was a stage over ten feet high.


    "Looks like that Sensory Magician is going to present Stage Two in person."

 Chapter 127 Second Phase

    Thements about Luke and the rest of the Strogueher only ceased when the attendees heard a tter of heels climbing the stairs to the stage at the front of the courtyard.


    "Good evening everyone... It is now exactly eight o''clock, and we are going to start Phase two," said Mika ?kerman, the Sensory Mage who was running the event this year.


    Before continuing her speech, she looked at some faces in the crowd and smiled.


    "As always, we have very talented people this year... Anyway, Phase Two will be a little different from the first. This time, you won''t be teleported to a faraway forest, because everything will take ce right here in Oukiwa."


    People held back their urge to talk to each other because of Mika''s magnificent presence.


    "You will all have two days to find the exact recipe and the right ingredients for each of you to make a vial of the Elixir of mel. You will have to deliver it exactly here in this room, before three o''clock in the afternoon. What is the Elixir of mel? Find out... But I''ll give you a hint, out of respect for those who don''t live in Oukiwa. Use this night to rest and tomorrow go to the City Library, maybe there will be some information there." Said Mika and finished with a wink with her right eye.


    The foreigners sighed with relief when they heard this information because then they would not be totally at the mercy of luck. Still, if they knew that the Oukiwa Municipal Library has thousands of books and that not just anyone can enter it, they would be scared.


    Afterward, all the participants were given brass medallions with a numbering and an hourss symbol engraved on them and were released. Everyone had the choice of staying in the Central Pce or going to sleep elsewhere, and the important thing was to be there at the agreed time and day, with the medallion in one hand and the Elixir in the other.


    Two white-haired figures spied them as Luke''s group left the Central Pce. Luke felt as if he was being watched; however, he found nothing as soon as he looked back.


    "What are you waiting for, Luke? Let''s go." Jilly said, realizing that the half-wolf was falling behind.


    "N-nothing... I just thought I saw something." He replied and trotted a short way to hispanions.


    The Second Phase of the Tournament of Legends models surprised everyone, without exception. The making of an Elixir had never been requested before in the entire history of the tournament.


    Luke was thankful that he had chosen to side with the Strogueher and not against them because it opened up a range of options for him to react to this situation, but...


    "I''m sorry, but I won''t be able to help you... That would be counterproductive." wailed Ayumi to frustrate the half-wolf and Nathalia. "Daughter, I want you actually to earn respect on your own merit, to be able to rub it in Wang''s damn face." Then she raised her arms, and Luke almost saw mes of excitement rising from the Matriarch''s eyes.


    "You got it, Mom!" In fact, Nathalia was even more motivated by her mother''s support.


    Luke wished Alexis was there because she was one of the few people he knew who seemed to know about making Elixirs, but the half-dragon did not return to the Strogueher residence that day.


    The next day, the first thing Luke decided to do was not go to the City Library; in fact, he woke up along with the sun to study. Nathalia was still asleep, and he could not let his knowledgeg behind.


    Martha was already awake and was more than happy to help the half-wolf. Since Alexis and Nathalia usually helped him, the servant girl hardly had time to get a close look at how little Luke knew about grammar.


    "Wow... your handwriting is deplorable." Martha judged as she saw the crooked symbols Luke called his handwriting.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re pretty strict, aren''t you?"


    Slowly Luke was learning more and more about how math and grammar worked. They have noplicated concepts; they need to be worked on often.


    A few minutester, Martha let him continue alone, so she could help the cooks prepare breakfast in the kitchen. A few minutester, Ayumi came down the stairs from the living room wearing tiny ck shorts and a yellow bra.


    When she saw that Luke was so focused on his quill and parchment in his hand that he didn''t even notice her presence, she hugged him from behind, pressing her breasts into him.


    "Hey, handsome boy. You really want to learn, don''t you? In the middle of an important nationalpetition and you haven''t abandoned your studies... That makes me horny..." She whispered in his ear and lightly scratched his neck with her right hand.


    Smiling excitedly, Luke looked hornily at the Elf. "It''s very early... and many people are already in the house..."


    The half-wolf was sitting on a thick wool rug and propping up his study materials on the coffee table in the living room. The Matriarch turned around, pulled him back a little, and sat on hisp.


    "Are you sure? We can still go up to your room..." She spoke with her face slightly red.


    No matter how many times she was bold with Luke, she felt the same excitement and shyness of a teenage girl doing this for the first time. Maybe this was because their rtionship was a secret, or perhaps because Luke was the right kind of man for her.


    Luke grabbed the Elf''s thick thighs, lifted her a bit, and tossed her to the side. "Yesterday, you told me to focus on just one thing...so that''s what I''m going to do." He dismissed her to tease her.


    The Matriarch got up from the floor and put her hand on her chin, impressed. "AraAra~ Being bold as always~... All right, then I''ll give you even more motivation. If you are the Tournament Champion, I will assume our rtionship for everyone..."


    "Are you serious?" Luke inquired, getting up as well.


    "I''ve never been more serious than I am now," said Ayumi, with a closed smile. She still kept inside her chest the sentence the half-wolf told after they had sex for the first time, about them not being able to have a future, but she didn''t think that way, not then, not now.


    This proposal motivated Luke more than ever, the boy put on his battle clothes to go to the City Library as soon as Ayumi left for work.


    When Nathalia came downstairs, still a little sleepy, she saw the half-wolf ready and with his clothes still torn, so she almost fellughing. "What are you doing?"


    Luke was at a loss to understand the intent of the question. "What do you mean? The only clue we have is the library, so let''s go there, shall we?"


    The girl approached while yawning with her right hand covering her mouth. "The library is not the only clue, and we still have the Elixir''s name. And by chance, I ended up finding out through Jilly that my great uncle Manilyn is a great alchemist. Let''s consult him first... If he doesn''t know what it''s about, we''ll go to the library."


    Nathalia was an intelligent girl and understood that it was not because her mother would not help her, that anyone in her new family couldn''t either.

 Chapter 131 The Preparation Method

    When Luke arrived at the appointed time to meet the four remaining members of the group, he soon realized that some things were not looking good.


    "What happened? Did someone fail to find some ingredient?" He asked, noticing that everyone was quiet and head down.


    Nathalia took the lead on the situation. "Almost everyone got the items, but the Gold Crystal and the Heksa Monster brain fluid are scarce in town from the high demand."


    "We didn''t get anything?" Luke couldn''t believe they went to all this trouble for nothing.


    Shiro, who was not wearing his armor at the moment, pulled three vials from his pants pocket. Inside these vials was a gtinous liquid with a silvery color, much like mercury. "We were able to buy only these three jars in all the stores that Livia and I passed through. They were thest vials of Heksa Monster brain fluid..."


    Then Nathalia also opened in the middle of the circle of people the bag that was in her hands and showed that inside it were four golden crystals, which were around twenty centimeters each.


    "That was all I could find with the ore suppliers... I stood in line for over an hour to buy them." The girl rified and closed the bag.


    "We should have started the search earlier..." Jilly said, a little helplessly.


    Her twin sister ced her right hand on her shoulder and spoke fondly, "We don''t have to worry about what we should have done but what we did. We were all exhausted from Phase One, both physically and mentally, we needed a rest."


    "I think you''re right..."


    Although Livia Strogueher was right, the half-wolf also began to ponder whether it was the right decision to act so calmly. The time limit was near, and yet they didn''t act as quickly as they should have.


    "Anyway, is there any way we can get the missing items? I have a pendant, I can get into the Dungeon if I have to."


    Shiro shook his head negatively. "Heksas Monsters are extremely rare and very strong creatures in the three Dungeons here. We would need everyone to enter the Dungeon, and we would be hard-pressed to find them. Not to mention the scarcity of Gold Crystals and the difficulty of extracting them."


    All those present trusted Shiro''s judgment and experience. The man was an experienced ss-C who is used to the two existing types of Dungeoneering, and he clearly knew items, monster spoils, and ores.


    Jilly and Livia exchanged nces, and nodded simultaneously, shortly after Livia spoke up:


    "We''d rather if you guys focus on making the Elixir. These were probably thest ingredients in town, and we still have enough to make three Elixirs of mel."


    Everyone was surprised by the attitude of the two sisters.


    "Why are you doing this?" Nathalia asked, confused, "You won''t gain anything from it."


    "Nathalia, of course, we would prefer if we could all get through, but that won''t be possible and among the five of us, Shiro, Luke and you are the strongest," exined Jilly, while articting well with her hands.


    "My sister is right... we were the only ones in the family who didn''t want to join a n or enter the Dungeons, and maybe that''s why we are much weaker than the others, but you can still bring that title to the Strogueher after so long. I trust you." Livia put her pride aside for a moment to state indisputable facts.<sub> </sub>


    The other three had no choice but to abide by the twins'' decision. Then they entered Manilyn''s house. The ce was dark as usual, and the light from the chandelier that the old man always carries with him was not on the stairs as in the morning, now they were in the living room right next to the entrance.


    As soon as the quintet entered the room, they were surprised. In that ce, there were many instruments and tools that they had never seen before, of different shapes and sizes.


    There were many shelves full of ss jars with strange things inside. There was also a giant skull of some being on the wall and dozens of crumpled scrolls.


    Luke had never seen a ce like this and could not even imagine how much each thing there might be worth. The instruments were made of strong ss with many different shapes, where the ss pipes twisted and intertwined. Inside these sses, were liquids of a few different colors mixed together.


    "Ah... you guys are finally back! Did you find everything I asked you to bring?" Manilyn asked, with an excited smile on her face.


    So they ced all theponents on the table. The old man meticulously went through everything, looking closely with his sses.


    "Good, good..." he said while shaking a bottle of Heksa Monster brain fluid.


    Shiro was startled by the old man''s unusual manner and respectfully spoke up, "Sir, be careful with this. They might be thest ones in the whole town..."


    "And who are you?" Manilyn inquired, raising only her right eyebrow.


    "A bodyguard who is here to help to protect your family." The big man retorted firmly.


    "I see..." smoothing his long beard, the old man narrowed his eyes at Shiro and then turned his back to everyone.


    Nathalia stepped forward and began touching the items on the table. "Are you going to help us make the Elixir anyway, sir?"


    "Of course, I will help... I will always want my family to do well in the Tournament of Legends." Just then, Manilyn poured the vial of brain fluid into one of the ss instruments. "I''ve been advancing some processes while waiting for you guys to return..."


    When the encephalic fluid was poured into a ss vial and came in contact with the ck liquid that was already in the instrument, they mixed quickly and everything turned white as milk.


    "We thank you for that, sir... I''m afraid we have enough for three Elixirs."


    "Three...?" asked Manilyn, still on her back, and added some of the liquid sulfur. "So Jilly and Livia will be left out for two strangers to continue in thepetition?" He surmised.


    "They''re not strangers, Grandpa...they saved our lives in Phase One," Jilly spoke up, surprised that such a statement came from someone she so admires.


    "All right...if you trust them, I will happily make the Elixirs. The fermentation process will take some time, but I think they will be ready before sunrise. Since I doubt there will be ingredients for more than forty doses of Elixir of mel in the entire city, the yoffs should already begin tomorrow, so I indicate that the three of you rest and prepare."


    While Luke sighed in relief at not having to prepare the Elixir, Nathalia was anxious about the arrival of the yoffs.

 Chapter 133 The Weight On The Shoulders

    Luke, Alexis, and Shiro had to form a line to each deliver their bottle of Elixir. All three bottles were exactly alike, both in shapes,positions, contents, and even the corks that capped them were simr.


    "Are you part of a n or something?" Mika asked as she greeted Nathalia first.


    The young Strogueher shivered a little before she spoke, and her voice barely came out when she took courage. She had never been in the presence of a Sensory Mage and had only read about them in history books.


    "No... we''re just friends."


    "It''s okay, you guys are lucky to get this far together." Sensorial removed the cork from Nathalia''s bottle, put her nose in the mouth of the bottle, looked a little closer, and finally concluded, "It''s perfect. You''ve passed... Stay here on the side, and I''ll talk to all of you at onceter."


    Next, Mika meticulously analyzed the contents in Shiro''s bottle as well and approved it. When atst it was Luke''s turn, he ced the ss bottle on the table and said nothing.


    Thepositions of the previous two Elixirs were exactly the same, as was this third bottle, so it wasn''t hard for Mika to assume that the Strogueher''s hired someone who made the Elixirs, because she highly doubted it could have been any of the three participants present.


    ? The Sensory looked at the half-beast, noticed how calm and inexpressive Luke was, and decided to test him a little more than the others.


    "Insufficient... you didn''t pass." She said seriously as she stared him in the eye, after quickly analyzing his Elixir.


    Luke didn''t doubt that Manilyn might have sabotaged him, but he also wouldn''t faithfully believe a strange person just because she was powerful.


    "Do you want to drink to test it?" spoke Luke, looking into Mika''s eyes.


    The three guards, who were at the rear of the Sensory Magician''s table, suddenly raised their spears and aimed at Luke''s neck, who didn''t move a muscle and continued staring. To them, the half-beast''s response sounded like a threat.


    Nathalia summoned her Pansperm spear and Shiro stepped forward.


    Mika pushed the wooden chair away as she slowly stood up, her hands resting on the table. "Put down your weapons."


    All the guards lowered their spears and returned to their upright positions, as did Luke''s friends.


    "Do you even know what the Elixir of mel is capable of~?" She asked, leaning forward slightly.


    "I know, but it seems your watchdogs don''t, do they? Otherwise, they wouldn''t have aimed their spears at my neck."


    Sitting back down in her chair, Mika ?kerman confessed in her mellow voice, "I liked you... You have courage, you are shrewd, and there is no doubt that you are strong. You passed the Second Phase..."


    The woman then called Nathalia and Shiro with her index finger, asking them toe closer. As the two came closer, she pped her right hand and a book appeared on the table.<sub> </sub>


    The threepetitors were surprised by this but did not express any feelings at the time. The most that happened was that Shiro raised his eyebrows.


    "First, I need each of you three to sign your name or title here on this page," Mika said as she tapped a page in the center of the book with her right index finger.


    The sheet of the page was not nk, and although Luke was not able to read anything perfectly, and Nathalia recognized only a few surnames, Shiro was amazed when he read the names on the list.


    ''Nebezial, Hanemiya Sallow, Kiririn Sallow, Adven, The Previous... These arepetitors from previous years... Who the hell would submit to that twice?'' Shiro had never experienced such pressure before, not even in the Landford tests.


    ''It''s only those people who have shown up so far, but since we have a little over two hours until the deadline, I think the rest should show up soon.


    It was scary for Luke''s group to see that there were already more than ten names on the list because the three contestants who now represented the Stroguehers worked so hard to get all the ingredients, and it almost took the whole previous day.


    ''Was the clue about the library a trap or a blessing for those who went there?'' Nathalia wondered.


    "Come on... what are you waiting for?" Mika asked because none of the threepetitors had the initiative to take the writing quill and dip it in the ink.


    Unbelievably, Luke was the first to pick up the quill. He carefully dipped the tip of the object in the ink, waited for the excess to drain off, and then ced it on the paper. Finally, he managed to write not his name, but a title: Half-Wolf.


    Shiro and Nathalia were proud to see that Luke was not afraid to make a mistake, and when they went to sign, they saw that all the letters were legible and even slightly pretty. Unlike Luke, they both put their real first andst names.


    After that, Mika checked the names and was satisfied.


    "Are you guys sure you want these names announced to the public?" She asked, looking at Luke.


    None of the three hesitated, because they had plenty of time to think while they were writing.


    "If that''s the way you guys want it, fine. The yoffs will begin at eight o''clock tonight, and the only rest will be between one battle and another. The announcement will happen as soon as the Second-Round deadline is over... The city will stop to watch you at the Municipal Arena, so be there in advance, and if you want to say goodbye to the people you love, there''s still time..."


    The ride back to the Strogueher estate was silent. The trot of the horses pulling the trio''s wagon was muffled by the many thoughts going through the three of them.


    Nathalia had never wanted to participate in apetition like this and thought that just fighting monsters would be enough to prove her worth, but now she was having to fight humans as well. She still wasn''t sure if she could kill a person, who has a past, present, and future.


    Another who never expected to participate in the Tournament of Legends was Shiro, who almost went into depression when the Landfords were killed, but continued his life and found a home alongside the Strogueher. Shiro was notpeting for him now, he waspeting out of gratitude to Ayumi and Nathalia, and also out of feeling guilty for having ''abandoned'' Luke, Meredith, and Matthew...


    Luke Lange was another whose thoughts going through his head at that moment were more like a storm than anything else. Phase One and Phase Two had been quiet and hadn''t drawn any attention to him, and he hadn''t seen thating. This meant that now he had to do well in the yoffs to get any attention, even aftering very close to dying in the First Round.

 Chapter 135 Euphoria

    After the brief conversation with Kristofer, Luke, Nathalia and Shiro soon had to say goodbye to Ayumi Yamazaki again because the participants'' stand was separate from the VIP area.


    The trio climbed a few flights of stairs, apanied by a member of thepetition organization. These members who helped with administration, reception, and assistance were all employees of the Central Pce, and this was obvious from their long and light-colored clothes.


    Luke had seen the Municipal Arena from the outside many times but never seen it inside. Now that he had the chance, he noticed that the walls were rough, and the whole structure of the ce was built bybining three materials: limestone, granite, and basalt. Thanks to thisbination of materials, the entire ce had a yellowish and weathered color but was more resistant than any other building in the city.


    Even though it was so sturdy and had such thick walls, Luke could hear the crowd shouting in excitement.


    When he finally came upon the core of the Arena, he sighed excitedly and was simultaneously intimidated. There were thousands of rows of bleachers filled with tens of thousands of people jumping energetically. This euphoria of the people emanated a heat that the half-wolf almost felt hitting his body like a wave.


    "Ow..." the half-wolf expressed, standing at the entrance.


    He looked over and saw his twopanions also shocked at the magnitude of the Municipal Arena.


    "That''s... too beautiful." Shiro''s eyes were shining.


    In the stands, there were no torches to illuminate; instead, there were crystals simr to those Luke had seen on poles in Vasconcelos Castle, but these from Oukiwa were muchrger and were in greater numbers. At every point to which one looked from the ce, gaunt guards were protecting the entrances and exits. Most of the Oukiwa City Guards were not very strong, as are those in any other city, but on this day, they seemed very focused on their duty to serve and protect.


    Many people shoutedpetitors'' names and waved their poles, which raisedrge gs. Other people were also blowing horns as a way of showing support.


    "I don''t think I can..." Nathalia whispered, looking down.


    Luke and Shiro looked startled at her.


    "What are you talking about, Nath?" The half-wolf asked and pushed away from the locks of white hair in front of her eyes.


    "It''s impossible for me. I''m not strong like you two... I''m not a ss-C Berserker who can kill hordes of monsters all by himself. I''m also not someone genius like Luke..." Nathalia didn''t know which pair of eyes she should look at; there were thousands in that enclosure.


    Shiro rested his heavy left hand on the girl''s shoulder and said sincerely:


    "Miss, what are you talking about? You are extremely resourceful and know how to use your skills like no one else. No wonder you found me in that gigantic jungle."


    "Of course I know how to use my skills, after all, I train with them every day," said Nathalia, smiling a little, even though her countenance was still shaken.


    Luke held the fingertips of the girl''s right hand and raised it a little.


    "Nath... or rather, Nathalia, you know you are very good and anyone can tell that just by looking at you. Although you have a delicate appearance, graceful fingers, thin arms, and a thin face, people still see your strength. Do you know why?"


    "Why?"


    "Because there is something around you, something that even I don''t have. That something is more than a superficial sign, it''s more than a persuasive smile, a murderous look, or the evocation of your spear... And that something makes it noticeable to anyone that you are strong. Wang challenged you because he noticed that in you too."


    Nathalia didn''t know how to react to the half-wolf''s words and she didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    Before Luke arrived at the Vasconcelos Mansion, when Nathalia looked at herself in therge mirror in her room, she thought she was weak and insufficient. This feeling of weakness made her insecure, which she immediately tried to repress.


    However, when Luke arrived, these feelings went away, and at the same time, a new feeling was born inside her chest. The emptiness she felt began to be filled. However, the same insecurity returned when Luke was almost killed in Phase One in front of her, and she didn''t even know how to react.<sub> </sub>


    "Oh, and if anything goes wrong... I''ve got your back. I''ll jump from up here if I have to." The half-wolfpleted his speech and smiled at the girl.


    Nathalia looked at him as if he had said the thing she had been waiting to hear. She quickly wiped away the tears that had started to form on the sides of her eyes and hugged the half-wolf. He then stroked the Elf''s head.


    "You are terrible with words." Nathalia dered andughed mischievously.


    The half-wolf''s stroking turned into a catch. Luke fitted his fingers to her head like a ball and withdrew her from the embrace.


    "Let''s keep going, they are starting to stare at us."


    They were in the exclusive bleachers for thepetitors, and although they didn''t talk too loudly, they still drew attention because they represented the Strogueher.


    The three of them sat down in the empty seats and realized why many people looked at them in anger when they were standing up: the tension in the air was almost deadly. Luke wondered how he had missed the heavy atmosphere earlier.


    As soon as he sat down, he didn''t dare open his beak lest he found confusion ahead of time, and the same applied to his twopanions.


    "Great words back there..." the woman next to him spoke but continued admiring the crowded stands.


    Luke turned around and saw a woman with ck hair and a delicate face, wearing armor with a bold neckline. "Thank you, miss..."


    A few minutes passed, and the woman pulled up a subject again.


    "Sorry to be awkward, but I''ve never had the opportunity to talk to a half-beast with animal ears before... How does your hearing work? You know, you have four years..." She whispered in his lower ears.


    Luke found it odd that someone would ask him that; after all, no one had ever raised that question before.


    "I believe I''m normal, as you... I just don''t have a way to plug all my ears as you do."


    "So it''s usible to say that you-"


    Before she could finish asking her next question, a sphere appeared in the middle of the Arena, and after a brief, faint glow, it transformed into a hologram of Mika ?kerman herself.


    "Good evening, everyone! How are you!?" The woman''s voice was reverberating all over the walls of the Municipal Arena, and the circr shape of the building meant that her voice was heard even outside the building. "The Tournament of Legends is an annual event, where we seek to attract the most talented people from all over the continent to showcase their skills..."


    The woman''s hologram was gently levitating across the Arena as she spoke.


    "And the First Phase of thepetition tested their individual skills as well as strategies, but the Second Phase was totally the reverse and therefore eliminated many strong people... But in the real world, we are never really alone, and so we have to know how to use our contacts to get essential information."


    The people in the stands continued to roar and shout euphorically; however, the tone of Mika''s voice was overriding any other noise.


    "Without further ado, let''s begin the Battles..." In the middle of the stadium, two spheres only a few feet in size appeared, and letters began to spin on them. "Meet the unlucky ones who will go first..."


    Then the spheres stopped, and the first to battle names appeared for everyone.


    "The first battle will be between the audacious man who called himself ''The Champion'' and the brave ''Half-Wolf''!"

 Chapter 136 Start

    When the names of the first to the battle were announced, Mika was quiet for a second, and then you could hear the thousands of people shouting with excitement.


    As soon as he heard his title called, Luke stood up. He was neither happy nor sad to be the first to battle. The moment he stood up from his seat, a man behind him also stood up andughed briefly, woodenly, debauched.


    Nathalia and Shiro didn''t even notice this but then whispered to the half-wolf, "Go ahead. You can do it."


    Suddenly, magic circles with runes appeared below the feet of the twopetitors, and they were teleported to the sand circle many meters below.


    The half-wolf looked around as he opened his eyes again and peered upward. Now the Municipal Arena looked bigger than ever. There were giant crystals around the entire circle of the Arena, which was more than fifty meters in circumference.


    Mika''s hologram shrank many meters and became the height of an average person. She stopped floating and stood between the twopetitors in the middle of the circle.


    "The rules are simple and easy for everyone to understand... Imagine how this is a ''Luck or Fight'' match in hard mode. You can do anything until someone says the safe word: It''s quit. Simple rules, right?"


    While it was a game with simple rules, in a life and death battle, things were not as simple as in a ''Luck or Fight'' Tournament. If there was a great power disparity, just one blow from a skilled person might be enough to kill someone weaker.


    "By the way, there is another essential rule as well. The one who goes beyond the sand circle will be immediately eliminated." The sensory continued to exin, and even from her size, her voice could be heard by everyone.


    Luke looked at his opponent and noticed a great smile on the man''s mouth. He was a dark-haired, light-eyed Elf, plus he had a full, well-groomed beard.


    ''The Champion'', as the man was announced, was wearing light armor with only a few metal tes protecting him. He was also carrying a single-handed sword in the scabbard at his waist and a long wooden staff in his hands.


    "This will be easy..." The man spoke to himself as he checked that his bracelets were securely fastened, but his words echoed throughout the stadium, which surprised him.


    That sentence was enough to make the crowds get even more energetic; after all, who doesn''t like a tease?


    "Wait, did he really say that? I liked this guy!"


    "Ahhh! If this guy is as strong as he thinks he is, this half-beast will be destroyed!!!"


    "HE IS ''THE CHAMPION''!"


    "Are you guys kidding? You don''t know this half-beast? He works for the Strogueher''s!"


    "WHAT? he is ''that'' half-beast?"


    "Never mind! That''s ''The Champion''!"


    The people in the stands slowly found out more and more about the participants of the yoffs. Since no list of participants had been released, the crowd would only find out who was actually participating when they were summoned, except for the names that were leaked in advance.<sub> </sub>


    In the VIP area, many nobles were also excited about the first battle. Since this was arge area and was in the highest part of the Arena and had the best overview, many of those who were there had to use binocrs to get a good view.


    Ayumi was sitting next to Nico Sallow when she saw several Strogueher arriving to watch the battles. This was such a big event that even the busiest people made a point ofing.


    Carter and Ceroni Strogueher arrived and greeted her, followed closely by their two daughters, Livia and Jilly.


    "Hi, Ayumi. Hello, Nico..." said Ceroni intimately and bowed slightly twice to the two Matriarchs.


    "Hello..." the two answered her nicely as well.


    Livia and Jilly also greeted the women politely, and only Carter said nothing. Soon after, the four of them sat down on the empty chairs in the row behind which Ayumi was standing. He was a cold-eyed man, so no one was surprised by this behavior.


    The VIP area had over two hundred seats, and yet almost all of them were upied by people from the highest echelon of the Broteforge Empire.


    "Who do you think will win?" Carter asked Ceroni, taking advantage of the fact that he was near Ayumi to tease her.


    "I''ve already caught a glimpse of this half-beast training in the gym... He didn''t excite me." Ceroni spoke audaciously.


    Jilly looked with embarrassment at her parents, who were taking advantage of the moment to create family tension, and retorted, "He''s in the yoffs and his daughters aren''t. If you underestimate them, you''ll be demeaning us. Is that what you guys want?"


    Ayumi Yamazaki had no choice but to smile cynically as she brought her mother-of-pearl binocrs to her eyes.


    The battle was about to begin, and she didn''t want to miss even one move, after all, the Elf had never seen a whole fight from her beloved, and she knew that he would try his hardest to win thispetition because she had promised that she would make her rtionship with him public if he won.


    After ''The Champion'' teased Luke, the half-wolf saw the intrigue proliferate throughout the stadium, and this time exclusively, he chose to react to thatment.


    "I will finish you off with less than ten blows. Is that a good amount for you or would you prefer five?"


    The Elf man measured Luke Lange from head to toe after seeing him retort his disapproval and mimicked a look of disgust. "I think you talk a lot for someone who is just a half-beast wanderer... or would it be better to call you ''little wolf''?"


    "Ehh... I think I was wrong... Three blows will be enough to knock down a prejudiced one."


    ''The Champion'' just smiled and mmed his staff on the ground, which raised some sand.


    "Are you guys ready?" Mika ?kerman asked, seeing that the crowd in the Municipal Arena couldn''t bear to wait any longer. When she saw the twopetitors nod, she smiled and shouted, "START!"


    The Sensory Magician''s hologram exploded into golden particles, which formed a colossal shield around the edges of the stands, creating arge fence for no skills to fly towards the audience or vice versa.

 Chapter 142 The Falling Stones

    In the Municipal Arena VIP area, the Matriarch of the Strogueher family was proud that her daughter managed to show coolness in battle. For everyone who watched the fight between Nathalia Strogueher and Kaga, it was clear that the young Elf was a capable warrior who showed no desperation or hesitation in the battle.


    Wang Strogueher, who was watching the confrontation from the other side of the exclusive area, was pleased with what he saw. He had always been a man who greatly admired Ayumi Yamazaki for having the serenity to make tough decisions, and he was d that Nathalia had apparently inherited this trait.


    Nathalia''s fight also moved Nico Sallow, but she had more interest in the half-wolf.


    "Do you believe that your prodigy, Luke, will make it to the quarterfinals?" She asked, with her right index finger running over her lips.


    "He will definitely win the Tournament." Ayumi answered her confidently, without looking at the other Matriarch.


    "Don''t you think you''re putting too much trust in this young man?" Carter Strogueher asked from the back seat. He was cross-legged smoking a small cigar, which he lit with his me skill.


    "You will have your answer before this evening end, Carter. Wait and see."


    Nico Sallow locked eyes with the blond Elf and smiled in a thought-provoking manner.


    By the irony of fate, among the sixteen remaining participants, ''The Half-Wolf'' was once again randomly selected to be the first to battle in the next phase of the yoffs.


    This time, Luke Lange would have to face a beautiful woman with short honey-colored hair. Everyone in town knew her as Hanemiya Sallow, a very talented young noblewoman who graduated from the Oukiwa Academy as one of the most promising just a few years ago.


    Hanemiya analyzed Luke from head to toe, and with a serious countenance, she asked:


    "Where did you study half-beast? I never heard of you untilst week."


    "You don''t need to know anything about me," Luke replied and summoned his ax. The half-wolf hated people like Hanemiya, who usually asked unnecessary questions.


    Hanemiya smiled when she heard Luke''s answer and then drew her dagger.


    The beginning of the fight hadn''t even been decreed, but the half-wolf had watched the Sallow girl''s previous battle and knew he couldn''t take it lightly, so he summoned his ax. As soon as Mika announced the start of the fight, the audience screamed in euphoria again as they pounded their feet on the ground.


    The blond woman ran in the opposite direction from Luke, out of the empty center of the Arena and into the forest of rocks. She had watched Luke''s battle with the Golem God and Suiyan carefully, so she knew that he was not weak in directbat and was unlikely to be pushed, but with this new scenario, Hanemiya was confident that she could win if she sneaked upon him.


    However, Luke''s hearing was very sharp; moreover, he could smell the noblewoman several meters away. In short, she would never be able to hide from the half-wolf.


    As soon as he saw Hanemiya run for cover, Luke looked closely at the rocks and had an idea.


    Luke made the one-handed sign to use <Vind> and propelled a stream of wind at a rock that seemed thergest but also the thinnest among them all. That single stone was enough to create a domino effect, knocking over other stones.


    The falling stones caused a high-pitched noise and a seismic tremor, which lifted the sand. Gradually, the high-pitched sound began to chase Hanemiya. Tum! Tum! Tum! She heard the rumblinging from her back until her patience ran out, and she stopped in front of a rock that was about to fall.<sub> </sub>


    Then Hanemiya used her blue dagger, whose de was slightly curved. This dagger exuded sapphire-colored particles, and when she cut a stone three meters in diameter in the middle like butter, the de of this weapon left blue marks on both parts of the stone.


    "Haa... What the fuck... was that? Did he knock the stones over on purpose?" She wondered, panting.


    At that moment, the young Sallow found herself lost in the forest of rocks. She ran so hard that she couldn''t quite memorize the directions, and now all she could hear was the muffled noise of cheering and the falling of the grains of sand that were on her shoulders.


    ''Where did that guy go?'' she wondered. ''Is he still at the center? No... it would be stupid to stay there.''


    Hanemiya''s only mistake was to have pre-judged the half-beast''s abilities and limitations which made him create a hasty strategy.


    In the middle of that small clearing that she created herself, Hanemiya heard a noiseing from her back. This sound resembled a snap and, at the same time, a stomp, but when she turned quickly and attacked with her dagger, there was nothing, only rocks.


    A few secondster, the same noise was repeated. Again she tried to advance an attack, and again she hit nothing.


    "What the fuck... I can only be crazy..." Hanemiya spoke as she sighed. Slowly she lowered her dagger. ''I have to climb those rocks to gain vision so that I can gain an advantag¡ª"


    "Don''t make another move," Luke whispered in her ear in a serene, unfriendly voice.


    ''Where did this guye from? I already looked that way.'' She thought with wide eyes and goosebumps.


    Hanemiya tried to move her arms to react, and as a result, she was pierced in the region of the internal oblique. Her grunt of pain from being pierced alerted Luke that she was not used to pain.


    "If you dare to move again, it won''t be hard for me to drag my hand up your spine. It would be really bad for you if you be unable to walk, wouldn''t it? So please, give up and save my time."


    Proudly, she still tried to move her left arm, which wielded her dagger. Luke felt it but was afraid of seriously hurting her and just spun his hand a little more, tearing a few more nerves.


    "Arghhh! Son of a bitch..." Hanemiya spoke through gritted teeth to keep from screaming and humiliating herself. "All right... all right. I give up!"


    As soon as she gave up, Luke withdrew his left hand from inside her muscles so fast that the girl didn''t even feel it. As Mika announced the winner to the audience, who were confused because they could see practically nothing, Luke opened his inventory and picked up a healing potion.


    "Take this quickly... I don''t want any trouble for myself, and I hope you don''t hold a grudge." He said and threw into Hanemiya''s hands a vial with a wine-red hue.


    The blonde woman didn''t know how to react, after all, it was only a simple potion, and she could buy dozens of better-quality ones, but since it was the first time an opponent had been kind to her, Hanemiya smiled at Luke. A momentter, magic circles appeared below the feet of both of them.


    However, while things proceeded well in the Municipal Arena for the half-wolf, near the suburbs of Oukiwa, the S-ss found more and more obstacles to continue with the search for information on the whereabouts of Meredith and the others.

 Chapter 143 In The Shadows Of Oukiwa (Part 1)

    The Tournament of Legends was such a prestigious event that people from all over the continent began to visit Oukiwa. However, while all the attention of the city, and the authorities, was on thepetition, the suburbs of the city also became much busier.


    Matthew Oliveira and Alexis Dmitry started working together just three days before the yoffs were set to begin.


    Luke''s best friend didn''t trust the S-ss, because she was an adventurer, let alone the Strogueher Noble Family, but he trusted the half-wolf''s judgment.


    To him, Luke''s n was bold, and drawing attention to it could lead to several problems in the future, so Matthew wanted to find Meredith and the others in these three days so that hispanion could be more at ease and deal with the other problems when they arose.


    And well, they weren''t the only ones who had the idea to take advantage of the Tournament of Legends to move around the suburbs, because from the moment the tournament started, the ck market in Oukiwa began to bustle.


    The gambling houses, which by an imperial decree were considered illegal, started to make dozens of gold coins a day, and this fostered all the other uwful actions in the area.


    Luckily, it was not only the attention of the municipal guards that was unfocused. The big crime bosses of Oukiwa, who ran enved people, drugs, weapons, and Genes Skill trafficking rings, also turned their attention to the big profits the big city center was providing for their businesses.


    Taking advantage of this moment of everyone''s sloppiness, Matthew used the Strogueher''s sponsorship and an intimidating hooded half-beast to try to get information.


    So, by the second day of thepetition, Matthew had already discovered that the Chaos Followers had a strong presence in the Lower City and were on the move. Alexis made sure to warn Ayumi Yamazaki about the risk of something big happening, but they had no time to investigate it themselves.


    Soon three days of the championships passed, and the yoffs were announced earlier than expected, which further stirred up the dark alleys of Oukiwa. To make matters worse, Matthew could not get any information about the whereabouts of his friends. It seemed that no one saw what happened to the shed that caught fire, no one knew anything about ''The Beast'', and no one knew anything about the man who spread the fake news about the gang shed being home to ''The Beast''.


    The unusual investigative duo needed to get information about the whereabouts of Meredith and the others, and they talked to dozens of people in taverns and trading spots. Still, no one was able to give any relevant information.


    "Is it so hard to see a red-headed giant like Zack? These guys don''t know anything about people. They''re just worried about who they''re going to bet on tonight." Matthewined and kicked a wooden barrel in the dark alley.


    "My invocation has flown over this city dozens of times and found nothing. Now I understand why you never had a bounty on your heads..." Alexis spoke as she stroked the neck of Koven, the green bird.


    Usually, the S-ss did not have to do any spying or intelligence work, as this is the job of the emissaries. For this reason, she was not used to investigating the whereabouts of demons or their supporters.


    "Wait! You said something about ''bounty,'' didn''t you? I think I know just the person to help us," Matthew spoke up, his eyes twinkling. ''Howe I didn''t think of her before?''


    Years before, Luke had to work for a few days as a bounty hunter to make up the gang''s financial shortfall, and that made him meet ''Oracle''. Well... it was undoubtedly too cool a nickname for an old woman, but that didn''t exclude the fact that she seemed to know everything that happened in Oukiwa.


    However, the half-wolf didn''t like her, both because of her smell and because she was not to be trusted. The ''Oracle'' didn''t have a name, didn''t have a face, and was nobody, and this worried the young Luke.


    In a small isted warehouse in the Lower Town, Matthew knocked on a metal door three times. As soon as he heard the small metal hatch open, he smiled.


    "What do you want?" A floating eye inquired grumpily and with a throaty hup.<sub> </sub>


    "We need info."


    "What kind do you need? Tournament participant''s file? Someone''s address? Whether or not your girlfriend is cheating on you?"


    The man immediately transmuted from the fake smile to the most genuine expression of concern "W-what? Whether m-my girlfriend is cheating on me or not?" questioned Matthew, leaning his face against the metal door.


    "Khumm!" Alexis pretended to clear his throat so that Matthew resumed his original n.


    He understood the message, and although he wanted to know a lot about the other subject, he answered for the ''Oracle'':


    "I want information about missing persons. Do you know anything about Meredith, and the others in my gang?"


    Matthew did not mince words because he knew that the old woman knew absolutely everything about people''s lives in the lower town. After he asked that, a second little door opened just below the first.


    "Maybe I know something...and maybe if you give me ten gold coins, I''ll be able to tell you." She said, pausing for emphasis on the words.


    The short man hesitated because that was a considerable amount of money to spend on something that even Luke didn''t trust.


    Alexis Dmitry didn''t think long and put thest gold coins that were in the bag delivered by Ayumi inside the metal part. It was already past eight o''clock at night, and the yoffs had already started, so they needed a lead to follow at all costs.


    Indeed, after the Tournament of Legends, the bosses'' attention would turn to the suburbs, and it would be more difficult to act unnoticed by watchful and unreasonable eyes. In the Lower City, if people see someone asking too many questions about some issues and when this reaches the ears of the crime bosses, this person is soon killed. For them, it is easier to kill a person and bury the body than to try to dialogue with a possible military man.


    Soon after, she counted the gold coins and saw that the amount was correct. The old woman opened the little door again and revealed:


    "A friend of a friend of mine saw a half-fox wandering two days ago near the old buildings on the north side of Oukiwa. Beside her was a man with long, ck hair..."


    ''Meredith and Ynosuke.'' Matthew immediately deduced.


    "Apparently, they are living where the next Lower City sewer system should be, that is... before the Dungeon was discovered next door several years ago and the ce was dmissioned. This is all..."


    Then the ''Oracle'' closed the hatch tightly without saying anything else.


    "Come on! I know exactly where that ce is!" Matthew revealed to Alexis, with a hopeful look on his face.


    Negotiating information with informants always has a risk, and it''s basically like a bet. Hence, they had to hope to get to the indicated location and actually find at least a gang trace to put their minds at ease.

 Chapter 144 In The Shadows Of Oukiwa (Part 2)

    On the night of the yoffs, everything else in Oukiwa except Uptown was as silent and empty as ever. The city stopped to watch the thrilling battles. Boats were forbidden to dock in the harbors, and the gates of the great walls were closed.


    On the border between the poorer neighborhoods, dozens of Chaos Followers moved between the alleys, wearing the usual ck cloaks to disguise their identities. Still, they seemed to be more nonchnt on this particr night than usual.


    "What are you guys stalling for? Hurry up and load it up!" shouted a man who appeared to be the leader of a group pushing a wagon.


    For the Chaos Followers, it didn''t matter if any citizen would see them because even if the city guards were alerted, they wouldn''t be able to react in time. However, if these ultists knew that an S-ss was staring angrily at them in an alley parallel to that street, they would surely change their minds.


    As soon as Alexis Dmitry saw that these hooded men were carrying a huge metal drum, she moved to act, but Matthew held her by the arm.


    "What are you doing?" He whispered to her.


    "We can avoid major damage and still pick up information." The S-ss tried to argue.


    Matthew brought his right hand up to his face and huffed, impatient. "If we do something, we''ll get in the way. If you warned Ayumi Yamazaki, she must have taken action."


    "I know, but¡­ we don''t know what they are doing or where they are going. They could end up killing people."


    The short man, whose beard was full of white strands, just denied it and bowed his head. "You can do whatever you want... I will go to the location the ''Oracle'' gave us."


    Then Matthew started walking to the abandoned buildings, which were only a few blocks away if they used the shortcut through the alleys. The half-dragon looked at the man and looked at the hooded figures in the street.


    On the walls of alleys like this, it wasn''t umon to find graffiti with apologia for the ult, the Chaos Followers, or Chaos itself, and it scared Alexis a little.


    ''I have already warned the Church about the connection of the Demons with the Chaos Followers and they must be acting somehow... What am I doing? I just need to keep the promise I made to Luke, and then maybe I''ll have a chance with...''


    When Alexis found herself thinking of kinky things with Luke again, she scolded herself with a p to her face.


    "I need to stop thinking that way... He and I are just friends... for now."


    Motivated to help find the half-wolf''s friends again, Alexis ran after Matthew, who was relieved to have her close again. Whether intentional or not, the S-ss had a frightening aura.


    Thus, they approached the vicinity of the third andst Dungeon discovered in Oukiwa. There were few houses around, and most buildings were warehouses, stores, or taverns. Because it wasn''t asrge as the Dungeon of the Upper Town, this one needed less protection, and on the night of the Tournament of Legends, the number of guards was even lower.


    As soon as they approached the area interdicted by high wooden fences, Alexis threw Matthew over and jumped.


    "Are you okay?" Alexis asked him after hearing that he didn''tnded well.<sub> </sub>


    "Don''t worry, at least I didn''t break my one arm."


    The appearance of the abandoned site they were in was intriguing, to say the least. Matthew had expected a hole with carvings piled up around it, but in reality, he found only a tiny pure metal lid, which appeared to be a bit heavy.


    Next to this metal lid were several signs with the words ''Do not enter''; Alexis didn''t mind them and quickly lifted the metal lid.


    "Would you rather I go first?" She inquired, seeing that the sewers were pitch ck.


    Matthew approached the hole with the side stairs, saw the darkness, and wondered if his friends were inside. Although Zack was the oldest and the biggest of the bunch, he was still terrified of the dark, but John still had the power of persuasion to convince him.


    "Please go ahead," Matthew spoke to the half-dragon.


    She nodded and muttered to herself: "<Divine Radiance>."


    A sphere of light appeared over Alexis'' right hand, slightly yellowish and with a ring around it as if there was a small piece of the sun in the half-dragon''s palm.


    Matthew had few opportunities to see a Gene Skill so closely, so he was fascinated for a second and walked away. Alexis didn''t mind this fearful behavior and jumped into the dark hole. The instant shended, she heard the wet rustling and dripping of water from the sewer.


    ''Apparently, these sewer pipes are not totally abandoned...'' Alexis thought and then shouted to Matthew: "You cane down, there''s nothing here!"


    Matthew entered the sewer like an average person, unlike the woman, going down the sidedder. The sewer ducts wererge tunnels with enough area for three tall people to walk freely through them if there were any problems.


    And although Oukiwa had a colossal sanitation system, it was strange that there was water in a building that had been abandoned for so many years. The walls were full of mold, but there was no moss, which meant water didn''t get there even during rainy seasons.


    "Something seems wrong here..." Alexis alerted Matthew, who looked both ways down the dark hallway and was disappointed that his friends didn''t greet him.


    "W-what do you wh-what do you mean by that? M-monsters?" Since this was the first time Matthew had seen the S-ss with the strained voice, that was the only thing he could think.


    "I don''t know... Luke found those monsters. Is that old woman called ''Oracle'' really reliable?"


    "I d-don''t know. That was the first time I got a piece of information from her."


    The tunnel was so long that it was impossible for the glow of the half-dragon''s ability to illuminate everything. For a few seconds, Matthew and Alexis were quiet, and only the water drops falling could be heard until a hand reached for the S-ss sphere of light and turned it off.

 Chapter 147 The Previous

    "Are you afraid to die, ''Half-wolf''? Because today you will."


    ''The Previous''s'' speech startled everyone present. First, because no one expected him to say anything. Second, because his voice was rough and violent. Unlike the entire audience, who reacted negatively to the man''s question, Luke smiled.


    "So, you aren''t a mentally ill person with an inability to speak. That''s good news for me, because I''ll be able to sink your skull without remorse." The half-wolf answered him, looking into his eyes.


    The man didn''t smile, and his only reaction was a direct attack. "<Leech>." He muttered to himself, but his voice could be heard by everyone.


    Next, he lowered his hood, and something began toe out of his back, something gooey. This thing jumped out of the man''s clothes, and during this action, it doubled in size.


    Now, in the middle of the battlefield was a huge worm almost two meters long.


    ''Is that thing a summoning? No... he muttered the name, and The Champion didn''t do this when he summoned the Golem God. Does that mean that that thing is...''


    From the way the giant worm crawled across the sand, moving quickly towards him, Luke concluded that that thing was still an ability and that it was not a good idea to let himself be hit by that thing.


    Suddenly, ''The Previous'' started running alongside the worm.


    ''He probably wants to see me dodge that thing, and then take the opportunity to hit me. All right... if that''s what he wants, I''ll give it to him.''


    The half-wolf rushed to close to the area of the rocks. Soon, Luke stopped running to defend himself against the worm and of his opponent. Since he put his ymore in the <Normal Inventory> in the middle of the run, he now had his hands bare. The man with the animal skull smiled as he saw that Luke did precisely what he wanted.


    When it got close, the worm jumped towards the half-beast, and since he was anticipating an additional effect from his opponent''s ability, he didn''t even let it get too close and threw it back towards ''The Previous'' with a simple <Vind> sign.


    At the time, ''The Previous'' was dumbfounded by the counterattack because although he had seen Luke use wind two voices, he had never considered the possibility that such a versatile skill didn''t have a long cooldown.


    The worm exploded as it approached its ownuncher, and luckily Luke was able to pull away by casting two <Vind> in a row to propel himself backwards. The <Leech> skill explosion was red, smelly, and disgusting.


    Since Luke didn''t know if it was safe to approach or if his opponent was okay, he kept his distance. ''The Previous'' was covered in blood, and slowly his neck veins began to swell; at the same time, his eyes bulged. He held on for moments like this until he fell to the ground and extended an arm to Luke.


    The thought of giving a healing potion to help the man crossed Luke''s mind, but it soon went away. The half-wolf didn''t hate the man; he just didn''t care enough to spend one of his healing potions on someone who would possibly soon be killed for killing important people in the yoffs.


    However, an idea shed through Luke''s mind suddenly. As he approached ''The Previous'' again, the enemy weakly tried to grab the half-wolf''s boots and muttered inaudible things. His throat was twice the normal size.


    The half-wolf looked at him inexpressively, grabbed him by the cor and took off the buffalo skull he was wearing as a mask, and as Luke revealed the man''s identity to those thousands of people, it was the same as having killed him.


    The revealed face of ''The Previous'' was a handsome, young-looking face with delicate traces, but his skin was dirty like he didn''t know what a bath was.<sub> </sub>


    Luke took one of the man''s hands, put a red vial in it, and then threw him off the battlefield as hard as he could.


    The third consecutive victory for the ''Half-Wolf'' had people giving him a standing ovation, and this reaction was mainly for defeating ''The Previous''. Before announcing Luke''s victory, Mika ?kerman teleported ''The Previous'' to the infirmary and the half-wolf back to his seat.


    "This was certainly a shocking match and once again ''Half-Wolf'' did very well and quickly beat his opponent! Thanks to that, he is also the first of the four lucky ones to secure himself a semi-final spot!"


    In the end, Luke didn''t even care about the announcement of his victory, because when he returned to the stands, he was immediately called to see how Shiro was doing, since he didn''t get a chance to see him during the break.


    The half-beast and Nathalia went down some stairs, as they listened to the people''s euphoria with the beginning of the next fight, and the two were left in front of a wooden door by a guard, who stood outside.


    They entered in the room and saw Shiro sitting on a bed with thick mattresses. He was not wearing his grandiose armor, and Luke always found it strange when he saw him without it these days.


    Nathalia was startled when she saw that the big man had a few stripes down his arm, which were a bit stained with blood.


    "How are you doing? Have you taken a healing potion? If not, I have one left." Luke spoke worriedly, as he opened his inventory.


    Shiro stretched his right-hand forward and looked appreciatively at the two of them. "That''s not necessary. Thank you very much for your concern. They have already given me an advanced potion."


    "So, why are you in this condition?"


    The man smiled wryly and nodded continuously. "They said that the Nebezial blows will take a few more hours to heal. The nurses don''t know if that was because of a silent Gene Skill or if it was the martial art he practices."


    When Shiro realized that it made hispanions thoughtful, he quickly tried to change the subject.


    "Ah, dude... you have to admit that it wasn''t fair for me to have to fight a guy who has participated in all of this before. I hadn''t even warmed up yet."


    "Come on, I beat Hanemiya Sallow and ''The Previous''..."


    "And I defeated Adven. You said in the carriage that they already participated, right?"


    Shiro was surprised and proud that his friends were doing well.


    "All right... all right... you can tease me for now, but pay close attention from now on. There''s no one left in that stand who isn''t a Hellhound, so I advise you to maintain the same caution as you would if you were fighting a Dungeon Boss."

 Chapter 163 Goat Tail

    The next day, Luke decided to go to the Lower Town to look for Matthew and Alexis, because they had not given any sign of life.


    Initially, Ayumi was totally against this rash action. She knew that after the failed terrorist attack by the Chaos Followers, the First Servant would be more vignt, especially in his region of the greatest influence which is the Lower Town. In addition, there was a chance that both Alexis and Matthew had been captured and were being used as bait to lure Luke into their territory. However, Luke didn''t care if it was a trap or not; after all, the Lower City had once been his home as well.


    Seeing how determined the half-wolf was, Ayumi offered him military power. Naturally, Luke was tempted to ept, but he didn''t. He feared that should there be high-levelbat in the city''s most popted area, there were sure to be casualties of innocent people.


    "I''m going to go to investigate and find out. I don''t like the idea of staying home with my ass sitting on the couch. Wait for news from me..." Luke spoke to relieve the woman''s stress and kissed her.


    The half-wolf knew that Nathalia was spying behind the next wall at that moment, but he didn''t invite her to apany him because their paths were now parted. Luke needed to find his friends, and Nathalia needed to decide what she was going to do with her life from that point on.


    Then, the half-wolf left to the Lower City.


    Located in the south of Oukiwa, Lower Town is the most densely popted district in all Oukiwa and corresponds to approximately 22% of the entire territory of the city.


    Many wonders why a city as prosperous as Oukiwa, with so many Dungeons, does not take care of this significant portion of its territory, and for this, there is a simple answer. Like any other city, the wealthy need to profit, and for this, there must be poor people; it is a simple concept. But in Oukiwa, this difference is even more entuated because of the Adventurer''s Guilds, ns and Noble Families. Instead of taking the money to invest in the city, take the beloved gold coins elsewhere.


    In other words, Oukiwa is like a money pit for the rich, and its poor poption gets poorer and poorer.


    The most obvious alternative for a poor, illiterate person to get out of poverty is to be an Adventurer, bing part of the Guild. When this person realizes that he needs to be stronger to earn more money, he buys Genes Skills, equipment and even joins a n, which makes the system even stronger.


    Luke and his friends never wanted to be part of this system, so they went into the thieving business. As thieves, they believed they were truly free; however, now Luke understood that true freedom is not doing what you want, but wanting what you do.


    While he didn''t hate stealing from people like his friends, he didn''t love that either.


    *


    The first thing Luke wanted to do in the Lower Town was to go towards a big tavern called ''Goat Tail''. In this ce gather the most wicked people in the whole town and also the man who has the most things to talk about.


    Luke''s initial n was to use his influence and money first, and if need be, he would also use his strength to know about thetest goings-on throughout the neighborhood. He knew that this could attract the attention of crime bosses, but he didn''t give a damn about that.


    The half-wolf was wearing new clothes bought by Martha the day before. This new outfit was simple: ck reinforced pants, a simple jacket, steel-toed boots, and a ck overcoat with a turtleneck. In the belt of his pants, he again stowed three throwing knives, which he had stopped using since fighting against the Sun Apparition.


    Since Luke also did not choose to wear a hooded cloak to cover his ears, he was easily recognized by dozens of people on the way to the Lower City. Many jokingly asked about what Luke was carrying in hisrge side pouch, but Luke didn''t answer anyone once.


    To some, Luke was simply on a level above, and to others, he was simply a half-beast who was feeling more superior than he was. In reality, Luke didn''t know how to handle the sudden fame and just ignored all the onughts from his fans, who didn''t dare to insist on disturbing him.<sub> </sub>


    When he arrived in the Lower City, the onught of fans decreased stratospherically. The people looked down on him as if the half-beast were part of a different world.


    People on street corners whispered as they watched him approach and enter narrow alleys to escape his presence.


    ''I don''t me them for acting that way; after all, I would act the same way if I were in their shoes.''


    Before finally entering the ''Goat Tail'' tavern, Luke sighed because he was about to do something he had never done before, and it would require 100% of his mental capacity.


    The next moment, Luke kicked open the door, and with a small bag of gold coins in his left hand, he shouted:


    "Who''s up for a bet!?"


    Before the half-wolf realized it, he was already sitting at a round table in the tavern, surrounded by dozens of people.


    "Go! You can finish this guy off!"


    "Destroy the Champion''s arm!"


    "Come on, archer! Until yesterday you said you were the best in town!"


    Luke proposed a simple game to the polite patrons of the ''Goat Tail'', which was basically a reflex test. In this single-round game, two people must sit facing each other with their hands outstretched. Each has only one chance at a time to hit the other''s hand. If Luke was hit, he would pay a gold coin; If Luke got it right, the person would have to drink a whole pitcher of beer.


    To many in that tavern, Luke''s invitation seemed like a presumptuous provocation, but a gold coin was still too much money to pass up for a simple p and a pitcher of beer.


    TAP~


    The sound of the intrepid p from the half-wolf hit the hand of the archer who had tried to confront him, and was also the announcement for the waiter to bring another pitcher of beer.


    Then, in ce of the skinny archer, a man with quadruple the body mass of a normal person sat on the bench, which creaked. The fat man looked at Luke and smiled unpleasantly, showing some gold teeth.


    This was the man known in the suburbs as the ''Human Goblorc'', someone suspected of being involved in drug dealing, but as Luke used to be an inhabitant of these surroundings, he knew that this was not the only kind of crime this man used tomit.

 Chapter 164 Jugs

    Seeing the ''Human Goblorc'' sit in the chair in front of him and smile disgustingly, Luke returned the smile, looking him in the eye. The half-wolf wanted to demonstrate in this way that he was not afraid of anyone.


    "Will you want to bet those gold teeth too?" Audaciously, Luke asked.


    Many people around the tableughed, but when the pudgy man looked at them with a serious countenance, everyone stopped, and a heavy atmosphere settled in the tavern. The establishment wasrge, but now it seemed small because of the number of people gathered to y against the Champion of the Tournament of Legends.


    "Do you know how to y? If you don''t, don''t even upy my time." Luke inquired of his opponent of the turn. He was forcing himself to be more dynamic than he really was to provoke people.


    "Yeah, I know." The fat man retorted with a more serious countenance than ever.


    Luke stretched both hands forward, and his opponent did the same thing. The man''s chubby fingers were covered in tattoos, as well as bruised from clearly punching people so hard.


    Before the half-beast had a chance to start the count, the ''Human Goblorc'' tried to take advantage and hit his hand. Luke was wary of this possibility and quickly rebuked him with a p on the man''s right hand. TAP! The p echoed and surprised a few people.


    "That wasn''t very polite, man. But I''ll spare you this time... Try one more time."


    The pudgy man tried to hit Luke''s left hand with his left hand in this round, but Luke easily dodged and then used his right hand to hit his opponent''s left hand.


    "You can bring another pitcher of beer!" Luke shouted.


    When the waitress handed over the huge pitcher of beer, the fat man took it firmly and drank it all in a single gulp. Afterwards, he wiped the foam around his mouth with his own tongue and mmed the pitcher down on the table.


    "One more time!" He eximed angrily.


    "If you insist..."


    For the well-known dealer, this had already ceased to be a money bet and had be a pride dispute. To him, the haughty personality of the half-wolf was irritating, even more so because he knew he couldn''t grab Luke by the cor, take him into an alley and beat him to a pulp until his skull split open.


    Consequently, in the next few minutes, what people saw was not a fair fight but a humiliating defeat. The ''Human Goblorc'' lost dozens of times, and even with his big stomach, he quickly became drunk with the liters and liters of beer he drank.


    The more people watched the half-beast closely, the less they understood how he could react so fast. His right hand was so fast that most could only hear the characteristic crack of his palm hitting the back of his opponent''s hand, and his left hand made a spinning motion to deflect any ps.


    With the waitress bringing dozens of pitchers of beer, people quickly began to revel in the public humiliation of the drug dealer.


    "DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" The ''Goat Tail'' tavern patrons roared together, encouraging the man to push his limits.


    Although the fat man was disgusted with the sweet taste of beer, he drank that entire pitcher. However, staggering in his own seat, with a downcast expression, the ''Human Goblorc'' could not hold back the reflux, which quickly turned into vomit. Blurrh!


    "Ah! Gross, man!"<sub> </sub>


    "I thought he was more resistant to alcohol at that size!"


    "Hey, old man! Get someone to clean up this puddle of puke here!"


    Two men walked over to Luke''s table, looked at him, and excused themselves. Then, they propped one arm of the pudgy man around the back of each man''s head and started to leave the tavern.


    "What are YOU two doINg? I cAn StilL beat This little sNiTch..." The drug dealer spoke with a sluggish voice and a droopy look on his face. In fact, he could barely stand upright.


    "Boss, we know, but now it''s time to rest."


    After Luke saw the man leave and also saw that he had spent quite a bit of time on this game, he rose from his chair and spoke:


    "Later we continue, now I have to go take a leak!" Luke spoke and walked over to the tavern counter.


    Behind the counter was an old man with a protruding nose. He was cleaning some mugs with a cloth and stopped when he saw the half-wolf approaching. Luke looked at the men at the counter and realized they were all passed out from drinking so much.


    With his back turned to the tavern keeper, Luke leaned his elbows and his back against the counter. The people were still betting at the table from which he retired, and since most had already lost around or more to Luke, they were much more cheerful than usual.


    "I believe you owe me a favor, old man. Look how crazy they''re drinking, and they''re not mugs like the one you''re holding; these are jugs. They''re going to spend a lot of money today..." Luke spoke with a smile and then looked over his shoulder at the big-nosed man.


    Luke''s n was not to take advantage of drunk people, but to get information from someone grateful.


    "Besides, I think this ce has gotten a lot livelier than it used to be. People were afraid toe here because of guys like ''Human Goblorc,'' right? I think this big movement shouldst a few weeks."


    "What do you want?" The tavern keeper inquired after tapping the mug on his side of the counter.


    Luke wiped the smile off his face and spun around to talk more appropriately. "On the night of the tournament, did anything unusual ur in Lower Town?"


    "If you''re wanting to know about those religious crazies, I don''t know about anything."


    "Man, I helped you out a lot today. Do the best for you and just answer my question. Did anything unusual ur?"


    He huffed looked at the people betting and drinking in the center of the tavern; next, he looked at the men passed out on the counter. Then, he approached the half-beast and whispered:


    "All right, all right¡­ don''t tell anyone I told you this, but in the early hours ofst night, explosions were heard near that old sewer system that was being built and was abandoned. Since that is the region of ''Straw Hat'', even the municipal guards didn''t know about it, and his henchmen closed the area."

 Chapter 165 Following Track

    As a former citizen of the Lower City, Luke knew well that the neighborhood tended to be dominated by several distinct criminal factions, who also worked different types of services.


    The Tournament of Legends had managed to distract well the watchful eyes of these people who control this region. Still, with the end of thepetition, gradually, everything was starting to get back on its own road. Luke didn''t mind this; after all, he knew that he could never again live in the shadows from the moment he won thispetition; however, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t act in the shadows.


    In the area where the southeast of the Lower City is divided from the northwest of the Middle City, in other words, the border of two social strata, there are many empty buildings and warehouses, bought by big tycoons andpanies as a form of real estate spection. In the end, the greed of these rich people turned the ce into a ghost region during the night, when there is no movement of adventurers and the stores are closed.


    To get to the Oukiwa sewer expansion that has been discontinued, Luke had to be cautious. The henchmen of a notorious criminal called ''Straw Hat'' made regr patrols to ensure they would not be caught by surprise by an operation of City Guards, Adventurers or rival gangs.


    Unlike before when Luke visited the ''Goat Tail'' tavern, if Luke was spotted now and recognized, he had no doubt that the criminals would try to kill him because they think the half-wolf is after them.


    "Hey, Edu..."


    "What''s up man? Can''t you walk without opening your mouth?"


    "You''re very grumpy. Tell me, have you been in that new brothel that opened near the Dungeon in Midtown? Some friends told me that there are some students there. Do you want to go?"


    The other man stopped, looked around for a moment and answered:


    "Okay, but you''ll pay for it, and no way do you want to do it in the same room as me like you didst time."


    "Deal, promise made."


    The two ''Straw Hat'' men, standing on the street in front of the abandoned construction area, soon walked back and turned a corner to the left. Luke emerged from the shadows at that moment and jumped over the tall wooden fences without making a noise.


    Immediately, he smelled traces of Alexis and Matthew in the air. In addition to the faint but existing odor, Luke found two pairs of footprints on the sandy ground.


    ''It is obvious that those two have indeed been here, but where did they go?'' Luke asked himself.


    On that night, the half-wolf''s sense of smell was so keen that it practically formed a trail that he could follow with his eyes. So, he could tell that although his two friends had entered the wastnd, they didn''te back the same way.


    Luke followed the tracks and found an open lid to the sewers. Jumping in without a second thought, hended on dry ground, which made the sound of hisnding reverberate through the dozens of paths that the tunnels formed.


    The enclosure was dusty, and there was no water sign, not even through the pipes in the walls.


    ''Their smell is even stronger in here...''<sub> </sub>


    If Luke''s olfaction was more acute still, he could sense Matthew''s fear of beingpletely in the dark.


    For the half-wolf, the environment was not that dark, and for that reason, he naturally followed the scent of his friends. He walked very carefully to not make any noises, holding tightly to the bag in which he carried the ck Egg.


    The underground sewage system wasplex. The tunnels made sharp turns that connected to others, forming long paths and a confusing maze, but at no time did Luke think he would lose the trace he was following. Since the whole ce had the specific smell of dust, it was not difficult to identify the distinctive smell of the S-ss, which was always smelly, nor the odor of Matthew, which indicated that he hadn''t showered in a few days.


    After a few minutes of walking, Luke heard the wind''s whistling and felt that he was walking in the direction of a current of air. Only the wind made noise, and there were no rats in the ce, yet the smell of Alexis and Matthew was getting stronger and stronger, so he continued on his way until he finally reached an open chamber.


    The half-wolf came face to face with a vast empty chamber, where many tunnels were located. The main feature of the ce worried the half-wolf a lot. There were clear marks of an intense battle in every chamber corner, whose walls were cracked by clear impacts, like the floor.


    When Luke got closer to where Alexis and Matthew''s scent was strongest. Strangely enough, as their trail grew stronger, they too disappeared and made a ce for someone else''s smell, which, although it was very faint, was still extremely recognizable to Luke.


    ''This is the smell of Yoelona... What the hell is that smell doing here?'' he asked himself, his heart racing wildly.


    Finding the scent of his Master in the ce where his friends disappeared was such a thud to the half-beast, that he simply refused to believe it.


    ''No, no... It can''t be... The things don''t make sense. Why? Why would she do that? And how could Alexis have disappeared? She''s a S-ss, she can''t have been defeated.''


    In the ce where the scent of the half-dragon was most marked, there was a piece of red cloth with detailed stitching. At the moment, he recognized that that fragment was part of Alexis'' skirt.


    ''If she was caught... how are we going to fight the First Servant? She is the strongest person I know.''


    Luke was on his knees on the ground and had his back to the tunnel from which he had arrived.


    Suddenly the half-wolf heard footsteps approaching slowly, nonchntly.


    This person''s feet pushed up some dust, which Luke could hear perfectly falling, at the same time as his heart was racing like never before.


    ''Calm down... Calm down...'' Luke tried to control himself. ''If it happens to be her, I will show that I do not depend solely on her teachings.'' in his mind, the possibility that his own Master had kidnapped his friends was considerable, as well as the chance that she could have defeated an S-ss as well.


    Then, Luke turned quickly and simultaneously summoned the Behemoth Axe, but his arms locked when he saw a boy withpletely white eyes and not Yoelona.

 Chapter 166 The Boy And The Owl

    The boy in front of the half-wolf had an unusual appearance. His eyes looked totally white at first nce, but in fact, his iris, and pupil were a very light blue shade, almost white. In addition, the brown-haired boy had arge scar that crossed his face horizontally.


    On his shoulder, a brown owl with a strange symbol on its forehead was illuminated by the moonlight, which prated into the chamber through the drains.


    "You are at least a dayte." The boy spoke with his voice cid.


    "Who are you?" Luke asked, still in battle stance.


    The half-wolf''s instincts continued to warn him of danger, even though it was only a child in front of him. The child kept the uncertain expression on his face and revealed:


    "I''m not the type who likes to reveal my name to strange people, but it''s okay if it''s you, Luke Lange. My name is Lescar, and I am part of the Twelve Thrones..."


    Instantly, Luke tightened the handle of his axe even more. Only a few people recognized him by his real name, and that was precisely why he used a title to participate in the Tournament of Legends. Not to mention that he didn''t even know what the Twelve Thrones was.


    "Tell me which side you are on, and I will decide if I kill you now or not."


    The owl on the boy''s shoulder spread its wings and leaned forward, getting into an attack position. However, Lescar calmed it down by caressing its neck.


    "Rest assured, I am here to help you..." Lescar said. Luke continued to stare at him in a fighting stance. "I believe you already know that Yoelona was here and that she took both Alexis Dmtiry and Matthew Oliveira with her. Am I correct?"


    "That was one of my assumptions. How do you know that?"


    "My responsibility is to know about things." Lescar spoke, looking into the half-wolf''s eyes. Luke didn''t understand what he meant. "Anyway, you need to know that Meredith Scully, Ynosuke Zhao, Zack Olsen, and John Eduardo are also with your past Master. She has taken them to a Fort in the North..."


    Even with this crumb of hope, Luke did not rx his posture. "Why should I believe you? I don''t know who you are..." Luke evidenced; still, a bit shaken by the sudden revtions, but still firm in his principles of not believing just anyone.


    Lescar suddenly appeared in front of the half-wolf''s eyes and touched his forehead before Luke could even move a muscle. In the next moment, a vision invaded Luke Lange''s mind.


    In that sh of heightened awareness, Luke saw his Master. Yoelona was a beautiful woman with ck skin and white eyes; although she looked slightly different now, with white strands forming several braids in her hair, Yoelona seemed to have aged very little.


    The former Master of the half-wolf was putting wood on a fire, and next to her was Matthew, looking fixedly into the mes. Alexis was slight to the side, sleeping soundly. Matthew''s mouth moved, and he seemed to start a conversation with Yoelona, but Luke couldn''t hear anythinging out of his mouth. Then the half-wolf''s consciousness was transferred to a vision of Meredith, who was looking tense, looking down, while Zack, John and Ynosuke seemed to be enjoying themselves at a long wooden table.


    Finally, Lescar moved his hand away from Luke''s forehead and stepped back, staring at the half-beast from the bottom up because of his short height. "You could see it, couldn''t you?"


    "Yes, they''re fine... They''re alive." Luke spoke and smiled at the boy, almost dropping tears of relief and happiness. Not even in his wildest dreams did he expect to see his friends so at peace.


    Lescar, for the first time, smiled and turned away to go back into the sewer tunnel. "Your friends are at the fort I mentioned, near Forge Hill, and Yoelona and the other two are now a few miles from Oukiwa, heading toward that same fort. I hope you will reunite them..."<sub> </sub>


    "Why did you help me?" Luke questioned before the boy started to walk away.


    Although it took him a few seconds to answer, Lescar turned around and looked into the half-wolf''s eyes wistfully. "In the future, when you need help, when everyone needs help, I want you to call my name and tell me you are ready. When that timees, I will make you the strongest man that this world has ever seen."


    The half-wolf didn''t even have to think long to deduce that dark times were approaching. The boy''s voice still seemed to echo in the empty chamber even after minutes of him disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    Luke was very happy that he had finally been able to see Meredith''s face again; if a few more months had passed, he would surely have forgotten how beautiful she was.


    "I have to remember that name: ''Lescar''... I''m sure I''ll never forget it."


    Luke didn''t even know how he would travel north since Forge Hill was a few thousand miles away, and Luke knew little about thisrge city either.


    Upon returning to the Strogueher estate near midnight, Luke found Ayumi awake, pacing back and forth. When she saw Luke, she widened her eyes and trotted over to hug him.


    "Where were you? I was so worried about you taking so long..." She spoke and hugged the half-beast tightly.


    "Sorry for worrying you." Luke returned the hug.


    "Did you find anything about them?" Ayumi inquired, realizing that Alexis was not standing next to the half-beast.


    Then Luke told her everything that Lescar told him, how he did to find Alexis and Matthew''s tracks, and also told her that Alexis and Dmitry were ''captured'' by Yoelona, his former Master.


    The half-wolf couldn''t understand why Yoelona had done that, but he knew more than anyone that maybe it hadn''t been with bad intentions, because he knew her very well during the months she trained him.


    "The Twelve Thrones? Um... I''ve heard about it at the University, I just can''t remember which ss it was in."


    "So, you think I should follow his guidance and go to the North?" Somehow, Luke trusted Lescar, mostly from seeing his friends and the inscrutable tension that the mysterious boy emanated.


    "I have no doubts. Go find them and when you return, I will be waiting for you." Ayumi spoke with a smile. "Just make sure you don''t dy, otherwise I might find another super talented half-beast..." She crossed her arms and turned her face away.


    Luke sped her around the waist and turned her face, so she could look into his eyes. "I love you, wait for me."


    "I love you too, I will wait for you." The Strogueher Matriarch said, smiled and kissed the former thief.

 Chapter 167 Two Kilometers

    Although Luke was full of uncertainty about how Oukiwa would be during his absence, the consent of Ayumi Yamazaki was the primary point for him actually to make a decision.


    He knew that there was a possibility that the First Servant was very angry after the terrorist attack had failed, and that when he became Champion of the Tournament of Legends, the Big Demon also knew where the half-wolf might be, but it would be too risky a move to attack the Strogueher.


    What is thergest Noble Family present in Oukiwa is not only very influential but also very strong, not to mention their powerful guards, who are very experienced ande from many parts of the Empire. Not to mention that the Strogueher property is, after the Central Pce, the best-guarded area in the entire city.


    Knowing all these factors precisely because he had lived in this ce for almost three weeks, Luke was somewhat reassured.


    On the morning of the next day that Luke Lange met Lescar, someone knocked on Ayumi''s door.


    "I''ming!" Nathalia shouted as she went downstairs to answer the door.


    When the young Strogueher opened the door, she saw a woman with brown skin and grayish hair. She had armor on both arms, but on the rest of her body, she wore only a blue and long dress.


    "That is the home of Luke Lange, the ''Half-Wolf'', right?" The woman asked.


    Nathalia tilted her head to the side and saw at least ten young, white-haired elves behind her. "And who might you be?"


    A hand touched the brown woman''s shoulder, and an Elf girl stepped out from behind her back. Looking down at the ground and moving the fingers of her hand frantically, this Elf girl spoke:


    "We apologize for my partner''s rudeness... She is Ste Hoka, the champion ofst year''s Tournament of Legends and I am La¨ªs Strogueher."


    This Elf had white hair as long as Nathalia''s, and her eyes were gray. For a few minutes, she introduced all of Nathalia''s other cousins, who were on a trip together.


    "So, Luke Lange went on a journey right after winning the Tournament? I thought he was your private bodyguard." After talking with Nathalia for a bit, Ste spoke up, seated on the couch.


    "Yes... he needed to visit the Family, and there was no more opportune time than this." Nathalia spoke without trembling; after all, this was only a half-truth.


    "Sigh..." Ste sighed, disappointed. "I think our rematch will be forter."


    *


    <strong>¡ª Two kilometers north of Oukiwa, an hour after the Grand Final of the Tournament of Legends ended. ¡ª</strong>


    A few rays of sunlight illuminated the treetops of an ordinary forest, waking the birds in their nests and indicating that in a few minutes, it would be dawn. A two-horse wagon was crossing quickly through the small jungle.


    "Huh? Hmm..." The half-dragon sleepily awoke to the noise of the galloping.


    A hole in the road suddenly lifted one of the two wheels of the wagon, causing it to bounce. When it came back to the ground, Alexis hit her head hard on the wagon''s wood, waking her up for real.


    "Ouch! Ouch!" Unconsciously, Alexis tried to stroke her right fifer because of the pain, but suddenly realized that she had both hands cuffed and that, for some reason, she was in the back of an old wagon.


    In the driving seat of the carriage were Matthew and the ck woman with braids in her hair. The half-dragon was about to jump on Yoelona''s neck again, but Matthew eximed:


    "Calm down, calm down! She''s on our side!" He shouted, trying to prevent a fight between the two from happening.


    "What did you say?"


    Then the ck woman, who was guiding the two horses, pulled the rope to slow the vehicle down and pulled over at a point parallel to the road. The three of them jumped down to get off the carriage and talk.<sub> </sub>


    Matthew''s legs were shaking with nervousness. He had already heard Yoelona''s exnations, but he was apprehensive about what the half-dragon''s response would be.


    "This is Yoelona, she is... an old friend." The man introduced the white-eyed woman.


    The two women were staring at each other with clenched gazes, and an intense pressure formed in a few seconds, which intensified Matthew''s fear even more.


    "I know that name. You are Luke''s Master, aren''t you?" Alexis asked to confirm. Luke had told her a little about how he learned some techniques.


    "That''s right... First of all, let me help you with the obsidian handcuffs. You must still be weak from the gas."


    At that moment, a retching startled Matthew, and when he opened his eyes after the fright, he saw the ck cuffs, which held the half-dragon''s hands, fall to the ground in pieces.


    "I think you guys better start exining yourselves. There''s nothing around us, so I won''t hesitate to burn this entire forest if I judge you to be a threat."


    "That''s fair enough." Yoelona spoke, sketching no expression. "What do you want to know?"


    "Why did you attack him and me before if you are so peaceful now?"


    "The answer is simple. I didn''t know you; I didn''t trust you. I heard about Matthew looking for Meredith and when I saw that he had an unknown person with him, of course I was on alert, after all he had been missing for some time. Before he told me a little about you on the way here, I thought you were a demon."


    The half-dragon was surprised to hear about this type of monster ss. "So, you know about demons too?"


    "I had the opportunity to meet one in person a few months ago near Suzano. Since then, I''ve been trying to rescue the people I like from the big centers..."


    "She was the person who got Meredith, Zack, John and Ynosuke out of Oukiwa!" Matthew revealed excitedly,plementing Yoelona''s response.


    Finally, Alexis Dmitry let her guard down because she felt truthfulness in both of their words. In addition, it didn''t look like Yoelona had been injury-free from the fight against the S-ss.


    "Luke is in Oukiwa to look for his friends. Where are they now?"


    "Wait, he''s not in Vasconcelos? Why didn''t you tell me about that?" Yoelona turnedst to ask Matthew, finally showing a human expression of surprise.


    "Eh... I thought you knew. You even knew that we were prowling around in the Lower City." He replied, scratching his head with one finger, confused as well.


    "I knew that because you went to an old friend." The woman huffed and leaned on the deteriorating wagon. "But that''s okay, confusions of information are normal. For now, he''s sure to be safe if he''s still with the Strogueher..."


    "I''m sorry I didn''t say that earlier. We had time to talk, and I was too excited by the good news..." Matthew was disappointed in himself.


    "Just answer me, do you really want to go to the Fort now? I didn''t take you before because you had a girlfriend and everyone thought you wouldn''t agree to go..."


    Matthew was disappointed in his friends; however, he knew deep down they were right, he would never leave Jess behind. "Yes, I want to see how my friends are doing. I bet they''ll want toe back when they hear about Luke..."


    "If they want to, I won''t be able to stop them." Yoelona spoke and approached the horses. "Now let''s go, the journey will be long. Are youing?" she asked the half-dragon.


    Alexis had the option to go back to Oukiwa and warn Luke or apany Matthew and find out if Yoelona is telling the truth or just a very well-done bluff. Also, Alexis was interested in learning about Yoelona''s encounter with a demon, and why it was so scary to the point of making her want everyone she knows from the big cities.


    "Yes, I''lle with you."

 Chapter 168 Atom

    From the time Luke left Oukiwa for the north of the Empire a week has passed. For this trip, which he hoped would be quick, he took a few things on the horse borrowed from Oliver.


    ording to the old retired Adventurer, the horse named Atom was the fastest in the Strogueher''s private stable and used to take part in races when younger. However, Atom was well past the age of ten and had therefore retired a few months ago.


    Although Luke had never had the chance to ride a horse before, he was more than happy to wee Atom, not least because the journey on foot couldst several months. During the journey, Luke slowly learned how to master the horse''s wills and steer it in the right directions.


    In Atom''s saddlebag, Martha put a lot of fruit and some bread, which should take a few days to spoil. In addition, Luke also put in his inventory a few pounds of oatmeal, which was easy to prepare and quite nutritious, and since it was in his inventory it wouldn''t ever spoil.


    However, the horse ate a lot and needed plenty of energy to run for entire days, and because of this the fruits were already about to expire with only a short time of travel. Luke was not worried about food for himself, because he could rope the horse to the trunk of a tree and hunt for a few minutes, the real problem was Atom, who couldn''t eat meat.


    In that moment of tightness, Luke regretted that he had never apanied Meredith out of Oukiwa when the girl was going to get herbs, so he would know which ones were good for the horse and which ones were not.


    "All right... we must be near some town or inn." Luke thought as he stopped the horse at the side of a winding dirt road for the animal rest.


    From one of the pockets of the saddlebag, which was on the sides of the horse, Luke pulled out a map.


    "Lucky Shiro gave this to me, otherwise I would have been easily lost."


    Shiro was an Adventurer who, before bing a Strogueher official, had traveled extensively both for the Landfords and also independently, so it was no surprise that he had arge map. But this particr map was head and shoulders above any other map Luke could buy.


    There were drawings of hundreds of routes Luke could follow, as well as several dozen towns Luke could pass through. Since Luke''s goal was to get to the Cardinal Kingdom, to use his S-ss Gene Skill license and also to ask for information, he circled the drawing of thergest city on the continent on the map.


    After checking that the road, he was following seemed to be the correct way, Luke put the map in his saddlebag, made sure that the ck Egg was intact on the other side of the saddlebag, and continued on his way, thinking that he should reach the nearest city the next day.


    However, to his delight he found what appeared to be a small vige a few minutester, which made him think:


    ''Wow, today is my lucky day! I hope I can refill my canteen at their well...''


    Then, Luke naturally approached the vige, and before he entered, he was d that he could read the sign. "Au-ro-ra Vilge... I guess that''s what it is. I hope I''m not wrong, although I don''t know what Aurora means. I''ve never even heard that word."


    This small vige with huts made of wood, did not seem to be very busy. Right at the entrance you could tell by the marks on the ground that there were more horses. As Luke entered the property, he really found two horses tied to a piece of wood, and also a wagon with two other horses.


    The half-wolf got off of the Atom, looked around, untied the ck Egg''s bag from the saddlebag, and ced it behind his neck. "Now where I go, you go with me." Luke spoke, then pped the pouch weakly twice.


    Of course, Luke found it strange not to be greeted by anyone, but that was exined when he finally managed to read the sign that was written on the hut where the other horses were tied up.


    [Aurora''s Tavern].


    As the half-wolf entered the establishment, the bell over the door tinkled. Tlim, Tlim, Tlim!<sub> </sub>


    The chattering noises immediately stopped, and also the sound of mugs being ced on the table.


    Luke was relieved when he saw that this was indeed a tavern, and that he was not breaking into a house by mistake. Without showing any reaction, Luke looked to both sides of the enclosure, saw that there were at least ten guys present, and went to the bar, where there was an old woman.


    "What brings you here, traveler?" She asked, continuing to cut the bread she intended to serve to one of the tables.


    Seeing that Luke was not looking for trouble, most of the men turned their attention to their own mugs.


    Trying not to stare at the huge mole on the old woman''s chin, Luke replied:


    "I''m just passing through. I was wondering if I could refill my canteen at your well, and also if you would have some horse hay. Of course, I will pay..."


    "Ok. Is there anything else you would like to ask? If you are interested, I dare say our Mead is the best in the region!"


    "Just what I ordered, please."


    The half-wolf thought about buying fruit, but since autumn had arrived, he didn''t want to leave the small vige without having anything to eat, not to mention that he still had enough to get to the nearest town the next day.


    "All right... Hey Pedro, kid, get over here quick!" The old woman shouted, and from one of the tables, a teenage boy stood up.


    "Do you need anything, Ms. Aurora?" He asked politely.


    "Yes. Go to the barn and get a five-pound bale for this man''s horse, and also take the opportunity to fill his canteen."


    "All right." The boy spoke.


    When the boy looked at the half-wolf, he was suddenly startled to see his yellow eyes and animal ears. But he soon remembered the rumor of a half-beast being the Champion of this year''s Tournament of Legends, and he calmed down.


    "Your canteen, please." He asked, internally cogitating whether the one in front of him could be that Champion or not. ''Of course, it''s not him... the Champion would never stop in a ce like this.''


    The boy then walked away. Luke was undecided about what to do during the minutes he waited and his lost gaze met the curious eyes of the table Pedro came from.


    "Are you fancy a game of ''Luck or Fight'', half-beast?" One of the men at the table, who was also the skinniest, asked loudly.


    For a few moments, Luke pondered. He had never been greeted this way at any inn or tavern he had ever visited, and since he had nothing to do to make the waiting time pass more quickly, he epted the unusual invitation.

 Chapter 169 Card Game

    When Luke approached the men''s table who called him, he saw several cards on the furniture.


    "The boy was ying with us, but since he left for work, how about you y instead?" The skinny man spoke to the half-wolf.


    There were five men at the table, and they were all looking at Luke with considerable interest. This was the first time the half-wolf had been received so positively by strangers in a tavern, which was surprising. In the past, most of the time people kept their distance while they stared at him with looks of fear and anger. There had been a few times when some people had even thrown objects at him, but Luke never gave in to the wishes of the prejudiced, which would be to remove himself from the area, so sometimes, during his reckless adolescence, Luke fought back with his fists.


    Before epting the skinny man''s invitation, Luke looked at the other four citizens and questioned:


    "Is that all right for you guys0?"


    They immediately nodded frantically, with a smile on their faces and their eyes shining. Luke found this behavior strange, yet agreed to sit down to y.


    "You''ve yed ''Luck or Fight'' in the card version, haven''t you?" After taking a long sip of the mead in his mug, one of the men asked.


    "I''ve yed with just the basic rules." Luke replied.


    "All right, that''s better..."


    The card version of ''Luck or Fight'' could be as simple as the original game of immobilization and, simultaneously, asplex as chess because of the endless possibilities.


    Like the original game, the card version does not allow cheating with skills, spells, or charms; in other words, your reasoning, wit, and experience are the decisive factors to emerge victoriously.


    The thin man showed the cards from the deck to the half-wolf, who noticed well that there was one card missing from the thirty-card deck, but he didn''t say anything because he wanted to see the stranger''s intentions.


    "Now, I will spread the cards on the table, and you pick seven for yourself and I will pick seven for me." The skinny man instructed and dropped all the cards.


    "...All right."


    At the same time that Luke was choosing his cards, the other men, who pretended to be ying their own games, tried to distract Luke by bumping into him. However, Luke still said nothing.


    When Luke turned forward to look at the cards on the table, the pile of cards to buy was already done, and the skinny man had seven cards in his hand.


    The half-wolf''s opponent smiled and spoke:


    "This kind of game is much more exciting with a bet. Do you have the guts for it?" Toplete the initial phase of their n, the men tried to pressure Luke into epting with excited looks.


    Luke Lange was very d that his assumption about the men was correct. They had not recognized him as the champion half-beast, but rather as a rich half-beast, because Luke was wearing a great overcoat, in addition to the well-kept horse they saw through the window.


    "All right, but how much would you be willing to bet? I don''t like to bet small amounts..."


    "A hundred silver coins?" The skinny man spoke with a smile on his face, trying not to be intimidating. No matter how stingy the half-beast could be, he definitely had that kind of money to bet that amount.<sub> </sub>


    "The least I can ept is a bet of two thousand silver coins."


    "Two thousand silver!?" The other four men at the table eximed in surprise, alerting the other people in the room.


    The skinny man immediately epted, both because of the people gathered around and because his overall n was to win several games of the half-ball.


    With his seven cards in hand, Luke was the first to y because he was the outsider. He ced a card on the table, which on its top had drawn the number two, which meant that the card had 2bat strengths. This card had the drawing of a Kakute, which is a ring used for assassinations.


    To start his game also, the skinny man put the Air God card on the table, which equaled 20bat points. This was the card with the most points in the game, and he hid it in his sleeve beforehand. Their friends nudged him happily, thinking that this amount would be the easiest they had ever won in their lives. The people around the table were impressed by the tactic used by the thin man.


    With only seven cards for three rounds, normally, it didn''t seem like a wise thing to continue in a round that was started with such a powerful card on the table, except if Luke had a buy-in card in his hands. Just when everyone thought Luke would surrender the first point to his opponent because he was 18 points away, Luke pulled a card from his hand and ced it on the table.


    Upon seeing Luke''s next card, a woman was impressed. "Oh! A Hawkeye card, that''s one of the four cards that allow you to take a card from the shop deck."


    "Tsk!" The skinny man clicked his tongue, irritated. ''I thought he would give up that round...''


    In addition to the buying skill, Hawkeye had 3 points ofbat strength. With that, the round was 20 points for the skinny man,pared to only 5 for the half-wolf. The man, confident in his intuition, dered on his turn:


    "I pass..." Both yers were holding six cards in their hands, but Luke was the one at a wide disadvantage; it would make no sense for the half-wolf to continue in the round.


    At that moment, Luke understood the level of the opponent he was ying against: a piece of shit.


    ''Even Zack, with his tiny brain, understands that surrendering a round after ying only one card is dumb.'' Luke thought internally after drawing the Earth God card, which equaled 16bat points.


    The skinny man could hardly believe his own eyes, and only after losing the round did he understand how dumb he was. Since Luke was the winner of the first round, the bonus from the Hawkeye card allowed him to buy one more card.


    In the second round, Luke was again the one to start, but immediately skipped the round, forcing the skinny man to use one card, since if it was a draw, Luke would be the winner for having won the first round.


    Outnumbered in thest round, the thin man''s defeat was inevitable. The half-wolf destroyed him with a Scorpionbo with Sorcerer, securing a 30bat point advantage.


    In the end, Luke had to settle for only three gold coins, which was all the men had. But Luke was not merciful to the kind of man who tries to win by cheating, so he put the hay and water he bought on the men''s tab, as well as taking their deck for himself.


    The half-wolf left satisfied and motivated to continue his journey, while the skinny man earned the enmity of his four frustrated friends.


    "You said it would be easy because he''s a half-wolf!" One of the men eximed.


    "I know... but I thought that because I yed against a half-beast woman with hornsst week and won two gold coins from her. I figured the same thing would happen with this guy!" The skinny guy tried to exin himself, with a lot of sweat beading down his forehead.

 Chapter 170 Yoelona

    Unlike Luke, who was using the long trip to practice his skills, learn about the world, and study during breaks, Alexis, Yoelona, and Matthew were having an arduous journey.


    Let''s just say that the personalities of the three were not at allpatible. While Yoelona was a discreet woman who was suspicious of everything, the half-dragon was a woman who drew attention everywhere she went, both because of her appearance and her humor. Matthew acted as the appeaser of the two women''s brief intrigues, that is, except when his kleptomania made him steal from someone because those were the only times Yoelona and Alexis were on the same side.


    Luckily, the S-ss managed to gain some of Yoelona''s trust over the weeks and tried to discover why she was so scared of a demon; after all, Alexis had seen several during her life. The half-dragon understood that demons can be frightening to normal people, but she still judged the reaction of wanting all the people she has a connection with to leave the big cities to be exaggerated.


    One night, while they were resting around a bonfire, Alexis told how she used to eliminate some demons at the request of the Cardinal Church. The emissaries would do the intelligence and support work while she was sent to the fight. This information made Yoelona finally trust in the half-dragon.


    After looking at the ground and being silent for several minutes, while sitting on a log of wood near the fire, Yoelona dered:


    "All right... I will tell you two everything, so pay attention."


    Matthew and Alexis, who were chatting about what Luke was like in childhood, were surprised by the woman''s sudden speech and began to pay attention immediately.


    The story which Yoelona told began ten years before she even met Luke. At that time, she was still living in the city where she was born, in the Melki Empire.


    As a result of her hard work and unique skills, she was called to a special team that would report directly to the emperor. Aftermanding a simple battalion for more than fifteen years in Stahurt, she thought that now she would finally gain the recognition she deserved for her efforts.


    However, Yoelona''s happiness turned to frustration, and as the years passed in that special team, following the emperor''s orders became more and more arduous.


    "Kill that entire vige, they are insurgents!"


    "Execute this man, he refuses to obey my authority!"


    "Burn that vige, and don''t you dare to spare the children likest time! They are gues too!"


    The face of the emperor of Melki soon ceased to be the symbol of power that Yoelona so admired, and his eyes seemed to grow denser and colder. The message embedded in Yoelona''s heart that the Melki Empire was powerful, honorable, and peaceful slowly faded away.


    Even after developing post-traumatic stress disorder, Yoelona stood firm in her position. She could barely detail what those months were like for Alexis and Matthews because nothing seemed to be alive to her during that time.


    After gaining the full confidence of all her colleagues and the emperor, in a desperate act of trying to find proof that everything they were doing was really for the good of the nation, Yoelona invaded the basement of the pce on Mount Ptine. Since there was a party taking ce that night at the top of the pce, she thought it would be impossible to discover.


    Yoelona managed to easily infiltrate the basement, but the things she discovered that night didn''t prove that the emperor ordered all this for the good of the nation, but rather to benefit one particr race: the demons.<sub> </sub>


    Thends burned by the emperor''s special squad were used to store monster nests, and the bodies of the ''insurgents'' were used to feed the Devil himself.


    On top of all this, she found a map with the names of almost two hundred demons gathered throughout the Melki Empire. On this map, the entire territory of the nation was divided into ten different regions, and the leader of each region was called the ''Servant of Chaos''.


    Upon discovering all this, Yoelona fled as fast as she could from thatnd, where she could no longer feel safe.


    ''All my life, I believed I was defending the sovereignty and honor of an Empire, but I was actually defending the territory of monsters...'' The same conclusion kept hammering in the former soldier''s mind.


    Even after years passed, Yoelona continued to live as a nomad, traveling throughout the Broteforge Empire. The traumas of her life didn''t allow her to live in the same region for more than a few weeks, fearing that she would be found by demons.


    This changed a little when she met some children who tried to steal from her. These children were: Meredith, Matthew, Luke, Ynosuke, and Zack. They attracted her affection and were able tofort some of her anguish.


    Yoelona soon decided that she would help them in some way, but she was terrible at arithmetic and grammar, so she paid a trusted man named Dwarven to teach four of the children during his spare time, while one would train with her personally. Between a huge teenager named Zack, an experienced martial artist whose name was Ynosuke, and a half-wolf named Luke, she chose the one who seemed to be the fastest at absorbing the techniques she could teach.


    Although she knew that this would leave them at a disadvantage to most and wanted to be hypocritical of her, Yoelona always told them to use Gene Skills under no circumstances. In the end, the truth was that the ex-military woman was still very afraid of anything that was even remotely rted to demons.


    "So, I ran away from you guys..." Yoelona spoke, still looking at Matthew. The man with a few gray hairs was shocked by the woman''s story. "I thought that if I stayed, I might be emotionally dependent on you, and that if the demons ever found me, you would be at risk."


    Although her voice was slightly emotional, no muscle in Yoelona''s face seemed to express her true feelings, as if they were paralyzed.


    "So, I moved to the far end of the continent, in a town just outside the big city Suzano. I built a hut for myself and was living happily. One day, I heard rumors of a beast in the nearby forest and went to kill it to calm the poption, but what I found was not a beast, not an ordinary monster but a legitimate demon, disguising itself in human skin."


    "How did you know it was a demon?" Matthew inquired, startled and wrapped up in the subject. He had never gotten to see a demon personally.


    "I didn''t simply deduce that he was a demon, I recognized his appearance from one of the scrolls I found in the basement of the Emperor''s Pce of Melki. I remember to this day everything I read in those scrolls..." Yoelona spoke and stood up from the log.


    It was already about dawn, and none of them could rest from being wrapped up in the woman''s story.


    "That night in the forest, I learned that the demons are no longer content with just the dominance of the Melki Empire. And if they want to, the Broteforge Empire will fall soon." She said and stepped on the fire with her boots to extinguish the fire.


    "Now I know why you didn''t tell until you knew I was a member of the Cardinal Church..." Alexis spoke with a confident smile. His horns were sparkling with animation.

 Chapter 171 The Shell

    After three weeks of traveling, the connection between the horse Atom and Luke became very strong. Regrly, Luke took breaks for the horse to rest, and when they came across a stream orke, the half-wolf bathed himself and cleaned Atom.


    One day, they had to go up the road of arge hill, because if they chose to ride around it, the journey that could only take one day, would take almost a week.


    Since Atom would already have to work hard to climb the strenuous terrain of the mountain, Luke thought it would be cruel to ride on his back. For this reason, Luke took the horse''s reins, and they climbed together leisurely.


    During this trip, the half-wolf had a lot of time to think, something he never had, because of the hustle and bustle that had been his day-to-day life since he was a child.


    This time he had with himself made him know himself better than ever. In life, sometimes, all a person needs is time to think and absorb.


    Looking back, Luke almost couldn''t believe that he was now a Champion of the Tournament of Legends, something he never dreamed of or longed for, not because he didn''t want to, but because he thought it was all too far away.


    <o>,m The truth is that Luke, more than anyone else, had always underestimated himself and overestimated the world that the adventurers lived in, which seemed so far away from his own. Several times he tried to convince himself that he remained a thief because the Dungeons stank, because the adventurers were too strong, or even because he feared the mysteries of the monster-filled tunnels. But the truth is that Luke feltfortable being a thief; he was in hisfort zone.</o>


    Everything changed when he met Ayumi and her daughter. Nathalia''s willingness to go to Dungeoneering made him feel like crap because he always knew he had the strength to face the monsters in Dungeons, so he could have helped his friends before to have the future they wanted.


    However, now Luke was determined to never stay in hisfort zone again. He thought hard and came to the conclusion that for him to live in peace when he retired, he would need to kill everyone who ever threatened the people he loves. In addition, Luke didn''t know if the mysterious boy, Lescar, was trustworthy, nor did he know if his former mistress, Yoelona, could be trusted, since she took his friends away without even trying to contact him and left Matthew behind, at the mercy of his own fate.


    Despite knowing little, Luke decided that if Yoelona threatened the people he loves and admires, he would not hesitate to kill her, as well as any other great demon that appeared in front of him.


    At dusk on the night, he decided to climb the hill; instead of continuing the journey, Luke stopped at a somewhat t ground where some trees were covered. On the other side, Luke could already see the glow of the great Cardinal Kingdom in the distance, but small mountains covered the view of the city itself.


    Since the night was dark, it would be hazardous to go down the mountain.


    Before establishing his camp, Luke closed his eyes and focused all his attention on his sense of smell and hearing. He could find no sign of dangerous predators in the area, only birds in the trees and smallnd animals.


    The half-wolf was quite eager to get to the Cardinal Realm because he wanted to see what skill he could get with his S-ss license. Besides, the work to find the fort that Lescarmented on would begin, and it would be a short time before Luke finally found his friends.<sub> </sub>


    On that small t part of the hill, Luke ced the thin mattress he had managed to store in his inventory andid a cloth for Atom to sleep on. After some time looking up at the sky with so many stars, he could spend a lifetime counting; Luke felt his eyes heavy, and just as he was about to sleep, he heard a noise.


    Crc~


    Luke got up in one leap. Since his consciousness was just now between the dream world and reality, he couldn''t tell where the noise came from. A few momentster, the same noise could be heard.


    Crc~


    Now Luke could tell where the sound wasing from: from his bag. Initially, Luke thought it might be a rodent looking for food, but he thought it''s unlikely because Atom was still sleeping, and the horse was terrified of rats.


    The half-beast opened his ck bag and eventually discovered that the cracking noise wasing from the ck Egg. Over the past few weeks, Luke wondered countless times about what it would be like when the Summoning was born and hade to a conclusion alone that the most likely option would be for the Egg to transmute into the creature; however, that was not what was happening now. The Summoning was finally ready to leave.


    Confused and not knowing how to react, Luke carefully removed the ck Egg from the pouch and ced it on the mattress.


    ''Should I do something? Maybe try to help break the shell?'' Luke wondered as, cross-legged and with his right hand on his chin, he analyzed the Egg from a meter away. ''No... if I help, this Summoning might bezy.''


    Over the next few minutes, the strong shell of the ck Egg slowly sumbed from the inside. Luke did not expect that the birth of an Egg Invocation would be the same as that of an oviparous animal, so he was surprised. After some time of intense effort from the Summoning, the creature finally managed to get its head out of the Egg.


    ''Wait... is that really what I see?''


    On the mattress was a creature that looked like a lion''s cub, with metal ws and two huge metal fangsing out of its mouth, like a sabertooth. When the Summoning sessfully came out of the shell and saw Luke, it trotted over to Luke''sp. Luke opened his arms wide and weed that creature into hisp. The Summoning seemed happy to meet the half-wolf, and he didn''t think it would be fair to be disappointed that it wasn''t a huge Golem that came out of the ck Egg.


    ''Well... I guess I can''t push my luck too far.'' Luke thought as he stroked the soft fur of his new partner. "Ouch, that hurts partner, be careful with your ws..."


    The little lion managed to easily cut through the half-wolf''s overcoat, which was reinforced for high-level adventurers to wear in Dungeons.

 Chapter 172 The Walls And The Beam Of Light

    After the birth of the Summoning, Luke could no longer sleep through that night. The little feline was very energetic and loved to y, and soon Atom became a victim of his mischief. While the Summoning ran and tried to grab the horse''s hooves, Atom tried not to step on him, while running away in fear.


    When Luke learned to omit the Summoning, the horse finally found peace. The process of invoking the little lion and omitting him was as simple as evoking the Behemoth Axe; in other words, Luke only needed to make the order with his thought.


    At one point, while Luke was watching the summoning y in the water of a small stream aftering down the hill they were on, a name came to his mind: Bastet. This was the name of a Cat God, who was in a fable that Matthew often read. Since the Summoning didn''t have a name yet and Luke thought the name Bastet was very beautiful, he just named the little lion like that, and they went on their way.


    After so long of traveling, now the Cardinal Realm was finally near.


    Atom, Bastet, and Luke climbed the small mountains, and before the noon hour, they could already see the vast kingdom in the distance. After a verdant living field, there was arge city to shock Luke. If the half-wolf judged the walls of Oukiwarge, the walls of the Cardinal Kingdom were colossal, to say the least.


    ''Those things easily exceed thirty meters in height.'' Luke judged while admiring the scenery and cooking a small sparrow on an improvised fire.


    Besides the walls, there were many buildings that, intentionally or not, formed horizontal rhombuses, which gave the impression of the city being a totally different ce from the others Luke had already had the opportunity to visit. In the center of thisrge city-state was a huge pce architecturally simr to the Central Pce in Oukiwa. It was also impossible not to notice the fact that from the highest tower of the Cardinal Kingdom Pce, a thick beam of light came out and rose as far as the eye could no longer see.


    Mounted on Atom, Luke crossed the green field between him and the city in only an hour. His horse was so fast, and Luke could hardly appreciate the scenery, but neither did he slow his travelingpanion''s vigor.


    Once the half-wolf approached the city''s outskirts, he tugged on Atom''s reins and began to enter. As he made his way to the gate of the nearest wall, to ask where he could buy an updated map of the area and use his S-Gene Skill license, Luke saw several half-beasts and almost no elves, which surprised him positively.


    Also, on the outside of the colossal walls, many houses mainly looked like peasant houses, which cultivated some types of farming food, like carrots, potatoes, wheat, and other types of vegetables in their fields.


    As Luke had never had the opportunity to study different types of states, he didn''t understand what was in front of his eyes, but the Cardinal Kingdom was a unique ce in the world. All Kingdoms have Kings and Queens, and the Cardinal Kingdom was no exception, but in the Cardinal Kingdom, the session to the throne is not decided by bloodline but by religious rank. The person who rises to the post of Pontiff of the Cardinal Church in the Broteforge Empire gains the right to lead the Cardinal Kingdom, which is the physical representation of the faith of the great heroine of ''The Cmity'', Hera. This heroine, one of the few people to master the various states of nature, had legendary skills in earth bending.


    "Oh? They say the heroine herself built those walls?" Luke asked in surprise to the man in clerical garb who stopped him near the wall and told him a little about the Cardinal Kingdom.


    "Yes, yes! Don''t you think it''s amazing?"


    "Eh... it looks amazing and all... but I think it''s impossible for one person to build all that by herself." Luke spoke in disbelief; after all, the walls weren''t just enormous. They were also sturdy and spread out over a few miles. "Anyway, can you tell me where I can use this?" Luke pulled the Gene Skill license from his inventory and showed it to the man.


    The cleric blinked twice at seeing the paper sticking out of the yellow square and was even more astonished when he saw the Gene Skill ss-S license.


    <o>,m "This is... I guess I''ve never seen that stamp in person. Sorry to ask you, but who are you, sir?"<sub> </sub></o>


    "I''m a ss-E Adventurer..."


    About to measure Luke from head to toe with a nce, the cleric scolded himself. He knew he was no one to judge whether the half-wolf was lying or not. "All right. I advise you to go to the Cardinal Church building and talk to some Priest to help you."


    "And where is that?"


    "Just follow the light." The cleric said, pointing to the beam of light that rose to just above the clouds.


    "Okay, thank you very much." Luke thanked him, mounted Atom, and headed toward the gate.


    However, he noticed that the wall gate was closed as he approached. There were multiple wagons stopped, forming a jam of a few dozen meters. Since Luke was the only one with only a single horse, he could easily walk up to the guards protecting the entrance and trying to calm the stressed crowd.


    "Why the hell is that huge gate closed in the middle of the day!? I have deliveries to make!" A balding man asked the head guard, who was wearing reinforced steel armor.


    "It''s too hot here. My children are getting sick inside the carriage!"


    "The eggs I need to sell will spoil!"


    "Calm down, calm down! The gate will soon open, we are just waiting." The head guard replied, using a funnel to propagate his voice as loud as possible.


    Luke moved a little closer and got off his horse. Beside him was a man leaning against the first wagon in the convoy, and Luke, assuming the man was the owner of the wagon, asked:


    "Do you know what happened for them closing the gate?"


    The man was wearing peasant clothes and had a tired countenance. "Ah, buddy... you just got here? Well, it''s understandable that you don''t know. There''s an animal prowling the area and nobody knows if it''s a bear, a mountain lion, or something worse, because three farmers have already died. Don''t say I told you that, but they say it might be ''The Beast''... you know, don''t you? One of those rumors that came from Oukiwa..."


    Luke huffed in stress because it seemed that everywhere he went, that annoying rumor was chasing him.

 Chapter 173 The Royal Knight

    As Luke listened to the exnation as to why the gates were closed, he smiled audibly.


    If the tormenting beast that prowled the Cardinal Realm was a strange animal like the lizard-monkey Luke had seen in the swamp near Oukiwa, the half-wolf could use it to finally end the rumors about ''The Beast''. This would also end the affair that caused the shed, where he lived with his friends, to be burned down by popr hysteria.


    Luke Lange easily infiltrated the crowd of men who tormented the head ranger. When they saw the yellow-eyed half-beast, they immediately made way for him to pass.


    As soon as Luke arrived in front of the knight in steel armor, the man straightened his spine and asked respectfully:


    "How can I help you, sir?"


    Luke arched an eyebrow, surprised, for the head guard was not acting so reverently even with his people.


    "Is there a reward for the head of the prowling beast?"


    "Yes, there is a reward of one gold coin, but the reward is only valid for adventurers certified by any of the five main guilds."


    Luke knew that the five main guilds in the Broteforge Empire were from Oukiwa, Vasconcelos, Sheltered Halv?y, Forge Hill, and the Cardinal Kingdom.


    "And no one dared to go and kill the beast? Someone once told me that the Cardinal Kingdom was home to most of the Secrs, S-ss and Sensory Mages in the entire Empire."


    "That''s the problem... most of the Adventurers here would rather spend days in the Dungeon than take care of outside problems, because it''s more profitable. So, we''ve sent a troop of ten Royal Guardsmen to investigate the farm who im to have seen the creature, but they''re taking longer than expected..."


    ''Is a gold coin too little for these spoiled little people? I think I should move here...'' Luke judged, disappointed that his path was obstructed by a bunch of overbearing adventurers. "I am an adventurer, is there anyone who can apany me to the ce the guards went? I want to kill the creature."


    "Yes, but per standard procedure, can you show me your pendant, so I can verify that you are a legitimate Adventurer?"


    "Sure..." Then, Luke pulled out the pendant of the Vasconcelos Guild from his overcoat and held it out to the royal guard.


    ''Huh?! An E-ss?'' The head-keeper judged as he saw the ne made of cheap metal. ''All right... maybe he''ll die, but you never know...'' He tried to contain his prejudice because he was rated as a B-ss.


    However, unlike the man in steel armor who contained his expression of disappointment, the people expressed their feelings with whispers.


    "I thought he was a ss-A by the clothes he wears..."


    "Maybe he''s having trouble finding a Party or a n in other cities, that''s why he can''te up."


    "The Cardinal Realm Dungeon is the deepest so far... he should be ashamed toe here being an E-ss."<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf was not surprised by the men''s reactions, nor by the devaluations; after all, Luke would only be surprised if the news that he had be champion of the Tournament of Legends came so far in such a short time.


    Besides, Luke knew well that the Adventurers in the Cardinal Kingdom and Sheltered Halv?y were higher than those of Vasconcelos and Oukiwa. Since the Secrs had already gone to the bottom of the Tower-type Dungeon of Oukiwa, Vasconcelos, and Sheltered Halv?y, almost all the bosses had already been defeated, and only those that eventually spawned from time to time were left. However, the Cardinal Kingdom Dungeon was different, because they had already passed eighty-nine floors, and it didn''t look like they were anywhere near the end.


    For these reasons, Luke shrugged and calmly followed the knight who was designated to guide him.


    To Luke, this knight seemed a little too inexperienced. The helmet of his armor was wobbling on top of his head, the armor made an exaggerated noise, and the scabbard of his sword was not very well attached to his belt. But Luke didn''t bother with this and followed him without protest.


    When they approached the farm''s surroundings, which was surrounded by some tall pine trees, the whipping wind brought the smell of blood to Luke. Immediately, Luke threw Atom''s reins to the novice guard and shouted:


    "Don''t go anywhere!"


    "But wha¡ª" Before the knight could even question, Luke disappeared from his vision.


    The half-beast quickly followed the scent of blood, hoping not to miss the faint odor. The smell of the farm was terrible, mostly due to the fertilizer used on the crops. But Luke needn''t have worried about losing the trail, because as soon as he approached the barn, the smell of blood became stronger than ever, and he heard noisesing from the wooden building.


    While approaching the barn door, Luke pulled the obsidian sword from the inventory, which belonged to Nebezial before Luke took it for himself.


    The noises of tearing flesh could be heard clearly, and also a long trail of blood that followed into the barn. Nevertheless, all of Luke''s stealth was suddenly interrupted by Bastet, who called out to herself.


    "What do you want now, Bastet? Now isn''t a good time." Luke whispered to the feline at his feet.


    The Summoning always did that when it was hungry, and now was no different. However, he also noticed that Luke wasn''t acting like he usually did, and he also smelled blood. Curious, he started running with his little legs towards the bloodstain in front of the barn door. Once Luke tried to catch him, the feline somehow became intangible and passed between his fingers.


    "What the hell... Come back here, Bastet." Luke whispered and tried to pick up the Summoner again.


    Before the half-beast could get the Summoning, Bastet looked to the side, saw the huge creature deep in the barn, and seeing dark, hostile eyes, the feline roared:


    Roar~


    His roar was low, hoarse, and fluffy, like a lion cub''s, but it was still enough to get the creature''s attention that was feeding in the darkness.


    ROAAAAAAAAARRR!


    The beast''s roar in the barn made the ground shake like an earthquake, also spreading a terrible breath of entrails.

 Chapter 174 The Barn And The Beast

    After hearing the thunderous roar of the creature in the barn, Luke looked into the building and saw a huge bear, which made the barn look as small as a mere doghouse. Instinctively, the half-wolf jumped back with Bastet on hisp.


    The bear ran outside, destroying everything in his path. When he roared again, intimidated by the half-wolf''s presence, Luke could feel the death breathing from inside the animal. It was easy to see that there were still pieces of human flesh left in the creature''s teeth, such as arms, legs, and heads.


    In addition, the bear had dark brown fur and had many spears stuck in his back, but they didn''t seem to cause any pain.


    At that moment, the guard, who should have been staying watching over Atom, appeared and was startled by the second roar of the beast.


    "Hey boy, get out of here!" Luke shouted, as he calmly walked away because if the beast had indeed killed the ten-man troop as everything indicated, there was nothing the inexperienced knight could do to help.


    Dumbly, instead of retreating calmly, the boy tried to run scared, and because of his metal boots, he slipped on some dirt. This slip cost him his life because upon sniffing the guard''s fear, the bear ran towards him and swallowed him before Luke could find a way to save him.


    Subsequently, Bastet managed to free herself from Luke''sp by bing intangible again and started running towards the bear.


    "What a boring cat..." Lukeined while starting to run to get the Summoning.


    While still chewing the knight, the bear turned back and saw an inoffensive-looking feline running towards him, but inpensation, there was a powerful half-wolf right behind. That way, the animal roared again, throwing forward some body parts of the young Kingsguard that were left in its mouth.


    Luke knew he could quickly kill the bear because the bear''s movements were as clumsy and easily predictable as any other animal, but Bastet was blocking his way.


    However, soon Bastet surprised not only Luke but also the bear, proving to both that he was not just a cute kitten. After a sudden explosion of ck smoke, which dissipated as quickly as it appeared, Bastet became double the typical size of a lion.


    Now, the Summoning''s entire body was encased in a ck armor that appeared to be his own skin. The feline''s ws were now the same size as daggers, and an iron mask reversed his face, further entuating his fangs.


    Bastet reached the bear in moments, and although the bear was still bigger, the feline managed to push it back with his monstrous strength.


    Luke didn''t know how to react, because he never even considered the possibility of this happening. After being stunned for a few seconds, Luke ran to the fight, which was knocking down pine trees all over the farm.


    Bastet was dominating the fight with a considerable advantage, leaving the bear more injured in a few seconds than the ten knights of the Cardinal Kingdom managed to do until they died.


    Bastet''s gaze was different now, too. The eyes in the feline''s mask glowed in an orange-red, much like the strangentern that had hung around his neck.


    Luke could hardly believe his eyes because Bastet''s tail alone was the same size as the little lion was less than two minutes ago.


    However, Luke could still see traces of a cub''s inexperience in his Summoning, which left him relieved.<sub> </sub>


    Although the bear managed to attack a few times with his powerful paws, they did no damage at all to Bastet''s natural armor.


    When the Summoning attacked, it was something a level above ordinary beasts because the feline instinctively already knew his opponent''s weak points. Hence, his metal ws tore toward the animal''s joints.


    At one point, Luke thought about taking advantage of the two creatures'' fight to finish the bear and avoid even more damage to the property, but Bastet finally managed to find the space he needed and tore the bear''s jugr with one of his front paws.


    After that, the Summoning retreated with a leap backward. The bear staggered for a few seconds until he finally fell dead on the ground.


    Bastet turned back to his master, walking proudly and showing off his dense metallic mane.


    "Oh! Bastet, you are very powerful!" Luke praised him, holding his arms out to receive Bastet with affection as the Summoning always liked the half-wolf to do.


    At that time, the smoke explosion urred again, and in a second, the Summoning had returned to the fluffy form of a few minutes ago. This made Luke realize that Bastet had not evolved forever, but rather that his ability seemed to be a voluntary evolution. Anyway, the half-wolf wasn''t disappointed; after all, the Summoning wasn''t scratched, and Luke didn''t even have to fight once. Besides, it was only a matter of time before Bastet got even stronger, gaining experience.


    When Luke was nearly ready to go back to the gate of the Cardinal Kingdom to warn the guards, he found them near the farmhouse exit. After showing the body of ''The Beast'', the head guard gave Luke a letter to take his reward at the guild building, and the three city gates were opened.


    The coachmen, merchants, peasants, and guards, who doubted Luke''s ability that day, were embarrassed and, after a few more days, had a guilty conscience when they discovered that Luke was the current Champion of the Tournament of Legends.


    Simrly, to how the news about the half-wolf bing Champion was slowly spreading throughout the Empire, the news about ''The Beast'' finally being killed also began to spread, reaching the ears of the First Servant within a few weeks.


    "Shit! Shit! Shit! That little wolf bastard just gets in my way!" The First Servant shouted, irritated, as he pounded on the table. "Calm down... Calm down... Everything is going ording to n. Everything." He tried to calm himself, cing his metallic hand over his pale and dead face.


    "Sir, if you need me to kill him, just order me." Lizz spoke. She was on her knees in front of him and wearing the same clothes as when she apanied Jean Pollo.


    Only at that moment did the First Servant remember that this woman was there. Noticing her presence that was irrelevant to him, the Demon smiled mischievously and walked over to Lizz. When he approached, he touched her chin and dragged his hands up to her neck. Suddenly, he lifted the woman by the neck with enormous ease.


    "I don''t need your suggestions. I know what I am doing and when this half-wolf will die, he will die by my hands properly. It doesn''t matter if they got in our way when they didn''t publicize the existence of our race, or when we tried to spread the word of the Chaos Followers even further, after all, the course of Chaos is unique and unchanging. Sooner orter the Broteforge Empire will fall, and nothing will change that."


    "Yes, sir. Now I understand..." Lizz spoke with a hoarse voice from shortness of breath.


    Soon after, he dropped her to the ground on her knees and spoke:


    "Now do something useful and go back to the Broteforge Empire. Leaving Bukavac alone is not a good idea. He doesn''t know how to be discreet."

 Chapter 175 Cardinal Realm

    The first thing Luke did upon crossing the colossal walls of the Cardinal Kingdom was not to go to the Cardinal Church, as indicated by the clergyman he talked to. First, he found a stable near the city entrance and requested that Atom be looked after.


    The horse was fatigued from the long journey and really needed to rest in a suitable ce, with plenty of hay, water, and shade. In addition, the whole city had many ups and downs, so Atom would dy Luke because riding was forbidden on many streets.


    After that, Luke climbed many streets and stairs, always asking for directions about the best routes. The half-wolf soon noticed that no one judged him with their eyes for his race, but rather for the clothes he wore, always treating him with as much respect as possible. Soon Luke also noticed that although the people looked like peasants, no one seemed to live in the purest misery, as happened in other cities of the Broteforge Empire.


    In Luke''s mind, the factors didn''t quite fit together. The most dangerous Dungeon on the continent was below the Cardinal Realm, yet the people still lived with a happy smile on their faces and their eyes shining. Luke couldn''t tell whether that was the purest state of alienation or insolence at having the most powerful Adventurers.


    On the way to the Guild, Luke wondered somehow Alexis Dmitry was when she lived in this vast city. Did she belong to a n? Did she have a party? A boyfriend? However, when he thought about the possibility that the half-dragon had a boyfriend, a bad feeling, which he had never felt before, came over him.


    The half-wolf could easily visualize Alexis anywhere in that city; after all, the S-ss was powerful and cheerful, perfectly fitting the mystical and religious atmosphere of the Cardinal Kingdom.


    Before he knew it, Luke was standing there with a silly smile and his face slightly flushed, and he only realized this when he heard some women whispering:


    "Why is he looking at the ground like that?"


    "Is he a pervert?"


    "No, sister...he must be an Adventurer, don''t talk about it that way."


    Immediately Luke shook his head and regained his posture. ''What was that I felt?" he wondered, then returned to following the street orientation that a man directed him to.


    After a few minutes, Luke finally found the Cardinal Kingdom Guild building. This one had very simr architecture to the Vasconcelos Guild building, but it was three timesrger. Like any other Guild, in front of it was a quest board, which was quite crowded for this time of day.


    Curious, Luke approached it to see the levels of the quests, and he was startled to see that the difficulty levels were no less than ss-B.


    On the Vasconcelos mission board, it was hard to find one of that level, and inpensation, there were dozens of Rank-E and Rank-F missions.


    A man who was alone searching for some mission for his group to do the next day, saw the half-wolf looking carefully at the board and spoke:


    "Do you want help finding a mission? Or if you want a group, I advise you to go inside the Guild and make a chart pointing out your talents, sometimes there are groups looking for people of specific sses." He was tall and wore pointed armor.


    "Thanks, but I was just curious about the fact that the levels of the missions are not low."<sub> </sub>


    "Ah, yes... Well, the Dungeon here was one of the first to be discovered a few hundred years ago, so that''s normal. The items on the first twenty floors are no longer as useful as those on the other floors."


    "I see, thanks for quenching my curiosity. Goodbye!" said Luke, turned away and waved, as he opened the Guild door.


    The man would invite him for a beer because he thought Luke was cute, but the words didn''t leave his mouth before Luke entered the Guild. "Whatever... there''s probably another new guy waiting around somewhere."


    Upon entering the Guild building, Luke found arge three-story hall, and curiously the smell of mead was all over the ce.


    "Hello, how can I help you, sir?" A ck-haired woman asked Luke. She was wearing a green uniform and carrying a scroll from under her arm.


    The half-wolf took out the paper he received from the guard, which was the order to collect a reward, and held it out to the woman. "I killed the beast that was tormenting the surroundings."


    "Oh! So, it was you who cleared the city gates? It''s a pleasure to meet you." She said sympathetically. "Will you apany me please? I will collect your reward."


    One gold coin might not seem like much to someone who had won seventy gold coins as a reward from the Tournament of Legends, but this additional gold coin would already cover all the costs of the half-wolf''s long journey, which he thought was a good thing. After collecting his reward, he began to follow the bright beam of light, which as the sunset, became even brighter, serving as a beacon to find the city. As he got closer, Luke wondered how he hadn''t seen this gigantic column of light before while traveling.


    From where this intriguing light wasing out, the Cardinal Church was a staggering building up close. Right at the entrance, there were dozens of columns made of quartz, and on each of them was a royal guard.


    Before the half-wolf had a chance to speak a single word, they suddenly pointed their spears forward, and a voice that didn''t seem toe from any of them asked:


    "What are you looking for in the Cardinal Church?"


    Luke was intimidated by how he was greeted and smiled wryly, but dared not make any jokes. "A clergyman of you people was spreading the word of the Church outside the city, and he directed me toe here to exchange my Gene Skill license for a Skill."


    "Put down your spears." The same voice ordered, and all ten guards immediately lowered their spears.


    Soon after, a woman stepped out from behind the main columns, surprising Luke with her stunning beauty. Her hair was as ck as the densest night, and her eyes were as blue as the reflection of a full moon on the calm ocean.


    "Come with me, please." She spoke, pulling her long bangs out of the front of her left eye. The half-wolf was ecstatic for a few moments and thenplied with the woman''s request.

 Chapter 176 The Church Hall

    "Sorry for the rude reception... We tend always to be wary of everyone whoes to the Church at unusual times." The woman spoke, before opening the doors of the building.


    "I didn''t freak out, so you don''t have to apologize." Luke answered her. The half-wolf only feared that Bastet had be irritated, but it seemed that he was tired from the battle because he hadn''t self-invoked since Luke had crossed the walls.


    Soon after, the ck-haired woman opened the gigantic door of the Cardinal Church, revealing a magnificent interior. The inside of the Church was fascinatingly different from what Luke had expected. The half-wolf''s expectation was a ce with hundreds of seats for the faithful to sit and attend masses, but in reality, he found an environment with many gigantic shelves, where people had to take hugedders to get the books they needed.


    In the hall, there were also gears on the ceiling, which connected and contributed a force that no single gear could do alone. These gears were the symbol of the Cardinal Church, whose philosophy was always to work together to achieve results that would normally be impossible.


    Impressed by the panorama of the ce, Luke spoke up:


    "This here is very different from the small chapels I usually see in other cities..."


    "I''m sure it is... Now, follow me."


    Several dozen people were wandering around the church''s interior, and Luke soon concluded that he had never seen so many schrs and academics together in one ce. At that moment, Luke wondered if Pontiff Reba, the little girl-looking woman that he could see once time, would be in that ce.


    After a few minutes of following the woman in silence, Luke crossed a wide hallway and only stopped because the woman also braked in front of a double door.


    "Normally, you could use a Gene Skill license at any other Skill Shop and in any city. Why did youe to the Church for that? Were you just passing through the vicinity?"


    To answer the woman, Luke pulled a scroll from his overcoat with calm movements to not rm her.


    "I know I could use a Skill license anywhere else, and I also confess that I am just passing through, but since I was instructed toe specifically here, I think the reason is obvious."


    Then, Luke stretched his right arm forward and let the scroll open by itself. At the bottom of the yellowish page, the glow of a gold stamp immediately caught her attention. ording to Mika ?kerman, this document would grant the half-wolf, at least, one Rare Level Skill, which was already something unbelievable for Luke. Ever since he gained the skill <Vind> and realized how versatile it was, being able to evolve in sudden moments, Luke discovered the real potential of high-level skills.


    When she saw the stamp on the parchment in the half-beast''s hand, the look on the woman''s face in front of the door was transformed.


    Even though Luke was well-dressed, his hair was still messy and his gaze not a bit trustworthy, so she was suspicious of him, but she never imagined that he was the current Champion of the Tournament of Legends from what the letter said.


    [License to obtain Gene Skill.


    I, Mika ?kerman, dere that the possessor of this document has been awarded a ss-S Gene Skill License, whose singrity levelspose Rare Level, Epic Level, and Legendary Level, as a primary reward for winning First ce in the Tournament of Legends of Year 512.


    ...]


    Taking the document to see in her hand and seeing that the gold stamp in the bottom right corner was real, the woman bowed her head.<sub> </sub>


    "I beg your pardon a thousand times, Champion. I even considered the possibility of any participanting so far away from Oukiwa."


    "If you buy me dinner, I will be more than happy to forgive you." Luke joked unassumingly to ease the tension, and only a few momentster noticed the words he used.


    Luckily, the woman was very professional and kept a neutral face, which calmed him down. However, if Luke knew that after she opened the double door for him to enter, she had be a red bell pepper, he would quickly try to fix it.


    While watching Luke be impressed by the Royal Skill Warehouse, the woman began shaking her face desperately to try to calm down.


    ''Aaaaah! Why does this kind of man do such effective damage!? Calm down, Am¨¦lia; you have managed to maintain your posture since the entrance door. Stand your ground!''


    "Are youing?" Luke asked the woman, having felt it would be impolite to continue alone.


    "Y-yes!" Amelia replied and walked over to Luke, avoiding looking at him directly.


    The half-wolf found this behavior strange, but when he began to wonder what kind of skill he should choose, Amelia disappeared from his thoughts.


    The room that Luke and Amelia entered had shelves as high as those that could be found in the main hall of the Cardinal Church, but the shelves in this particr ce were not filled with books, but thousands of scrolls.


    Luke knew since the first time he bought a Gene Skill from a shopkeeper that the stores of Gene Skills are made through scrolls and ancient runes. He didn''t understand how the method worked, yet he couldn''t deny that it was efficient.


    "Hello, Amelia! What do I owe your honorable visit to, and who is this handsome guy?" The woman at the counter asked. She had very red hair and was wearing some thin sses.


    At that moment, Amelia realized that she had not even asked the half-beast''s name until then. "T-that''s... the Champion, and by Champion, I mean the winner of the Tournament of Legends."


    The Royal Warehouse administrator immediately clenched her eyes, put her hand on her chin and tilted her bust forward, showing off her cleavage. "Ah~ If you want, I''m avable after my shift~."


    FLICK~


    Suddenly, Amelia flicked the administrator on the forehead, who fell back behind the counter. "Hmph! You should be more polite to visitors!" She spoke with a flushed face.


    "Yowt! Amelia, I am just looking for a man who is a good match." The administrator spoke as she stood up with a bit of pain and then whispered to her friend: "Don''t you think he''s a handsome guy too?" She was wearing a lewd smile.


    Luke''s ears wiggled slightly as he heard the administrator''spliment and also a little when he heard Am¨¦lia''s heart speed up.


    "Excuse me; I''m in a hurry. May I take my Legendary Skill to go?" Luke asked, before the topic of the women extended any further.

 Chapter 177 Legendary Skill

    "Excuse me, I''m in a hurry. Can I get my Legendary Skill to go?" Luke asked before the topic of women extended any further.


    "O-of course!" Amelia replied to the half-wolf, with her face slightly flushed. "Ana, bring all the scrolls of legendary skills you have, please."


    Ana raised her eyebrows. "All right, wait here for just a second..."


    After using a giantdder to search for scroll tubes in several different sections of shelves, the administrator took the scrolls out of their tubes and ced them in front of the half-wolf. Luke counted only two scrolls, and both were glowing as if there was an aura around them.


    The half-wolf had never even seen an Epic Skill scroll before, so he was more than surprised to see the Legendary Skill ones.


    It is amon fact that the higher the level of a Gene Skill is, the rarer that Skill will be, which is why Legendary Skills are so expensive. With his experience, Luke could say with all the certainty in the world that a Legendary Skill could cost a few thousand gold coins.


    For this reason, when Luke won the S-ss Gene Skill License, he was very excited about the possibility of picking up a Legendary Skill. He wasn''t thinking of selling, but he knew that simply having a Legendary Skill was enough to guarantee a good life anywhere in the world.


    Moreover, Luke felt that the Legendary scrolls were calling him, whispering his name. Immediately, Luke pointed to a scroll and asked: "Can I read the tag?"


    "Befortable~" Ana replied fondly, causing Amelia to be irritated with her again.


    The Luke''s reading skills were progressing well, thanks to his focus, leaving only writing and arithmetic behind, because Luke couldn''t tell when he gotplicated math orplex words right or wrong. Nevertheless, he was confident that he could now read some texts by himself.


    [Skill Name: ck Hole.


    Level: Legendary.


    Description: Unknown.


    Price: 25,000 gold coins].


    Like a characteristic old poor person, Luke was more startled by the price on the tag than the Skill didn''t have a description. "I don''t think even if I worked my whole life as an ordinary Adventurer, I could get that kind of money." Luke spoke up, making the two womenugh a little.


    "If even the Champion of the Tournament of Legends can''t get that kind of money, let alone us who work in a Church." Amelia said, and soon noticed that she was being stared at closely by Ana, who had a mischievous little smile on her face.


    Luke hadn''t noticed any of this and continued to focus on the parchment in his hands. The half-wolf didn''t know what ''ck Hole'' meant, but he was sure it must be something powerful.


    Typically, the only chance for Luke to get a Legendary Skill would be by killing a Dungeon Boss or killing a legendary monster. In both cases, the chances would be less than 1%, meaning, mathematically speaking, for every 100 Dungeon Bosses, only one Monster Core will have a Legendary Gene Skill.


    Determined to think carefully about the decision he was going to make, Luke was not hasty enough to immediately choose the <ck Hole> Skill. After cing the first scroll on the counter again, Luke opened the other one.


    [Skill Name: Eye of Horus.<sub> </sub>


    Level: Legendary.


    Description: Unknown.


    Price: 25,000]


    "Why is there no description on any of the Skills?" Curious, Luke inquired.


    "For many times, Legendary Skills are evaluated and sold before they are even assimted by the lucky ones who get them, which we indicate non-Secr people do. The mental weight of a Legendary Skill can be so overwhelming that it can make a person crazy." Amelia exined.


    "I see... Theck of description is somewhat bothersome. Can you bring me some Epic Skills as well?" Luke asked; after all, he didn''t want to get stuck on just two choices because they were from arger and more expensive ss.


    "Okay, I''ll be back in a minute..."


    After that, Luke analyzed a dozen Epic Skills for almost half an hour, which, unlike Legendary Skills, cost less than 10,000 gold coins. At this point, Luke wondered how much <Vind> could be worth, since it was only a Rare Skill.


    On the way to the Cardinal Realm, Luke pondered what kind of Skill he would want. Initially, he came to the conclusion that he would go for a Healing Skill, and his second choice would be something with a lot of destructive power. Still, since the descriptions of the Legendary Skills were unclear, he made a different decision.


    "I want that Skill." Luke spoke, pointing to the scroll of the Skill <Eye of Horus>. Luke chose that because if he didn''t like the result, he could just sell it and buy the other legendary one or trade it for three Epic Skills. ''That''s definitely a smarter decision...''


    Although Luke was not shrewd like a certain half-fox he knows, he still remembered some of his friend''s bargains. After Ana used a crystal to transfer the Legendary Skill to Luke, he heard the voice resounding in his head after so long:


    ¡¸Hability <Head of Horus> acquired.¡¹


    "If you want, I can help you with assimtion in a room next door." Amelia proposed, curling the strands of a lock of hair with her index finger.


    "No, thank you."


    Amelia didn''t expect to be denied, so she immediately looked with surprise at Luke. "Are you sure? The assimtion of Legendary Genes Skills are quite different from those of other types. Your heart could end up exploding if you''re not in the right environment and with your thoughts focused..."


    "Sigh... that''s fine, but only help me if I ask."


    The ck-haired woman was internally happy that she could help the half-wolf. Then, she led him into a circr and well-ventted hall, where four giant statues were facing the door.


    Sitting in the center of this room, Luke slowly paced his breathing to slow his heartbeat and calm his mind. Assimtion was a process that could take a few weeks, a few days, hours, minutes, or, in rare cases like when Luke fought against the ck Knight within the Demon Realm, only a few seconds.


    However, Luke did not want to rush because of the risks mentioned.

 Chapter 178 Strange Happening

    When dungeons started appearing all over the world, in what Alexis Dmitry calls the Second Irruption, it did not take long for humans to begin invading them. At the time, for humans, Dungeons were just nests of creepy monsters, but soon they stopped being seen so simply and became a kind of the second world, where anyone could start a second life.


    As the generations went by, the Genes'' abilities became more powerful and the Panspermia Weapons. All the progress that could typically be discovered with the advance of chemistry, biology, mathematics, and other intelligence fields became even slower than it should have been. Wars were fought, genocides happened, and humanity had beenpletely transformed in just a few hundred years. Now people could fly, while others could sweep a vige off the map with just one hand.


    The Genes Abilities took human life to a level beyond anything imagined.


    A well-known fact is that the more difficult high-level abilities have the downside that little detail is known about them, and consequently, the process of assimting them is much more arduous. However, Luke had experience assimting Skills without having any information, just focusing on the mental image itself, so he thought it would be easy. Well... in the end, it wasn''t easy at all.


    No matter how focused he was, the half-wolf couldn''t find a mental image that wasn''t ethereal, nothing stuck in his mind.


    If the first stage of the assimtion process was soplicated, Luke didn''t even want to imagine what the next one would be like, and this uncertainty devoured his focus like a hungry Goblorc.


    Seeing Luke open his eyes and straighten his position for the tenth time in thest five minutes, Amelia decided that she needed to help, and it didn''t matter what Luke would think of her.


    " Once I helped a friend with the assimtion of a Legendary Skill, can I try it with you?"


    Luke epted Amelia''s help; after all, he wasn''t making any progress by himself, and he didn''t have weeks or days to stay in the Cardinal Church. If the woman couldn''t help him, he knew he would need to try to assimte only during his breaks in the trip.


    When Luke epted, Amelia sat opposite him and instructed: "Close your eyes again."


    Just then, Luke closed his eyes, leaving him again with the impression that he was alone in a hollow world.


    "Now, think of past experiences that you believe directly interconnect to this moment, to this ability."


    Gradually the half-wolf''s subconscious began to recall old memories, while Amelia''s soft voice yed the role of guiding Luke''s thoughts, while not letting him lose focus. In a few minutes, Luke managed to fix an image in his mind, the image of a stopped clock. Even though the half-wolf tried hard to make the hands of the clock move, he could not.


    After at least an hour focused on the image of that clock, Luke felt the tip of his tongue heat up and flicker as if he needed to say something, and like he already knew what he should do, Luke muttered:


    "<Eye of Horus>..."


    Suddenly, the entire space around him turned gray. Amelia''s sea-blue eyes were stagnant, as was her pink mouth, and the whole environment was like before, only with the same grayish tone.


    ''What''s going on? Why has everything stopped?'' Luke wondered, noticing that Amelia still had her mouth open and immediately tried to stand up. However, Luke couldn''t even move, because it felt like there was the weight of an entire world on his back.


    Even so, the half-wolf didn''t give up and tried countless times to stand up, but each time he ended up almost fainting from the effort. After a few minutes of noticing the ck threads on Amelia''s head, Luke noticed that the world wasn''t stopped, but that it was exorbitantly slower.<sub> </sub>


    As soon as Luke deactivated the ability with his willpower, he felt tired like never before in his life.


    To Amelia, in the blink of an eye, the half-wolf was drenched in sweat and with a fretful countenance.


    "Half-wolf, are you all right!" She asked, touching his shoulder.


    "Don''t call me that; you can call me Luke." He replied to the woman, a little breathless, but proud that he could assimte the sensations of the Legendary Skill.


    For Luke, it was undeniable that the <Eye of Horus> was on a level far above his own; however, this did not discourage him because, at the time, he felt that it was a skill with enormous potential and that he could not even imagine what it might be helpful.


    When Luke started to put on his overcoat again, his stomach rumbling with hunger, he noticed that Amelia was acting differently than before.


    "What is wrong? Did I say something wrong? Don''t feel obligated to call me by my real name, I just thought it would be appropriate because you helped me."


    "I-it''s not that. It''s just...you said your name is Luke Lange and that''s the name of the man who is helping my friend on a mission."


    Luke suddenly stopped putting on his overcoat. "Do you know Alexis, the woman with the little horns?"


    Suddenly Amelia''s eyes sparkled, and she repeatedly nodded, with a much more exciting expression. "Uhum, Uhum!"


    "Has she been around?" Luke questioned with a serious semnce, as he approached.


    Amelia was a little intimidated by the half-wolf''s abrupt reaction and took a few steps back. "No, she hasn''t been in this town for over two years..."


    At that point, Luke calmed down and put his thoughts in order. "Sigh... All right, thanks for everything, but I''m already leaving..."


    "Wait! If you''re not with Alexis, where is she?"


    There was no way Luke wanted to alert the Cardinal Church that a ss-S mercenary was missing, so the half-wolf decided to lie. "Annn... Thest time we had contact, she said she was near Forge Hill."


    "I see... well, when you see her again, tell her toe over here. We all miss her presence."


    "I''ll tell her that." Luke spoke, as he smoothed his heavy overcoat over his shoulders. "By the way, do you have a detailed map of the North to borrow? I realize my map is a little out of date."

 Chapter 179 Forts

    For two weeks, Luke made his way toward the northeast, using the map borrowed from Amelia. In that time, he made significant progress with the <Eye of Horus> skill.


    In the first week, the half-wolf slowly progressed to using the skill daily. In the first few days, he would get very tired, and his bones hurt so much that they seemed to be broken. Still, he endured the pain of the Legendary Skill and realized that he was managing to sustain it longer than before, but while in Luke''s vision, many minutes passed, in the real world, it was only a few seconds.


    In the second week, Luke decided to start trying very hard to move in the downtime within the Legendary Skill. If he seeded, nothing would be fast enough to escape from his eyes when he activated the skill; however, these efforts were fruitless, and he still couldn''t move.


    Soon Luke realized that he needed to train outside the world of the skill too, and for this, Bastet was a very usefulpanion.


    Just like Luke with his new ability, the Summoning couldn''t keep his evolved form for long either. Normally, Bastet kept his big, strong form for less than two minutes, which was quite a long time considering he had little time of life.


    The Summoning and the Summoner were evolving as they searched for the Fort that Lescar mentioned.


    For Luke, it was impossible to forget the mysterious boy''s instructions, because they were very clear. There was no point in Luke going to Forge Hill if he knew that his friends were not there. Still, Luke was almost considering going to the big city, because he had visited all the Forts marked on the updated map that Amelia had lent him, and all the Forts he had visited had been abandoned for some time. Furthermore, if any of his friends had ever been to one of these Forts, Luke would have found at least a trace of the smell as he focused his sense of smell; however, he found nothing.


    p Somewhat hopelessly, e afternoon Luke saw an inn in the distance, and he decided to stop to ask to fill his canteen, buy hay for Atom and ask for information; after all, the locals were the best at passing on up-to-date information.</anda>


    As he tied his horse to the fence in front of the small hut in the middle of the road, Luke heard musicing from inside the ce.


    "?? It''s not about reaching the top of the world and missing the view. It''s about climbing and feeling the journey strengthened you. It''s about having love and ce in other hearts and then having friends with you in life and every part. We can''t have all we''ve ever wanted, what would be the charm of the world if it were that way? And so I''d rather have smiles and the blessings and gifts of life that surround me each day ?? ..."


    The half-wolf entered the tavern quietly, to not disturb the pleasant atmosphere in the room. Maybe because there were no Dungeons for a few miles, or maybe because of the influence of the Cardinal Kingdom, which was still quite close, this region seemed quite peaceful.


    When Luke entered, he only saw one person sitting at the counter, the tavernkeeper, and almost ten people sitting in front of the stage of the inn, singing the soft melody with the bard. The half-wolf approached the counter, making the wood of the tavern floor creak with his steps. He was much stronger than he had been two weeks ago, and I hadn''t noticed it yet.


    "Good afternoon. How much costs for me to fill my canteen and feed the horse?" Luke asked the tavernkeeper.


    However, while the caucasian-haired man was answering, his voice and the singing people''s voices took a secondary ne, because Luke suddenly smelled a familiar scent. The half-wolf looked to his right side at the counter, where the hooded person was, and the person, at the same time, also turned to look at him.


    The moment the golden-yellow eyes of the half-wolf met the brown eyes of that red-haired girl, he could hardly believe that he had finally found Meredith.<sub> </sub>


    They both didn''t think much of it and hugged each other tightly, both because of the longing and because of the relief at seeing that the other was okay.


    "I knew you woulde for me! I knew it!" Meredith eximed, hugging Luke as tightly as she could, fearing that maybe that was just a dream.


    Luke smiled gratefully, and hugged the half-fox lovingly, as he felt her head resting against his chest. It had been months since they hadst seen each other, and they had never been away from each other this long since they can remember.


    "Have you shrunk? You''re shorter than I remembered." Luke teased her.


    "What about that ass of yours? Have you been working out much?" asked Meredith, after groping Luke''s buttocks over his overcoat.


    Immediately, they startedughing and pulled away from the embrace. Their friendship was never heavy and emotional, but rather charismatic and caring. At that moment, the half-beast duo realized that the entire inn, including the bard, was looking in their direction. After that, theyughed their way out of the inn to have a better conversation.


    Leaning on the wall outside the inn, Luke took advantage of the sunset to answer his biggest question:


    "Why did you guys leave Oukiwa without me, without telling me?"


    "Fear? Hope? It''s hard to answer exactly.... Everyone in the gang knew that we often abused your altruism, and in the gene wagon n it was no different. You were the only one who thought rationally that night in the kitchen and yet we made a decision based on unrealistic and selfish dreams.... Maybe because we were guilty or as a way to try to prove to ourselves that we should go ahead with the n, after Matthew went to spend time with Jess, we sent Ynosuke to Vasconcelos."


    The half-wolf arched an eyebrow. "He went there? When?"


    "A few weeks after you left. We pooled some of our savings and paid his ticket to go. Well... he saw you walking the streets downtown next to a white-haired Elf. So, he came to the conclusion that you would not steal from that family, because as we know, your instinct to protect the people you care about overrides your desire to hurt them... It must have been hard to choose..."


    "You guys were right... Despite all the trouble I''ve gotten myself into, and the enemies I''ve made, I can''t imagine stealing from the Strogueher''s."


    Suddenly, Meredith turned her face and asked the following question:


    "So... We''ll forget that subject for now... Did you... get any girlfriend while living in Vasconcelos? I mean... you don''t have to tell me this kind of thing, if you don''t want to, I just see that you look a lot different than you used to... I wonder if it was because some woman got into your heart of stone..." She was trying to hide her apprehensive countenance.

 Chapter 180 Finally, The Reunion (Part 1)

    "I-if I''m da-dating someone?" Luke was startled by the sudden question.


    "Yes. If you''re not, I thin¡ª"


    "I am dating." He spoke as fast as he could, avoiding hearing what she had to say.


    "I see... I''m happy for you."


    After some more time talking with Meredith outside that inn, Luke found out that Alexis, Yoelona and Matthew had arrived three days ago. The half-wolf was relieved to hear this and, at the same time, anxious to see them.


    When she was asked about why Yoelona had taken them so far away from Oukiwa, Meredith replied:


    "Look, I know it may sound crazy, but first you have to know that demons really exist." The half-fox was with her arms tucked up, and was looking at Luke as if hoping that he didn''t think she was crazy.


    Seeing this reaction, Luke couldn''t contain hisughter.


    "Hey! Don''tugh! I''m telling the truth!" She eximed and gave Luke a weak shove.


    "Sorry, sorry... It''s just that you get a little cute when you''re scared. It''s rare times I get to see you like this."


    Meredith blushed and looked away. "The topic is serious, Luke."


    "I know about their existence... pretty well actually. Yoelona knows about them too? That exins a lot of things... but why did she bring you guys so far away?"


    For the half-wolf, one of the usible reasons for wanting to leave Oukiwa because of demons would be that there was a demon in Oukiwa, but he knew there wasn''t. The only other reason would be to be close to the Cardinal Kingdom, yet the region they were in now was many days away.


    "What do you mean you know about the demons? No one said that to me." Meredith questioned, confused.


    "Have you forgotten that I am an Adventurer now?" Luke spoke with a proud tone, as he removed his identity pendant from inside his jacket.


    "Bruf! I heard that you are just an E-ss! Hahaha!"


    "Alexis told you that and didn''t tell you about the demons? She''s dumber than I thought." Luke spoke up, bringing his right hand up to his forehead.


    "Don''t be shy about it, everyone in camp has gotten used to her style already. Nowe on, we have to go before nightfall. We''re camped more or less a kilometer from here."


    After that, Luke picked up Atom and helped Meredith get on the huge ck horse.


    The region between the Cardinal Realm and Forge Hill City is quite t, except for a gigantic double waterfall hundreds of feet high. In the vicinity of a prominent river of this waterfall was a building over 300 years old, a fort. The ce''s walls were already shattered, and weeds practically covered the entire fort. This ce was so well camouged in a forest, it made Luke finally understand why no map showed its location.


    "We have arrived..." Meredith spoke, standing in front of this small ruined fort. "I bet everyone will be surprised to see you." She had a gentle little smile on her face.


    "Then we won''t keep them waiting. Let''s go..."


    From the fort entrance, Luke smelled a sweet smell that denoted, by thebination of marked aromas, that a stew was being prepared.


    Just as they were about to enter, a middle-aged man, who was standing on one of the walls of the building, eximed:<sub> </sub>


    "Halt there! Who''s this guy with you, Meredith?" he asked, using his bow to aim an arrow at the half-wolf''s head.


    "He''s Luke!"


    The man arched his eyebrows and totally changed his expression. "Ah! Excuse me, then. You maye in!" The man slowly loosened the tensioned string of his bow so that the arrow wouldn''t fly without him wanting it to.


    "Who''s that?" Luke asked the half-fox, as he strung Atom at the entrance to the fort.


    "His name is Carlos. He is a good man, and also a skilled archer."


    "I will talk to him when I get the chance."


    In the center of the fort was a fire with stones around it, where arge iron pot was hanging by a set of five branches and some strands of fiber rope. With the pot lid open, a woman was stirring the root and potato stew that was being prepared over a high fire.


    Around the fire, everyone was looking forward to the food, but when Ynosuke saw Meredith arrive and next to her his good friend Luke, he immediately stood up and shouted in excitement:


    "DAMN! GUYS, LUKE IS HERE!"


    Zack, who was pooping in the back of the woods, pulled up his pants as fast as he could and started running. The little dark-haired and square-rimmed teenager, John, jumped up from the log he was sitting on and ran toward the half-wolf.


    Matthew and Yoelona stopped talking and looked away. Shocked, they could hardly believe in their own eyes. "He really came all this way chasing after you guys..." Yoelona spoke, impressed by the gang''s bond of friendship.


    With his hair slightly gray and messy, Matthew ran to join in the group hug that Zack, Ynosuke, and John were giving the half-wolf.


    The S-ss looked on with a smile from the top of the fort. She was as surprised as everyone to see that Luke hade so far to find them and puzzled about how he managed to find them; after all, Yoelona was very careful to hide all their tracks.


    "I missed you guys a lot." Luke said, after the group hug was over.


    "Did you really? Ynosuke said you were with a white-haired Elf girl who looked like a Moonlight Goddess so gorgeous¡ª" John indicated, looking at Luke with narrowed eyes and a mischievous grin.


    The man with long ck hair, Ynosuke, immediately put little John''s head down, interrupting his speech. "Those are his words, not mine!"


    "Han... I think it was you who said that." Zack spoke with his voice slow and thick, like the voice of a giant.


    Ynosuke just sighed this time, because he couldn''t put Zack''s head down, like he did John, even if he wanted to.


    "So, you... you know... made it with the cute little Elf?" John asked, while he made the gesture of a finger going into the hole. That was as much discretion as he could manage by putting in the effort.


    Noticing from afar the difort in Meredith and Luke''s gaze, Alexis jumped up from where she was standing andnded behind John, startling him with the noise of the floor cracking.


    "WHAT THE FUC¡ª"


    After that, the half-dragon disguised that she didn''t do this on purpose by turning toward the woman stirring the stew in the fire. "Joelma, is the food ready? I''m starving!"

 Chapter 181 Finally, The Reunion (Part 2)

    While they were eating potato stew for dinner, all people in the fort gathered around the campfire to eat together. One thing was agreed on by Luke, Alexis and Yoelona: not to talk about the demons until the next day. This was not something practical, but necessary so that the half-wolf could learn to trust Yoelona again, as also his former Mistress'' friends.


    Counting the entire gang, the S-ss, Yoelona and her friends, the total was twelve people in the fort.


    The half-wolf could tell that Yoelona''s friends were not so strong. Joelma was a woman with almost gray hair and thin, who had a gentle smile, like that of a mother. Carlos, the archer who was on guard when Luke arrived, was a balding middle-aged man, but who always had vignt eyes. Snge was a woman of almost forty, and her son, Snape, was a very energetic boy.


    Although Yoelona didn''t exin in full detail why she decided to bring Meredith and the others so far away from everything, Luke understood from the superficiality that it must be something connected with the demons.


    During the dinner, John, Snape and Zack kept talking to Luke, asking him to tell them what the Dungeons were really like. The half-wolf told how the corridors were cramped and dark, how the monsters came out of nowhere, and how sometimes he could hear them whispering to each other from many meters away. For Luke, from the moment you enter a Dungeon, you can no longer get away with it, as if the fear, the uncertainties and the insecurities generated, were the price you pay for trying to be someone stronger.


    While listening to Luke talks about his experiences, Yoelona noticed how much more mature Luke was. His physiognomy was no longer the same as the boy with few muscles that she had abandoned. The half-wolf was grown and had be strong.


    "So, Luke... who won the Tournament of Legends?" Alexis Dmitry asked and then put a piece of potato into her mouth. Since they were traveling, the new information did not reach them.


    "Me." Luke answered naturally because it had been almost two months since the night, he fought against Nebezial.


    "WHAT!?" Almost everyone eximed, surprised.


    Of all the people around the campfire, Alexis and Yoelona were the only ones who didn''t seem surprised. The two women had experience and a sharp eye, at least enough to understand the half-wolf''s talent to always exceed his own limits.


    "Wait a minute... Alexis warned us that you were participating in the Tournament when she left Oukiwa, but did you really win?" Ynosuke asked.


    When the half-wolf left home, Ynosuke could tell that they were almost on the same level because Ynosuke had knowledge in martial arts, but being as strong as a Champion of Legends was totally out of his scope.


    "Yes, I won."


    "You used some trickery, huh? Did you throw dirt in people''s eyes like you did with the guards?"


    "Well... it was something like that." Luke spoke with a mysterious smile, remembering that the <Tumult of Souls> used by Nebezial was a crucial factor in his victory.


    "Ha! I knew it!" John spoke, thrusting his chin up proudly.


    For the rest of the evening, around that fire, they sang, swapped stories, talked about what their experiences away from each other were like, and told jokes. Lukeughed so hard that he couldn''t remember thest time he had such a good time.


    The half-wolf introduced his Summoning, Bastet, to his friends, who thought he was the cutest thing in the world, especially Alexis and Meredith.<sub> </sub>


    Luke also told everyone that he has started using the Genes Abilities. The half-dragon was confused by everyone''s surprise, but Yoelona soon calmed them down, saying that this was a choice made by Luke to be even stronger. At this point, Ynosuke and John expressed their desire to also get Gene Skills, but when Luke told them that only one Common Skill would be worth as much as two kegs of beer, they were discouraged.


    ? Thus, Luke told them that they didn''t have to worry about fighting if they didn''t want to, because he would protect them himself, provided they didn''t leave without warning again. The gang liked this; however, they still had doubts about whether Luke could fight the demons Yoelona told them about.


    After a while, when Joelma, Carlos, Snape, Snge and Yoelona had already retreated into the rooms of the fort to sleep, Luke spoke to his gang:


    "Shiro is alive."


    The revtion was so sudden and abrupt, it left everyone in a state of trance for a few seconds. Ynosuke, John and Zack had heard that name for years, and created a lot of empathy while hearing about how strong, caring and kind he was and how he sacrificed himself to save them.


    Alexis noticed this reaction and decided to clear up her doubt. For the first time in years since meeting thest gang member, Matthew, Meredith, and Luke came together to tell the story of how they tried to rob a shed and how it all went wrong for them, resulting in the loss of two gang members.


    However, at the end of it all, the half-dragon was much more shocked by the story than they had expected. "You guys said your friend''s name was Sarah, right?"


    "Yes?" Meredith replied.


    "And that she had pink hair and a gentle gaze?"


    "That''s right..." Matthew spoke up.


    "So, I guess our destinies crossed long before I met you, Luke..." said Alexis, with a surprised look on her face.


    Then, she told that in her past, when she was rescued by a priestess of the Cardinal Church who was traveling through the West of the Broteforge Empire, there was also a pink-haired girl, whose name she quickly discovered: Sarah.


    "And what happened to her? Is she in Cardinal City still?" Luke was the first to ask. More than anyone else, he felt responsible for taking the tiara from the wooden box it was in and for not warning her that the tiara was strange.


    "Although we grew up together, we chose different paths as teenagers. I became an Adventurer and she went to the k Kingdom, to carry out peace missions and also live in the Sanctuary..."


    Everyone was extremely happy for a second until they remembered that the k Kingdom was at war at this moment.


    However, Meredith didn''t let pessimism take over the group. "Lift your heads up, people. There is no reason to be sad, because I believe that today we have regained everything we once thought we had lost.... Still, we may lose all that hope and happiness if the war against the demons really happens."


    Luke arched his eyebrows, not understanding. "What are you talking about?"

 Chapter 182 The New Goal

    Luke arched his eyebrows, not understanding. "What are you talking about?"


    Although the half-wolf was curious about Yoelona''s request that no one talk about demons, he epted it because she was the camp leader, but he couldn''t just ignore the sudden topic about a possible war.


    "Luke, there''s a reason we agreed to leave Oukiwa ande this far away with Yoelona, and it wasn''t just because I understand you were happy with the Strogueher..."


    Before Meredith could continue, the creaking of wood could be heard.


    "You will never be the type to obey orders, right?" Yoelona asked, after hearing the subject about the demons getting started and leaving the room which she was in.


    Leaning on a wall, with her arms crossed, Alexis spoke up:


    "The only child present has already gone to sleep, and we all managed to have a great time... Now it''s time to tell him everything, Yoelona."


    The ck woman with the braided hair sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Almost twenty years ago, I was still living in the Melki Empire."


    ...


    The Skoll Continent is divided by two great nations, whose names are: Melki Empire and Broteforge Empire. Since these two countries follow the same system of government, the imperialist, which focuses on as muchnd domination as possible, it is natural to deduce that a war would happen sooner orter. However, separating the Skoll continent in half and consequently the two empires, there is a mountain range with dozens of kilometers high, which prevented this confrontation for a long time.


    The Dungeons and the Adventurers also contributed to a more united continent, showing that the two nations could help each other. Interchangers between the two empires were not somethingmon to see, but it was also not something anyone had ever seen.


    For these reasons, Luke was startled when Yoelona revealed that not only are there many demons united in the Melki Empire but also that there are monsters like Goblins, Kobolds, and Wyverns living on the surface. With the presence of so many demons in one spot, it was evident that this would happen. In addition, Yoelona talked about the ''Devil Project'' in the farthest city on the continent, whose goal is to feed a strange and giant type of monster. For everyone present at the fort, this was like a horror storye true.


    In reality, everything Yoelona told seemed impossible to be true, because if it really happened, Luke wouldn''t know what would happen to the world.


    Now, Luke understood why the Sakan Religion grew so fast, as were the Chaos Followers. The demons sought to dominate the Broteforge Empire by any means necessary, and one of the methods was through the beliefs of their own people.


    The half-wolf didn''t even want to imagine what the demons'' ns were after that. With the k Kingdom at war, there was nowhere to run, and since Ayumi and Nathalia are from a Noble Family, the demons would certainly not spare them. Still a little stunned, Luke shook his head and scratched his ear. Everyone was waiting for an answer from him because, until that moment, he had only been listening to Yoelona talk about everything.


    A few days ago, Luke had made a promise to himself that he would kill everyone who could threaten the people he loves, and whether they were demons or not, to Luke it didn''t make a difference.


    "I''m sorry Yoelona, but I can''t stay here and hide like you want me to. I''m not as strong as a S-ss, a Secr or a Sensory Mage, but there are people I need to protect and whether I want to or not, Oukiwa has always been my home."<sub> </sub>


    "I''ll go with you." Matthew spoke to Luke as he stood up. "I have long left a burden on your shoulders, and now I feel it is my duty to help you."


    "Zack is going too!" The big red-haired man eximed as he stood up as well.


    The half-wolf looked at John and Ynosuke for an answer from them too. The two immediately nodded with a smile of excitement.


    Then, Luke looked at Meredith. "You are like a brother to me. From now on, I''ll go anywhere you go. "


    "I''ll still be here. I''m not as strong as I used to be in my time as an imperial guard, and I could only defeat Alexis because I used a poison gas... My ce is not on the battlefield." Yoelona spoke, a little embarrassed.


    Alexis approached Yoelona and touched her shoulder. "Then, we''ll do everything we can to make sure the battle doesn''t get to you."


    On the next day, they all packed their bags and got ready to leave the fort. The goal? The Cardinal Kingdom again. Luke needed a way to talk to Ayumi and let her know that everything was in ce because the Makator given to Alexis was not working due to an unexpected distance limit. In addition, they needed to let Pontiff know everything that could happen.


    While the remaining gang packed their bags into the wagon that belonged to the horses of Carlos, the archer, Luke approached Yoelona. "We''re ready to go, but first I have to thank you for getting most of them out of Oukiwa... You must already know that they burned down our old shed and Matthew was almost killed. You kept everyone from getting caught in the fire and I can''t tell you what could have happened... Thank you, Master."


    This really made the woman feel less guilty for splitting up the gang, as much as her intentions were the best possible when she pulled the young men out of the musty shed in the harbor.


    "Thank you for the words... I really regret running away from you..." She replied.


    After that, Luke hugged Yoelona. "Take care."


    Returning the gesture of affection, she spoke: "Don''t die, please."


    Afterward, everyone climbed into the wagon and started heading toward the Cardinal Kingdom. Matthew and Luke were in the coachman''s seat, and the others were sharing space with the luggage.


    If Luke was traveling alone, the trip to the Cardinal Kingdom from where they were mightst ten days with a fast horse like Atom and if he hardly took any breaks. However, the half-wolf was not thinking of leaving his friends so far away from him once again.


    Alexis didn''t seem willing to make the trip alone either, and Luke soon noticed that she had bonded with the old gang of thieves. The half-dragon was smiling, funny, beautiful, and powerful, making everyone feel safer. With the passing of the days, everyone felt Alexis had always been part of the gang, though she had an immacte sense of justice, which did not match the past of the former gang of thieves.

 Chapter 183 Sea Ornament

    Vushhh!


    Ynosuke''s spinning kick caused a wind noise as it cut through the air, but it didn''t evene close to hitting Luke. "You''re much faster!" He praised the half-wolf.


    "Shut up and keep trying to hit me!" Luke replied with a cheeky smile on his face.


    To the two friends, it seemed like it had been decades since they hadst been able to train together. So, the first chance he got, Ynosuke invited Luke to do it.


    They were in arge clearing in a grove of trees whose leaves were already orange from autumn. Meredith and Alexis decided to stop there together so that everyone could have lunch, and shortly afterward, the two women went walking through the woods in search of herbs to cook and prepare the food.


    The guys took this moment to test whether Luke was really that much stronger.


    "Go, Luke! Hit Ynosuke with a blow straight away!" Matthew shouted, raising his one arm, from atop arge t rock that gave a good view of the training battle.


    "He was fast before, but he''s even faster..." analyzed John, paying attention to the half-wolf''s every move.


    John was not wrong one bit; Luke''s speed at that moment was three times faster than when he was just a simple thief. To John, the exnation for Luke''s explosion of evolution seemed to be the politeness of his movements, which were evidently far less reckless than they used to be.


    In the past, Luke acted more like an animal, and this left his movements unpredictable to his enemies. However, with the experience he gradually gained both in Dungeoneering and in training with Nathalia and Alexis, this made every move he now made unconsciously more precise and trained.


    These facts became even more evident when Luke suddenly changed his leg game against Ynosuke, bing more unpredictable and aggressive.


    While backing away, Ynosuke used the leg game he learned from his grandfather as a child to dodge all of the half-wolf''s blows. This little technique consisted of always stepping only where he had already stepped, like a cat, to ensure a more smooth movement of his feet.


    Unfortunately, Ynosuke soon discovered that this technique would not be enough to beat the half-wolf, because Luke''s blows were always too close to hitting.


    Seeing that Ynosuke was still as strong as ever, the half-wolf slowly stopped holding back. Luke had always admired Ynosuke because of his skillful moves, and whenever they fought, Luke would try to learn something new from his friend.


    After Ynosuke got tired of so much dodging, Luke stopped, took a towel from the <Normal Inventory>, and threw it to him to dry his sweat. This was just normal training; there was no reason for them to fight to exhaustion.


    After drying the sweat from his face with a towel, Ynosuke looked at the yellow square and said:


    "Hah... Those Genes Skills look very useful. I think I want to have one of those..."


    "How about I buy a Gene Skill for you, and in return, you finally teach me your fighting style?" Luke tried to bargain. He had always wanted to learn Ynosuke''s fighting style, but the man never wanted to teach it.


    Luke understood that the main difference between him and Nebezial in the grand finale was Martial Arts, so since then, he has wanted to start learning one. Martial art is not just cool moves, but pre-designed moves to use in specific situations, aiming for the best possible result, and anyone can tell when martial art is being used or not.


    Ynosuke pondered the half-wolf''s request for a second and said:<sub> </sub>


    "I don''t know... it will be veryplicated, and it would take weeks for you to reach just the First Stage. Do we really have time for that?"


    "Long breaks will be inevitable. We will have to refuel and let the horses rest a few times. I judge we have two weeks until we reach the Cardinal Kingdom."


    "Sigh... That''s fine, but you''ll have to give it you''re all! And I''ll want a very powerful Skill!" Ynosuke spoke after pondering again.


    Over the days, the half-wolf woke Ynosuke up every day before breakfast to train. Since it was a technique that came straight from the oriental continent, Luke knew he needed to put in the effort to learn even the most basic fundamentals.


    Luckily, Luke had the focus necessary to learn the flexible and powerful movements of the martial art that Ynosuke called Sea Ornament. For a few hours a day, Luke had to endlessly repeat the same movements, just like when he first trained swordy with Yoelona, except that waving a sword a thousand times was nothingpared to the pain of feeling his nerves being strained to the limit.


    The Sea Ornament has five stages. The first one, which was the one Luke was learning, served to transform the body, making it more flexible, and since Luke never had a foundation of any martial art, the evolution and learning should be even slower.


    However, the half-wolf was very determined to learn the Sea Ornament, and so during his training with Luke, he sometimes used the Skill <Eye of Horus> to slow everything down and learn more precisely the moves Ynosuke was teaching him. Luke still couldn''t move even a finger within the world of the Legendary Skill, which was starting to annoy him.


    One day Luke took advantage of the fact that Alexis was also practicing some moves with her light gauntlets and approached her to ask about the Legendary Skills. He had not yet revealed to anyone that he now had this legendary ability, because he did not know how to use it.


    "Hey, can we talk for a minute?" Luke asked.


    "Sure." The half-dragon disabled the <Fist of Life> ability and approached. "Do you need something?"


    "Sorry if I''m being invasive, but do you have a Legendary Skill?"


    "Yes, it is called <Divine Radiance>. It''s the most flexible Skill I''ve ever had... If you''re interested in it, I can sell it to you for 50,000 gold coins." She joked, as she ced both hands on her waist and leaned forward slightly.


    Luke was embarrassed to look at her breasts and looked away. "N-not that. I could get a Legendary Skill for winning the tournament, but since I picked it up in the Cardinal Church, I don''t know how to use it properly."


    The half-dragon judged it would be discourteous to ask what the Skill does, being that even Luke probably didn''t know. So, she brought her right hand to her chin and answered:


    "Sarah taught me once that when the mental picture is not urate about how to use the Skill, it is because our discernment is wrong. It is quitemon for people to think that Legendary Skills are mass destruction, and that is true to a certain extent, but try to calm down and think better about how your Skill can be useful. At some point, it will match your will."


    "I think... I''m finally starting to understand... thanks for the advice, you''re genius!" Luke spoke and stroked the half-dragon''s head. ''So, you mean I might be trying to use it the wrong way all this time... this might not be an offensive skill.''


    Alexis immediately looked away and blushed a little. ''If you liked it so much, you should walk with me now. It''s been a while since we''ve had a chance to talk..." She spoke with a pout. Since they had reunited, Luke had been closer to Meredith than to her, so they rarely had time to spend time alone.


    Luke was surprised by the S-ss'' cute reaction and epted it immediately. ''It''s just a walk... I don''t think Ayumi will be mad when she finds out.''

 Chapter 184 The River

    During the trip with the gang, Luke realized how much fun it is to travel in a group. The first trip wasn''t lonely because the half-wolf had thepany of Atom and Bastet, but traveling with his friends gave him another kind of feeling, something unique. Theughs, the stories, the jokes, and the intrigues are things Luke missed during the almost two months it took to go to Yoelona''s fort.


    Before they realized the time had passed, they were already in the vicinity of a town called Camboriu, a few miles from the Cardinal Kingdom. Since it was getting dark, they decided to stop and set up camp.


    While the men were putting up the tents and burning the fire, Meredith called Alexis to go bathe in a river that the gang saw as they wereing down a hill. This river was huge, but the water was rtively calm in that early evening.


    The two half-beasts werepletely naked and were washing their bodies in the cold water, enjoying a few little rays of sunlight that were orange in the sky.


    Alexis never worried about being in the dark because she had her ability to produce light should she need it.


    "It''s so nice to finally have a girl with us!" Meredith eximed after lengthening her spine from spraining too much when washing her hair.


    "Oh, don''t say that; I''ll be embarrassed!" Alexis spoke up and threw some water in the direction of the half-fox.


    "Ouch!" Meredith expressed with an amused smile after the icy water suddenly touched her body. "I was serious. The boys are very nice, but they are..."


    "Men?"


    "Exactly! I bet they sometimes forget that I''m a woman. Haha!"


    "Even Luke?" Alexis asked, curious.


    "Not in the old days, but now he does... Before, whenever we were alone, he would get embarrassed and shy."


    "That would be something I''d like to see!" The half-dragon eximed because she thought Meredith was being ironic; however, she soon realized that she was not. "Wait... is that serious?"


    "Who knows..." Meredith shrugged, smiled, and fought back the water throw she had just recently received from Alexis.


    In the bushes beside that river, Ynosuke and John were sneaking around to try to spy on the two women, but there was a lot of bush blocking their view everywhere they went.


    ? "What a mess... go a little to the side, John." Ynosuke spoke from his knees, pushing John a little to the side.


    "I can''t see anything either." John muttered, irritated, trying not to scream.


    "What are you guys trying to see?" Luke asked, putting his head between the two of them.


    "AAAAAAAH! FUCK!"


    "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT, LUKE!?"


    The two boys were very startled by the gloomy voice of the half-wolf and his yellow eyes.


    The girls in the river heard the screams, but could not tell what it was about. Were they predatory animals or locals? After a few seconds, the answer finally came. Luke came out of the bushes and shouted to the women:


    "Ynosuke and John were trying to spy, but I''ve already sent them away!"


    "Thanks, Luke!" Meredith acted naturally because they had taken many baths together and shouted with the aid of her hands to better propagate her voice.


    However, Alexis Dmitry did not act the same way, after all, she waspletely naked, and although the water was covering her from the waist down, her breasts were still showing.<sub> </sub>


    "Lu-Luke!?" The half-dragon''s face became as red as a raspberry.


    Then she inadequately tried to cover her huge breasts with only her left arm and plunged into the water. After Luke had gone, Alexis stood making little balls in the water with her mouth, while a mixture of feelings and sensations gued her mind.


    "Why did you act that way?" Meredith asked, curious. "Aren''t you and Luke dating?"


    "WHAT!? What are you talking about?" Again, Alexis'' face heated up and turned red.


    Meredith was more confused than ever. "I thought the person Luke is dating was you, or is it the white-haired Elf that Ynosukemented on?" she wondered.


    "No, he''s dating Ayumi... she''s..." Alexis was about to continue but noticed the startled expression on the half-fox''s face, which slowly turned into a slight smile of happiness, proving that Meredith recognized that name very well.


    "Because you and I have be friends, I was happy that you and he are dating. However, if he is dating a rich Elf, I will no longer hold my feelings..." Meredith stated, and from the look on her face, she didn''t seem to be lying.


    Alexis was surprised by this attitude; after all, vying for a man against the most beautiful and powerful woman in Oukiwa didn''t seem like a good idea. Although Alexis had already realized that Meredith was into Luke, she didn''t know that the half-fox''s feelings were so intense.


    Slowly Luke was evolving in the practice of Sea Ornament. In the first stage, fluidity was essential for him to grow his muscles and joints. Martial arts train parts of the body that generally cannot be trained by simple bodybuilding, which is why they are so important for any fighter. When Luke could show that he had strengthened his muscles to the necessary point and that he could memorize the simple attack and defense positions of the Sea Ornament in motor coordination, Ynosuke could say that the half-wolf hadpleted the First Stage. Still, these are slow processes, even for talented people.


    On the following day of the afternoon on the river, the gang finally arrived at the Cardinal Realm in the morning. Everything looked exactly as it did a month ago to Luke, and to the S-ss, everything looked the same as it had when he visited the city two years ago.


    The colossal walls that never aged or deteriorated were still as firm as ever, and the poption seemed peaceful. While Matthew was guiding the wagon, Luke turned back and asked the half-dragon:


    "Alexis, I have been curious about something since I first visited this town. Can you tell me why there are so many half-beasts here?"


    "Hm... A history professor once told me that a century ago, there was another big war in the k Kingdom and that most of the half-beasts arrived here as refugees from that war." Alexis exined.


    John paid attention and added. "It makes a lot of sense since the Cardinal Kingdom is nothing more than a kind of ''branch'' of the Cardinal Sanctuary in the k Kingdom. Likely, they have alreadye with a destination in mind." This boy was a born tavern gossip and knew a bit of everything.


    This left Luke wondering about his ancestry. ''I wonder if my grandfathers were refugees?''


    Within minutes that subject faded from his mind. After they entered the city, instead of them going to a hotel, the half-dragon suggested they go to her house.


    When they got there, they found a dusty ce full of weeds at the entrance.


    "Oh! That ce is a dump!" Zack spoke with sincerity.


    "Sorry about that! I haven''t been here in a while..." Alexis spoke with a lopsided smile.


    Luke walked over and ced his hand on the head with the red hair of the half-dragon. "This is a beautiful house. We will help you clean it as payment for giving us a ce to sleep..."


    "Actually, I was nning to charge one gold coin a day..."


    "Eeh?" Luke removed his hand from her head as if she were a wild animal. "Why so greedy? Are you broke?"


    "Always!" She eximed with a smile and put her hands on her waist like something to be proud of.

 Chapter 185 Meetings And Reunions (Part 1)

    After the gang entered Alexis'' house, they realized that the work to clean up would be extended. All the furniture was covered with a denseyer of dust, and the floor''s wood creaked when shoes were stepped on. Although the house had two floors, and all the rooms were huge, different types of weapons and books were scattered throughout the residence.


    Being curious, John picked up a book on the floor and opened it. On the pages of that book, there were hundreds of notes, symbols, arrows, and drawings about magic runes.


    "Do you know runes?" John asked Alexis because thest time he had the opportunity to see this kind of knowledge was during his childhood.


    "I know the basics so I can extinguish demons more simply."


    The ck-haired teen already admired Alexis for being a ss-S, and also because she had saved Luke from a demon when the two met, but when he learned that she knew how to use runes, he was even more appalled. Many people consider runes to be a type of knowledge with a power superior to Genes Skills. The main reason for this is that it is veryplicated to learn to read and use runes because there are millions of variations of symbols, which allow almost infinite possibilities for powers.


    "Forget about that and get a broom, John." Matthew spoke and handed a broom to John after giving two others to Ynosuke and Zack.


    The boy did not debate; after all, Matthew was the second-oldest gang member, right after Zack.


    "And you guys, don''t waste any time and go talk to the woman youmented so much on. We have the advantage of knowing about the demons'' possible n, but we don''t have all the time in the world." Said Matthew to Alexis and Luke, "We will clean up around here."


    The half-dragon and half-wolf nodded, and before they opened the front door, Luke called Meredith to apany them. After that, they had to walk for a few minutes to the Cardinal Church.


    However, during the way to the ce, Luke noticed that the locals were looking at him differently than before until he heard a group of adventurers whispering:


    "Isn''t that Alexis Dmitry, that ss-S who got famous?"


    "And doesn''t the one on her side exactly match the descriptions of ''Half-Wolf''?"


    "Exactly! That''s them both!"


    "I heard that the ''Half-Wolf'' was here to kill ''The Beast'', but I didn''t think he was still here. Could it be that he was in the Dungeon?"


    "I don''t care about that, man. I just want to know are they dating?" Thatst sentence made both the half-fox''s ears and also the half-wolf''s ears prick up.


    Luke was relieved to hear people wonder about this, which could mean that the half-dragon didn''t have a boyfriend; however, he didn''t know why he was relieved at this assumption. He just saw Alexis as a woman he admired, didn''t he? Suddenly, a hypothetical scenario crossed Luke''s mind, and his heart raced.


    The half-wolf only came back to normal when they were past the gates of the Cardinal Church.


    " Halt there! What do you want?" Amelia''s voice rang out. She was hiding behind one of the main pirs and also behind the ten spearmen.<sub> </sub>


    "We came here to have an audience with the Pontiff." Alexis said.


    "Rest!" The ck-haired woman ordered the guards, who mmed their spears into the ground and straightened their columns. "What will be the subject of the hearing?"


    The two women knew each other, they were friends, and it had been a while since they had seen each other, but still, they needed to first keep their duties and authority as priority number one.


    "We are here to talk about the monsters on the 50th floor." This code was used by exterminators and emissaries to talk about demons.


    Luke, Meredith, and Alexis were immediately allowed to enter. Amelia was d to see Luke again and even more d to see her friend Alexis.


    "Where have you been that took so long?" Amelia asked.


    "I''ve been through many ces and towns. I''ve been to Sheltered Halv?y, Vasconcelos, then Oukiwa, and now I''m here. What about you? Why are you still working as a receptionist here?"


    "I have been..."


    While the two friends chatted, the group walked down a few hallways and up long staircases. At some moments, Meredith felt ufortable in that ce, fearing that she was not part of that world, but when she looked to the side and saw Luke, she knew that she was exactly where she wanted and should be.


    ? The interior of the Cardinal Church was frighteninglyrge, with many different rooms and theologians everywhere. A few times, the group crossed paths with clearly powerful people in the hallways and other persons who recognized the half-wolf by his gray ears. Architecturally speaking, the Cardinal Church was one of the most beautiful ces Luke ever had the opportunity to enter. The window panes were filled with detailed designs, and each wall of the building looked like a unique work of art, hand-carved with care. The ceilings, which even in the Central Pce of Oukiwa were white in the Cardinal Church, alternated between illustrations of the four great heroes: Demiurge, Hera, Leto, and Arani.


    After climbing a long flight of stairs, Amelia was about to tell them that they would have to wait because a Secr was in a meeting with Reba at that moment, but as soon as they reached the waiting room, the distinctive sound of arge door opening resounded.


    From inside the hall, hidden by a white door with blue crystals, a middle-aged man came out. He had matted red hair, the same tone as his full beard. The sides of his head were shaved, and there were ck tattoos of the branches of a tree on both sides.


    Barrett, the Secr present, looked at the group that had just climbed thedder and marveled to see Alexis after so long:


    " Hey there, half-dragon." He greeted her briefly and walked down the stairs, ignoring everyone else.


    Luke Lange didn''t even dare to open his mouth and felt that Nebezial was an insolent one for thinking he was on the level of a Secr. Barret was clearly on a level above any S-ss Luke had ever met. This made Luke believe that whenever he thought he was getting strong, he met someone even stronger to p him back to reality.


    Then the quartet went through the giant white door and entered the Hall of Pontiff Reba, aka Queen of the Cardinal Realm.

 Chapter 186 Meetings And Reunions (Part 2)

    Upon entering the Pontiff''s Hall, everyone could see a gigantic blue crystal, which floated elegantly. From this crystal, a colossal beam of yellowish light emerged, which anyone could see for miles around the Cardinal Church.


    Drawing as much attention as the beam of light, a sea of books, parchments, and papers cluttered the hall floor. Amidst this ocean of pages, a path could be found that led to an ordinary wooden table.


    "You never stop being disorganized, do you?" Alexis asked rhetorically to the white-haired girl sitting at the table.


    Rebeca gave a closed and happy smile at seeing the half-dragon after so long. "I saw you when you went over the walls and wondered how long it would take you toe here. And I see you are still in Luke Lange''spany."


    She nodded to Luke and Meredith, who both responded simultaneously with a nod.


    "I received a letter from you through Koven, saying you were in Oukiwa, and then nothing else. Is there a special reason for your visit after so long?" Reba asked.


    "Actually, there is a severe reason. We have received information that perhaps the demons are manipting the politics of the Melki Empire to their favor."


    "Exin more." Reba said as the expression on her face changedpletely.


    Then, with Luke''s help, Alexis told everything Yoelona told the gang. About Yoelona having worked for half of her life for Emperor of Melki and how she eventually found out about the demons. However, to the Pontiff, a report from an unknown source would be worthless if there was no concrete proof. Alexis Dmitry knew this and prepared in advance.


    When Reba asked for proof of the ount, Alexis ced a parchment on the white-haired girl''s desk and opened it. This parchment was a map of the entire Skoll continent, showing the location of each of the two hundred demons in the Melki Empire''s territory. This information was seared so profoundly into Yoelona''s mind that she could never forget it.


    To any other person, that might be just a hand-drawn map with many names written on it, but Reba was no ordinary person, because her job was exactly to know all the information about demons, and many of the words on the map she recognized.


    "That''s... surreal." Rebeca dered in ecstasy. On the map, a good portion of the names, which she had only seen in old report books, were around a region called ?rkenby, yet there were also dozens of demon names in Stahurt, New Yukiat, J?rme Vige, and other major centers.


    "Pontiff, if they are together, I''m afraid the same thing they might try to do as they did 500 years ago." The half-dragon spoke, cing her hands on the parchment.


    Alexis told the gang that before the Arani Era began 512 years ago, while the famous event ''The Cmity'' was happening, demons flocked to the Hati continent, where the k Kingdom is located; thanks to world hunger, the demons almost prospered over humanity. However, the four heroes separately managed to weaken the monsters by destroying their powerful cocoons.


    "Yes... and back then, there weren''t as many Dungeons as there are today. If they are assembled today and have managed to infiltrate one of the greatest nations in the world, I''m afraid that-"


    At that point, Luke took another step forward. "Yoelona said that they already have ns to use the disturbance caused by their presence to gather monsters, not least because the chaos is so much in the Melki Empire that monsters are not rare to see on the surface. They wouldn''t have to fight like they used to in the old days; the monsters would fight for them."


    "Yes, that was my fear." Reba spoke, with her head down and her gaze strained.


    "What should we do, Pontiff?" Alexis inquired, kneeling in front of the table.


    After that, Luke felt obliged to pay due respect to Rebeca because he had no idea what he could do to prevent the worst harm. Next, Amelia and Meredith also knelt behind them.


    "Normally, this would be a war of the Cardinal Sanctuary against the demons, as it has currently been in our small confrontations, but the k Kingdom, where the Cardinal Sanctuary is located, is at war with the Daiyu Dynasty. So, the Broteforge Empire will have to help us, before trouble knocks on their door."


    "Will you go to the Emperor?" Amelia questioned Reba.


    "I will try; however, we are a city-state, and he will not trust us so easily, although he already knows the evil nature of demons. First, we have to get a concrete proof that all this is true, an undeniable proof. We need the confession of a demon."<sub> </sub>


    Luke was amazed at the Pontiff''s request, for killing a demon is impossible without knowing its name, and getting it to confess was an even more arduous task. However, the gang was also already prepared if something like this happened.


    "Our informant found a demon named Morax in the vicinity of Suzano a few months ago. If he hasn''t been killed yet, he will be our target." Alexis said.


    "The Seventh Emissary was sent there to seek information about a Rank A mercenary. Therefore, I would go there myself to check in a few days, but I will entrust this job to you then. For now, I will talk to the Secrs and the ss-S who show up here, leaving them on standby."


    All the people present nodded to the Pontiff''s request and left the hall. Rebeca''s presence and words put everyone at ease, especially since she believed their hypothesis.


    "So, are we traveling again?" Luke asked as he heard the blue-crystal door close behind him.


    "Exactly. But first, I have a request for you, Amelia." Alexis spoke, surprising the woman with ck hair and bangs. "Could you help Luke get in contact with Ayumi Yamazaki?"


    "The Noble One? Of course, I can."


    Luke was amazed at Amelia''s positive response because it had been a while since he had seen his girlfriend, and he was missing her terribly.


    They then had to apany Amelia to a small room, where she had to concentrate to use the Epic Skill <Astral Communication> and then touched Luke''s chest, asking him to think of a ce Ayumi could be.


    The half-wolf knew his beloved''s routine well and knew that she was usually at home at that time of day. Therefore, Amelia made Luke''s astral projection into Ayumi''s Residence, startling her while drinking a cup of tea.


    "Phha!" The Strogueher Matriarch eximed, pouring a few drops of tea over her breasts. "What is that!? Is that really you, Luke?" She asked, her eyes sparkling and not even caring about the pain of the tea now.


    "Yes, it is me." Luke replied with a smile in a translucent form in front of the blonde Elf.


    "How are you doing? How are you doing this?"


    "I am in the Cardinal Church at this moment, a woman is using an ability to do this. I miss you so much!


    "I''ve missed you so much too~ It''s been a few months..." She said, cing both hands together on her chest.


    "Me too, but I''m afraid it will be a while before I get home. I don''t have much time to exin, but I want to know that I found my friends and Alexis. Everyone is doing very well."


    "Whoaa! I''m so happy for you. I look forward to meeting them. When you can,e home and bring them if you want."


    "All right, I''ll do that. I don''t have much time, so I have to say goodbye. See youter, my love."


    "Kisses, I love you."


    After the goodbye, Amelia deactivated the <Astral Communication> ability, devastated because Luke Lange was already amitted man. Although polygamy was not something umon in any part of the world, it was somewhat difficult for a noblewoman to want to share her beloved.

 Chapter 187 The Clouds In The Sky

    After the visit to the Pontiff''s Hall, Luke, Meredith, and Alexis returned to the half-dragon house. The furniture, the floor, everything was shining, and since everyone was tired from the trip, Matthew thought it was only right that everyone took the day off to rest.


    Luke enjoyed seeing how Matthew acted like a leader again after finding out that Shiro and Sarah were not dead.


    After the afternoon lunch, almost everyone in the gang eventually fell asleep, and even Meredith also dozed off from exhaustion. The huge weight of uncertainty if Reba would believe them or not, proved unnecessary, and everyone was much more relieved after knowing that the Pontiff would talk to the Emperor.


    Only Luke Lange and Alexis Dmitry did not sleep that afternoon and, sitting on the balcony of the second floor of the residence, they talked about Alexis'' adventurous days.


    ording to the S-ss, she went to university much earlier than her normal age, bing only at neen a respected A-ss in the Cardinal Kingdom.


    One day, in her party of only six people, Alexis, and herpanions managed the amazing achievement of reaching the 67th floor of the local Dungeon in a few months. Since one of the members'' inventory was running out of food, they returned. However, Alexis was excited to reach the S-ss and asked them to advance at least to the next floor and then return. This would be the decision she would regret for the rest of her life.


    The crucial information that the Boss on the 67th floor respawned was not in any databook. Because of this, the party of seven people had to fight against this Boss, and his sentries, whose ideal number to win was at least 50 high-level Adventurers.


    "At the end, when the message that the Boss was dead resounded inside my head, somehow I was still standing... but that day I didn''t win, because all mypanions were killed supporting me." Alexis spoke, looking up at the many clouds in the partially blue sky. "When I returned to the surface, I was decorated as an S-ss for achieving a great feat, but since then, I have never entered the Cardinal Kingdom Dungeon again."


    Luke looked into her deep eyes and said:


    "Alexis, if you me yourself for the deaths of yourpanions, if you think you could have been stronger, done better, I ask you not to torture yourself like that. Death is natural, and whether we like it or not, it will always be part of our lives... The only task for those who are alive for now, is to live in a way that would make the people who can no longer be here."


    The half-dragon looked at him and stood for a few seconds, processing what Luke said, without saying anything. Of all the words he could say, like ''my condolences'' or other types of sympathies, the half-wolf decided to just be himself and say what he thought. After that, she stood up and spoke to him:


    "Everyone here is sleeping. How about going for a walk?"


    Since it was a lovely autumn breeze, Luke judged that a walk wouldn''t be bad at all.


    While walking with Alexis, the half-wolf basically had a tour of the neighborhood where her house was located. She exined that all ss-S Adventurers get a house in the city, like a way for the Queen to keep them close by.


    In that neighborhood were manymercial buildings, zas, and Cardinal Church temples, since the physical church was used mostly by schrs.


    "Among so many things in this city, this is one of my favorite ces!" Alexis spoke, opening her arms like a child showing her favorite toy to a stranger. Behind the half-dragon was the Gymnasium of the Brave.<sub> </sub>


    "Ever since we left your house, you already nned to bring me here, weren''t you?" Luke asked her, clenching his eyes.


    "Fiuuuu~." The half-dragon hissed. "You''re smart! Shall we go inside?"


    "Why not?" Luke shrugged.


    So the two adventurers entered the Gymnasium. This circr building was several timesrger than the one on the Strogueher property, and right at the entrance, the half-wolf noticed that it was no ordinary gymnasium either.


    "This ce was built with obsidian beams, in other words... We can train at full strength here!" Alexis spoke excitedly, and Luke could swear he saw mes of excitementing out of her eyes.


    "He... He..." Lukeughed dully because he already knew what was waiting for him.


    During the training sessions in preparation for the Tournament of Legends, Luke had trained with the S-ss several times, but he knew she was holding back, as was customary. However, when she once said that she was not using even 50% of her full strength, Nathalia and Luke wondered what her actual strength level was.


    That''s why Luke was startled when he realized that the half-dragon was serious about training for a while in the Gym of the Brave. Luckily, the ce was empty that afternoon, so Luke would not be humiliated in public. Even though he wasn''t too confident that he could win, the half-wolf wouldn''t give up without trying to win, because that was the only way he could give it his all and learn from his mistakes.


    "I saw that you are training a martial art with Ynosuke; how about we don''t use our weapons and skills for today? Just our fists and legs." ss-S proposed, after stretching.


    "Will you stille with everything?"


    "Of course. It''s been a while since I''ve used the martial arts I learned in the Cardinal Church!" She spoke, cing her hands on her waist.


    "All right, then I ept your conditions."


    Luke had made a lot of progress with Sea Ornament in thest few days, so he was confident that he would perform well. ording to Ynosuke, the half-wolf was very close topleting the First Stage of the Sea Ornament. His arms were lighter, as were his legs and thighs, which significantly increased the speed of his blows. Therefore, Luke would soon begin to learn the correct fist positions, but Ynosuke didn''t know that Luke was secretly trying to learn the Second Stage positions, based on Ynosuke''s own fighting moves during training.


    More than anyone else, Luke understood that it''s not because someone is weaker than him that he had nothing to learn from that someone.

 Chapter 188 High Level Training

    The Gymnasium of the Brave had several battle arenas, marked off as squares of twenty meters in area each one. This battle area could be small for long-distancebat training, but it was perfect for fric training.


    Luke went to the right side of the arena, and Alexis went to the left.


    Whenever he saw the half-dragon fight, Luke unconsciously felt something different when he looked at her. He couldn''t determine if this feeling was a kind of admiration, affective memory, or something more intense.


    As Nathalia always normally did, Alexis tied her long hair into a ponytail shape and made sure it was securely fastened.


    "Are you ready?" Luke asked her, after removing his belt of throwing knives from his abdomen.


    "Just one more second, please." She asked and unbuttoned her white shirt. In recent times, she was not wearing her everyday shirt with embroidery, but rather a red shirt with a ck skirt. "There, now we can begin!" She said, smiling.


    So, the training began. Luke immediately ran towards Alexis, and she ran towards him. When their forearms collided, Luke realized that his arm hurt much less than it normally did when he did this type of defense in the past. The sh of armssted for only a few moments, because Alexis took this training very seriously and used a martial art that she knew. His right fist was quick, direct, and powerful, hitting Luke''s chest with precision before he could react.


    As he was thrown back five meters, Luke realized that he felt almost no pain. This was the effect of the First Stage of the Sea Ornament, strengthening of the physical structure.


    After that, Luke felt even more motivated, and in the first few minutes, he bravely resisted the attacks of the S-ss, while gradually fixing his mistakes. Like he did against Serena and Nebezial, Luke focused on learning his opponent''s attack patterns and began to react before she could repeat them.


    Reacting this way, the half-wolf''s body would be a little fatigued since he would get used to the pressure at some point, and his opponent would be increasingly impatient, irritated, and frustrated by having most of her blows deflected. Alexis Dmitry realized this tactic and also noted how effective it was.


    The stamina of Alexis was huge, and her blows were very powerful, causing thunders in the air with each hit, but the Sea Ornament evolved Luke''s body much more than he expected, helping him avoid heavy damage. Even the half-wolf was startled to see that his movements were also clearer, and his joints didn''t hurt.


    Nevertheless, Alexis'' determination was practically unshakable, and, contrary to normal, the half-dragon was getting stronger and stronger during the battle. Luke was also evolving during training, but Alexis was on a much higher level as if she understood the half-wolf''s movements much more than himself.


    The truth was simple: Alexis was a genius of one-on-one fighting. Her eyes captured the information from the slightest movements of her opponent, and so she noticed his strengths and weaknesses. If Luke''s half-beast talent was his super-sharp senses, the half-dragon''s talent had a supernatural battle sensitivity.


    When they reached the thirty-minute training mark, Luke Lange waspletely soaked with his own sweat, and Alexis Dmitry was too, but both were still up.


    Even fatigued as he was, Luke loved that workout, because it had been a few months since he had evolved so much.


    Luke invested against half-dragon, fast like never before. His strikes were more polished than the beginning of the training, and his movements were smoother. Luke punched towards half-dragon, who grabbed his fist and tried to pull him even closer to punch him in the stomach. Anticipating that something like this would happen, Luke came forward and blocked her right fist with his left knee, taking advantage of the same movement to kick her right shoulder.<sub> </sub>


    The blow was effective enough to force Alexis to free Luke''s other arm since her leg hits were not as flexible as Luke''s to choose to fight without one of her arms.


    After Luke was let go, he dared to use one of the positions he saw Ynosuke do during practice, to surprise Alexis.


    He left his fingers extended and copied the arm pose of an archer, but with his legs bent. This pose made Luke''s blood flow quickly from his heart to his fingertips, making him feel a sudden burst of energy. Suddenly, Luke''s speed increased considerably for a single second; that was enough to make him disappear from the half-dragon''s vision, startling her. When she realized it, Luke was already behind her and was about to punch her, but the half-wolf''s body was not yet evolved enough to use such a technique.


    As if the universe was punishing an insolent person, Luke felt his heart stop in the next second after he used the technique. In those moments, an overwhelming pain squeezed his chest like someone was sucking the life out of him. He felt as if he was really going to die.


    By luck and because he had almostpleted the First Stage of the Sea Ornament, he didn''t die this time.


    The half-wolf lost all his strength before he struck Alexis and fell to his knees.


    "Hey! Are you all right? What happened?" she asked him, confused that she hadn''t been hit.


    He stood up slowly, brought his right hand to the back of his head, and replied with a smile: "I almost died. Hahaha!"


    Had Alexis not been attentive, she would not have noticed that the half-wolf''s eyes went out, preventing him from hitting the blow, and thus would havee to the conclusion that he was joking.


    "And you''re smiling, you idiot?" She asked angrily and mmed her fist into the top of his head.


    "Ouch! You want to kill me for real?"


    The half-dragon suddenly grabbed his hands and ced them against the top of her breasts. "Luke, pay attention. Martial arts are no joke, and there is a method of learning. Don''t EVER dare do what you did another time, because... I don''t know what I''ll do if you die."


    Luke could clearly see in her eyes that she was very serious. The sight of the half-dragon''s beautiful face, mixed with the warm sensation of her breasts, caused Luke to immediately blush with shyness like an inexperienced teenager. The half-dragon''s big eyes, her silky hair, and her perfect lips made Luke feel something he only felt when he looked at Ayumi.


    Seeing that the half-wolf was looking deeply into her eyes, the half-dragon was surprised. ''Wait! Wait! Wait! Is this really happening? This can''t be real! Should I...'' She did nothing.


    Even with the two of them wishing for each other, they valued Alexis'' opinion highly, and most of all, they respected her, so when their hands moved apart, and their gazes looked away, the two half-beastsughed at the situation, secretly wondering what might have happened if they had continued.

 Chapter 189 Latgor (Part 1)

    The Broteforge Empire is a nation of many mind-blowing biomes and some terrifyingndscapes, ones that can make anyone want to change routes.


    The Far North is where most of thesendscapese together. Between the Cardinal Kingdom and the small coastal town called Latgor, there are dense forests where the sunlight barely reaches the ground, and there are also canyons so steep that a single mistake can cost you your life.


    After oveing all these difficulties, the half-wolf group finally arrived in the vicinity of Latgor, where Yoelona had lived for some years.


    Located only a few kilometers from the Skd?dsgen Forest, Latgor is a city full of myths and legends, whose residents, far from the reality of Dungeons and Adventurers, live a peaceful and, at the same time, vulnerable life. This was the perfect ce for a demon profiteer.


    The winter had already arrived in the region. The trees in the forests were looking dead and dry, the ground was barren because of the rapid frosts, and the crops, which are the region''s main contribution to the entire Broteforge Empire, were unproductive because of the weather. On the horizon, the sea was gray, and also the sky, whose clouds only allowed the sun''s rays to pass through with intensity for a few hours per day.


    Together on the top of a small hill, a part of the half-wolf group was enjoying thest pieces of a sheep that the half-dragon had hunted on the previous day.


    There was a tense atmosphere around the campfire because everyone could see through the pendant that the half-dragon carried with her, the ck trail in the sky that showed the demon''s location. However, for the first time in Luke Lange and Alexis Dmitry''s lives, they were not seeing only one beam, but two, which meant that there were two demons in Latgor, and not the expected, which was only one.


    "What''s the n?" Meredith asked Alexis and Luke, who were looking over the city. "Are we going to attack them from the front?"


    "No, that would be reckless. The ck beams are inside the city, there could be casualties. Besides, we don''t know if the demons possess powerful people, and we have no way of knowing their powers. They don''t know about us either, so we have to get an advantage." Alexis exined. The demons'' markings were in a mansion on top of a hill, but there were dozens of houses just below the mountain.


    "So... how do you usually do this?" Luke asked. Although he had fought demons three times, he didn''t know what a demon hunter''s method was like.


    "Usually, emissaries do the investigative work for me and tell me their possible abilities and the best ce to lure the demon. Hehe!" The half-dragon smiled shyly. "But the good thing is that we already know where the demons are, and we need to seal them. First, we need information about where people live and which areas are the most inhospitable. If we can lure the demons to the empty parts, we won''t have a problem with civilians."


    "All right... since we don''t want to attract attention, I think it''s best if we don''t go with such arge group. Who will want to go?" Meredith turned back and questioned the rest of the gang.


    Zack and John were chewing on sheep meat, Matthew was reviewing the town map they bought in the previous vige, and Ynosuke was napping quietly.


    "Sorry...we''re busy." Zack and John replied with their mouths full simultaneously.


    Although John dreamed of being an Adventurer, he knew he was too weak to fight, and although Zack was quite big, he was quite fearful.


    "Sigh... I guess it will just be us." Meredith sighed and spoke.


    "That''s fine, but when things turn dangerous, you focus on helping the civilians. All right?" Luke asked the half-fox.<sub> </sub>


    Meredith punched the half-wolf weakly on the shoulder, smiled, and said, "Rx, sweetie. I can take care of myself. I still know the basics of everything you taught me..."


    The half-wolf knew that Meredith was not the kind of person who would expose herself to danger; after all, she lived in the same reality like him. They both had to learn to hide and live in the dangerous world of the Lower City of Oukiwa; however, demons are wicked and cunning, and Luke would never stand guard in the presence of one.


    Before going down the hill, Luke summoned Bastet and left him with the rest of the gang that would remain on the hill. That way, Luke would be much more rxed about leaving them alone.


    So, Meredith, Luke, and Alexis walked to one of Latgor''s roads to appear simple travelers when they arrived in town.


    The first thing they noticed was the smell of the city, which was assimted to the smell of a rotting lemon, something citrusy and at the same time unpleasant. There was also a creeping mist hanging over the entire city, entuating the dreadful feeling that could be felt as the group got closer.


    When they passed therge archway that read ''Wee to sweet Latgor City'', Meredith immediatelypared the city to Yoelona''s descriptions. ording to the old Master of the half-wolf, this should be a city with beautiful scenery of wheat fields and other crops, but now everything seemed dead.


    Without any fear, they entered the city. However, there was something very different than expected: they could not find any people even after walking for more than 10 minutes. The windows of several houses were boarded up, and although Luke and Meredith were able to smell people and hear them inside the buildings, they didn''t even stick their heads out to talk.


    "Hello, is anyone there?!" Alexis asked in a loud tone, but her voice only echoed through the deadly quiet city. "We are adventurous travelers and we are here to hunt a beast we heard about!"


    No one dared to answer her or open an inch of their curtains to see what it was all about.


    "Whoa, why doesn''t anyone answer me?" The half-dragon asked as she turned to Meredith and Luke.


    "Shhh... I think I hear something." Luke spoke up.


    The half-wolf''s ears always twitched when he detected an unusual sound. Focused on finding that sound, Luke closed his eyes and extended his hearing range.


    Tum~


    He heard a tremor a few blocks away, but this tremor didn''t seem to be made by an explosion but by something falling or being ced on the ground.


    "There''s something approaching. We need to get off the street..." Luke whispered to the two redheaded women. Alexis didn''t have as good hearing as the half-wolf, so she trusted his decision, and Meredith nodded too because she trusted in her friendpletely.


    As the tremors became more intense, it became clear that they were not things falling, but the footsteps of a giant creature whose powerful paws were so oppressive that they created deep marks in the hard winter ground.

 Chapter 190 Latgor (Part 2)

    Hearing the loud footsteps of a gigantic creatureing closer, the trio of half-beasts hid behind some boxes in a narrow alley. These boxes were small, and to hide together, they had to squeeze in.


    As the creature approached their street, they could smell the rotten lemon smell getting more and more intense.


    When the creature reached the street parallel to the alley where the half-beasts were hiding, he smelled a sweet perfume in the air, which was a very different smell from the ones he was used to.


    Following the line formed by the perfume, the creature was led into a narrow alley, a ce his head would not enter even if he were half his size. Aware of this, the creature stretched out one of his arms to reach what might be there, whether it was a person or a different food.


    Meredith was sweating cold, pressing her own hand against her mouth and nose to avoid making the slightest noise. She looked over and realized that Luke was as calm as ever. That reassured her a little.


    When the gigantic white paw crawled on the ground beside them, the trio could see dull ck ws on a hand with only four fingers, three in front and one behind.


    At the moment the creature''s hand passed beside the boxes, Luke quietly summoned his Panspermia axe, because no matter how strong the creature was, this was still an Epic-level axe.


    Frustrated that his hand hadn''t aplished anything relevant, the creature thought about climbing the rooftop houses, but deduced that such an effort wouldn''t be worthy. The creature huffed in stress and started to walk away, still causing small tremors in the town with each step.


    Luke and Alexis were rtively calm because they knew that when ites to demons, any kind of thing could happen; however, Meredith was too inexperienced in mystical matters, being the typical type of person who had never seen a monster in front of her before.


    "Ha... Ha..." The half-fox became breathless as she finally allowed herself to breathe. "What was that thing?" She asked the two adventurers in a low tone of voice.


    Before Alexis or Luke had a chance to answer, they heard the creak of a door in the alley. A few momentster, a man poked his head out, looked both ways, and upon seeing the trio of half-wits, spoke:


    "Come on! Get in quick! Before the monsteres back here!"


    They didn''t think twice; after all, they couldn''t find any other person brave enough to open the door for them.


    After the trio went through the door that the bald and fat man opened, they found a partially dark room, illuminated only by a few candles on a table. Behind this table was a woman who appeared to be about thirty-five years old, and on herp was a tiny baby.


    After the door had closed, Luke took the liberty of starting the conversation and asked the locals:


    "What was that thing?"


    "I don''t know... one day he appeared, and since then, he goes out regrly to eat." While he went over to the table to check the wax candles'' size, the man answered in a hurry. "Since then, people don''t go out on the streets to work or buy anything... Did you reallye to kill this creature?"


    Before answering the man, the half-dragon had the sensitivity to realize that the humble family was cold, so she took off her jacket and said:


    "Take this... this winter can''t be easy with this situation." She held out the jacket to the old man, since the woman next to him had her hands full.<sub> </sub>


    Surprised by this gesture, the man had no dy and took the warm coat to cover his daughter and grandson.


    "Thank you." The man and the woman thanked her.


    "Answering your question: we are here to kill anything that is doing harm to this city. You can help us by giving up information, right?" Alexis asked.


    " Of course... it''s not every time we get a chance to see adventurers." The man replied, pulling out a chair for the S-ss to sit at the empty table. "What do you need to know?"


    Alexis needed to take it easy so as not to frighten the locals further, at the same time building up their trust, so she did not immediately ask about the demons.


    "We heard that the attacks by an animal started a few months ago, and now there is a monster prowling the town. Are these things linked?" As far as the half-wolf gang knew, a male demon was killing and devouring some people, not a giant creature.


    "Ha! Are they linked? Of course, they are, because they both have the same culprits: Marie and Masink!" The fat man said, getting a little stressed. "I''m sorry about that. It''s just that every time I remember that at this hour they must be in that mansion on top of the hill, with their butts facing the warm firece, I get angry."


    Everyone in the trio of half-beasts came to the same conclusion at that moment: he was talking about the demons.


    "Who are these people you mentioned?" Luke questioned, pulling up a chair at the table to sit down too.


    "Masink is the honorary earl, and Marie is his wife. They called themselves that after the nobles who lived on top of the hill died, and they took over the ce." More quiet this time, the man exined.


    It ismon knowledge that in the Broteforge Empire, there are no titles such as count, marquis, duke, and other noble titles; after all, there are only eight noble families recognized by the Emperor, and the others are just different branches of those same noble families. Therefore, the only title of authority within a noble family is that of Matriarch or Patriarch. For this reason, everyone was surprised by the title employed to Masink.


    "What do this count and countess look like? Are they strong or perhaps adventurers?"


    The woman with the baby on herp was the one who answered this time. "They are the most horrifying people I have ever seen. Their skin is as pale as dried wheat, and they are always smiling proudly with their pointy teeth... After they arrived, the earth began to rot, people started to disappear, and after a few months, that creature appeared. Now, we rarely have the chance to leave our homes and fetch firewood. With theing of winter, everything just got worse."


    "Calm down, Isabelle¡­ the things will get better." The old man spoke and looked at the trio of half-beasts. "They seem to be strong adventurers, maybe they can really help us."


    "It doesn''t matter how strong they are, father. That monster out there, and those two on top of the hill... They''re too powerful."


    Luke didn''t mind the woman''s emotional opinion and continued the conversation. "When we were outside the city, we didn''t see or hear the giant creature. Is there anywhere he could have been before we entered the city?" He questioned.


    "I don''t know. Usually, this thing appears out of nowhere, but people say he usually takes his victims to the Abandoned Mines."


    "Then we''ll start our attack there." The half-wolf knew that when ites to living creatures, no matter if it''s a monster, animal, or human, a creature''s most vulnerable moment will always be after a meal.

 Chapter 191 Abandoned Mines

    Soon after hearing the man''s report who took them off the street, Luke asked for information about where the Abandoned Mines were.


    Whether it was a good thing or not, the man revealed that underground in Latgor, there was aplex of deep caves, whose area in the past had been well exploited as a Silver Mine, but with the growth of agriculture, a new risk for the area soon became apparent. Thanks to the drying up of rainwater and crop fields by millimeter cracks in the ground, the risk of copse grew exponentially, which forced the miners to exchange their picks for hoes to work the farms.


    ording to the man who received the trio of half-beasts, there were several entrances to the Abandoned Mines in every corner of the city, but almost all of them had been locked for a long time, which made it impossible for them to surprise the creature. In other words, the half-wolf''s group would need to enter through the same entrance the creature was probably entering too.


    Luckily, thisrger entrance, and the only one open, was located in a distant part of town, more precisely at the foot of a mountain. Without a second thought, Luke, Alexis and Meredith headed there after saying goodbye to the humble family.


    The directions were simple:


    "Follow northeast until you find the mouth of a cave that looks like it has a dog''s fangs."


    When they found the cave, at the end of a small wood, it was already night. The creature''s odor was very strong in the ce, and it was clear that he had only been there a short time.


    "Are you sure you want to go in?" Luke asked, looking into Meredith''s brown eyes. "It could be very dangerous."


    Meredith''s gaze was lost for a few moments because she was afraid of what might happen and of perhaps being a burden to the adventurers. Still, she wanted as much as possible to be part of this dangerous world that the half-wolf was experiencing.


    "Don''t worry, I will protect you with my life if I have to." Alexis spoke and smiled at the half-fox, making her look confident.


    After the quick conversation, they left the bush they had been hiding in and entered the cave.


    Since it was night, Alexis used the light from the <Divine Radiance> skill to illuminate them.


    A few meters after they entered the cave, the trio found the first trace that that ce really had once been a mining site. There was a pickaxe lying on the ground, this one was already very rusty, and the wooden handle was alreadypletely rotten.


    "Well, I guess at least that man didn''t lie to us." Meredith spoke, as she crouched down to take a closer look at the pickaxe.


    "Maybe, but we haven''t found anything relevant yet... let''s stay alert." Luke spoke, ignoring the pickaxe and looking further into the darkness. This environment reminded him of Dungeons, and it had been a while since he could enter one.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re right. Let''s keep going..." said Meredith as she stood up.


    Normally, the trio of half-beasts could easily find the mysterious creature, but the rotten odor condensed in the air was so violent inside these tunnels that it was making it impossible to track the creature by smell. Anyway, no one was rmed or rushed, because they could hear when the creature was walking in the city, and it would be no different in these tunnels, so it would be impossible for them to be surprised.


    From the height of the cave ceiling and the width, Luke thought the creature was between three and five meters tall. Such arge creature would have difficulty finding the necessary air in the depths of a cave, so when they realized that they were already deep in the Abandoned Mines, they deduced that maybe the creature was sleeping in some corridor that they had missed.


    Nevertheless, they decided to go on for a few more meters and suddenly encountered a faint glow, apanied by a current of air. Luke, Meredith, and Alexis looked at each other because if there was a current of air, it could mean that the creature might be much deeper in the cave than they expected.


    The trio followed the draft and the glow, which gradually became stronger. When they turned a steep corner, they found the most beautiful cave they had ever seen in their lives.


    From the ceiling and the floor in this cave came giant crystals and small crystals, which varied between blue and violet hues. These crystals weren''t like the precious crystals that could be found in Dungeons, which were almost transparent; these were solid and massive. Still, the crystals were impressive because of their sturdiness and also because the little bit of light that came into that cave through the various holes, bounced off the crystals and created a light show.


    Meredith felt that she could spend hours looking at the details of the ce, that is... if there wasn''t a creature sleeping right in the center of the area.


    This creature had the appearance of a panther, but was actually white. His limbs were stretched out of proportion to the size of his head, and on his back was proof that he was not just some strange animal, like the Giant Bear that Luke had killed or like the Lizard Monkey. Connected to the back of his head was a gigantic, tough-looking shell, from which four other limbs came out, limbs that were even longer than his four long legs. These strange limbs had the exact same appearance as the legs of a conventional spider, but which from afar appeared to be as sturdy as the giant crystals on the walls.


    "How do you want to do this?" Luke muttered to the half-dragon after they hid behind a small crystal.


    "Let''s be quick and efficient. Meredith, you had once told me that you have great aim, so you will take that obsidian dagger in Luke''s hand, and you are going to throw it at that crystal. Do you think you can do it?" Alexis asked, pointing to a medium-sized crystal above where the creature was sleeping.


    Fearing making noise now, the half-fox answered ss-S with an excited nod. Next, Luke borrowed the small obsidian sword and handed it to her.


    "Luke, the signal for us to start will be when the crystal falls on the creature. At that time, this thing will surely wake up, so I will face it head-on, and you will use your skills to kill it from behind. If he''s stronger than we expect, no need to rush, we don''t need to be fast but rather that it doesn''t make too much noise."


    "Alright, I''ll stand by for the signal then." Luke stated and used the <Invisible Trail> ability to not be detected in any way by the monster.

 Chapter 192 Broken Crystals

    Luke went around the environment in just a few seconds, aware that there wasn''t the slightest chance he would be detected. He wasn''t concerned about whether or not he could kill the creature quickly, but rather whether he could prate the shell on his back.


    At least if Meredith and Alexis could create a good opening, Luke thought he could tear the creature from underneath.


    Now closer than ever and hidden behind another crystal, the half-wolf could clearly hear the snoring of the monster, which seemed to be sleeping soundly, and that was a good sign. If Luke approached the monster now, he knew he could surprise the creature or even kill him; however, he trusted that if the half-dragon didn''t tell him to do that, it was because there was a reason.


    When Luke heard the dagger being thrown by Meredith, he firmly held the handle of the Behemoth Axe.


    Cr~


    The sound of the crystal breaking was the signal the S-ss had been waiting for to start upwards. Seeing the gigantic creature rise from the scare, she used the <Fist of Life> skill. Now, the monster''s eyes glowed in a strong yellow tone and a line that ran from the back of his neck to his tail. Before the monster could roar to frighten Alexis, he was suddenly hit by her with a punch on his chin, but he still held his ground. Alexis backed away because her responsibility at the moment wasn''t to kill the creature but to get its attention.


    The half-wolf didn''t take long to act too, although he saw that the sharp crystal couldn''t prate the monster''s tough armor.


    Spinning the axe in his right hand, Luke ran quickly behind the monster and slipped underneath him, slicing his two sturdy paws from the rear. Immediately, the creature lost a significant amount of his bnce and almost fell on the half-wolf, who was underneath him and was ready to strike his belly, but had to get out to not be crushed.


    "That''s two paws down; that leaves six." Luke spoke as he stopped beside Alexis. He was a little frustrated that he couldn''t kill the creature in the first few moves, but he didn''t martyr himself.


    "It''s okay, she''s not that weak.... I''ll prepare to do one thing then... distract the creature for fifteen seconds!" Alexis said.


    "All right!" Luke shouted and started running towards the monster. Luke spun his axe.


    When the creature regained his bnce, he attacked with his feline front paws towards the half-wolf. The two blows delivered by these paws were very strong, and although the half-wolf managed to block most of the damage with the Behemoth Axe, a w of the monster still hit him, causing a deep cut. Luke didn''t mind the cut and, in one neat move, shed another sturdy paw from the front, causing the creature to lose his bnce again.


    In the end, the heavy and resistant shell was the reason for the defeat of the powerful monster.


    The half-wolf still tried to advance again after getting away with a leap, but the creature suddenly turned and hit him with his tail.


    Thrown away with the force of the strike, Luke rolled on the cave floor, but managed to get up quickly with a somersault. Afterward, he ran to his axe, and seeing that the creature was running towards him, he had a d¨¦j¨¤ vu of the fight against the Golem God.


    As in the first fight of the Behemoth Tournament, Luke slipped under the bizarre monster once again and chopped off one of the feline''s legs. The monster''s belly was unreachable for the half-wolf if he couldn''t stand under the creature, so he couldn''t cut his belly.


    "Get out of there, Luke!" Alexis shouted, and suddenly the small sphere of light created by the <Divine Radiance> skill grew exponentially in the palm of the half-dragon''s hand.


    ''Fuck...'' Luke thought, startled when he saw that a sun was forming inside the crystal cave.<sub> </sub>


    With his eyes dimmed from the glow of the <Divine Radiance>, the monster had to tilt his head a little to be able to see and try to get closer to the half-dragon. The thing knew it had nowhere to run.


    The moment the creature ran up to her in desperation, the ss-S adventurer bnced the sun on the tip of her index finger and shouted:


    "Die bizarre cat!"


    Subsequently, the golden and hot yellow sphere sliced through the chamber as it flew toward the monster. The crystals around the ability exploded with its passage, and cracks formed on the floor.


    Kabooom!


    The noise of the sphere''s collision over the monster and the creature''s cry of pain was so loud, it resonated for hundreds of meters inside the tunnels of the Abandoned Mines. When the sound came out of the mouth of the cave, it was already weak and low enough not to spread to the city.


    When Meredith had the courage to open her eyes and remove her hands from her fuzzy ears, she stood up and looked at where the fighting had urred. Now, there was a heap of burnt flesh, guts, and blood, resulting from the monster''s death. The half-fox quickly came down from where she was standing and went over to Alexis, who was pulling out a piece of tripe that flew onto her shoulder.


    "Luke, where are you?" Meredith eximed. At the same time that she was happy for her victory, she was worried.


    The characteristic sound of stomping on the crystal pieces on the ground answered the half-fox''s question. Luke stepped out from behind a crystal where much of the monster''s remains had been thrown.


    Seeing Luke covered in blood and guts, Alexis felt fortunate to have been hit by only one gut. "Hahaha! What happened to you?" Alexis asked with a mocking smile, seeing that Luke was covered by blood and the monster''s remains.


    "Are you guys smelling that blood?" Luke asked, not even caring about the fact that he was covered in all this disgusting stuff.


    "Are you really asking that while you''re in this condition?" Meredith questioned, holding backughter with one hand.


    "I''m serious."


    All the rotting smell had been extinguished when the monster died, and although there were many monster spoils now, those pieces of flesh didn''t give off an odor as strong as what Luke was smelling.


    "Follow me." The half-wolf ordered while patting his shoulder twice to get the excess guts of blood off.


    The two half-beast women didn''t quite understand; however, they trusted their friend''s sense of smell and instinct.

 Chapter 193 The Letter From The Past

    The half-wolf''s nose could distinguish thousands of different types of smells. After the monster was killed, the scent of rotten lemon was gone, and only the smell of burning flesh remained, but the current of air, which came through the holes in the ceiling, brought an explicit smell of dried blood.


    With his curiosity instigated by that odor, Luke followed that.


    The trio of half-beasts went deeper into the crystal cave, and soon they were faced with a pile of headless corpses. Some of these bodies appeared to be peasants because of the simple clothes; other bodies were notably city knights or adventurers. Among so many corpses, one won Alexis Dmitry''s attention. This particr corpse was wearing an all-ck outfit, and from his pants pocket came a white cloth on which a yellow cross had been embroidered.


    "Do you know this person?" Luke asked, seeing the sad countenance of the half-dragon who was looking at the white cloth and the wedding ring on this corpse''s hand.


    Alexis pulled some air into her lungs and answered:


    "This was the emissary that the Pontiffmented on... We did some work together two years ago... A pity we were toote. Since it''s been a few months since he came here, he was lucky that he died only a few weeks ago, apparently."


    Afterward, Alexis reached down and took the white cloth from the emissary''s pocket. As she did that, a piece of letter paper was pulled along with the fabric. Alexis opened the letter and began to read it aloud.


    [I don''t know why I am writing this letter, but I think what is happening in Latgor needs to be made known, and if not by me, then by someone else.


    I arrived in this small town six months ago, when it still seemed like an ordinary town. Strangely enough, here are two nobles living in this town, who call themselves the Count and Countess of the region. Up to this point, I could deduce that they were just two crazy people with royalty syndrome, but within a few days of my arrival, I found out that things were worse than I could imagine.


    The cases of attacks by mysterious creatures that I hade here to investigate became more recurrent, and at the end of a long investigation with the help of a local guard, we eventually discovered that the new nobles were indeed the culprits.


    The battle against them was long, but not productive. The two demons destroyed and tortured every guard in town with their teleportation abilities. Now we are just under a dozen.


    Currently, I am trying to find ways to leave the city, but I can''t find ways to ovee the monster that''s circling the city. Even so, tonight thest six guards, brave enough, will apany me to a tunnel that can be our way out of the city. Hopefully, the Spirit of the Heroine Hera will protect us!


    If you are reading this letter and I am dead, please don''t tell my family. I know that the pain of a missing husband might not be easier to bear, but it might be easier to ovee.


    - Signed by the Seventh Cardinal Church Emissary, Endrew Bezerra.]


    After finishing her reading, the half-dragon crumpled the letter, deciding to carry out the emissary''s final design.


    "We are here to avenge them, and if Yoelona''s memory is correct, we know Masink''s demon name... I will personally kill him after he confesses to the Emperor."


    "All right... Now we know about his powers too." Meredith pointed out, since it said that the demons destroyed the guards with teleportation abilities in the letter.


    "We can''t wait any longer. The people of Latgor are suffering, and it may be a while before we find an alternative way to get the demons out of the Mansion." Luke spoke, looking at the pile of bodies.<sub> </sub>


    "What do you suggest then? The battles against the demons are dangerous, even more so because we need to exhaust them one by one to seal them away." Alexis pointed out, because no matter how urgent the mission was, it should still be done cautiously.


    "We have everything we need to save people. We have guys outside the city, we killed the thing that was blocking people from escaping, and we know a house that can open the door to hear us again." Luke spoke up. He perfectly understood why the half-dragon wanted to proceed calmly, but he could no longer agree with her on this. "What else would we need?"


    Alexis looked down at the ground, nced at the emissary''s body, and answered:


    "All right. Let''s talk about a n, then."


    The half-wolf nodded in agreement.


    As they walked out of the cave, the trio of half-wolves debated all the possibilities that arose in their minds. The S-ss had a lot of experience fighting demons that Meredith and Luke didn''t have; however, they coborated for aplete n, contributing their experiences from years of living in Oukiwa.


    For Meredith, a rescue and evacuation n wasn''t much different from a robbery n. They analyzed the environment, plotted the routes, chose a specific route and other auxiliary routes, based solely on the memories of the base of the town, which they saw from the top of the hill.


    The residents of Latgor might not believe Meredith about the monster in the area is dead, but that didn''t matter, because from the moment she told them that there was an S-ss in town and the noises in the Mansion started, everyone would want to leave their homes to escape.


    Just before she separated from the two adventurers, Meredith went to the door in the people''s alley that housed them and tried to convince them to leave the house. Since they had seen the S-ss earlier and heard about the giant monster being killed, they epted on the spot, and with the help of the man from this family, Meredith began to convince crowds to leave their homes.


    Meanwhile, high up on the hill, a man was watching the humble Latgor from the second-floor balcony of his Mansion. This man had long ck hair, elegantlybed back, highlighting his vanity. The pointed ears of his ears denoted that he was an Elf, but this could be easily seen thanks to the extremely delicate traces of his face.


    "My love, I wonder where Rufus is? I haven''t seen him on the streets for over two hours. That way, the citizens might notice and run away." Masink asked his beloved, carefully swishing the wine in his goblet.


    The woman at the table behind him raised her head, looked at her husband, put a hand on her chin, and spoke:


    "You know how hard it is to keep that kind of monster obedient. He''s probably resting in those caves like every day."


    This woman, Marie, also had her hairbed back, but her hair was blonde and also shorter than Masink''s.


    Ding, Dong~


    The bell of the Mansion echoed through all the rooms of that massive residence, alerting the two demons. After all, who could it be at this time of night?

 Chapter 194 The Counts Mansion

    On top of the hill in the center of Latgor, there was a two-story Mansion, made of whiteboards, whose high pointed walls that protected it also provided an intimidating aspect.


    This Mansion stood out from the city, not only because it was the tallest and most beautiful house, but also because it was the only point of light that could easily be seen throughout the region. So, it was natural to think that such a beautiful house would attract the attention of travelers.


    When Masink and Marie opened the door of their Mansion, they saw a beautiful woman with red horns, big eyes, and orange-red hair.


    "Good evening, how are you? Do you need anything?" Masink asked politely, wanting to maintain her disguise, as she opened the front door.


    The half-dragon''s right eyebrow was twitching frantically while she clenched her eyes as much as she could with a forced smile on her face. She hated doing that, but since the n was to distract the demons, so Luke could check the house for information or hostages, she had to get on with it.


    Both Alexis and Luke had learned from the mistake that was the Vasconcelos Guild Anniversary Ball operation, and she didn''t want to involve any other innocent people this time.


    "I''m just a passing adventurer, and since this is the only house with a light in the whole town, I thought it wouldn''t kill me to ask if I can stay the night. It''s freezing out here..." Alexis spoke without stuttering, but her expression was still strange.


    Masink looked over to check with his wife to see if it was okay to amodate the traveler''s request. They didn''t know her, they only knew she was an adventurer and didn''t know how strong she could be, but they also knew that most adventurers were not capable of threatening them. When Marie shrugged, thinking that this situation might be fun, Masink smiled devilishly.


    "You have arrived in good time, miss. Our dinner is almost ready to be served..."


    "Yes, yes. Come on in." Marie spoke and held out her hand to the S-ss, not wondering who the half-dragon actually was.


    As the first part of the n waspleted, Alexis was one more reassured. However, now came the worst part of all: sustaining the lie.


    Upon entering the Mansion''s front door, Alexis found an entrance hall very well lit by a chandelier made of yellow crystals that somehow mimicked candlelight. She had seen some types of luminous crystals that react to darkness, but she had never seen a kind that illuminated so well.


    The wooden floor of the residence was gleaming with such a varnish.


    The carpets with detailed designs and clearly of good materials also covered some parts of the floors in some rooms, highlighting the chic atmosphere of the residence, which seemed to be of a higher degree even than the Strogueher Mansion.


    Masink and Marie were also dressed in elegant woolen garments, these that were rich in detail in every shape and form, but which retained their red hue, like the eyes of the two demons.


    From the way the self-dominated Counts couple acted, Alexis could not determine if the demons were acting or if it was the possessed.


    ''Be quick, please, Luke...'' The half-dragon mored because she didn''t know if she would endure the demons'' concealment and overbearing stares for long.<sub> </sub>


    Before Alexis rang the bell, Luke walked up the hillside that led to the back of the Mansion.


    He found a beautiful garden at the bottom, filled with white flowers and, strangely, a few ck orchids. Since Luke didn''t give a damn about gardens, and even less about flowers, he went straight to the back door.


    With the help of a lock pick that he had bought from a merchant during his journey to Latgor, Luke pushed the doortch back and opened it silently.


    Upon entering, Luke could hear Masink and Marie talking with the S-ss at the entrance.


    ''Where demons would keep secret information?'' Luke wondered.


    During his reckless teenage years, Luke had broken into a few houses in Middle City, so he had the notion that offices were the best ces to look for valuable things. However, this Mansion was quiterge, and it could take more than two hours to visit all the rooms in silence. Thus, Luke would need a little luck and wit.


    Quickly, Luke sneaked through the Mansion and soon realized that the demons weren''t keeping the house alone. In the kitchen, a tall man withrge arms and outstretched legs was awkwardly cutting an entire carrot. His appearance was entirely bizarre, mainly because his limbs were disproportionate. His smell was rotten, but the food he was making had a good scent.


    The half-wolf considered killing the cook at that moment or threatening him to get the information he needed. Still, he concluded that this would be too dangerous because if any of the demons noticed his disappearance, everything would go up in mes.


    Based on amon logic from his previous experiences, Luke assumed that an office couldn''t be near a kitchen and left that area of the house. This action made him avoid Masink, who immediately went into the kitchen to order the cook to prepare an extra dish.


    Since Luke didn''t know if there were any other employees in the residence, he proceeded as carefully as he could.


    At some point, Luke found himself in the main hall, and seeing therge carpeted staircase; he thought it would be a good idea to search on the second floor.


    Since the voices of the demon couple echoed easily through the house from the dining room, Luke deduced that it would be okay to go up and check because they weren''t around. Luckily or not, he found a door half-open in the first few hallways, where he could see some of the same yellowish lighting from every room.


    ? Before entering this room, Luke checked with his sense of smell to make sure there was no one there, not detecting any breathing. Then he deftly fiddled with the door to hear if it creaked, and when it didn''t, he snuck into the office.


    ''Urgh... what is that odor?'' Luke thought and immediately covered his nose with his right hand. The half-wolf thought he had gotten used to bad smells like those from Dungeons or those from corpses, but this one was bad in a different way, like it was burning in his throat.


    Luke looked in the direction where the strong odor wasing from and saw the body of an animal nailed on the wall; however, this animal was unlike anything Luke had ever seen, because it carried the gic traits of a lion, a cat, and a bull.

 Chapter 195 The Charter That Will Mark

    The Demon Mansion was in many ways a bizarre ce, but Alexis had never seen anything so unpleasant as she saw that night. When she was invited to enter, Marie and Masink immediately led her to the dining room to dine with them.


    However, when she arrived in the room, she found various children sitting on chairs at a long table. All these children had paranoid looks on their faces and were staring at the half-dragon, perhaps thinking that she was an aplice of the demons.


    "Who are these cute children?" Alexis asked the couple with a fake smile on her face.


    "These are our sons." The couple said together, and Masink pulled Marie closer by the waist.


    "I see... you have many children." The half-dragon could count nine children in total, and it made her relieved that she hadn''t destroyed the Mansion with a <Divine st> when she had the chance.


    "Yes! They are very beautiful, aren''t they?"


    "Yes..."


    The girls and boys at the table had different features from each other. While some of them had curly hair, some had straight or curly hair, not to mention the various other characteristics that they didn''t resemble the two demons in anything. Maybe the demons believed that Alexis was dumb or didn''t just care about her opinion, so they didn''t bother to take the children away from the table.


    At the moment she sat down at the table, the S-ss thought while looking at the children:


    ''Hold on tight, kids. We will get you out of here.''"


    Meanwhile, on the house''s second floor, Luke had found a strange fusion of animals on the wall.


    "Fuck... this is something only a motherfucker could do. Those demons are sick..." Luke muttered to himself as he stood.


    If he ignored the fact that that thing was a mixture of animals of different species, to Luke, it was still bizarre to nail a corpse on the wall like this one was.


    Below the exhibited animal was a table with many different papers on it. Luke tried to read them as fast as he could, find more information about the ns of the demons on the continent, and what Masink and Marie were doing in Latgor.


    ''ount ns, Credits to receive, intercepted letters, more intercepted letters...''


    All the letters that were sent by messengers through post offices in other cities were immediately intercepted by the demons, and Luke noticed that they opened them all.


    ''Why they would bother to read each one if it''s easier to burn them?'' Luke wondered.


    The half-wolf didn''t understand that this was essential work to keep up appearances. If the letters went unanswered, the families of the residents of Latgor would get weirded out and would trigger authorities or travelers.


    Since it could take all night for Luke to check every piece of paper in that room, he focused on his sense of smell and realized that Marie''s scent had recently been on therge desk in front of the enormous pane of ss in that office. This pane of ss provided a wide view of the cked-out city, which to Luke was a horrible thing to see in the winter, considering that the low temperatures tended to drop even lower in theing days.


    Arriving at Marie''s desk, Luke finally found some relevant information in a letter that seemed to have been written very recently.<sub> </sub>


    [Hello, Doctor Vinigo. I am Marie De Luca, current Countess of Latgor, a town located south of Suzano.


    I hereby express my wish that my husband, Masink De Luca, and I may eventually work together with you to share our research about the Chimeras.


    Since we met with you in Stahurt a few years ago, my husband and I have be interested in the creation of an artificial monster. Since there is no Dungeon in Latgor, we figured that this was the perfect ce to research this kind of alchemy without attracting too much attention.


    Also, I learned from a memorandum from Arzen that you have settled in Oukiwa and are continuing your research there. Arzen didn''t tell us whether you have made the progress you wanted or not, but know that if you have, THAT man will be very happy.


    If you have seeded, talk to the Patriarch of the Noble Family called Smak¡­]


    The letter stopped being written before thest word waspleted; however, the half-wolf was no fool andpleted it mentally. "The Smakusa? Shit..."


    <o>,m To Luke, the whole context of the letter made it clear that the Smakusa were closely connected with the demons, and who knows, maybe they were even helping these monsters. In either of the two alternatives, the worrying scenario would be even worse. The Smakusa Family had always been one of the wealthiest families in the entire Broteforge Empire, owning most of the fleets of ships, rafts, and boats in the whole Empire. This nautical monopoly guaranteed total control of the continent''s entrances and exits, which made the hypothetical scenario of an alliance with the demons even more distressing.</o>


    Immediately, Luke folded the letter and ced it in the inner pocket of his overcoat.


    Soon after, his ears flickered as they detected the sound of footstepsing up the stairs. Luke looked around, looking for a ce to hide, but found no closet, so he used the Skill <Invisible Trail> to run behind the office door and hide.


    The person who opened the door was Marie, and she found the room exactly as she had left it before she left the door to answer the door.


    Marie naturally walked over to her desk with no concern; however, when she realized that the letter she had been writing was no longer there, her throat was suddenly slit by a cold de.


    On reflex, the demon woman teleported forward and ced her hand on her throat in an attempt to cover her wound.


    At the same time, she tried to scream for her husband, but her throat hadn''t yet regenerated. "Aagh¡ª"


    Seeing that the Countess didn''t regenerate as quickly as Beherith and that she couldn''t scream, Luke spun the small obsidian sword, unconsciously made the first training stance of the Sea Ornament, and tried to sh the woman again.


    Marie dodged the stab, teleported to the right of the half-wolf, and punched him in the face with her right hand, throwing him against the wall to her left.


    The entire Mansion could hear the noises Luke made as he was thrown across two rooms with the force of a single punch.


    Masink immediately dragged his chair back and looked at the half-dragon.


    Alexis immediately shouted at the edge of the table: "<Morning Sage>!" And she beamed a few feet forward, managing to grab the demon by the cor and press him against the wooden floor. "Get out of here, kids!"


    All nine children started screaming and running to the house''s front door, further rming Marie, who was on the second floor of the house.

 Chapter 196 Countess

    When Marie heard the screams of the children echoing through the house, she immediately ran out of her office.


    "Shut up and get back to the table, you bratty stinkers!" Her shout was so shrill that it shook the paintings on the walls and the chandelier in the foyer, scaring the children even more.


    Since Luke hadn''t noticed before that there were children in the house, he became even more determined upon hearing their cries.


    The half-wolf immediately came out of the room he was thrown into, looking like a moving shadow, because he was using the walls of that hallway to create a zigzag effect and increase his speed even more.


    Not even he knew he could reach that rate of eleration before he did that.


    Marie was totally surprised by these fast, precise, and skillful movements. Startled, she teleported back a few meters.


    Since Luke was already fast, this woman''s reaction was useless because he had already caught up with her in a few seconds.


    Another time she teleported backward before Luke could even get a chance to hit her; however, this was a tight corridor, and when Luke saw her teleporting, he already knew where she might appear. In reaction to the teleportation, Luke hurled his obsidian sword forward, and when Marie appeared exactly where he expected, his sword pierced her belly.


    "Urghh!" Marie felt the stab and looked down. "Fuck, you''re so fucking annoying!" She screamed, but her scream wasn''t really something normal and instead was a skill.


    The waves of sound created by this demon''s cursing hit Luke and threw him backward, stopping his advance and making his ear bleed.


    Marie took advantage of the moment that Luke was stunned to pull the sword from her belly, throw it to the ground, and speak:


    "Who are you? And what do you want with us, with my family?" She was still in pain and was obviously trying to buy time for her wounds to heal.


    Luke was too experienced to be caught up in such a litany, so he took advantage of the fact that he had recovered from the scream and ignored his opponent''s questions, dropping his overcoat to prevent it from hindering his movements during this fight.


    When she saw the three knives on the side of the half-beast''s belt, Marie felt threatened again and started screaming without pause.


    "AAAAAH!" Each sound wave of her scream was like a punch in the mouth of his stomach, which hurt and could leave anyone breathless.


    At that moment, Luke had a sudden idea and used the <Vind> sign to try something.


    The wind current was immediately dissipated by the sound for the first few moments. Still, after Luke kept the skill active and continuous, the wind gradually gained intensity and formed a type of small shield for Luke to protect himself from Marie''s attack.


    When the demon noticed that she wasn''t being so effective because of this half-wolf''s trickery, she stopped screaming constantly not to force her newly regenerated throat.<sub> </sub>


    "Love, I''m in trouble here! Bring my grimoire!" She eximed, taking advantage of the fact that the sound instion in the Mansion was a piece of shit.


    " Now I can''t do it! I''m staggering a parasite!" His answer echoed, and then the sound of breaking walls came from the second floor.


    Luke didn''t stand around doing anything while letting the demon couple talk. He focused on the sensation of one of his abilities and then uttered:


    "<Sirkelig>..."


    A purple circle appeared below his feet, doubled in size in the next second, and in its next expansion, covered the area of the entire house. This was an ability Luke had bought a long time ago still in Vasconcelos, which granted him 10% extra critical damage and 50% reduction of the strength of supernatural creatures in the circle, like demons.


    Confused about the circle that disappeared andter vanished, Marie clicked her tongue and spoke:


    "If my husband is busy, I won''t be limited to my incantations, then."


    After that, Marie summoned a Kusarigama of Panspermia. This weapon basically consisted of two small ck scythes interconnected through a thin, light-looking chain. That was the first time Luke had seen this type of weapon in his entire life.


    Even from two meters, Marie tried to hit Luke with the Kusarigama. Since the chains were long, the attack managed to reach Luke, but he deactivated <Sirkelig> for a second and used the <Eye of Horus> to slow everything down and see where the scythe was aiming.


    In that single instant for Marie, for the half-wolf enough time had passed to notice the beautiful wave movements the weapon''s chain was making and the sharp de of the small scythe.


    When Luke deactivated the Legendary Skill, he dodged the scythe, and before the weapon came back with a pull from the demon woman, Luke wrapped his arm around the chain and pulled the Kusarigama. He had never fought a weapon of this type before and didn''t want to give any chance to bad luck. Luke also took a moment to use <Sirkelig> again to keep the demons much weaker than they really were.


    However, Marie didn''t give in so easily to a simple tug and continued to hold the other edge of the chain. The series of links tensed with the strength of the half-wolf and the demon.


    Since this was a Panspermia Weapon of unknown level, Luke knew that the chain wouldn''t break so easily, and since he had his arm wrapped around it now if he tried to remove it, Marie would probablycerate his arm with just a tug of the weapon.


    Therefore, Luke began to wrap even more of the chain around his arm, as he forced the demon closer to him and moved closer to her. He was confident that he would win in a hand-to-hand fight if he used Sea Ornament.


    Marie again used her throat to scream, and since Luke already had <Sirkelig> active, he didn''t think it was a good idea to switch to <Vind> again. The half-wolf feared that he would get tired faster by switching Genes Abilities every minute than keeping them.


    Luckily, or by the irony of fate, Marie''s screams caught the attention of Alexis Dmitry, as well as obscuring the rumblings the half-dragon battle was making on the lower floor. With one tail of the <Finder''s Tails> skill, Alexis ripped out a wooden column in the middle of a living room below the hallway Luke was in and used the other tails to defend a Masink attack.


    This column was supporting a good portion of the second floor, so when it was broken, the hallway where Luke and Marie were standing copsed instantly. As Luke fell hard to the second floor, he used the huge cloud over the room to unwind his arm from the chain and immediately summon the Behemoth Axe.

 Chapter 197 Debris

    When Luke stood up and summoned his Panspermia weapon, he immediately looked forward to where Masink was being pressed by several blue tailsing out of Alexis'' ass. These tails were long, bulky, and had a ghostly appearance.


    Luke didn''t understand why the part where he was on the second floor had copsed, but now a few pieces of wood were stuck in his skin, causing a little pain. He ignored this.


    The half-wolf looked over and saw Marie struggling to get up. Her belly was still bleeding from the stab of the obsidian sword that Luke had struck.


    At the moment Luke prepared to attack the woman with his axe, Alexis shouted:


    "Luke, be careful! That man might..."


    Luke was suddenly teleported away before the S-ss could finish her rm, switching ces with Masink. Unable to brake his blow, Luke shed the <Finder''s Tails> ability of the S-ss.


    The collision of an Epic-level Panspermia Weapon against an Epic-level Gene Skill caused a massive shockwave, which further damaged the mansion''s structure.


    "Get us out of here, my love..." Masink spoke to Marie, reaching out his hand to help her up.


    Once the fingers of the two demons crossed, they teleported behind the half-wolf; however, they didn''t attack him and continued to teleport until they were out of the house as if they were jumping.


    After they recovered from the strong collision, Luke and Alexis exchanged looks, moments before the creaking of the mansion''s structures became the sound of the foundations breaking.


    Immediately, Luke omitted his axe and extended a hand to the half-dragon.


    As soon as she could catch his hand, the foundations of the huge wooden mansion copsed.


    BOOOM~


    The sound of explosion caused by the copse of arge part of the mansion could be heard across the entire area around the hill.


    In front of their partially destroyed house, the demon couple was with extremely frowning expressions of anger. They didn''t say a word to express the anger they were feeling, but at least the snobbish smile on theirs was gone.


    Inside the rubble of the mansion, Luke was using his own back to somehow support hundreds of pounds of lumber and furniture. Between his two arms was Alexis, who was nearly missed by the rubble. The faces of the two half-beasts were very close, and they exchanged looks of fright and distress.


    "Argh... Are you okay...? Are you hurt?" Luke struggled to speak.


    "No, I''m fine... Why did you do that? I could have stayed on top to take the weight."


    "Stay on top? Alexis, Alexis... talking about... subjects like this, at this... moment? You''re bolder than I thought." The half-wolf joked and smiled a little, just before his arms almost gave way to the weight he was holding.


    She blushed slightly at the joke. "Ha! You''re really unhealed... only you are capable of making me smile at a moment like this... For now, try to stand up slowly, we''ll split this weight and then I''ll use <Torden Scintins> to create an opening for us to get out."


    Luke nodded to the guidelines and began to try to stand up. However, the weight was so much that it made his spine crack every second and his legs shake to the point that his muscles failed. If any nerves or muscles burst, he would have to use his only advanced healing potion.<sub> </sub>


    In the end, the half-wolf managed to do what the half-dragon directed with much difficulty, and then she held part of the rubble with just one arm, and the other she extended to the side and shouted eagerly:


    "<Torden Scintins>!"


    <o>,m The S-ss'' hand turnedpletely blue-bright for a moment, and then a huge bolt of lightning was shot out, further shaking the debris from the house. The Alexis'' skill absolutely incinerated anything in its path, barely missing the cook trying to get out from under some minor debris.</o>


    After that, a tunnel was formed for Alexis and Luke to pass through, and since they knew that the rubble wouldn''t stay steady as it was for long, they rushed to get out.


    When they got out, they immediately met the furious gazes of the demons, and then an intense battle began. The demons soon proved to be even more troublesome together than when they were alone. Masink could change people''s ces with just a nce, including himself, and Marie could teleport herself and anyone she touched with her hand.


    However, the half-beast duo had a monstrous power of adaptability, constantly reacting in thest seconds to avoid attacking each other like before.


    Because of the demons'' fast teleporting abilities, Alexis didn''t dare to use an ability with extraordinary potency. Still, her tails'' ability proved to be more powerful and useful than she thought.


    Although Luke found these two demons much weaker physically than Beherith was when he possessed Jean Pollo, they were pretty smart and avoided attacks with mastery than him. Luke couldn''t imagine how much worse it would be if Marie had her grimoire.


    At one point, Luke noticed that both demons were panting from using their teleportation abilities and were also very injured. Alexis and Luke exchanged nces and decided it was time to seal the demons.


    The two demons also exchanged looks and whispered simultaneously:


    "It''s time to do that."


    Then, Marie pulled her hair away from her neck, and Masink bit the pale-skinned neck of the demon woman, who endured the pain withoutint. Gradually, a blood-red aura could be seen enveloping the self-titled Count, and his skin began to bubble like boiling water.


    "What the fuck is that?" Luke expressed, seeing that the demon''s aura was getting more and more intimidating.


    "There''s no time to be intimidated! We have to stop them!" Alexis shouted as she took off running towards the direction of the two demons. The half-wolf followed her impetus.


    When the two half-beasts approached the demon couple, Marie touched her husband''s face and shouted:


    "You will not disturb the process of raising our children!"


    From that moment on, no matter how many times Alexis and Luke advanced, the woman always teleported herself and her husband to escape from them.


    The two half-beasts even tried to split up to cover arger area, but that didn''t work either.


    Luke''s fight against Marie was different inside the mansion because the space was limited; however, she now had a much wider region to look at and use her teleportation.


    In the end, the birth of the demons'' child was inevitable. Masink pushed Marie away, and his skin, which was still blistering, stopped. His static, zed gaze in Luke and Alexis'' direction made them stand ready for anything.

 Chapter 198 Black Liquid

    The bubbling of Masink''s skin stopped for a few moments and then returned even more intensely. When he opened his mouth, he began to vomit a bizarre ck liquid without stopping, forming a gigantic puddle of gooey liquid under his feet in just a few seconds.


    Undecided about what they should do, Luke whispered to Alexis:


    "Take advantage of the fact that he is standing still and shoot him with THAT skill."


    The half-dragon instantly understood that Luke was talking about the skill which she used to get them out of the rubble. Therefore, she held up one hand, pointed to where Masink was standing, and then her right palm began to glow in blue light.


    "<Torden Scintins>!" Alexis shouted.


    The beam of energy capable of incinerating anything in its path wasunched in the Count''s direction. It didn''t matter if that liquid was some kind of poison or not; this had to stop being expelled because the red aura around Masink was slowly diminishing, and the liquid seemed to be absorbing it.


    However, the S-ss ability was immediately blocked by a hand that came out of this ck liquid and protected Masink.


    Luckily, the hand wasn''t sturdy enough to sustain the continuous damage that Alexis'' ability was causing, and it was shattered, exploding into many pieces.


    The half-wolf and Alexis stepped back with a jump backward because now they no longer understood what that liquid was. But soon, their questioning was answered.


    From the ck liquid, several hands appeared, and five creatures emerged. These creatures had the same aura that Masink had a short time ago, only each creature seemed to be even more intimidating than the demon himself.


    Thergest of these creatures had blue eyes like ice and skin as gray as cement. This was, at best, seven meters tall, with many spines all over its body and a mouth that looked like a spider''s.


    There was another creature that was also very tall, exceeding four meters in height. This thing had a faceless head and a mandible right in the middle of its stomach. The thing that reversed its muscles and bones could not even be called skin, because everything on it seemed to be as robust as a jasper stone, which has an orange color.


    But these two giants didn''t seem to be the real problem, rather the three other humanoid figures in front of them.


    The humanoid creature that looked like the leader and was in the middle of them all, was a woman with green skin, ck hair, and ck eyes like the liquid below her feet. She wore an almost transparent garment and a ck and lc cape that dragged on the ground.


    At her right side was a man who looked like the personification of cold. This man was ice blue from head to foot, including his skin, eyes, clothes, and hair.


    Lastly, the person to the left of the green woman was a man who wore a red cape, and because he was hunchbacked, he was short in stature. He had arms that appeared to be made of wood, and from each small branching out of his arms, there was an eye.


    Incredibly, thetter was the one that looked almost like a normal person in physiognomy.


    "Behold the Legion!" Masink shouted as he fell on his knees, and the ck liquid disappeared. "My beautiful sons!"<sub> </sub>


    Alexis immediately used the <Fist of Life> skill to wrap her hands with the gauntlets of light.


    "Damn, are they monsters or people?" She wondered aloud.


    "Are you seriously asking that? Those things came out of a ck liquid expelled by a demon; they certainly aren''t people." Luke argued because even if they were people, the way they were looking at the two half-beasts, they were most certainly not on their side. ''The Legion, huh? If they''re not demons, they''re not immortal.''


    The half-wolf didn''t want to wait for his enemies to act and immediately swung his axe forward while starting to run towards the five.


    "Alexis, go capture Marie! I''ll distract those little bastards!" Luke was excited because it had been a long time since he had fought such intimidating-looking monsters.


    "Okay!" Alexis agreed; after all, the demons may want to take advantage of this distraction to escape or, worse, use the Demon''s Domain to gain full advantage.


    At the moment that the three humanoid figures saw Alexis running towards Marie, who was slumped over some rubble, weakened, they immediately ran towards the half-dragon. In contrast, the two giants ran towards Luke, causing loud booms with every step.


    However, Luke soon proved to be even faster than they expected. In just a second, he appeared sliding in front of the humanoids.


    The gothic-looking woman was the first to try to strike him, and from the fingertips of her right hand, des thin as nails and long as swords appeared. Luke did not dodge the scratch but hit from below with the Behemoth Axe, precisely ripping off half of the woman''s right arm.


    However, before Luke could react, he felt something pinning his legs to the ground. He looked down and saw a mixture of ice and roots gripping his legs.


    Now, it wasn''t just the two giants trying to attack him, but the entire Legion. Luke was managing to aplish his goal of distracting them, but, at this pace, he could die if he remained trapped.


    For that reason, Luke slowed downtime with the <Eye of Horus> ability.


    ''Okay... what do I do now?'' he wondered, analyzing the skills that were trapping his feet.


    He could clearly see that the ice and roots were growing and that its two users, the ice humanoid and the hunchbacked humanoid, did not seem to be at least making an effort to achieve such a result. This might indicate that they were much stronger than Luke had expected. Not to mention the hidden abilities they might have that Luke didn''t know about.


    The half-wolf couldn''t look back to see Alexis; however, he was sure she was trusting him, and she was going to try to seal Marie. When she and the demon woman entered the white cube, Luke still needed to protect him.


    Masink was still in his scope of vision, and he looked too tired to move, which meant that Luke really only had five opponents.


    Luke stared at the Legion for a few seconds, until suddenly something moved faster than expected. This something was transparent and was like a clone of the seven-foot giant.

 Chapter 199 Lines

    Even during the months, Luke had been trying to train the <Eye of Horus>, he had never seen anything like what he was seeing now.


    A semi-transparent clone of the seven-meter giant began to move to his left, swerving as if to surprise him.


    Luke saw this clone and was startled. Unconsciously, he tried to move his arms and legs, but again he couldn''t and felt the weight of the world increase even more. Nevertheless, this time something different from the other times that happened.


    When the half-wolf wanted very much to move, a mist around the whole gray world appeared, creating a world now where there was only Luke and the five members of the Legion. By coincidence or not, at that same time, everything began to move even slower than it usually did. The minutes inside Gene''s Ability, which had previously been seconds on the outside, were now only thousandths of a second.


    After ten minutes of trying to understand what he had done differently this time, Luke looked at the giant clone and wished he could see him more closely because he was now practically still.


    At that moment, Luke was suddenly pulled forwards to close to the giant with the blue eyes and spider mouth.


    "Whoaa! What the hell was that?" Luke unconsciously looked back and saw his own body,pletely static.


    But, at the same time, he could see the giant, which means he could see the giant and himself as if his mind and vision were being split in two.


    "Now I can move...? And speak?" he asked himself, almost not believing it and looking at his own hands to check that he hadn''t turned into a ghost.


    The half-wolf moved his callused fingers and smiled, happy that he was still made of flesh and blood. Curious that he could see this clone of himself, Luke walked to his side.


    "I need to trim my tail hair..." Luke thought as he analyzed his own tail, which was quite bulky for the first time in his life.


    Now, Luke could not only move within the ability, but also see the battlefield from several angles at once, but, somehow, this didn''t cause him any strangeness, like his mind was able to assimte all of this as natural.


    "Is this... the true function of the Legendary Skill?" He wondered with his hand on his chin, watching a little saliva slowly drip from the seven-meter giant''s mouth.


    The S-ss advice about Legendary Skills not always being of destructive power finally made some sense to the half-wolf, but the <Eye of Horus> seemed too iplete.


    "This is a Legendary Skill, it can''t just be that."


    The half-wolf''s dissatisfaction, encouraged him to search further within that gray world.


    He moved even closer to the giant''s clone and noticed that several lines formed him, making him look almost transparent as if he were ethereal.


    After an hour had passed, Luke concluded that not only was the clone made of lines, but also this whole world.


    Since when he walked in this murky world, he didn''t get tired, not like when he tried to move before, plus the fact that there was a static copy of him, Luke soon came to a conclusion:


    "It''s not my body moving here, but my mind..."


    What was actually moving was the consciousness of the half-wolf, which while he was moving, was quickly processing the details of his enemies and a bit about the environment, at least as far as the mist bounded.


    The lines in the environment formed everything, the ground, people, and even Luke''s own hands.


    At one point, Luke was so focused on these lines, he noticed that they moved faster near the giant''s clone, like they were drawing him.<sub> </sub>


    Suddenly, Luke felt like a crystal of illumination had lit up in his mind.


    "I wonder if I can ''draw'' here?" Thinking this way, Luke tried to touch the lines, only no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t move them in ce.


    He gave up his idea of moving them by brute force and experimented with imagining them moving. As he deduced, the lines trembled for a few moments and stopped.


    "I suppose I must have an image or someone in mind."


    Luke looked to the side and saw the woman with ck hair and green skin.


    When he began to think about her, the lines trembled one more time, and just as Luke imagined, soon the lines started to lift off the ground and interlock, gaining relief and volume, as if they had always been there. The result was a clone identical to the real woman.


    It wasn''t hard for the half-wolf to deduce that the giant''s clone was also the result of his desire to try to find ways to be able to contain the Legion alone.


    On his next attempt, Luke experimented with creating a clone of himself. When he seeded, he gained another angle of vision inside the Legendary Skill, which added three angles of vision. His brain absorbed everything naturally.


    This new clone could not only move where Luke wanted him to move, but he could also speak and think for himself.


    "This world is not something ''designed''. Is this all like... a theater show?" Luke put his hand over his mouth and began to wonder, trying to find a correct adjective. " It'' s like that word Meredith always said when we saw a shadow theater on the street... a... simtion? No... I don''t know if it''s really that."


    After, Luke spent some more time doing tests on his consciousness and his simted body. The half-wolf experimented with seeing himself fighting, practicing Sea Ornament. To his surprise, he was able to identify several errors that he couldn''t see in the first person while practicing the martial art positions.


    Until he realized one thing:


    "If I can ''simte'' myself... can I also simte... them?" Luke cogitated, looking at the Legion monsters. After all, he could make clones of them, and it would be very useful if they moved.


    The half-wolf thought, and suddenly, the woman''s clone and the giant''s clone started moving towards him. So, two hours passed inside the <Eye of Horus>. Luke made dozens of tests and discoveries.


    The first discovery that surprised him was that the clones could move without the necessity that Luke had to give them orders, except if he wanted them to return a movement or stop for him to rest.


    Luke put himself up to fight them all together on the first attempt, and this was aplete defeat, with his clone almost dying at the end.


    On the second attempt, Luke tried fighting them one by one. The result? Another defeat.


    Somehow, the sons of Masink and Marie were even stronger than the demons themselves.


    In the third, fourth, fifth, and dozens of other attempts, Luke was almost killed many times. Since he didn''t know what would happen if he died in this world, Luke didn''t take any chances and never allowed his clones to be killed. And to make matters worse, the pain he felt in this simted world was exactly like pain in real life.


    "Surely it was a reckless and thoughtless thing to call the entire Legion to fight, because if it wasn''t for this Legendary Skill, I would be dead." The half-wolf thought, with a euphoric smile on his face and a heavy lung.


    It didn''t matter if he wasn''t getting positive results yet, because he was determined to continue in this world until he got the best result possible.

 Chapter 200 The Practice

    During the simtion sessions, Luke tried creating several clones of the five Legion members to fight against clones of himself at the same time, to speed up his understanding of his opponents'' movements.


    His mind split two more times, and now four half-wolfs were able to move. Luke felt as if he was living in several bodies and learning in all of them simultaneously. He barely saw time pass during those two hours with the <Eye of Horus> active.


    The half-wolf never considered himself a smart man or multitasker, so this situation of understanding and experiencing so many things simultaneously was hard in the beginning. Being able to control several types of actions as they happened was very far from his nature. However, he soon began to notice that, with every new attempt, he became more prepared to predict his opponents'' next moves.


    After two hours, Luke finally had to stop his simtions, not because he knew everything his opponents could do, but because his mind was getting foggy, something characteristic of mental exhaustion.


    Luke had already experienced this feeling when he used <Vind> many times consecutively against the ck Knight, so he didn''t want to risk fainting.


    As he deactivated the <Eye of Horus>, fatigue flooded Luke suddenly, but his conviction that he must win didn''t just crumble with that. He was in the same position as he had been at the beginning of all his simtions: with his feet trapped by roots and a thinyer of ice,ing from the men Luke nicknamed ice-face and bush-face.


    Since time was something essential for Luke could win, he didn''t waste it. The half-wolf immediately dropped the Behemoth Axe at his feet, and the weight of this Panspermia Weapon was so heavy that it cracked the infertile ground, destroying the ice and breaking the roots all at once.


    Afterward, Luke made his hands sharp like daggers, because he wouldn''t have time to open the <Normal Inventory> and get another weapon.


    The green-woman, as the female-looking monster was nicknamed, immediately tried to use the ws of her left hand to injure, but since Luke already knew her moves, he dodged the scratch, ignored the woman, and ran toward the ice-face.


    If Luke wanted to win, he couldn''t just react to their attacks, because sooner orter, he might get hit by some ability.


    Before he reached the ice-face, Luke took two knives from his belt and threw them at the green woman and the bush-face. These throwing knives stuck precisely in the right foot of each of them, pinning them on the ground for a brief second.


    This second was crucial for Luke to get the opening to kill the ice-face. The monster tried to create ice stakes from his fingertips to hurl in the direction of the half-wolf, but Luke had already memorized the best ways to counter this ability.


    When the dozens of small stakes were thrown, Luke dodged with a precision that startled the monsters, except for a single stake, which passed ncingly by, cutting a few strands of hair. It was literally impossible to dodge all the stakes.


    After dodging, Luke put even more strength into his legs, propelling himself forward. In one smooth, straight motion, Luke decapitated the ice monster with his fingers.


    [Son of Winter was killed, Monster Core was not obtained].


    The voice resounded in the half-wolf''s head, startling him. This was something that the <Horus''s Eye> couldn''t predict.


    Although Luke was already aware that demons had some mastery of monsters, he was surprised because they had a very human appearance. However, the feeling of surprise was soon filled again by the euphoria of battle.


    Luke Lange''s frighteningly precise and calcted movements made the other two humanoid monsters fear him and step back.


    Nevertheless, the two giants didn''t feel it and advanced towards Luke, causing thunderous roars with every step. These thunders weren''t just loud noises, because they causedndslides in the middle of that hill. Luckily, Meredith and some other residents had already advised the townspeople that it was already safe to flee to the border.<sub> </sub>


    After a white sh, Luke also learned that Alexis had started the sealing.


    The monsters also saw the sh, which made them even more rushed, causing them to make several mistakes.


    To their misfortune, Luke had already memorized most of their moves, so he could predict almost every action they tried to do. Although Luke was exhausted from the time he spent with the Legendary Skill active, he knew that he just needed to keep a close eye that he wouldn''t suffer any risk of death.


    After he managed to pick up the Behemoth Axe from the ground and throw it against the back of the giant that had a mouth instead of a navel, Luke heard:


    [Mapinguari was killed, Monster Core was not obtained].


    The death of another of the members, and the glow of the white cube on the wreckage, only made the other Legion members even more rushed, because their father, Masink, was immobile from such exhaustion.


    [Agave Lady was killed, Monster Core was not obtained].


    Luke wasn''t caring whether or not he got any Monster Core. It was clear that he would be extremely happy if he got some, but his goal now was to protect the white cube that the S-ss was in.


    Since only two monsters were left, this task became even easier. However, the movements of those two remainings were more unpredictable too, because the <Eye of Horus> was an ability to simte events, not see the future.


    After using <Vind> to propel himself forward, Luke sliced the bush-face in half with a brandish of his Panspermia axe, causing him to turn to mere ck dust.


    [Lord of the Jungle was killed, Monster Core obtained].


    Luke smiled upon hearing the message, but didn''t stop running, because the remaining giant''s movements were fast and could easily kill him if the half-wolf let him be hit.


    This giant with blue eyes and a spider''s jaw had almost killed dozens of clones of the half-wolf inside the Legendary Skill, and every time was very painful. For this reason, Luke kept alert, and when the giant kicked, he ran towards the monster''s supporting leg and struck it with his axe. Surprisingly, the Behemoth Axe couldn''t sever the monster''s leg with just one strike, but Luke slid, and before the giant could react, Luke struck his supporting foot again, causing him to lose his bncepletely.


    After the thud of the giant''s body falling to the ground, Luke had to strike the monster''s skull dozens of times to finally hear the voice tell him:


    [Royal Giant was killed, Monster Core was not obtained].


    When thisst legion member had turned to mere dust and evaporated into thin air, with legs wobbly from fatigue Luke walked over to the Jungle Lord''s Core, which was dropped on the ground. As he was about to pick it up, he heard a murmuring from Masink.


    "Leave it right there, this belongs to my son...that''s all I request from you."

 Chapter 201 Fear Versus Wish

    "Leave it there; this belongs to my son... that''s all I request of you."


    Upon hearing the murmur of the demon asking him not to take the Jungle Lord Core, Luke felt a wave of explosive anger, and it had been a long time since he had experienced a simr feeling, at least since he first fight against Beherith. At that time, the anger was created from a series of events and sensations during a stressful month. This time, it wasn''t so different, because Masink and Marie had killed dozens of people, destroyed the happiness of the residents of Latgor, and ruined theirnd, but still Masink had the audacity to beg for something.


    However, Luke wasn''t a foolish man, so he breathed deeply and decided to ckmail him.


    "All right, I can bury this Monster Core here or give it to you if you tell me everything you know about the First Servant."


    Hearing the grand demon''s title, Masink for the first time since he vomited the ck liquid, had the strength to raise his head a little.


    In his eyes, the red color of which was being entuated by his pale skin, the half-wolf saw the purest expression of fear.


    "How do you know this title?" Masink asked with his voice a little shaky.


    For Masink, it would be somewhat normal to hear about the First Servant within Melki''s territories; however, it was certainly a wonder to hear it in the confines of the Broteforge Empire.


    Luke smiled briefly at being asked and shook his head negatively. "It''s only natural that I know at least the title of the person who wants me dead, right? So don''t waste my time and tell me something, or I will eat it here." The half-wolf positioned the small ck and green sphere over his own tongue.


    "No! Don''t do that, please!" Masink tried to extend his arm to reach the half-wolf, but he couldn''t move it by even a little more than a centimeter.


    "Tell me something, or I will eat your son!" Luke spoke, already touching the Core with his tongue.


    The demon bowed his head, disappointed, and this time his long hair partially covered his face.


    "You don''t understand... I can''t say anything. I would be sentenced to death if I said anything." He spoke, with his voice a little hoarse and mncholy.


    "If you are so afraid of him, why do you protect him so much?" Luke prodded the man further to answer, taking advantage of the fact that he seemed to be shaken.


    "I can''t say... I can''t say... I can''t say..."


    "Come on, answer me why you demons are obeying him with such esteem!!!?" Luke inquired, and he stood.


    ? Masink''s hands were shaking, while he tried to get the strength to bring them up to his head and cover his ears. "I can''t say... I can''t say..."<sub> </sub>


    Luke walked over to the demon, grabbed his ck hair, and made him stand by force.


    "I won''t insist one more time, so tell me now what I need to know, or I will give your son''s Core to a friend who wants a Gene Skill Ability very much." Luke said, looking him deeply in the eye.


    Of course, he wasn''t going to give the Jungle Lord''s Core to Ynosuke, but that threat came into his mind at that moment.


    "You don''t understand. He is a God in flesh, bone, and metal. He is the only living demon who has ever fought against each one of the Four Heroes and survived... People like you and me aren''t worthy of not following his wishes." There was a deranged smile on Masink''s face and insanity in his eyes.


    The half-wolf looked at that expression with contempt, considering that just a short time ago, Masink had seemed like an unwavering, noble, and cold figure. Luke let go of the hair of the demon, making him fall to his knees on the ground again.


    "Dignity is merely a fancy word that many snobbish adventurers use. For me, the concept of dignity doesn''t exist. If I want something, I do everything possible and impossible to achieve it." Luke said, while turning on his back.


    "Hahahaha!" Masinkughed frantically. "Look at you, looking so proud for defeated a demon or maybe two if Marie can''t break free from the sealing! You have no idea of the power of the grand demons; you have no idea of the power of each of the Servants!"


    "Hmm... if they are stronger than you, I am even more reassured. That means I still have a lot of progress to do." Spoke Luke in a serene voice, as he listened in the background to the slight humming that was emitted from the sealing cube where it was Alexis.


    Hearing the half-wolf''s modest response, the crazy smile faded on the demon''s face, and he thought:


    ''Is this guy really serious that he will pursue the First Servant? Is he dumb at all? Why doesn''t he live in a house with a wife in the far reaches of the world? He would be able to live a good life until the Demon Inquisition.''


    However, Masink didn''t know Luke yet, didn''t know that he was only doing this because he was provoked, because his friends were threatened, because to Masink, this was just some half-beast who knew too much.


    ''Anyway, I won''t stay here with a weird guy like that, I will use <Autodestruction> to kill this fucker, and I will free my soul. One day, I''ll rescue Marie, and maybe we can live together when the whole world is under the rule of our race!'' The demon continued to think.


    The arrogant, sadistic smile appeared on his face again, at the same time as such a massive ck aura began to tear at his skin. Luke had his back turned and wasn''t even looking behind him, so this was the perfect opportunity for the demon.


    However, Luke didn''t have his back to the demon for anything. He turned his back on purpose to open the <Normal Inventory> and pick up an empty white cube without the demon could see it. As soon as he heard some energy being condensed in the air, he turned back and immediately touched the cube to the demon''s forehead, who was surprised.


    "You were already getting ready for me..."


    Luke couldn''t hear the rest of Masink''s sentence, because suddenly, an exorbitant sh took over his vision. Meanwhile, in the deepest region of his mind, he heard a beautiful voice, this voice that was the same one he listened to the day he discovered he was cursed, except this time the woman was singing a song.

 Chapter 202 Flick

    The song that Luke heard just before he felt his consciousness fade was graceful and, at the same time, sad. The imperturbable tone of the woman who sang this tune was quite familiar to Luke, somehow.


    The half-wolf was warned by Alexis that seals could be confusing, and that literally anything could happen inside a white cube, and he thought he was prepared for anything. However, there was no way for Luke to know whether he was ready to face his past or not.


    Would Luke and Masink regret the most important decisions of their lives? That was what the white cube would test.


    If they both regretted it, they would both be imprisoned until someone was willing to set them free, and if one of the two didn''t regret it, that one could free himself.


    In this spiritual and mental prison, there were no ways for Luke to lie to the cube, nor to himself.


    Thus, he was forced to revisit his entire life, like a theatrical show, a thousand of times faster than normal, without knowing anything.


    Most of the time, epting our own mistakes is an impossible task, even more so for those who feel guilt.


    Luke had to revisit his many years as a homeless person, in which he spent days staggering around the streets of the Lower City, hungry, fearful of crossing the border into the Middle City and being killed by some prejudiced guard.


    Most of the time, Luke waspletely ignored by the people around him, his own people, because he was stinky and looked terrible. Still, Luke was never angry with them because he understood their reaction, he was covered in fleas, and it must be somewhat inconvenient to be around someone like that. Although the half-wolf thought this way of himself, this belief was always totally destroyed when people who were also poor gave him a portion of what they had, even though they had almost nothing. He never forgot their faces, and he began to feel ashamed that he could not give back.


    The years passed, and Luke began to work as a thief. He was no longer afraid to go beyond the border of the Middle City, and he did a lot of stealing there too. Luke was sneaky, fast, and small, and could easily hide in crowds. In this way, when he arrived at the hole he called home, he could give some food to Meredith, who was almost always weak with hunger. Therefore, he didn''t regret stealing at all in order to survive.


    After a few months, the half-wolf and the half-fox finally met other street children, whom, for the first time in their lives, they could call friends, their names: Meredith, Shiro, and Matthew.


    Luke was sneaky, fast, and small, and could easily hide in crowds. In this way, when he arrived at the hole he called home, he could give some food to Meredith, who was almost always weak with hunger.


    Therefore, he didn''t regret stealing at all in order to survive.


    After a few months, the half-wolf and the half-fox finally met other street children, whom, for the first time in their lives, they could call friends, their names: Sarah, Shiro, and Matthew.


    United, they grew up together in the world of crime, and if it weren''t for the kind opinion of Shiro and Sarah, for sure, Luke, Meredith, and Matthew wouldn''t have stagnated only in petty crime. Of that, the half-wolf didn''t regret either, because even back then, he didn''t want to traffic to live a better life. After all, stealing wasn''t enough to get a reward poster, but trafficking was. And having bounty hunters chasing his gang would be a big problem. However, the day of the shed robbery, the day that two gang members were lost, was a day full of decisions that anyone would regret.


    ''What if I had handed over the Tiara? What if I had thrown the Tiara to the adventurers? What if I had surrendered to the Guards? Shiro and Sarah would surely still be alive.'' Luke pondered that thought for years.


    Undoubtedly, the half-wolf regretted several decisions he made on that fateful day. Since only his thoughts of the time echoed in his consciousness at that moment, there was no way for him to know that his two friends were actually alive and that he didn''t need to dwell on these past decisions.


    Well... that''s the big trap of the white cubes.


    Before facing a seal that opens your wounds to the bone, a big desire needs to be wrapped around your heart, enough to bring you out of this torment.<sub> </sub>


    For the demon self-named as Masink, it was no different.


    Even though he was a monster, Masink regretted countless decisions he had made since he was thrown into this world in the first irruption. He had seen the demons rise to the top of the world during The Cmity, seen them nearly annihted, and was seeing a second rise with The First Servant as the leader. The First Servant promised all demons a life full of pleasures, powers, and with humanity at their feet.


    However, promises of a future aren''t always enough to sustain the failures of the past.


    Because they regret their mistakes, Luke and the demon didn''t revisit their regrets more than once because the white cube was a prison, not a hell.


    The demon was ced in a utopian dream, where he was actually a normal human with a typical family, and his wife, Marie, is apletely normal woman. He desired only this after being so envious of humans for hundreds of years.


    And the half-wolf? Well... He was fantasizing about a normal life with his friends.


    "Luke, have you got the belt for your sword yet? We''re gonna bete..." John questioned, while finishing tying his quiver around his waist.


    Sitting on thefortable couch in his house, Luke opened his left eye, saw his friends getting ready to go to the Dungeon, and closed his eyes again. He was already sick of killing monsters.


    Flick~


    Someone flicked Luke''s forehead, making him open his eyes, this time irritated. However, the one who did this was Meredith, who was wearing the armor of a ssical priestess.


    "Ouch!" Luke eximed. "Why did you do that?"


    Shiro and Sarah, who were packing their armor next to John, giggled at the half-wolf''s reaction.


    Meredith didn''t hesitate to give another flick when she realized that Luke faked pain, so her friendsughed.


    Flick~


    "Now get up, and get your belt from your room. We don''t want to get in trouble with that rigorous guard again. Zack, Ynosuke and Matthew have gone to negotiate with the Horizon n, but that''s not why we''re going to stand around..."


    Luke obeyed his best friend and went to his room, grumbling a little. He didn''t hate going to the Dungeon, because he always had fun with his friends and also because they were now able to live a good life, but it was always pretty nasty having to endure the smell of those smelly, cramped corridors.


    Since all the former gang members were now ss-C and had set up a n to get higher missions, Luke hoped to be able to retire soon.


    With this goal in mind, Luke opened the door of his room with motivation, but he was surprised when he saw a red-headed woman with horns almostpletely naked inside his private room.

 Chapter 203 Slangekeisers

    When Luke opened his bedroom door and was faced with a woman wearing only a bra and panties, he immediately shut the door.


    "Hey, Alexis! What are you doing in my room!?" He eximed with his facepletely flushed red.


    "Hahaha! What''s up with that overreaction?" The half-dragon''s voice should have been muffled, but she was speaking so loudly that the thin door wasn''t enough to have such an effect. "I''m just looking for a borrowed shirt to wear under my armor... Don''t be shy; get in there!"


    A little shy, Luke slowly opened and thought she was already wearing her shirt; however, Alexis wasn''t, so his eyes immediately fell on the half-dragon''s bountiful breasts. Since he thought it would be even worse to close the door again, he went into his own room.


    "Where are your own clothes?" He asked her, trying his best not to look at the redheaded woman''s enormous breasts. "You heard Matthew, if you want to stay with us for these months, you need to wash your own clothes..."


    Alexis didn''t answer the questioning and faced him with ascivious smile. "You won''t even look me in my eyes when you''re scolding me?"


    The half-wolf slowly turned his face to look her in the eye. "You need to wash your own clothes." He affirmed. Luke wasn''t the leader of the n, nor did he even have amanding position in residence, but for some reason, he was the only one who could lecture the half-dragon.


    "I have clean clothes... I lied when I said I didn''t... I just thought I''de and give you a little surprise..." Alexis spoke and slid her fingertips on Luke''s chest, "Why do you y hard with me?"


    At this point, Luke almost felt hypnotized by her touch and her red lips.


    Nevertheless, in this reality, the half-wolf did not meet an experienced Elf to lean him against a library bookcase. Since he was already used to Meredith''s teasing, he didn''t resist Alexis'' temptations. Luke was convinced that they were just ying with him and would never want anything serious.


    For that reason, Luke picked up the half-dragon, ushered her out of his room, and mmed the door.


    "Humph... anyway, I''m not interested in sex." Luke spoke to himself. Of course, that was a big lie.


    The world inside the white cube managed to look exactly like reality in almost every respect. Luke could hear the beating in people''s hearts, the smells of the monsters lurking in the Dungeons, and he could also feel sad and happy sometimes. It was like real life in a universe where Luke made different choices.


    However, this utopian dream was totally crumbled one day, when the half-wolf n was leaving the Dungeon after defeating one more Boss.


    While they were climbing to the surface, they were farming Cores from Superior ngekeiser, which is a type of snake monster that wears powerful armor. The Cores of these monsters could reach a value of a gold coin each, and since the n would already be crossing their territory anyway, they thought there was no reason not to kill them. After all, it was for money that former thieves eventually became adventurers, because, after a while of earning two or three hundred silver coins a week, this amount was no longer enough to achieve their dreams.


    But it had been a few years since they had be adventurers, and most of them nned to retire soon when they all reached ss-B, except for John and Zack, who loved the adventuring life.


    Sarah wanted to fulfill her dream of owning a Flower Shop.


    Shiro still wanted to have a stall at the Oukiwa City Market.


    Ynosuke wanted to go back to his country and apologize to his family.


    Matthew wanted to live as a tavern keeper, alongside his wife, Jess.<sub> </sub>


    Meredith oncemented that he might use all the money he had saved to build an inn.


    And well... Luke would probably use his B-ss experience to try to join as a bodyguard for some very wealthy family.


    That way, they would live out the rest of their lives. Maybe they would asionally meet at Matthew''s tavern or Meredith''s inn to swap stories and update each other.


    p Unconsciously, Luke formed this perfect reality where everyone would have their dreamse true. But, as I said, it all copsed on that one day that they fought the ngekeisers.</anda>


    As usual, Luke was creating openings for Zack and Shiro to cut the monsters in half, while he distracted the monsters with painful blows from his two poison-soaked daggers. After shing the arm of a ngekeiser who was carrying a curved sword, Luke slid to the ground and saw the two huge men run towards the monster, which was immediately crushed.


    Everyone was performing very well, so Luke sighed with fatigue and tried to stand up. The moment he unfolded his knees, a huge headache made him go to his knees again.


    "Arghh! What the fuck!?" He eximed, agonized by the violent pain.


    On the other side of the battlefield, Meredith noticed that Luke was in trouble; after all, his eyes were always looking for the half-wolf, no matter where they were. "Hey, Luke?! What happened!?"


    "I do-don''t kn-know... t-this pain... it does-doesn''t stop..." Luke was pressing on his head to see if the pain would stop.


    [I''m sorry about that... The most genuine pain is the only thing that can make you wake up from a sealing... It''s not the time to rest yet, half-wolf...]


    The same voice that normally anyone could hear when ingesting a Monster Core or assimting a Skill spoke to Luke.


    The pain brought him back to consciousness in that utopian world, reminding him that he had nothing to regret. At that moment, the entire cavernous environment of the Dungeon crumbled like dust, and now Luke was in an infinitely yellow world.


    Opening his eyes when the pain ceased, Luke saw a woman with her back turned to him, a few dozen meters ahead. This woman had long blond hair and seemed neither too tall nor too short.


    [Mistakes will forever be mistakes, if you don''t think of ways around them...]


    ''This voice... she is very simr to that voice I was singing when I started the sealing...'' Luke deduced when he noticed.''What are you? Who are you?" Luke asked the woman.


    The half-wolf knew that his consciousness was about toe out of the sealing; however, his curiosity was so big that he was purposely trying to dy it.


    [One day, you will know. but now you have a Mission, don''t you?]


    The owner of that voice turned her chin a little and looked over her shoulder at Luke, who was standing behind her. He couldn''t see her eyes, but this turn of her head made him notice a tattoo just below her shoulder, marked on her pristine white skin. This tattoo was an exact replicate of a crescent moon, a phase where the moon adopts a bow-like shape.


    After understanding that this was a clue, Luke nodded and felt his mind leave that spirit world.

 Chapter 204 Words Are Not Enough

    When Luke opened his eyes, he saw Alexis Dmitry looking down with strained eyebrows, as if she was distressed. She had her hands on her thighs and sat next to the half-wolf, waiting for him awake.


    Almost like in slow motion, Luke saw Alexis'' anxious expression turn into the purest semnce of happiness. It made his heart flutter.


    "You woke up!" She eximed and hugged Luke, who was still lying on the floor.


    Because of the excitement, Alexis didn''t even realize that she was pressing her breasts against the half-wolf. Luke flushed and hugged her back too, relieved that he could free himself from the seal.


    "We made it, didn''t we?" He asked, with his voice a little weak.


    Fighting against the Legion had managed to almost push him to his physical limit, as well as the use of the Skill <Eye of Horus> and the Sealing had pushed his mind to the extreme.


    Luke was exhausted as never before.


    After hearing the half-wolf''s questioning, Alexis responded with a frantic nod, turned around, and opened a small leather bag, which inside were two white cubes of thirty centimeters each.


    "You were ejected from the cube thirty minutes ago, and since then, you have been sleeping... I was apprehensive." Throwing a lock of hair behind her right ear, Alexis spoke, avoiding eye contact.


    Luke had the strength to lift only his back and was now sitting in front of half-dragon. "I appreciate the concern. I was lucky that I had you here." Luke stated and ced his left hand on her head. "I guess you are being my good luck charm... since the day I met you, I haven''t known what defeats are..." He petted her head, between the two horns.


    Alexis loved being petted, but that wasn''t enough for her alone anymore. "But I don''t want to be just your charm..." She murmured, with her cheeks full and a slightly frustrated look on her face.


    "What did you say?" asked Luke as he removed his hand from her head. He heard her very well; he just didn''t understand what she meant.


    "I said I want to be your girlfriend!" Alexis dered, loud enough for everyone around the hill could hear.


    Just then, the first rays of sunlight appeared on the horizon and in the sea.


    ''Wait... did I really say that so loudly?'' she wondered, surprised at herself for finally getting her feelings out in public.


    The half-dragon looked forward to see Luke''s reaction and saw him totally dumbfounded.


    "Don''t-don''t feel pressured to give me an answer!" She spoke, shaking her hands forward with a flushed face. "I know you''re dating Ayumi and all that..."


    Although his heart was speedy, Luke remained calm. He turned to Alexis and spoke:


    "I can''t ept your dating proposal, not when I''m engaged to Ayumi and haven''t seen her in months..." Luke spoke, avoiding looking her in the eye.


    "You''re engaged to Ayumi!? T-then forget what I said." Alexis was still very euphoric.<sub> </sub>


    "Wait, I''m not finished yet..." Luke requested of her, and the half-dragon calmed down when he took her hands. Then Luke gathered the courage to look her in the eye and say, "I like you too, and I want to touch and kiss you. Only I don''t know if what I feel is something genuine or if it''s the longing to have a woman in my arms. So, can you wait for my answer for a while? At least until we get back to Oukiwa... I know this may be a selfish and sordid request¡ª"


    Before Luke could finish his phrase, the half-dragon interrupted him. "I will wait for you for as long as it takes!" She shouted with her eyes closed.


    The half-wolf was extremely pleased and surprised by this response. He understood that perhaps he was being unfair and a scoundrel to both Ayumi Yamazaki and Alexis Dmitry; however, he couldn''t lie to himself anymore.


    After that, the half-dragon helped Luke to stand up.


    "Do you think you can use your inventory skill to get a healing potion for yourself?" she questioned, seeing how detuned Luke appeared.


    Although Luke had managed to dodge virtually every attack from both the Legion and also Masink and Marie, he had still been hit by powerful blows a few times.


    "I''m practically undamaged. What about you? Ann... I have more than one advanced healing potion here if you want..."


    "I couldn''t possibly reject that." She spoke, trying her best to contain the smile on her face that her confession was practically epted.


    Then, Luke focused on the feel of the Skill <Normal Inventory>. After a little effort, the yellow square appeared in front of them, and Luke clicked on the healing potions icon. However, he lied because he didn''t have two healing potions, only one, so he waited for the half-dragon to drink the advanced healing potion and then took an intermediate healing potion, without letting her see it. He could take another intermediate healing potion in a few hours, and everything would be fine.


    After that, they both spread out around the grounds of the Mansion and started looking for other documents that might give more information about what Masink and Marie were doing so far away from the Melki Empire.


    Thanks to his sense of smell, Luke quickly found the same animal body that seemed to mix several species. This corpse was under a lot of rubble, but with the enormous strength of the half-dragon, it was easy to remove it from there.


    "Damn... that stinks..." She expressed, as she threw aside the piece of wall that was preventing the smell of this body from spreading.


    Luke covered his nose with his right hand and approached the animal''s corpse. "This is the strangest thing I''ve seen in months. Do you know what it is?" The half-wolf asked the half-dragon and crouched down beside that corpse to look closer.


    "I don''t know..." The S-ss said initially; however, suddenly, a snap ran through her mind, making her remember something she had seen in the past. "Wait... that could be a Chimera."


    "What is that?" Luke questioned. He remembered that something like that was written on the letter he picked up in the demons'' office, but he had no idea what it could mean.


    "Chimeras are creatures created by crazy people who try to fuse animals with monsters. In the past, there have been many debates about how this was morally and ethically wrong. As a result, almost every government in the world has banned this type of study. So far as I know, they never managed to create a specimen that managed to stay alive for more than a few seconds, so the animals were tortured for nothing until they died."


    "So maybe Marie and Masink were studying this to try to pleasure the First Servant?"


    "Why do you think that?"


    Then, Luke pulled the letter that Marie wrote from one of his overcoat pockets and passed it to the half-dragon''s hands.

 Chapter 205 Wreckage

    In the letter passed by Luke to Alexis, she found unbelievable information because if it were true, the Broteforge Empire was in an even worse situation than anyone could imagine.


    "Wait, Luke... you realized that all this doesn''t just say about the Chimeras, right? This also practically exposes that the Smakusa Noble Family is allied with the demons." Alexis stated, tapping her index finger on the slightly crumpled letter.


    "Sigh... I''m d you came to the same conclusion as I did. Because I was worried that I had misunderstood because of my inexperienced text interpretation."


    The half-dragon read the end of the letter twice more and spoke:


    "We have no time to waste... We have to go back to Oukiwa and arrest these damned people." She stood up with anger and determination.


    Seeing how stressed Alexis was that there was a Noble Family from their own Empire acting through the shadows to help the demons, Luke grabbed her wrist to stop her from starting to walk thoughtlessly. "Calm down... we have to think about one goal at a time. I''m as worried as you are, since Nathalia, Ayumi, and Shiro are in Oukiwa right now, but we have to focus on one thing."


    When Alexis looked into the yellow-gold eyes of the half-wolf, she calmed down and sighed a little to calm herself down.


    "You''re right... After we get together with the others, we''ll think about what we can do to be able to help everyone, but I''m not going to separate myself from you, not while the First Servant is alive."


    Luke smiled, nodded, and released the half-dragon''s arm.


    After that, they searched for a few more minutes for clues in the wreckage of the Mansion, until they found the cook''s body.


    ''Is that thing alive?'' Alexis wondered, as she pulled him out from under a pile of rubble. This man had muchrger legs and arms than normal.


    "He''s already dead." Luke warned, realizing that the cook''s heartbeat had already ceased. "It may have been too much weight on his rib cage that left him without air. Anyway, apparently, all the kids managed to escape. There''s no longer any reason to continue here. Let''s go."


    The S-ss checked her bag with the white cubes and then started to follow Luke.


    Then, they went down the monumental staircase that was on the hill to connect the Mansion with the face of the city.


    Luke couldn''t understand why there was such a big house and so high up, because for him to climb hundreds of steps every day would certainly be a hassle.


    Luke looked at the sides of the hill as he walked down the stairs and noticed that the tremors, caused by the copse of the Mansion and the intense battle against the Legion, had generated severalndslides, which covered the houses at the foot of the hill. Luckily, Meredith managed to get all the residents in at-risk areas evacuated in time, thanks to the help of the Family that weed them to the city.


    "So, Luke... what was it like to seal a demon?" Alexis pulled conversation as they walked down the hundreds of steps.


    "How can I tell? It was... weird." He described abstractly.


    "Strange how?" As much as Alexis had sealed a few demons during her lifetime, she had never met another demon hunter, so she was genuinely interested in what other experiences besides her own were like.


    "I met a woman... I think? My memories about that time I spent in there are very vague. I can''t tell if it was years or seconds..."


    Alexis pped her weakly on the back, smiled, and said:<sub> </sub>


    "Don''t try too hard to remember these things... If you don''t remember, it''s because it wasn''t important. Forget that I asked you about it."


    " All right." Luke could vaguely remember that he lived a more peaceful life, that he saw a woman with blond hair and a moon symbol.


    When the half-beast duo finally arrived at the base of the hill, they found the nine children who were in the Mansion. They were hiding inside what appeared to be a wrecked grocery store, but they were all looking out the double door.


    "Oh! Are you still here, kids?" Alexis spoke fondly when she saw them and bent her knees to be at their height, then approached.


    Suddenly, a girl came out of the huddle of fearful children and shouted as she pointed a wooden stick at Alexis:


    "You will not hurt my brothers!" She had golden curls, very ck eyes, and did not appear to be more than seven years old.


    The half-dragon immediately raised her hands, surrendering to the little girl. "Oh, I''m sorry! I am not an evil person. What can I do to make you trust me?"


    Lost because it was too easy to subdue Alexis, the little girl looked at the other children behind her, practically begging them to help her. The other eight children cringed in fear, like this girl was crazy to be challenging the two half-beasts.


    "Imand you to take us to where our parents are!" The girl with curls eximed, still pointing the wooden stick.


    "All right. Follow me..." Alexis smiled and spoke.


    Subsequently, she started walking, and the half-wolf followed closely behind her, without interfering with the two''s dialogue. A few secondster, Luke and Alexis looked back and saw the huddle of children following them.


    After thirty minutes of walking, they arrived at the gang''s camp outside the city, where now there weren''t just the gang members, but hundreds of people warming themselves around a giant bonfire.


    At the entrance, Luke and Alexis encountered the giant Zack, who was shirtless and cutting wood with his giant axe.


    "Hey, Zack! Is everything okay here?" Luke had to shout to get his voice louder than the banging of the axe on the wood.


    Zack stopped banging, looked back, and when he saw that it was his friends, he smiled.


    "Everything is great around here! Meredith brought all the residents who wanted to leave their homes here, and now I''m chopping wood to help them get warm... Everything went well with..." He was going to ask about the demons loudly, but for the first time, he was smart because he looked at the children behind Luke. "Did everything go well with the Nobles?"


    "Yes, we killed him!" Alexis shouted, surprising Zack. She had already talked to the children on the way and knew that they hated the Counts as well, so there was no problem talking about it.


    ording to the children, they had all been torn away from their parents two months earlier and were never allowed down the hill again. So, when the children''s parents saw them approaching the temporary camp on that mountain, they ran to them, and together they cried with relief.


    From that day on, definitely, no person from Latgor would ever again think that the half-beasts were like monsters, because for them, the half-dragon and the half-wolf were now the two heroes who saved their people when they had already given up on salvation.

 Chapter 206 Time Is Relative

    After that morning in the camp, the gang opted to stay another week in Latgor. The winter was severe, some of the locals were still hopeless even after the death of the Counts, and food was scarce.


    In addition, Luke and the others needed to decide what their next steps would be after there, but they shouldn''t make this decision alone. Therefore, Alexis sent Koven to the Cardinal Kingdom with a letter addressed to Pontiff Reba. Since Koven was a Summoner, he wouldn''t have problems with the weather like normal birds, and thanks to that, it should only take three days for him to reach his destination and another three days to get back to Alexis, whose location he could know without exerting himself.


    Then, the flock began to help in everything they could in Latgor. From turning over the cronds with hoes to rebuilding the roofs of some houses that were broken because of the debris from the Manor that flew into the city, and because of thendslides from the hill.


    In the Cardinal Kingdom, when Reba saw Amelia bring the green bird to her table, she already knew it was news from the half-dragon. Wasting no time, she opened the letter and began to read.


    [Respectable Pontiff Reba, today we rid Latgor of the evil that gued it.


    First of all, I must request that you send some supplies and royal guards to this small town. I know that this may be an unfeasible request due to the perilous situation in our Empire, but still, the winter in the North is harsh, the terrain at the moment is infertile, and there are many sick people.


    Furthermore, I must warn you that there were two demons here, not just one as expected. Also, there was a monster controlled by them ''protecting'' the area. The demons were adequately sealed in the cubes, and the monster was killed.


    Now you may be wondering why I sent a letter and didn''te over with the cubes as expected. The answer is that the remainder of the group and I wish to return to Oukiwa because Luke found a letter in the demons'' office that connects them directly to the Smakusa Noble Family. Before you tell me, I know that we can''t act and arrest them without evidence, so we must return to Oukiwa and investigate them.


    However, we will not act without your permission, so we will stay in Latgor until your answer reaches us. Please consider carefully the decision you will make.


    - Signed by Alexis Dmitry].


    After she finished reading, Reba picked up the quill on her desk, dipped it in the ck ink, and immediately wrote her decision. Her cursive handwriting on the paper was elegant, and when she put the period on the letter, she spoke to Amelia:


    "Pack your bags, Amelia. You will travel to Oukiwa."


    The woman with ck hair and bangs showed her surprise for an instant, but soon pulled herself together and bowed to the Pontiff''s decision.


    When the Pontiff''s answer arrived in Latgor, everyone in the half-wolf group was extremely pleased with her decision.


    ording to her answer in the letter, she couldn''t send royal guards to help Latgor, but she promised to solicit smaller ns to do it in exchange for rewards.


    Moreover, Rebeca also thought it best that they go back to Oukiwa for the time being, because the Emperor didn''t even want to listen to her because his tenth child was soon to be born.


    Hearing Alexis read this end of the letter, Luke spoke up with his arms crossed:


    "Either this Emperor is very foolish or very powerful. There is no middle ground."


    "A continental War is knocking on his door and even we who are thieves realize it. Of course, he''s an idiot." Matthew spoke, as he carried a sack of oatmeal with only one arm to ce on the wagon in front of the porch on which the group stood.


    "Former thieves." Ynosuke corrected Matthew. He was carrying an oatmeal bag on each shoulder.


    "Okay, Okay... former thieves." After throwing the oatmeal into the wagon, the man with gray and brown hair spoke. "And pack it up. I don''t have the arm for it." He pointed to the messy food in the wagon.


    "Are you really using your disability as an excuse? Hahaha!" Zack was right behind Ynosuke, carrying two bags of oatmeal under each arm. "You''re not weak because you have one arm, you''re weak because you''re short."<sub> </sub>


    Matthew was highly offended by this. "I seriously doubt you''ll ever say that again!" He eximed, pointing his finger at the red-haired giant''s face.


    "Shorty?"


    Matthew looked at Zack better before starting a physical fight. "Ahhh! If you weren''t big as a bear, I would kick your ass right now!" He eximed and turned on his back.


    The S-ss looked at that intrigue totally different from Meredith, John, and Luke, who were thinking it was funny.


    Alexis noticed the lightness of how the gang of ex-thieves was looking at the rming situation. Even a squad of royal guards would be so tense that they would hardly exchange sentences, but these people of the half-wolf gang were different; they didn''t care whether their enemies were demons or powerful nobles because each of them fully trusted theirpanions, no matter the intrigues.


    *


    The two-month journey to Oukiwa wasn''t easy for the half-wolf group. The winter seemed even longer than usual, it was challenging to find good and cheap food, and the horses were exhausted every day by the thinyer of ice covering the ground, which forced them to make extended stops. Luckily, the snow only covered the ends of the Skool continent, such as the city of Suzano in the North, so they weren''t surprised by any frost.


    During this long travel time, Luke studied more grammar and arithmetic than ever before, because now he had plenty of time to spare and the help of the whole gang to correct his lessons. Although he soon realized that Matthew and Zack didn''t know as much about arithmetic as he thought.


    Luke also surpassed the First Stage of the Sea Ornament. He noticed he was much stronger than before and was now more aware of each of his movements. The half-wolf''s speed also increased considerably when he finished the First Stage, because his blood was somehow flowing more easily within his veins and blood vessels. After resting his muscles for a week, Luke began to learn the Second Stage from Ynosuke.


    This secondary stage of the Sea Ornament carried a different approach than the first. While in the first, Luke was training the fundamentals, in the second, he would learn more advanced and explosive techniques, such as the archer stance that almost killed him when he tried to mimic Ynosuke.


    To everyone''s surprise, Luke managed to perfectly learn five of the eleven positions of the Second Stage in only four weeks, which should have taken more than a year. On that day, Luke told them about the <Eye of Horus> and how he used the ability for it.


    Ynosuke and Alexis listened carefully the Luke''s exnation for this and warned him about the risks.


    "From what you say, within this ability only your mind works, no?" Ynosuke asked. He didn''t understand much about Gene Abilities, but he didn''t doubt anything in case it was a Legendary Ability.


    They had their wagon pulled over to the side of a road near Boiji, heating meat on fire to eat. When Luke nodded at Ynosuke''s questioning, he continued.


    "So, since your body is not being trained, it is still very dangerous to use these positions."


    Luke listened carefully to the advice. "Yes, I know the risks, but I just wanted to learn them as soon as possible to maximize my learning. If I were doing wrong repetitions of the positions, I would end up training the wrong parts of my body, wouldn''t I? That could hinder my evolution."


    The long-haired man was surprised at Luke''s understanding; after all, the fact that the positions were difficult to repeatedly reproduce was what made the process of learning Sea Ornament so long.


    "Are you studying within this your skill those books you bought too?" Ynosuke clenched his eyes, staring at the half-wolf. Without a shadow of a doubt, Luke was smarter since they had left Latgor.


    Luke looked away. "Maybe?"


    That subject ended there because Ynosuke didn''t want to pressure his friend. Three dayster, they finally arrived in Oukiwa.

 Chapter 207 Homecoming

    On the day the half-wolf group arrived at the vicinity of Oukiwa, the sky was dark, and there was a heavy fog hovering over the region. It waste afternoon, and the loud thunder that split the sky in half denoted the approach of a storm.


    "Let''s hurry... we have to arrive at the Strogueher estate before the rain starts." Luke spoke and then snapped the horses'' reins to make them go faster. Immediately a sh of lightning could be seen in the sky, and the rumble of thunder soon echoed up into the mountains.


    Since the Makator was working again when they approached Oukiwa, Ayumi had already been warned that the half-wolf gang would arrive in Oukiwa that day.


    In addition, the Strogueher Matriarch had warned them by a message that Oukiwa was very different from what it used to be when Luke left town more than six months ago.


    However, even having been warned of the divergence, Luke was startled by the current Oukiwa.


    Thanks to the clouds that covered the region, the day seemed to have turned to night, but not many streemps were lit in the roads, nor even many municipal guards making rounds. The low haze that hung over the city''s main avenues made everything still cold and empty. The same streets that the half-wolf had seen packed with hundreds of people during the Tournament of Legends, were now covered only by an anguishing frigid wind.


    Anyone might think that the exnations for this situation were the winter or the imminent rain. Still, these were never reasons for the drunks and adventurers to stop visiting the taverns every night.


    While they were slowing down with the wagon to the center of the city, they saw a single guard in obsidian armor walking with antern in his hand on the sidewalks of a wide avenue. This guard was as surprised to see a wagon on the street as Luke''s gang was surprised to finally see someone. When the guard realized that the person driving the wagon was the Tournament of Legends Champion, he was even more surprised.


    "Good afternoon!" Luke greeted him, pulling the reins of the wagon.


    The guard raised themplight to better illuminate the surroundings, and make sure it was really the ''Half-Wolf''.


    "Oh! So, it''s really you? It''s been a while since you left Oukiwa, Champion."


    "I''ve been traveling with some friends." Luke pointed to Meredith, who was next to him in the front seats. "What happened to the town? I''ve never seen it like that..."


    With unhappiness, the guard nodded. "You didn''t hear about it? Ah... you must have been really far away, then. Two months ago, there was a battle in the Main Dungeon here and the famous Horizon n was totally wiped out."


    Luke arched his eyebrows, thinking that maybe it was some kind of silly joke. Even Luke, who very much avoided knowing about Adventurers and Dungeons for much of his life, knew that the Horizon n was one of the most influential ns in the entire Empire and that almost all of its members were at least ss-B.


    "Is this serious? Because to me it doesn''t make sense. The Dungeons of Oukiwa are mining Dungeons. There''s no reason for ns to fight in a Dungeon here, there shouldn''t be fighting over territories like there is in Vasconcelos." Luke stated, suspicious.


    Again, the guardian nodded with revulsion. "I know how absurd that may sound, and is the poption doesn''t believe that story either, which is why the city is so empty. Most of the Adventurers no longer wish to work here and they have scattered to other cities." Then the guardian moved closer, looked both ways, and whispered to the two half-beasts in the carriage''smand seat. "Also, there are rumors that monsters are managing to escape from the Dungeon after the Adventurers stopped making incursions."


    "Monsters?" The half-wolf was amazed and interested in the subject. The guard just nodded reluctantly once again. "All right... I have to go. Just be careful on the streets."


    "The Spirit of Hera is protecting me!" The man in armor spoke, and only then did Luke notice that there was a golden cross tattooed on his obsidian breastte.<sub> </sub>


    After understanding why the streets were empty, Luke led the horses to arrive at the Strogueher estate.


    In front of therge iron gate, there were Shiro and Oliver, the head guard of the Family, with their swords stuck in the ground. Besides them, Luke recognized six other guards because they had been watching his training with Alexis before the Tournament of Legends.


    When Luke stopped the carriage in front of the estate, Shiropletely lost his rigid posture when he saw the red-haired woman standing next to Luke.


    " Hey there, big guy! Long time, huh?" Meredith spoke, smiling at her childhood friend.


    "So, it was true..." Shiro looked intently at the half-fox, almost unable to believe what he was seeing. "So, you really did go and get them..." He spoke to Luke. When Ayumi revealed to Shiro that the half-wolf went looking for his friends, and that they weren''t dead, Shiro was disbelieved, at least until he saw Meredith personally.


    "I had to bring them close to me." Luke shrugged and smiled at his great friend.


    Then Meredith hugged Shiro with great nostalgia as she stepped down from the wagon. The half-fox realized how much bigger he was now and praised him for it, but also teased him for not losing hispassionate look.


    Soon after, Matthew got out of the carriage, and to Shiro''s surprise, one of his best childhood friends was now a short guy who was barely over six feet tall. Matthew''s n was actually to pretend not to care about Shiro because he wasn''t convinced that Shiro had looked hard enough for them in the Lower City, but he soon couldn''t hold back and surrendered to his feelings. Matthew hugged the big man and almost let tears escape.


    This was a time of meeting and reuniting, so Luke didn''t rush anyone.


    Ynosuke, Zack, and John were duly introduced to Oliver, Shiro, and the other guards.


    The red-haired giant and the ck-haired giant faced each other for a second, and everyone could feel the tension in the air, but afterward, they shook hands firmly and greeted each other. Internally, Shiro and Zack just wondered who was taller, but thought it would be too childish to measure that in public.


    Next, everyone entered the Strogueher estate, and the other six guards stood guard at the main gate.


    Oliver immediately led the gang to Ayumi''s Residence, which was the ce where everyone could stay. Since the house was huge, with more than ten bedrooms, everyone could settle in there, at least until the tension with the First Servant was annihted.


    From a distance, Luke saw a person at the residence door. This was Martha, who was always there on standby to meet any demand. This reminded Luke of the days when he would return from the Vasconcelos Dungeon with Nathalia, and the maid was always waiting for them in front of the house as if she already knew they were approaching.


    "Good evening, Martha. It''s a pleasure to see you again after so long." Luke greeted her.


    "Good evening, Mister Luke. It''s a pleasure to see you again too, but I''m afraid we''ll have to dispense with the greetings, because there is someone very anxious to see you." The servant girl pointed to the door.

 Chapter 208 Always

    When Martha pointed to the residence''s front door, Luke knew that Ayumi first wanted to see him alone. Then, when they entered, everyone stayed in the living room, and Luke went upstairs to the second floor to see his beloved again.


    p Alexis Dmitry and Meredith Scully looked at that jealousy, but there was nothing they could do. They knew very well what they were getting into when the half-wolf told each of them that he was engaged to Ayumi, and they also knew that Ayumi wasn''t their only romantic rival.</anda>


    When Luke opened the door to the Matriarch''s room, he saw her sitting on her bed of white sheets, with her everyday thin reading sses on. At her feet were some books and parchments. As she heard the noise of the door, she looked up at the half-wolf, and a wide smile appeared on her face, but it soon turned into an expression of shyness.


    " Ow, my god! I haven''t even gotten ready yet! I thought you would take longer. I look awful..." She got out of bed with a single jump, because of her fright at seeing Luke.


    It was Ayumi''s lie; she looked gorgeous as always. Her long blonde hair was braided, her eye color was vibrant because of themplight on the bedside table, and her white skin was exposed even though she was wearing winter pajamas. Luke took just one step and moved so fast that he could hug her before she could reach her closet.


    "You look beautiful as always..." Luke whispered to Ayumi in his arms. He looked her in the eyes with energy.


    Ayumi blushed while being surprised at the speed of the half-wolf. "Do you... Do you know how much I''ve really missed you?" she asked, hugging him tightly and resting her head against the man''s rigid chest.


    The rtionship between the former thief and the Matriarch of the Strogueher wasn''t just carnal, but emotional. With him around, Ayumi felt safe, and with her in his arms, Luke felt he could do anything. Their carnal rtionship began on the half-wolf''s first day at the Mansion in Vasconcelos, when she trapped him in the library, but the connection of their souls began to be forged before that, on the first time they looked into each other''s eyes, in Ayumi''s old Mansion.


    After the two hugged, they kissed. As soon as the kiss was over, they finished with a little kiss and looked again into each other''s eyes.


    Since everyone was in the living room, withoutmunicating, they came to the conclusion that they needed to control their excitement forter.


    "We need to talk, but first I want you to meet my friends."


    "All right, let''s go downstairs... I''m anxious to meet the people you''vemented so much about." Ayumi spoke with a smile and intertwined the fingers of her left hand with the fingers of Luke''s right hand.


    "Wait a second... are you going to go like this to receive the visit? You''re still naughty..." Luke spoke, with an indecent smile on his face.


    The blonde Elf looked down and saw that her breasts were practically uncovered because these winter pajamas she was wearing had been shrinking over time. Ayumi covered her breasts with her pajama jacket and spoke:


    "Shut up... I''m not going like this."


    The half-wolf''s kiss had made her so shudder that she forgot that the clothes she was wearing weren''t decent at all.<sub> </sub>


    After Ayumi changed her clothes to something more casual, like simple pants and a blouse, they walked down the spiral staircase together holding hands. Everyone in the gang wasughing in the living room with Shiro, but they stopped immediately when the Matriarch appeared in their scope of vision.


    To most of the gang, Ayumi Yamazaki Strogueher was still an unapproachable figure, someone of a higher status in society. Her pointed ears, emerald-green eyes, and elegant gait made her stand out from the rest of the people. However, theplicated atmosphere between the gang of former thieves and Ayumi was soon forgotten, because she proved to be someone with a personality totally contrary to what Luke''s friends though, positively surprising even Meredith.


    During the dinner prepared by the cooks and Martha, Ayumi showed herself to be interested in each one''s life and not just an arrogant and smug Elf, which was their view of the nobility.


    Luke was d that his friends seemed to like her.


    The subject of the gang''s childhood was a recurring topic at the dinner table, and in this way, there was no way that the subject of the fateful robbery of the shed wouldn''t return. However, this was also thest time this subject returned with sadness, since Alexis told once again that she knew a Sarah, with a gentle manner and pink hair. For Matthew, Luke, Shiro, and Meredith, there couldn''t be another person identical in manner and appearance as their childhood friend, so they remained hopeful that maybe they would see her again one day.


    "By the way, where is Nathalia?" Luke had to ask after the subject about Sarah was over, since neither Martha nor Ayumi had mentioned her name, and he was missing her presence, which was expected.


    "Since she joined the Oukiwa Noble Academy recently, she is working hard to get stronger. I warned her that you would be arriving today, but if she hasn''t returned, she must still be training in the Gym that you trained together..." Ayumi revealed, looking at the S-ss.


    "Do you want me to let her know you''re here?" Martha asked while taking Luke''s te from the table, as the half-wolf had already finished eating and didn''t look like he was going to eat again.


    Luke denied with his head. "No need, I''ll go and surprise her myself. Maybe she''ll be happy to see me again after all this time."


    "Don''t be modest, Luke. You know she''ll love it." Ayumi really cherished Nathalia''s respect for Luke, even though she was a year older than him.


    "So, if you''ll excuse me, I''m going to go visit my Dungeon partner." Luke stepped away from the dining table, but the rest of the staff continued to chat.


    All of the half-wolf''s friends were eager to meet Nathalia, because she was the girl who had apanied Luke everywhere during the turbulent month in Vasconcelos. Still, they didn''t want to interfere with the reunion.


    Luke was still worried about the rumor of monsters in Oukiwa because it could mean that the time in the hospital wasn''t the only time that monsters appeared away from the presence of demons. If some demon really had the power to spawn monsters anywhere, just as Luke suspected when he saw the Shadow Ninjas in the hospital, he needed to keep watchful.


    However, this time Luke was unconcerned about leaving his friends alone because, except for Alexis Dmitry, everyone in the gang had learned to fight a little with his guidance and tips over the past two months, and they had also received some Gene Skills as a gift from the half-wolf.

 Chapter 209 Sword Dance

    While Luke was approaching the gymnasium of the Strogueher estate, he heard cheering screams, which were quickly ovepped by the crack of thunder.


    When Luke appeared at the door, people didn''t even notice his presence, because they were focused on watching the practice fight.


    To Luke''s surprise, who were practicing were Nathalia and Ste Hoka, the previous Champion of the Tournament of Legends.


    The Elf with white hair and red eyes looked more mature than Luke remembered. Somehow, her gaze seemed more focused. In addition, she had her hair pinned up in a bun on top of her head, unlike how she used to secure her hair in a ponytail.


    Nathalia''s training partner, Ste, didn''t seem to have changed anything since Luke hadst seen her, during the Strogueher Family selective. Her hair was still grayish, and she still had an expressionposed, almost inexpressible.


    The two''s practice match looked more like a dance, making Luke realize how much Nathalia had evolved. The two women glided across the battlefield, and the ng of their swords shing echoed through the four corners of the gymnasium. Because Luke had trained with Nathalia every day for some time, it was clear to him that her movements were more polished than ever. Her feet were faster, and because of this, her advances and retreats were also more powerful and skillful. Now she almost didn''t need to take her feet off the ground to move, which usually created a moment for her opponent to take advantage.


    However, Ste Hoka wasn''t a bit behind Nathalia in fencing, because her movements were also skillful, handling the light wooden sword with mastery.


    Luke could quickly tell that Ste knew some sword art, because her method of holding the sword with only one hand and under her right forearm was certainly umon.


    "Go, Nathalia, you can beat her this time!" Livia Strogueher shouted, drawing the half-wolf''s attention.


    "Attack her from below; this is her weak point, Ste!" eximed Lais Strogueher. Luke didn''t know this Elf, nor did some of the other Elves in the huddle of cheering.


    "Don''t let her push you around. Get your guard up!" eximed Jilly Strogueher, worried.


    "Hey, isn''t that Luke?" A white-haired Elf asked his cousins, pointing to the gym door.


    The half-wolf couldn''t hide, so he just answered with a nod to them, which made them lose interest in the battle altogether. Nathalia also turned her face to look when she heard Luke''s name.


    When Nathalia turned her face, Ste didn''t hesitate to take advantage and tried to attack her. Luckily, Nathalia was quick and managed to block. After sliding backward on the battlefield because of the two wooden swords shing, Nathalia threw the sword to the ground and ran towards Luke.


    "Luke! You''re back!" She shouted, moments before jumping into Luke''sp, who naturally held her. "It''s been so long!"


    Livia and Jilly sagely contained their cousins'' excitement to let Nathalia and Luke talk in peace.


    "So, how are you?" Luke asked, even with Nathalia still hugging him tightly.


    The Elf realized that her emotion might be exorbitant for actually being in public and released Luke from the hug.


    "I''m fine, and stronger too." She spoke proudly, scratching with the side of her right index finger the part between her nose and lips. "Now Ie here whenever I can to practice in that gym with my cousins or with Ste." Nathalia pointed to the ck-skinned woman.<sub> </sub>


    Luke greeted Ste with a nod as she went to pick up the wooden sword that Nathalia left dropped on the floor. She answered him with a nod and a serious countenance, which Luke didn''t even care about.


    "I''ve noticed that you''re a lot more skilled. I also heard that you joined the Oukiwa Noble Academy. Are you enjoying it?"


    Nathalia arched her eyebrows, because for Luke knowing this meant that he had already arrived at least a few minutes ago. But she wasn''t pissed about not being called sooner because, after all, she had already been warned that he would arrive between afternoon or evening.


    "Ehhh... let''s just say I preferred the times I was a ss-F Adventurer than studyingplete bestiaries and monster features. But no more talking about me, tell me about you... You managed to find who you were looking for, didn''t you?"


    The half-wolf smiled. "Yes, I''m happy I did. If it''s okay for you, they will stay at your home until the problems are solved."


    "Are you aware of what happened in the Dungeon yet, ''Half-wolf''?" Ste Hoka intruded into the conversation, causing even the other teenagers to finally be quiet, after all the conversation between two established Champions of the Tournament of Legends had started.


    Luke looked at Ste Hoka, surprised by her rudeness. He remembered that she had been a bit of a sadist since the Strogueher selective, but still, he hadn''t expected this behavior.


    "Yes, a guard told me." He answered her briefly and turned back to talk to Nathalia.


    "And you''re not going to do anything to improve the city? You are the current Champion of the Tournament of Legends; you should understand the importance of that title and the message it carries."


    Impatient, Luke almost rolled his eyes in disgust, because all he wanted was to have a normal conversation with his partner, who he hadn''t seen in so long.


    "First of all, can you tell me what is your name again?" The half-wolf inquired. Since Nathalia had just said it, he remembered her name, but he wanted to mock her.


    "Tsk! I was wrong about you. Nebezial would be a better Bi-Champion than you because at least he had ambitions; you were lucky you pissed him off."


    "Hey, Ste... be careful with your words. Luke trained hard to be able to win the tournament." Nathalia stated, starting to get bored with the intrigue.


    "Calm down, Nath..." Luke ced his hand on the white-haired Elf''s shoulder. "Haven''t you realized that she''s just finding a pretext to piss me off, so she can call me out for a fight? She seems to be that kind of person."


    Ste''s eyes widened with her back turned to everyone, for this was precisely her intention. She was still harboring consternation from the day Luke was chosen to go to Vasconcelos, and she stayed in Oukiwa only as an attention decoy for the rest of the Strogueher.


    Then, Ste turned around and said with a sadistic smile, which none of the Strogueher she had protected ever saw on her face. "So, are you going to piss your pants, or are you willing to ept the challenge?" She confirmed Luke''s theory.


    The half-wolf''s response was the dropping of his overcoat to the ground. For some time now, Luke had wanted to prove to himself that it wasn''t luck, much less fate, to have passed the Strogueher selective.

 Chapter 210 The Revanche

    "Hey, Hey... are they really going to fight?" Jilly asked Nathalia, who was biting her nails in nervousness. "Wasn''t that too sudden?"


    "I know, but I didn''t have anything to do. You know that since Ste came back here, she wanted to fight Luke again." Nathalia replied while she watched Luke go to the right edge of the square, and Ste go to the other, "What could I have done to stop them?"


    Livia approached Nathalia and tapped her on the shoulder. "Rx, Nath. This will just be a training battle, so we have to enjoy it. Go, Luke! Go, Ste!"


    All the Strogueher people gathered around the battle square, wondered who would be the winner. All Nathalia''s cousins were very familiar with Ste Hoka''s abilities, since she protected all of them during their travels through some of the cities of the Broteforge Empire. Still, they knew little about the ''Half-Wolf'', except for the stories that sprang up throughout the city after he became champion. As well as they knew him from the ounts of Livia, Jilly, Nathalia, Shiro, and other guards.


    "If he is even half of what they say, it will already be a great fight." Lais Strogueher spoke up. This girl had white hair like all the Strogueher, but her eyes had an almost gray tint.


    The other younger Strogueher agreed with La¨ªs, and soon they stopped their mouths because of the tension in the atmosphere.


    When Luke reached his edge of the square, he whispered low. "Bastet, you don''t have to leave. This will just be a practice fight." Luke needed to warn, because his Summoning used to always be ready to fight, and he still summoned himself sometimes.


    Luke needed to warn, as his Summoner always was ready to fight and still summon himself sometimes.


    "Are you going to fight with everything you have?" Ste asked. There was a confident smile on her face, because she knew she was much stronger than when she had first fought against Luke, and on that asion, she couldn''t even use her full abilities.


    "Ann... Have no doubt that I will use everything I have."


    Then, Ste extended her right hand forward and summoned her Magic Staff of Panspermia. The shaft of this staff wasposed of red iron, and Luke didn''t know the material, but the color matched perfectly with the cape that Ste wore, which was also red. At the tip of this Panspermia Weapon was a yellow crystal, held in ce by five thorns sticking out of the end of the metal shaft.


    Luke looked at it and was impressed. Although this wasn''t the first time, he had seen a staff in his life, he believed that this was the first Panspermia Magic Staff he had ever had the opportunity to see.


    "Ow! Are you a mage?" Luke asked, interested.


    Luke knew that Magic Staffs of Panspermia were quite rare, more than any other weapon, and there were several reasons why they were so rare. A Mage''s most important weapon, his staff, can increase the power of any Gene Skill by up to 50%, and if he knows how to use Runes, these magic weapons allow him to store ready-made magic circles within their core. In other words, spells much more potent than Gene Skills, but also with the same activation speed, could be stored by the Magicians.


    After noticing the half-wolf''s surprise, Ste mmed her staff on the ground and replied:


    "That is my greatest skill, magic. I just had to practice fencing for a while to fill in my own skill gaps, but since you will be using everything you have, I think it would be disgusting of me not to reciprocate that."


    Luke didn''t feel guilty for lying about going with everything he had; after all, Luke couldn''t go against Ste with everything he had to avoid destroying the gym. The Second Stage of the Sea Ornament positions took the half-wolf to another level.<sub> </sub>


    "So, can we get started? I want to get home before the rain starts." Luke spoke with a rxed spine, and ced his hand on the back of his head.


    The woman with staff in her right hand merely nodded, pondering whether Luke was confident because he was dumb or underestimating her.


    After a few seconds of silence from the two opponents exchanging nces, Ste was the first person to move.


    "<Sepulchral Sphere>!" She shouted the name of a Gene Skill and pointed her staff in Luke''s direction.


    From the tip of the Magic Staff of Panspermia, a ck sphere appeared. The interior of this sphere mimicked the darkness of a starless sky, and when Luke felt this twenty-centimeter sphere approaching him, he felt cold. However, Luke didn''t seem surprised by this and made a minimal movement to dodge it.


    The gust of wind created by the fast movement of the sphere only pushed Luke''s hair back a little.


    ''He dodged it so easily? It can only have been luck. I doubt he''ll do it again.'' Ste thought, after all, this magic was so fast that monsters never could dodge it, and although it wasn''t capable of creating much damage, hitting it was the first step in most of herbos to single-handedly beat powerful enemies. "<Sepulchral Sphere>!" She shouted another time.


    Again, Luke dodged with extreme naturalness, only taking a step to the side.


    This time, Ste realized that it wasn''t the luck of the half-wolf, but she also realized his strategy to dodge. The half-wolf was waiting until thest possible second to move; that way, there was no possible way for her to predict where he might go and thus not anticipate his steps.


    ''He''s smart, but I''m smarter. I''ll use several Sepulchral Spheres, so he won''t know where to dodge.'' Ste thought.


    After she outlined this n, Luke started running towards her, surprising her quite a bit. Still, she wasn''t unhappy, because when Luke started moving, she thought she could finally hit him by predicting his movements. However, Luke was moving in a manner that was so confusing and fast, that it made his movements impossible for Ste to read.


    With no options, Ste had to use a Gene Skill other than the <Sepulchral Sphere> because it would no longer be effective at a distance of five meters.


    However, Luke was already too fast, and since he didn''t want to waste too much time or sweat, he used one of the Sea Ornament stances. While he was running, he put both arms behind him and, through a sudden burst of speed, he reached her before Ste could even utter the full name of her other Gene Skill.


    "<Column Celesti¡ª" Luke''s hand grabbed her face, and, without a second thought, he dragged her until she hit the wall.


    Tum~


    With Ste''s collision against the wall, the entire gym shook, and some dust fell on the heads of the Strogueher''s who were watching. Everyone was stunned and unsure how they should react; after all, Ste was stronger than them allbined, but she still looked like a child fighting against the half-wolf, who didn''t even give her a chance to show off her vast repertoire of Gene Skills and Magic.

 Chapter 211 Weak Points

    By fighting Ste Hoka, Luke could finally reach a conclusion about the true weakness of the <Eye of Horus>.


    This impressive Legendary Skill, analyzed all the information contained in Luke''s brain and on the battlefield, and could thus draw a behavioral profile of the half-wolf''s enemies. In turn, this profile was transferred to the enemy clone created by Luke within the world of the ability, which he called the Horus Dimension. In this way, Luke could find the best way to defeat any opponent by simting the same fight dozens of times within the Dimension of Horus.


    However, the <Eye of Horus> is not an omniscient ability, and its limitation begins exactly where Luke''s perception ends.


    In other words, if Luke doesn''t know his opponent''s Gene Abilities or Rune Spells, there is no way for the <Eye of Horus> to guess that they exist.


    Luke realized this briefly when simting fights against The Legion, but it seems that the same concept does not apply to monsters, because they frequently have their abilities given away by their appearances. The chance of a monster or animal of the amphibian type using poisons is much greater than the chance of it spewing fire from its mouth, and in that instance, the <Eye of Horus> couldn''t have foreseen it.


    A clear example was that of the Son of Winter, one of the members of The Legion, who had an icy appearance, so the Legendary Skill could predict that his abilities were rted to this. Foreseeing thus the possibility of the Son of Winter having a variety of cial powers, like throwing ice stakes through his fingertips, and others.


    But with Humans and Mages, things differ, as their appearance most often does not denote the Abilities they can use. Luke couldn''t test this against Alexis, because he already knew most of her abilities, but when he fought Ste, he activated the <Eye of Horus>, and since he only knew her movement abilities, he couldn''t predict what attacks she might use with her staff.


    Still, Luke didn''t conform to the limitations of Gene''s Skill and used hypothetical spells to train for 20 minutes inside the Dimension of Horus.


    Therefore, the half-wolf trained to dodge fast spells, slow spells, bigger spells, and even spells that could destroy the gym. Since Luke couldn''t more than imagining what spells a mage might use, he just let his imagination guide him.


    So, when Luke dragged Ste to the wall, he was amazed at how easy it was.


    Luke looked down at his hand where Ste''s head was, and realized that armor was wrapping around his opponent''s entire body. That armor was golden and translucent.


    "Phew..." Luke sighed in relief because, for a second, he feared he had hurt her, and then immediately let go.


    After recovering from the shock of the collision, Ste''s armor crumbled into luminous dust that shattered in the air. She looked at him with great anger, and shouted:


    "Are you crazy!? You could have killed me if I was a normal person!" Ste pointed her finger in Luke''s face.


    Luke smiled debauchedly. "You asked me to go with everything I had, and now you''reining? Fu~" He hissed to tease her.


    Ste opened her mouth to reply, but since she couldn''t find a response, she inted her cheeks and walked away, tapping her foot firmly on the floor in frustration. When Ste left the gym, it immediately began to rain, which made her even more irritated, as she had to get wet until she reached her room at the back of the property.


    While she felt the raindrops falling on her hair, she wondered:


    ''How did he get so much stronger in less than a year? That''s not normal... Not to mention the burst of speed. Could it have been a Gene Skill with signs? It doesn''t seem to have been that... Damn, I need to ask him sometime.''<sub> </sub>


    After defeating Ste, Luke walked back to the amassing of Strogueher, who was watching the practice battle. Everyone was very ecstatic, and even Nathalia, Jilly, and Livia were amazed by the half-wolf.


    While walking home in the light rain, Nathalia spoke up:


    "It''s been almost six months since you left home to go find your friends... you''ve gotten so much stronger during that time... It''s just that my mother and I don''t understand why it took you so long toe home after you found them."


    Luke even opened his mouth to exin to Nathalia the reason for the dy, but ended up saying something different. "First, I''ll introduce you to each of my friends, then we''ll talk about the unfinished business. After all, there are strange things happening in Oukiwa too, right?"


    "So, you already know? Oh,e on, you''re more attuned, Luke." Nathalia scoffed and hid herughter with her right hand.


    Without hesitation, Luke rubbed the palm of his right hand on the top of the elf''s head, making her hairy crown even wetter.


    After they arrived at Ayumi''s residence, Nathalia was introduced to all of Luke''s friends. John, Ynosuke, and Zack were charmed by her beauty, so Luke had to cast warning nces at them. The half-wolf loved his friends, but he would never let them get romantically close to a sweet and innocent girl like Nathalia.


    However, Luke soon realized that the mood among the women was different than when he left.


    *


    ¡ª Five minutes after Luke left to go get Nathalia. ¡ª


    After the half-wolf left the dinner table and everyone finished eating, Shiro and the other boys started the subject about how the long trip was.


    John, with his self-esteem higher than ever, because he was learning to fight with the instruction of the Champion of the Tournament of Legends and also of an S-ss, started exining his merits, adding to all the facts to boost himself.


    When Alexis realized that no one would start any important topic without Luke being present, she looked at Ayumi and, with a nce, silently indicated for them to go to the next room to talk alone. The first to get up was the Matriarch, who noticed that the half-dragon wanted discretion, and told everyone that she would go to the kitchen to talk to Martha.


    Then Alexis left the room, saying that she would change clothes, since everyone was wearing the same clothes they had arrived from their trip.


    So, the two women met in the small nearby library. Alexis almost closed the library door, but left it open to be able to listen in case someone approached.


    "Do you need anything?" Ayumi inquired to start the topic. The group had just arrived back from a six-month trip, but Ayumi could tell that what was bothering Alexis wasn''t just tiredness.


    Alexis looked down for a few moments, and when she built up courage, she looked into Ayumi''s green eyes. "I need to talk about Luke."

 Chapter 213 The Demonic Intent

    After the subject about Lescar and how Yoelona was responsible for his friend''s disappearance, Luke skipped the part about his long journey and how he picked up a Legendary Skill, going straight to the part about meeting his gang.


    "When I found Meredith, it was such a relief that I thought I was in a dream... But that night, when Yoelona told me the reasons for hering to Oukiwa, I knew things wouldn''t be so simple."


    It was a coincidence of fate that Yoelona had removed Luke''s friends from Oukiwa just a few weeks before the First Servant threatened their lives.


    This also served to prove to everyone that the First Servant didn''t know everything that happened in the world, as they had impressions at first. At that time, the great demon not only knew Luke''s identity before the half-wolf even met him, but he pushed him into an ord and soon after broke it to be the half-wolf''s sworn enemy.


    "I feel like... he wanted to attract your attention to all of this, attract your anger." Meredith noted. "First, he instigated your curiosity with the Goblins near the Mansion in Vasconcelos, next the clues about the Chaos Followers, the Demons, the attack against Matthew, us... Why does he have such an interest in you?"


    Luke shrugged, because he couldn''t imagine any reason for it. Before the event on the second floor of the Vasconcelos Dungeon, he didn''t even know who demons actually existed.


    Alexis pondered and spoke:


    "At first, I thought he wanted to lure you to him, to maybe switch receptacles, to switch possessed bodies. We don''t know who he is, what he really looks like, how powerful his receptacle is. Maybe he wants one that is more powerful? Like it or not, Luke, you are very strong."


    Looking at his own fist, Luke reviewed whether that could really be the reason.


    He had made more progress in thest few months than he had in his entire life; maybe he really did have something special?


    This possibility began to make sense to everyone present because the First Servant had threatened Luke''s friends, luring him back to Oukiwa, and soon after Luke''s return to Oukiwa, the Chaos Followers, a religion headed by demons, had narrowly avoidedmitting a terrorist attack.


    But Luke was thinking differently from everyone else because he didn''t believe this could be the reason.


    "I don''t think the First Servant wants to possess me. I think that until now, he was just testing me, or maybe... taking attention away from the central n?"


    "And what n would that be?" Ayumi arched her eyebrows, curious.


    Then, the half-wolf sighed and resumed telling her everything that Yoelona had told him, about how she had escaped from the Melki Empire and that at the time, more than twenty years ago, the demons were already nning something big. Now, the demons had not onlybat strength with monsters on the surface, but also influence in the Broteforge Empire, with the Chaos Followers manipting the minds of civilians who have almost nothing, and also political and naval influence with the Smakusa Noble Family.<sub> </sub>


    "Of everything you''ve said now, the one I''m least surprised by is the Smakusa Family. Ever since the Horizon n was annihted in our Dungeon, the Patriarch Erick Smakusa is more ufortable than ever." Ayumi said, and ced her cup of tea, served by Martha, on top of a bedside table. Where also was one of themps that illuminated the room. "He wants to pass aw forcing Nobles to live only innds where we have a strong influence, with the excuse of maintaining peace and order in those ces. However, this will disband the Oukiwa Council and divide the nation into nine powers, something that goes against the Emperor''s wishes."


    This matter transformed the mood of the room from absorbed to apprehensive.


    "Couldn''t we use the letter from that Countess to jail the Patriarch of the Skamusa Family?" Nathalia asked.


    This possibility had been discussed several times during the long trip to Oukiwa. So, Meredith was the first to answer the young Elf:


    "A letter written by an unknown woman of a invalid title is worthless. Because we know Masink''s real name, we could try to make him confess in front of the council, about the demons'' rtionship with the Smakusa. However, Erick Smakusa could use this to try to convince everyone that we are the ones on the side of the demons, and that we are trying to frame him, thus distorting our advantage over the First Servant, which is that we know about his central ns."


    Ayumi was surprised by the half-fox''s wit, thus realizing that the good things Luke hadmented in the past about Meredith weren''t exaggerated at all. "You are undoubtedly right. When the Horizonte n massacre happened, Erick tried to put the me on the Oukiwa Guild and that under the Strogueher''smand, some other n may have done it, which is just a rumor."


    "Mom, it''s not just a rumor... Seventy percent of the adventurers have left Oukiwa, and people don''t even walk the streets anymore after everything goes dark. People are afraid, and it''s already be a half-truth in their minds." Nathalia stated, leaning forward and propping her elbows on her knees in a serious pose.


    "In other words, there''s a chance that this Patriarch sponsored the spread of this rumor, right?" Ynosuke was following the matter closely, as problematic as trying to read that kind of situation.


    Luke looked at his long-haired friend and spoke:


    "I confess that I read some books during our trip, especially about The Cmity... Maybe the intention of the demons is to create small insecurities in the poption, to weaken the spirit of battle and unity. That''s why so many silent attacks, so many strange events."


    Among so many possibilities, this was the one that was clearest and most obvious to Luke.


    During The Cmity, the demons had taken advantage of the various problems that had gued the world to be empowered. Perhaps they were trying to recreate those conditions again to subjugate humanity. With a major war going on in the Hati Continent, if the demons dominated the Broteforge Empire, no one would stop them from dominating the rest of the world.


    "If what they want is to weaken this nation from within, so they can destroy us at a moment of vulnerability, we have to act as soon as possible, because this is the perfect time to attack Oukiwa." Shiro spoke, looking into the eyes of each of the people present in that room.

 Chapter 217 Oukiwa Academy Of Nobles

    The Oukiwa Academy of Nobles was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful ces in the entire city. Its refined architecture graced all the people who passed near its buildings, and the pediment of the main building was imposing and had gold lettering in relief, which said the name of the renowned educational institution.


    When Luke entered this ce, he was attracted by the series of arcades that made up some of the main corridors.


    ''So, this is what a school looks like from the inside.'' The half-wolf was awestruck and unsure how to react.


    He never dared to enter a school before because he knew that they were costly, but now he was finally getting the chance to satisfy one of his desires. To improve matters, he was inside the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles, one of the oldest buildings in the entire Broteforge Empire, whose construction dated back to The Cmity, over five hundred years ago.


    ''That''s... exciting.'' He thought and pressed the part of his uniform over his chest. For some reason, his heart was racing faster than usual.


    In the end, Luke chose to be a Duel Teacher, and for that, he had to take a test first, but first, he could wear the Academy''s training uniform.


    This uniform was quite formal for Luke''s tastes, almost like a formal suit. The sleeve ends of his protocol coat were ck, and the gold glints on the buttonholes gave it a touch of opulence. The reddish tone of the coat might not match up with the yellow-gold eyes of the half-wolf; however, the ck cape that everyone was requested to wear disguised this, as well as the rest of the uniform, which was also ck.


    Luke looked down at his hands, which were covered by white gloves, and found it strange to move his fingers wearing them.


    "Mister Lange, it''s your turn." A dark-haired girl alerted Luke, so she could guide him to the room for the test, which he was waiting for.


    Since the half-wolf had be Champion of the Tournament of Legends, it wasn''t hard for Ayumi to move a few lines and get a test for him to enter as Duel Teacher, even though Luke just preferred that she stay out of it.


    The Duel Teacher is the only position in apulsory course in the second year. At this stage, most of the students were only E or even F level, so Luke didn''t feel pressured to be ambitious.


    The half-wolf could remember meeting two boys at the Strogueher selective who said they had studied at the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles. Apparently, both had already finished their fifth and final year at the Academy. Although Luke couldn''t remember the boys'' names, he still remembered that they had a rank no higher than D-level.


    This was also why he chose to try to be a teacher, because he wouldn''t have to study subjects below his level. Also, as a teacher, he would have more time and chances to interact with Professor Vinigo and try to find out something from him.


    While the half-wolf was following the girl to the room, two men in uniforms simr to the one he was wearing walked past him, both badly injured. One of these men, who looked around thirty years old, grabbed Luke''s sleeve, forcing him to stop.


    "You''re going to take the test for Duel Teacher, right? Be careful... that guy is a beast. Cof... Cof..." He warned.


    When the man let the half wolf''s sleeve go and continued on his way, Luke looked back and noticed how strong this injured man looked. His muscles were as big as Shiro''s or Zack''s, and still, he could barely stand on his own two feet. This made Luke wonder what kind of test he had to go through.<sub> </sub>


    Once the ck-haired girl opened the door to allow Luke entry to the Training Court, he saw a middle-aged man. This man was wearing a long ck overcoat and carried a gothic look, because the metalponents he was wearing were ck and a bit pointy.


    Seeing the half-wolf walk through the door, this man let his sunsses slide down to the tip of his nose and, at the same time, raised hisrge ck hat with his left-hand so that he could look at Luke more appropriately.


    "Ow! That''s so cool! You''re actually this year''s Champion? That''s pretty fucked up!" Namor surprised Luke with his dispassionate way of speaking. "Come on,e on! By the way, thanks Violet for bringing him here!" He thanked the young woman.


    The girl smiled briefly, nodded, and left the room.


    Luke looked around and analyzed the environment where he was left with the man. Therge room had no chairs or desks as expected in a typical ssroom, but many weapons on shelves on the walls. The ce''s floor was also made of a sand so firm that shoes hardly left a mark.


    Undeterred, the half-wolf walked up to Namor and greeted him with a handshake. "Good afternoon, my name is Luke Lange, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Oh, you are more serious than I expected. Well, I watched your matches in the Tournament, so I should remember that..."


    Then, Namor raised his sunsses again and with the shadow made by his hat, his eyes werepletely hidden. He was holding a cigar between two fingers of his right hand, and before he continued speaking, he took a puff.


    "Phha!" The man let out the smoke from the cigar and pulled it through his nose. "The test will be simple. We will fight, and if you are able to beat me or almost beat me, the spot will be yours. But know that I am the vice director; just don''t underestimate me. Hahaha!" He exined while he walked away from Luke now.


    This made Luke smile briefly because, in fact, he had his guard up since the man warned him that the judging could be scary. Besides, there were no fight marks in the room, which could mean that Namor finished off the other candidates for the teaching position before they could fight back.


    "I just need to defeat you?" asked Luke. He wasn''t convinced by the brief exnation and thought that maybe there was some catch.


    Suddenly, Namor stopped his walk and looked back. "I mean... it won''t just be me you''ll have to win against..."


    ? The smokeing out of his cigar quickly grew thicker and bulkier, falling to the ground next to his shadow. This dark smoke gradually blended with the man''s shadow and began to take shape. Two pairs of eyes appeared in the smoke next to Namor''s legs. These eyes were as orange and vivid as the sparks from the tobo burning at the cigar''s tip.


    Calmly, the half-wolf stepped back into that room.


    Atst, the strange eyes gained elongated snouts, sneaky paws, and half-pointed ears. At Namor''s feet, Luke saw what were clearly two twin summons, both with appearances of wolves imbued with darkness.

 Chapter 219 Duel Teacher

    After taking a long breath, Luke looked down at his hands and realized that he was shaking with excitement. Well, this was going to be the first ss he had ever taught in his life, so it was understandable to be nervous.


    However, he wasn''tpletely alone in this new stage of his life, because John and Meredith had also entered the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles as students, since Ayumi had offered to pay for them during this research period. With more eyes scattered around the institution, finding helpful information should take less time.


    John was a young boy who was soon to turn eighteen, and although he was poor, he had a well-groomedplexion that caught girls'' eyes. He was also intelligent, so he was able to make friends quickly.


    Meredith was also beautiful, but in a different way than most girls. Her sexy twenty-two-year-old body would certainly stand out from the other girls of the Academy, making her famous in the Academy quickly. She was also very shrewd, so she could pick up any rumor with her attentive ears and eyes.


    Although it seemed that everything would go fine, there was still one problem: due to the issues in the security of the City, thanks to theck of adventurers, the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles had returned to the boarding school format, as it was in the past. This meant that Luke only had a way tomunicate with Alexis and Ayumi through Koven, the S-ss summoning, at least for a while.


    Still looking at his callus-filled hand, Luke quieted down.


    ''You''ve worked hard toe this far, and it''s not time to stop yet. This isn''t the end yet...'' He spoke to himself.


    Then, he opened the door, and the two dozen teenagers immediately stopped talking. They all seemed to be no older than eighteen, and they also all appeared to be Middle or Upper ss because of their clothes.


    p "Good morning, ss." Luke spoke while walking over to the table in the center of the room. This one was a simple wooden table and afortable-looking armchair was apanying it.</anda>


    The students immediately stood up and roared, "Good afternoon, respectable teacher!"


    "Ow! You don''t need such formality." The half-wolf startled. "Well, for anyone who doesn''t know me, my name is Luke Lange and I will be your new Duel Teacher."


    All the students were surprised to hear his name; after all, they only knew the Champion of the Tournament of Legends as the ''Half-Wolf''.


    "Before you guys start your introductions for me to know you all better, does anyone have any questions?"


    For a few seconds, no one raised a hand, and they just looked at each other, until a bespectacled boy at the back of the room dared to ask:


    "Respectable Teacher... I mean... Mr. Lange, aren''t you too young to be teaching a course for us?" He didn''t seem to be being rude, but rather curious.


    Leaning against his wooden desk, Luke smiled, d that the question he had been waiting for was asked. To answer his student''s question, first the half-wolf asked another question.


    "Who here is an adventurers'' son?"


    Half of the teenagers in the ssroom raised their hands.


    "Okay..." Luke spoke as he nodded and suddenly pointed to a girl in the middle of the room, who was holding up her hand. "What''s your name?"


    "Helo¨¢."


    "Do you know at how old your father or mother first stepped into a Dungeon?"


    "From what they tell me, they both entered at eighteen."


    "The minimum age, right? And now... you there on the left, can you tell me how old your parents entered a Dungeon?"<sub> </sub>


    "Eighteen years as well."


    So, Luke looked again at the bespectacled student who asked for him, and this time, he questioned:


    "If people with eighteen years of age are old enough to have entered a Dungeon, why can''t people with twenty years of age be teachers?"


    He was just copying the example the vice-principal used, but this analogy had such an effect on him that he felt he should use it with his students.


    "I understand, Mr. Lange... I''m sorry for challenging you."


    "No, don''t apologize. You are in the Dueling course, so challenging is what you need to do. Whether it''s me, your ssmates, or yourselves." Luke''s speech finished with a closed smile.


    Everyone looked at Luke with even more admiration than when they didn''t meet him. To most, Luke was no longer just the half-beast who won the Tournament of Legends and became the powerful Duel Teacher at precisely that moment. Even those who didn''t like Luke initially wondered when they could start learning with him.


    From that point on, the ss went on naturally. Luke couldn''t take his students to the Academy''s dueling range yet, but he could soon exin the basics of dueling to his students.


    After knowing the names of all the teenagers present, he was impressed that there were only seven students from Noble Families in that ss; after all, the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles was originally founded to teach Nobles exclusively. But, with the poprization of Dungeons over thest few hundred years, the institution had practically be a preparatory school for high-level adventurers. Simply having the graduate badge was already something that guaranteed a ce in an intermediate n.


    Nevertheless, studying at the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles wasn''t cheap at all, since the monthly fee of one gold coin was a bit steep for ny-nine percent of the average family.


    For this reason, Luke also knew that most of his students had very powerful parents, who were probably sessful adventurers or famous businessmen, although they weren''t Nobles.


    So, more than just pleasing their sons, Luke also had to deal with the pressure from their parents to teach something consistent with the realities of the world. Luckily, Luke could read five of the ten textbooks, so he exined a lot already in the first lesson.


    When the ss was over, the students in that ss seemed satisfied and hungry for the next lesson in the Dueling ss, which would finally be the practical ss. The half-wolf managed to create a bond with each of them by memorizing their names.


    In the end, the half-wolf waspletely exhausted from talking for an hour, so he headed to the teacher''s office to rest for his next ss, which was in an hour.


    ''If I''m lucky, maybe I''ll meet Vinigo there...'' He cogitated and became more motivated, but still dragged himself up the walls. He had spent the whole night reading books.


    When he approached the corridor where the Professors'' room was, he heard whispering that made him brake for a second before he entered the corridor. Without hesitation, he used the <Invisible Trail> skill to keep quiet while getting closer.


    These whispers seemed to being from inside the teacher''s office, and the half-wolf soon noticed that it was some kind of gossip.


    "Did you hear that half-beast man started today?" A woman with a prickly voice inquired in an almost noxious tone.


    "Arrgh, don''t even remind me of that. Just imagining that I''ll have to share my spaces with a half-beast makes me shudder. I wonder if he really has the ability to teach here... Anyway, let''s change the topic, I don''t want to talk about this disgusting creature."


    Luke was about to enter the door of the teacher''s office, to scare the disgusting old teacher who was talking about him. Still, his instinct made him wait to hear some more of the conversation.


    "So, I know everyone ismenting on the ''Half-Wolf'', but have you heard that Teacher Vinigo is very sick? They say he hasn''t left his office in the underground of the Academy for days."

 Chapter 220 An Office, A Flask, And Many Books

    The basement of the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles was one of the busiest ces in the entire institution and one of the safest. While the external buildings usually had no more than one or two floors, the basement of the primary school building had five floors.


    Within this ample space were several rooms for different disciplines, such as Advanced Potion Manufacturing, Alchemy, Cadaveric Medicine, and, for some reason, Business Administration.


    After Luke snooped around the gossip of two female teachers talking about professor Vinigo, he discovered that the office of the respected Alchemy Professor was located on one of these five floors. There was a rumor that Vinigo was sick and hadn''t left his office for several days.


    The half-wolf was very surprised and happy to find clues so quickly without even looking for them.


    So, he went to the grand, snail-shaped staircase in the main building of the Academy, which connected all the floors, including the underground ones.


    It would be an immense amount of work to look for Professor Vinigo''s office, but Luke had fifty minutes until his next ss, so he thought he could at least check the first floor.


    However, this soon proved more challenging than he had expected.


    ''Why the hell is this floor so big?'' he thought, as he got lost on the first floor. For some reason, the only signs in the hallways were the numbering on the doors.


    The corridors in the basement were as beautiful as the corridors in the upper buildings. They had an intense illumination due to the blue crystals of luminosity ced every three meters, and the luxurious feel of the rest of the Academy still prevailed. Not even the doorknobs escaped the golden touch, being all golden and immacte looking.


    Besides being lost, Luke had to keep hiding from the students passing by because he thought it would be terrible if they found out that a teacher who teaches at the upper part of the school was snooping around the underground.


    After a few minutes, Luke finally found something at the end of the second floor. On arge double door, which was over three meters high and also quite broad, there was a sign with silver letters that said:


    [Office of the Alchemy Professor.]


    ''Finally, I found it!'' Luke mentally celebrated.


    Before opening the door, he looked at both sides of the hallway, and seeing that there was no one around, he pushed the door open.


    ''If you are doing anything wrong these days in here, you will be caught in the act now.''


    Truummm~


    The dragging on one side of the heavy door made a rubbing noise while Luke opened it.


    When it was finally fully opened, Luke found a warm, cozy hall. Arge firece was just in front of the door, whose mes were at medium sizes, although the firewood was almost gone. The walls were made of dark brick, but there were paintings, diplomas, and the skull of Goblorc, a mid-level Floor Boss, to try to disguise the age of the ce.


    In the center of the living room floor was a rug made of an old grizzly bear. Surrounding this rug were two couches and a table. On the sofa on his right, Luke saw a man lying down, covered by a thick wool nket.<sub> </sub>


    This man was startled by the sound of the door opening, so he lifted his back with the bit of strength he had, coughing a little.


    "Cof... Cof... Cof... Who''s there?" Vinigo asked in a weak, catty voice. He tried closing his eyes to get a better look, but still couldn''t recognize the person because of his blurred vision. "Namor? Is that you?"


    Luke was surprised that Vinigo was really sick, so he assumed a less threatening posture. He still could choose to take advantage of the fact that the professor was weak to be able to threaten him and get him to confess, but if he didn''t confess, would Luke kill him? Things were not so simple. Now, Luke had a name to cherish, and Ayumi''s name was directly involved.


    Then, he took a deep breath and began to lie:


    "Ann... excuse me for barging in, I''m a new Teacher, and I was exploring the basement. If I may ask, are you well? Are you sick?"


    "Ah, a new Teacher? Well, don''t worry about me... I just have a silly virus that has infected me and I should be like this for a few more days until my antibodies can eliminate it."


    Luke didn''t understand what Vinigo meant, but he understood that he shouldn''t stay there for long.


    Before he left, the half-wolf took a good look at the face of this professor, who was connected directly with the demons and the Chimeras. This certain Doctor Vinigo had a big, fat face disguised by his white beard and long hair, which looked like white woolen threads. The old man also had a very protuberant belly, drawing attention even under the nket. Luke was sure he would recognize him if he saw him in the school hallways or in the teachers'' lounge.


    "All right, get well for you. Sorry again for my intrusion." Luke spoke and took two steps back to pull the heavy door on.


    "Cof... Cof... Hold on a second, new guy. Can you get my medication that''s above my desk? I almost... Cof... can''t walk." Vinigo pointed to arge wooden table that was well away from the couch he was on.


    "Sure." Luke replied. In that second, he again pondered whether he should take advantage of the moment of weakness to do something, but decided again not to do that.


    The half-wolf walked over to the man''s table and realized that the man was taking advantage of this to try to recognize him, but his vision still seemed to be too blurred for that. As Luke approached the table, he found many books, which he was interested in at the moment, but being watched so closely, he didn''t risk touching them. Besides these books was a rounded sk made of ss. Inside this sk was a green liquid, which didn''t look anything like a healing potion.


    Luke took the bottle and handed it to Vinigo. When the Doctor opened this sk, a strong smell of herbs reached Luke''s nostrils. This smell was like the smell of earth after rain, but it also had a delicate touch of flower fragrance.


    "Pwaaah!" Vinigo eximed after drinking some of this unusual liquid. "Thank you very much, young man... I won''t forget that favor. What is your name?"


    Luke looked at him and replied:


    "Luke Lange. I''m the new Dueling Professor."


    At that moment, Professor Vinigo slowly turned to look the half-wolf in the face. At the same time, Luke heard with his keen hearing Vinigo''s heartbeat increased more and more.

 Chapter 221 Fist Of The Calid Sun

    After taking medicine, Vinigo''s symptoms gradually subsided. His sense of smell returned as soon as he smelled the strong odoring from the bottle of green liquid, his sense of taste returned with the distinctive taste of the liquid, and his vision returned as soon as the medicine reached his digestive system.


    For this reason, after he heard Luke say his name, he turned to Luke and looked him in the eye. The half-wolf heard the old man''s heartbeat speed up as he turned to look at Luke, but when Vinigo finally looked at him, the old man''s heart calmed down.


    "Oh! You''re the half-beast who won the Tournament of Legends a few months ago! Are you a Lange? That reminded me of a woman with a Lange surname that I once met. For a moment I thought you might be her son or something, but it''s impossible. She wasn''t a half-beast."


    "Ann... I''m d you recognized me. Sorry, I asked this... but who are you?" Luke had to lie. Although it didn''t look like Vinigo recognized him as an enemy of the demons, Luke still didn''t want it to look like he walked into that office intentionally.


    "Cof... Cof... I apologize for not introducing myself. My name is Vinigo, I''m the Professor of Alchemy, a select subject."


    Luke arched his eyebrows, faking surprise. "Oh? Alchemy? I''ve always had quite an interest in that subject. I wonder if I could stop by your room sometime to observe one of your sses?"


    "Another teacher watching my ss? Hahaha! I don''t think so! Coff..."


    Rejected by Professor Vinigo, Luke said his goodbyes and left the office with a sour taste in his mouth, feeling as if that wasn''t his expected answer. He thought he was approaching the old man correctly, but the old man''sst sentence destroyed that expectation.


    However, the Doctor''s ignorance made the half-wolf reconsider the idea of taking advantage of his moment of weakness, and he did something in the end. Since Bastet had learned a new technique a few weeks ago of literally hiding in the shadows, Luke trained him to hide in people''s shadows, and in this way, he ordered Bastet to hide in Vinigo''s shadow, who didn''t even notice him.


    ording to the tests Luke did inside the < Eye of Horus>, the Summoning could stay hidden in someone''s shadows for up to a week, ording to the tests Luke did inside the <Eye of Horus>. The real problem was that Bastet was still just a cub, and could get into some trouble with Luke away. Still, the half-wolf wasn''t worried, because Summonings can''t be killed. When Summonings are destroyed, as Luke did with Namor''s wolves, they simply return to their bearer and return after some time.


    ording to Alexis, a unique chill can be felt when a Summoning is destroyed, followed by a warning message in mind.


    *


    "Ahh¡­" Luke expressed as he finally reached his room in the dormitory after another long day.


    Since the Oukiwa Noble Academy was now in boarding school format, even the half-wolf who was a teacher needed toply with security protocols. Thus, when his working hours were over, Luke would go to his room to study.


    On this particr day, when Luke arrived at his room, it was already over six o''clock in the afternoon. Spring was finally beginning to show itself after a long winter, and the scarlet sunset appeared again on that afternoon.


    "Has it been more than three days since Bastet has been in the Doctor''s shadows?" He wondered while watching the sunset from his window. Some days went by so fast that Luke didn''t even notice.


    Now that he had finished reading all the textbooks that Namor had lent him, he was reading them all once again. His textprehension wasn''t perfect yet, so there were passages in some of the books that he couldn''t understand very well.


    Even with all the current problems, Luke was always focused while he was reading these books, especially his favorite one. This book that was his favorite was called ''Lost Martial Arts of the Skoll Continent'', and in almost a hundred pages, the book chronicled some techniques that were used by the ancient warriors who lived on the Skoll Continent, in a time so far away that even Genes Skills weren''t used yet.


    For most people, this could be just another historical book or, for stricter readers, a folklore book. However, for the half-wolf, this was a very interesting book precisely because, in a specific chapter, a martial art called ''Fist of the Calid Sun'' was mentioned in the form of a short bedtime story.<sub> </sub>


    [Story: A boy and the Sun.


    In a vige far away from the ocean lived a boy with hair as white as the moon and eyes as ck as the bottom of the sea.


    His greatest dream was to see the sun one time, but his whole vige loved the moon, so this was impossible.


    Even though he knew it was impossible to find the sun, the boy dreamed every day of a bright sphere hovering over the sky and illuminating even the darkest corners of the world, banishing all the evil that hid there and curing the sick.


    As the years passed, this vision began to appear less frequently. Sometimes the boy, who was now almost a man, still dreamed that vision of the fireball. But one day, that dreams ceased, and the man forgot his most genuine dream.


    Once the man became a father, this was the happiest day of his life, because seeing his son''s little eyes made him feelplete like never before. He could sacrifice anything in his life to protect those little hands.


    A few days after his birth, the man''s son became very sick, weak even to eat. The man went into despair, because the vige healers said they couldn''t do anything to help him, and that the best he could do for his son was to dedicate the soul of the poor child to the moon.


    For a father, it was impossible to ept the death of his only and first son.


    While the man was walking through the vige, he found the drawing of a sphere with small wavy lines around it carved into a stone. His old dream of meeting the sun came back at that moment like an avnche, a shock of reality. He wondered how he could forget something so important.


    In his dreams, the sun chased away evil and cured sickness. With faith that the sun would help his son, the man broke the taboo of his vige and began to try to drill through the walls of that cave to get out.


    Soon, the men of the vige had to hide their picks, hoes, shovels, and everything else he could use to try to break through the rocks that he believed separated them from the sun. However, even without tools, nothing could stop the man''s determination to save his son, and he began to use his fists to break the rocks.


    His hands became huge in the first few days, the wounds that opened up found no time to heal, and his fists slowly became warm. In a short time, the tips of his fingers were so sharp that they cut through rocks as if they were simple leaves from some tree, and thus was created the ''Fist of the Calid Sun'', a technique capable of cutting through even the moonshine bindings.


    The vige people begged the man not to get them out of the moon, but the man didn''t care. He only thought about trying to save his son.


    When the sun''s rays finally reached the vige, half of the vigers died, but the man''s son practically came back from the death hug to the arms of his father and mother].


    To anyone, this was a tale-telling of how willpower in a martial art can take a practitioner to levels that he may himself be unaware of, and other lessons too. However, to Luke, these things didn''t matter because the only thing he was interested in was how simr this legendary technique was to the technique he had learned from Yoelona about how to make his fingers sharp.


    ''Could it be that if I train my fists even more, I could reach that level?'' he wondered.


    Immersed in his thoughts, Luke was startled when he heard someone knock on his door and Nathalia''s voice soon after.


    "Luke, are you still awake? Can we talk? I have... a doubt in an arithmetic lesson."

 Chapter 224 Licht

    When Meredith entered the administration office, she noticed that there had almost nobody there. At a few desks at the back of the First Floor, a few administrators were already working at their desks, but most of the employees hadn''t arrived yet.


    Since the half-fox remembered where the vice principal''s office was, because she and John walked by there a week before to make their registrations, she walked naturally to it. The people in the office saw someone stepping with such confidence in the background that their minds didn''t even notice that it was a student.


    Arriving at the door of Namor''s office, she used the master key, which she stole from the guard, to unlock the door. When the iron lock clicked, she turned the knob and walked naturally into the man''s office.


    Lucky for Meredith, she didn''t have to search hurriedly for the teachers'' schedules because on the board behind the door was a long list showing the schedules of all the teachers'' sses.


    ''Since the door was closed when I came here, I couldn''t see that.'' She deduced while copying all of Professor Vinigo''s schedules, and for some reason, Luke''s too, onto a sheet of paper with a pencil.


    The ss schedules weren''t top-secret information; thus, they weren''t confined in an obsidian vault.


    Many times per day, Namor needed to talk with teachers, then he was consequently required to go to their rooms, so he left the ss schedules of all of them within reach of his eyes.


    ''Right! Now I need to show this to Luke... But what if I go myself?''


    Suddenly, the half-fox''s n changed because she noticed that Professor Vinigo would have to teach three sses in a row that morning, which meant that he would be three hours away from his office.


    ''I have enough time to find the office, look for information, and leave! All very easy!'' she thought while smiling. Meredith could almost see Luke''s proud smile, congratting her many times.


    For some time now, Meredith had felt like she was being useless to the half-wolfpared to the other women. Moreover, even after months of meeting Luke again, she felt guilty for leaving him behind and running away, so she thought this might be the perfect opportunity to redeem herself.


    Then, Meredith left Namor''s office without much thought, so that fear wouldn''t overwhelm her. After leaving the office, the guard was confused because the vice director hadn''t arrived yet, and she clearly wanted to talk to him.


    The half-fox pped him on the back and eximed:


    "I can''t keep waiting for him all day! I''m going to my ss!" Meredith nodded, as she walked away.


    The guard was unresponsive because of the weak p, and after he heard his keys fall on the floor, he was back to normal. Naturally, he crouched down to pick them up, deducing that the woman''s p had caused them to fall from his belt.


    As Luke revealed where he found the Alchemy Professor''s office on the second floor, Meredith went down into the basement of the Academy.


    The people she passed by didn''t recognize her, but they didn''t dare question her either because Meredith was beautiful and had a sympathetic look, despite being a half-beast, which attracted a harsher look from some people.


    Before she started looking for Vinigo''s office, the half-fox chose to go to his ssroom.<sub> </sub>


    ''Room 528... Room 529... Room 530! Finally!'' She mentally celebrated when she finally found the room numbering she was looking for.


    To her misfortune, the wooden door to the ssroom was closed, and hardly any sound of the voice wasing from inside. There was no way for her to know whether Vinigo was in or not.


    Still, she didn''t turn around and returned to the surface. Meredith covered her lower ears, which were hidden by her long hair, and focused her hearing on her surroundings. Now, Meredith''s fox ears could detect the smallest vibrations within fifty meters.


    Although she couldn''t keep her focus on her hearing for more than twenty seconds, that was long enough for her to notice that there was no one roaming the nearby hallways and that no sses were happening in several of the rooms around the Alchemy ssroom.


    ''Well... now I can peek through the lock without fear of being caught by someone.'' She thought and put her left eye to look through the wooden door lock.


    When she looked inside the room, she noticed a bearded and fat man sitting at the teacher''s desk. He was writing something with ck ink and paper on a parchment. This man had gray hair and a weak expression, as if he was a bit ill.


    ''Apparently, he hasn''t fully recovered yet from when he was sick...'' Meredith deduced that man was Vinigo; after all, he was seated at the professor''s desk. ''Anyway, if he really is here now, I can look for his office without any problems.''


    So, the half-fox left that area and started looking for the old man''s office door.


    She regretted that she didn''t have a piece of Vinigo''s clothing to be able to do reverse tracking and follow his scent to the office. However, she also thought that she wouldn''t like to have the odor of an old man impregnated in her nose for a few days.


    Still, after fifty minutes of relentless searching, she finally found arge door whose attached que dered it was the office of the Alchemy Professor.


    Before daring to open the door, Meredith swallowed some saliva, because what she was about to do was one of the riskiest things she had ever done alone in her entire life.


    Infiltrating the Oukiwa Noble Academy, invading the Vice Principal''s office, and also invading a Professor''s office? I must be crazy...'' She thought while opening the heavy door.


    Meredith had to exert quite a bit of force to open the heavy door, but she managed. She found apletely dark environment, and a strong smell of dust that hung over the entire room.


    "<Licht>." Meredith muttered to herself, with her right palm pointed forward.


    From that palm, dozens of one-centimeter spheres of light spewed out and hovered over the room, illuminating it as much as thousands of fireflies gathered together.


    This was a Normal Gene Skill that Luke had been gifted four months ago, on the half-fox''s birthday.


    ''Now it''s time to start the search.'' She thought.

 Chapter 225 The Diary Of A Researcher

    When Professor Vinigo''s entire office was lit up, Meredith finally could see the details of the room. The furnishings looked expensive, but not as expensive as those in Ayumi Yamazaki''s house, so the half-fox wasn''t impressed.


    In the center of the room was an borate rug made of a bear''s skin, which Meredith avoided stepping on as she approached the professor''s desk.


    There were more than a dozen books, parchments, and scattered sheets of paper on the table. However, what really caught the woman''s attention was a ss sk with a green liquid inside. She gently touched the jar with her index finger, and the liquid didn''t even waver.


    ''It seems that whatever that was meant to be, it''s been ruined for some time now.'' She deduced and turned away.


    This time she decided to direct her attention to the papers on the table, which might contain information or letters that would give away some connection to the Smakusa.


    During the trip, everyone in the gang talked a lot about various possible ns, this one involving Doctor Vinigo was always the one with the most gaps. They didn''t know what kind of person Vinigo was, much less his rtionship with the demons and, at the same time, with the Smakusa. They only knew that there was a connection between these people.


    In addition, in the letter written by Marie, there was also another name, Arzen, which no one knew who it was. This could be a title, a codename, or even ast name, so Luke, Meredith, Nathalia, and John forgot about this for now and focused on Vinigo.


    After ten minutes of searching, Meredith was already tired from keeping the <Licht> ability active. Still, she persisted for another ten minutes.


    This was the time necessary for her to find the old man''s personal diary and read it a bit.


    At first, she found Vinigo''s act of writing in a diary somewhat corny, but she soon discovered the written details tantalizing. There were so many putrid details about the professor''s life that Meredith almost vomited as she read a few different lines from the first few pages. Vinigo was an avid ve buyer, torturer of animals and humans, and also a sadistic man of the worst kind.


    In his diary, Vinigo described gic testing sessions that basically involved what Alexis defined as a chimera, only with humans instead of animals in some tests. The old man tried mixing monster spoils with enved people he bought, which never worked well, but he still kept trying.


    ording to what was written in the diary, every month Vinigo personally went to buy his ves in the East Port of Oukiwa, which wasmanded and protected by the Smakusa.


    This diary would not only get the Alchemy Professor expelled from the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles, but also get him arrested and then executed.


    Reading those things, Meredith thought:


    ''If these nobles are covering this up, this could be our chance to finally catch the Smakusa in the act at one of these ve sales!'' She closed the diary and tucked it under her right arm. ''I have no reason to stay here anymore.''


    Meredith deactivated <Licht> and turned to walk to the door.


    However, when she looked at the door, she saw a fat hand opening it, and the heavy door opened so fast that she didn''t even have time to hide. The half-fox was so focused on her mission that she forgot to pay attention to the hallway.


    The bluish lighting from outside the office projected Vinigo''s shadow onto the woman''s face, and she was very frightened to see him. After all, Meredith was the only one in the entire Academy who knew the Alchemy Professor''s authentic self.


    He looked with a confused expression at the half-beast as he encountered her in his living room, then asked in a tense and threatening voice:


    "Who are you? And what are you doing inside my office?"<sub> </sub>


    Meredith took a step back, shuddering. "My name is Meredith, I''m in first grade. I''m interested in learning Alchemy, so I asked some of my 2nd year friends, and they told me that I could ask you to be my tutor." She replied, without shaking her voice, even though the disgust she was feeling just from having to maintain eye contact with the teacher.


    Vinigo looked the girl up and down, observing both her pointed and delicate upper ears and her bulky tail.


    At that moment, he smiled at Meredith. "I understand that you might be eager to learn Alchemy, but I can''t be your official tutor. If you really want to learn,e to my room after ss today, and I''ll teach you a few things, but you can''t tell anyone."


    The woman had to fake an expression of surprise and happiness. "I will certainlye, respectable teacher!"


    "In that case, go to your ss. Also, don''t go into the ces anymore without permission; if you knock and no one answers, wait at the door." He scolded her, because he felt she might be suspicious that he had epted her so readily.


    "Yes, respectable professor. I will not do that ever again. Thank you for the lesson!" She said, as she walked to the exit.


    Doctor Vinigo looked at her and smiled, while thinking about which execrable exam he would test on the half-fox. More than two years ago, he had given up using Academy students in exams, but half-beasts were so rare that he couldn''t let an opportunity like that pass him away.


    Nevertheless, just as Meredith was about to walk out the office door, Vinigo saw something under one arm of hers. "Hey, wait! What''s that you''re carrying?"


    She looked back, ready to lie that she was carrying was just a Basic Potions Confections book, but she saw that the professor was wearing a totally different expression and approaching in stride. Meredith knew that if he saw the diary''s cover, he would recognize it. For that reason, she immediately started to run.


    As soon as Vinigo realized that the half-fox would start running, he pulled his wand from his belt and pointed it at the door. A single and small magic circle was formed from the tip of his wand. From within that magic circle, an intense wind gust came out and closed the door to the professor''s office before Meredith had a chance to escape.


    TUMM~


    The entire room wentpletely dark, and at that moment, the ne around the man''s neck glowed in a dark green light, revealing the macabre smile that appeared on Vinigo''s face.


    Turning to him, Meredith began to walk backward, frightened, and only stopped when her back touched the massive door.


    Only she knew what Vinigo did to his dozens of victims. Muttion, dismemberment, torture, trepanning, and hundreds of other surgeries. She feared she would meet a simr end.


    Still, she didn''t back down or stay submissive. Determined to stay alive, she threw the diary toward Vinigo''s face, which was easily deflected.


    "I will not be another victim of yours!" she eximed.


    "Calm down, calm down... I can make you stronger than you could ever be... I will just help you, but with a small price." Vinigo stated sadistically. "What I seek is not to torture my ves as you have read, but to test them to create a new type of human, an improved, stronger, more powerful type.... Now, I''m going to get you some sleep." He said and pointed his wand at Meredith. At the tip of his wand, a small magic circle appeared again.


    However, Meredith wasn''tpletely alone in that room with Vinigo. A cat with ck hair jumped out and stepped in front of the half-fox out of the shadows.


    Initially, Vinigo was surprised to see Bastet, but he sneered upon seeing the cat''s size. "Owwnt! You have an invocation that is a kitten!"

 Chapter 226 Versatility Of Spells

    Initially, Vinigo was surprised to see Bastet, but upon seeing the cat''s size, he debauched. "Owwnt! You have an invocation that is a kitten!"


    The teacher didn''t hold back and immediately used his magic wand, so that the invocation didn''t have time to react. A ball of green mes was expelled from a magic circle and flew towards the feline. At that moment, a sudden explosion of smoke happened around the Summoning before the fireball hit him. When the magic hit, the entire room shook, and the wind generated by the collision dispersed the smoke even faster.


    When Vinigo opened his eyes, he was surprised. The fluffy kitten he had mocked, had now the size of two lions and his fur seemed to bepletely made of metal fibers, like armor.


    "Hey, Hey! What the fuck is that?!" He asked, stepping back and breaking into a cold sweat. He had never seen or heard of a Summoning that could transform.


    ROAAAAAAAARRR~


    Bastet roared so loudly that pieces of the office ceiling began to shatter, and the crash reverberated for hundreds of meters through the underground floors.


    At this time, Meredith was also startled by Bastet''s transformation. This was the first time she saw him in this form, because every time Luke went to train Bastet, they never stayed in the areas near the gang''s camp.


    Still, she touched Bastet''s back with confidence and said to Vinigo:


    "You will not defeat us so easily!"


    Inside that office, now looking small because of Bastet''s size, the half-wolf Summoning and Meredith began to fight together to try to defeat Vinigo.


    With his magic wand, the Alchemy teacher had extremely adaptable power. He could throw fireballs, stone stakes, tree roots, and even mud with more ease than was ever possible, oozing power and versatility.


    Bastet jumped back and forth across the office a few times and managed to wound Vinigo with three scratches, but the man was also very sturdy and kept his ground.


    At one point, the feline attacked again from the right, and when the professor tried to pin him down with tree roots sticking out of the ground, he became intangible and avoided getting stuck.


    "What an annoying invocation..." Vinigo muttered, panting. Soon, he jumped back, avoiding another cut to his belly.


    On reflex, the old man used the first magic he could think of and knocked Bastet back with a strong gust of wind. Afterward, the old manbined his magic attack with a Gene Skill and shouted:


    "<me thrower>!"


    At that instant, Meredith saw the professor''s throat begin to glow, and then a massive amount of mes started to spew out of his mouth.


    Bastet''s glowing red eyesnded on the frightened eyes of the half-fox, who was standing in the direction of the fire. As ordered earlier by Luke, Bastet spared no effort to help Meredith and jumped in front of the fire. In the start, he bravely resisted the high temperatures; however, seconds passed, and the temperature only got even higher.


    When the mes finally ceased, Bastet almost fell to the ground, powerless, but he resisted and stood, only to explode into golden particles soon after.


    "NOOOOO!" Meredith screamed, desperate. "YOU BASTARD!" Meredith looked at Vinigo with the purest hatred while she stood up.


    He looked at her, sweating heavily, and smiled sadistically.


    Immediately, he approached her, and when the half-fox tried to punch him from below, he pointed his wand against her head, and another gust of wind was expelled, throwing her against the wall.<sub> </sub>


    *


    Meanwhile, Luke was in the middle of a practice ss on the Academy''s dueling grounds.


    This was his second ss of the day, and he was still getting to know the capabilities of most of his students.


    In this short time as a teacher, the half-wolf had met several very talented students, but he didn''t let them use their Genes Skills because it might get in the way of his analysis.


    His goal wasn''t just to find a few talented students ording to his concept of talent, but to find the talents of all his students, no matter what their area of proficiency was. This wasn''t exactly his job, but it was still his goal as the good teacher he aspired to be, at least while he was working in this area.


    While watching two girls duel to determine who had a better aptitude for physical strength, a shiver ran down his spine, and immediately he heard a message resound in his mind.


    [Your Summoning The Ether Dominator has been defeated...]


    ''What!?'' Luke''s eyes widened, and all sounds seemed to fade into the background, enhancing the delicate voice in his mind.


    [... His soul should return between three days to up to a week to you. Stand by].


    At that time, the half-wolf brought his right hand up to his eyes and tried reasoning.


    ''He discovered Bastet after three days? No, that can''t be right. Even Alexis said she couldn''t identify it, how a teacher would be able to? So, Bastet went out and fought with him for some reason?'' He wondered, but knew he wouldn''t bepletely sure until he saw Doctor Vinigo.


    "Professor Lange, are you well? Your eyes look a little tired." Reyna, a student of Luke''s who was only sixteen, questioned him.


    This brought him back to reality and out of his thoughts. He looked at the light brown-haired girl and had an idea.


    "Reyna, you are part of the student council, right? I''m going to delegate a task to you. Take everyone back to the ssroom, and wait there. If I''m not back by the end of ss, you can go to the next ss."


    "Okay, teacher. I can do that. But did something happen?" The girl could notice with extreme ease that Luke''s gaze was different.


    He touched her shoulder, and chose not to answer her instead of lying. "I''m depending on you, Reyna!" He said, and started running at a speed that surprised everyone.


    A boost from the half-wolf could shift the wind and scatter some of the sand from the training ground.


    "Hey, Reyna! Why did the teacher just run off so fast? Did something happen?" The ss representative asked, representing the questioning of the other youngsters.


    "He just said that we should go back to the ssroom and that he might not return in time to continue the ss!" She replied, putting her hands around her mouth so that her voice would propagate more easily across the dirt field.


    The half-wolf students didn''t like that the practical ss was over in less than twenty minutes, and they left grumbling. This wasn''t the first ss they had with the new Duel Teacher, so some people tolerated it because they knew Luke was giving it his best effort. And even the ones who grumbled, knew that something urgent had happened for Luke to have left in such a hurry.

 Chapter 227 A Teachers Duty

    The first thing Luke did when he left the training camp was to go to the management to search for Vinigo. The speed of movement of the half-wolf''s running caused such loud noises that it caught the guards'' attention.


    "Hey, wait a moment! Why are you running so hard?!" The guard in front of the management tried to stop him.


    However, Luke was in a hurry, so he just ran past him at a speed that sent shivers down the guard''s spine. This man was a ss-C adventurer, so he was startled that he couldn''t even see how the half-wolf got past him.


    Once Luke entered the management office, he noticed that it was very quiet.


    The head secretary''s shift had already started, and she was at the reception desk. She was surprised to see Luke because it was rare to see him appear in the administrative building.


    "Hello, sir¡ª"


    "Is Professor Vinigo here?!" He asked, ted, without letting her say much. He didn''t have any more time to waste; after all, the old man might want to run away when he realized he was being watched by Bastet.


    "No, he''s not here¡ª" she was answering him, but Luke was gone in a blink of an eye before she could finish.


    Soon after, the half-wolf went to the main building of the Academy to look for Vinigo in the teachers'' lounge. He knew the chances were low of finding him in ces he never saw him visit, but Luke needed to make sure beforehand so there wouldn''t be a mismatch.


    Thus, when Luke entered the teachers'' lounge, he didn''t find who he was looking for either, but two old teachers who loved to pass the time by gossiping in that small room. He immediately left the room, not caring about the women''s presence.


    Tum! He mmed the teacher''s lounge door hard.


    "What was that!?" The two old women wondered almost immediately.


    While running to the stairs of the main building, Luke spoke to himself:


    "Now, there are only two ces where he can be."


    Since the professor''s office and ssroom were in the basement, more precisely on the second floor of the subterranean floors, he jumped down the stairs like an acrobat kitten.


    People who knew the half-wolf and saw him dashing wondered what had happened. Could one of his students have been injured during a practical lesson? Or was he just itching to go to the bathroom and couldn''t find it?


    Luke didn''t mind the stares and kept running as fast as possible. Since he didn''t know where to find the Alchemy Room, he simply left it as thest option if he couldn''t find Vinigo in his office.


    However, when he reached the second floor, he was surprised. Many students were outside the rooms, so he had to slow down.


    While he was walking and had to ask permission to cross, he overheard some side conversations that were taking ce.


    "Did you guys hear that noise just now?"


    "Yes, everyone heard it!"


    "I wonder where the loud bang came from!?"


    "I was wondering the same thing..."<sub> </sub>


    "It sounded like a roar, then it was several explosions."


    "I''m afraid. I don''t like underground ces like that."


    "And your dream is still to be an Adventurer? You''ll need to get into even tighter Dungeons, asshole!"


    "Maybe it was something upstairs that broke?"


    Everyone seemed confused by some kind of sound that resonated throughout the floor.


    In Luke''s mind, the possibility that the noises the teenagers heard were caused by Vinigo''s eventual fight against Bastet wasn''t at all far from reality.


    Bastet was a powerful summoning that, ording to his owner''s expectations, was at least on the same level as Luke without the Sea Ornament or the Legendary Skill <Eye of Horus>. Therefore his blows could cause quite a bit of noise, even more if he was fighting so seriously to the point of being destroyed.


    "Calm down, people!" Luke held up his hands and got everyone''s attention in a long hallway. "Ann... We are investigating what may have caused the noise. For now, everyone can go outside. All sses in the underground have been suspended!"


    When the teenagers saw Luke''s fuzzy ears and his face, they immediately identified who he was. Even though they had been at the Academy for almost a week, the rumor about the Tournament of Legends Champion bing the Duel Teacher had spread like the flow of a violent river. For this reason, everyone obeyed Luke''s request and began to evacuate the second floor, also warning everyone in the other hallways of the half-wolf''s announcement.


    At one moment, a teacher who appeared to be between thirty and forty years old approached.


    "Hey, but what does this mean? You''re a rookie; you don''t have the authority to suspend sses!" He stated, poking the half-wolf''s chest.


    Luke looked at him angrily, but controlled himself, "It''s not a matter of authority; it''s a matter of priority. I prioritize the safety of the students, and you? Would you rather leave them in a danger zone than miss a ss of yours? Stop navel-gazing and move your ass. Warn the teachers on the other floors and guide the students out of here together."


    This Math teacher was so startled by Luke''s aura that when the half-wolf turned his back, he still tried to say something, but his throat locked.


    As the corridors were emptying, Luke quickly reached the end of the second floor, where the Alchemy Professor''s office was located.


    When Luke approached his objective, he smelled a familiar smell in the room, and it startled him.


    ''Wait... is that Meredith''s smell? And it''s recent... What was she doing here? She''s only a 1st year; she shouldn''t be taking any sses in the underground...'' He thought.


    He remembered telling John and Meredith the location of Vinigo''s office, but he never imagined that either of them would make such a risky move without warning him.


    Suddenly an absurd idea shed through his mind.


    ''Could it be that Meredith entered Vinigo''s room while he was here, and he tried to attack her for some reason?! That would exin why Bastet acted prematurely!''


    This hypothesis was so horrifying that he doubted it could be real. However, as Luke got closer, the more pungent the smell of the half-fox began to grow. Furthermore, he noticed that there was much more dust on the ground than usual, which were clear signs that the tremors and rumblings came from that region.


    So, Luke stopped in front of the huge door of the Alchemy Professor''s office and asked any God that Meredith would be safe, because he couldn''t imagine what an ally of the demons who studied Chimeras could be capable of.

 Chapter 228 Defense

    When Luke opened the door to Professor Vinigo''s office, the first thing he found was a dark environment, to which his eyes slowly became ustomed. After that, he could see that the cozy office he saw before was now partially dark, illuminated only by the glowing through the door.


    There were books and pages of parchments scattered on the floor, and the couches were overturned.


    ''What happened here?'' He wondered as he took slow steps into the room. ''Meredith''s smell is getting even stronger... damn.''


    At that moment, Luke wasn''t caring about anything other than his friend, so he ignored all the items in the room and continued to follow the smell of the half-fox.


    In the middle of the room, Meredith and Vinigo''s scents mingled, and a vivid scent of blood emerged. This only made Luke even more apprehensive.


    The half-wolf followed the scent to the empty firece, whose ashes from thest burned wood still littered the surrounding stone floor. The strong smell of the ashes confused Luke''s olfaction for a second; however, he soon managed to find the smell of blood again, which seemed toe from the wall on the right of the firece.


    ''Somehow, their scent stops here.'' Luke deduced while touching the stone wall. ''How is that possible? Shouldn''t there be a door here?''


    The half-wolf had never seen anything like that before. People''s smells almost always led to them or some property of theirs, but never led to an empty wall.


    Even though he was confused, Luke put one of his wolf ears against the wall and tapped it twice with his right hand.


    Tunc~ Tunc~


    ''Oh! This is hollow!'' Surprised, he recognized the feature by the indigent sound. ''Right, I can''t dy too long. I just have to break it, right?''


    So, Luke tried to punch exactly the part of the wall he felt was hollow.


    He raised his right fist, and punched the wall, in a move so clean that it would make any professional tavern fighter very jealous.


    When this punch hit the wall, a thud could be heard from all the nearby hallways, and whoever heard it could swear that the floor was about to copse, because dust began to fall from the ceiling. Meanwhile, in Vinigo''s office, the wall that Luke had hit was still intact.


    bbergasted, the half-wolf was astounded at how a hollow wall could endure such force.


    ''How is that possible?'' he wondered, and his keen eyes found an answer in a faint glow that appeared on the wall after the impact.


    Luke punched the wall once more, even harder this time to test whether what he was seeing was real.


    This time again, his blow was useless and only spread the scrolls further on the floor because of the windstorm caused by his movement.


    At that moment, the faint glow on the wall became a little more intense and took on a circr outline that wrapped around ? of the office.


    The half-wolf had never seen anything like it, so he punched again.


    This time the glowing circle took on runes, which made obvious what it really was even to someone with as little education as Luke.


    ''Is that a magic circle? But there is no one here... How is it active?'' To Luke, this should be impossible. After all, how could someone be using something magical without being present?<sub> </sub>


    Even though Luke didn''t understand what was going on, he punched the magic circle at least another dozen times. After the phase where the runes appeared, the magic circle didn''t evolve any further, which made everything even more confusing for the half-wolf, who was losing patience.


    He had been in the office for a few minutes and hadn''t found anything, plus his fists were starting to hurt.


    ''I think the solution to getting over that wall isn''t about strength.''


    Then, after lighting themp on the old man''s desk, Luke began to rummage through every corner of the office, especially those with Vinigo''s strongest scent.


    The couches and the desk were the two ces where Vinigo apparently stayed the most frequently, and they were also the messiest ces. The half-wolf thought it unlikely that the professor would hide something on the sofa, so he focused on the table.


    After sitting down in the armchair Vinigo usually sat in, he saw himself in an environment so messy that it was almost agonizing.


    There was dried ink tumbled over student exam papers and books and more books that could probably be sold for a few hundred silver coins. But Luke was so focused on searching for important clues that he didn''t even think about the money.


    The thing with Vinigo''s most intense smell was the bottle of green medicine on his desk, which Luke had passed on to him when the old man was very ill. Now, the bottle''s liquid looked different from when Luke had first seen it.


    From the first time, that almost transparent liquid was now between a solid and gtinous state, something Luke had never seen before. Without much thought, Luke took this and put it in his inventory, because he was very curious about what it actually was, and maybe he would have a chance to ask someone.


    After this, he continued his search, and after another minute of looking, the half-wolf noticed that there was something under the table. He pushed the armchair aside and crouched down to take a closer look.


    He found a very small lever, which was secretly hidden in the deep part of the table. Luke felt that he wouldn''t have even noticed this if he hadn''t been looking for something strange.


    When Luke pulled the lever, a dragging noise could be heard. He looked at the hollow wall and saw the magic circle fading away. Subsequently, the wall on the right of the firece began to rise.


    The half-wolf walked to the front of the wall and saw that the passage led to a deep, uneven-looking staircase.


    ''I was thinking I''d have to sing a song, decipher a riddle, or recite a curse to get through, but good thing it was just a lever.'' He thought, relieved that he was finally able to open the wall.


    So, Luke activated his <Invisible Trail> ability and started down the staircase as fast as possible. Halfway down, he encountered three wooden doors, but as Meredith''s scent continued to waft down, he didn''t care about these doors and continued down too.


    Suddenly, Luke saw a bright green lighting from what also appeared to be the end of the staircase.


    Silently, Luke moved closer to the light, but then he heard Professor Vinigo''s voice say:


    "Whoever is there,e out now, or I will kill that girl!"


    The half-wolf was surprised that the old man could detect him, but he didn''t hesitate and obeyed his order.


    When Luke appeared in the light, he looked forward, and his vision ignored everything around, focusing only on the sight of Professor Vinigo holding Meredith by the hair and pointing a sharp scalpel at her neck.

 Chapter 230 The Versatility Of Magic Runes

    When Vinigo shot a huge amount of me from his own mouth, Luke reacted in the only way that could save him and Meredith. He used <Vind> to its maximum to disperse the fire just as he had done when he fought Marie, on the asion when he dispersed the demon''s sound attack.


    The moment Meredith gathered the courage to open her eyes, she saw the fire approaching them, but Luke''s hand somehow prevented it. Then, she remembered the Gene Skill that Luke used to extinguish fires sometimes, but at this particr moment, it was hundreds of times stronger than she was used to.


    She looked at Luke and saw calmness in his eyes, not like usual, but a deeper look, as if he already knew he could contain Vinigo''s attack.


    During those seconds that Meredith stared at the half-wolf so closely, she finally noticed how powerful he was.


    Then, when the mes ceased, and Vinigo took a second to breathe, Luke deactivated the wind ability, and in one swift impulse, he tried to grab Vinigo by the cor.


    The old man realized this, and before Luke could get close enough to grab him, Vinigo used his wand, and a shield quickly appeared in front of his face, preventing the grab. However, Luke''s quick thrusts always have more than one alternative attack. Since the half-wolf already anticipated that the Doctor knew how to use some kind of shield magic, when he saw this assumptione true, he simply closed the fingers of his hand and punched the old man in the stomach, throwing him away.


    Vinigo bounced three times on the cer floor of the dungeon until he finally hit one of the columns supporting the ce. He tried to get up, but he was still down to one arm, so he had difficulty.


    "If you want, I''ll give you a hand getting up. I know at that age it must be tricky to deal with back pain." Luke mocked him as he approached.


    Vinigo looked at the half-wolf very angrily, then looked at his own right arm. Suddenly, that arm started shaking, and then Luke saw one of the most disgusting things in his entire life.


    Taschh!


    The right arm that Luke had cut off, regenerated itself from nothing. There wasn''t the blue fabric of the cloak that the Alchemy Professor was wearing, but all the bones, fingers, hair, and even nails were there.


    At that moment, the half-wolf stopped walking, raised his guard, and asked:


    "Wait a second. Are you a demon?"


    Upon hearing this question, Vinigo was also surprised and almost smiled wryly, expelling some air as he stood up. "And do you even know what demons really are?"


    "Just answer my question. If you are, know that it won''t be the first time I''ve gone to kill a demon, and certainly not thest."


    Luke''s statement startled the fat old man. "No, I''m not a demon. If you''re asking because of my regeneration, I can tell you the secret if you can ignore everything you''ve seen here."


    The half-wolf didn''t even hesitate to make his decision. "Do you really think I would fall for that kind of crap?" Luke raised his right hand, covered his right eye, and smiled while staring at the old man.


    Afterward, Luke started to run toward him again. He approached Vinigo once again, and the Doctor used his shield magic again, but this time he multiplied the conjured magic by ten, creating shields that covered each of the points through which Luke''s attacks could pass. However, Luke braked before he even struck, because he already knew it was useless to attack this shield magic, assuming it was the same type that sealed the entrance to the dungeon.


    Vinigo was surprised that the half-wolf didn''t attack him; after all, that would mean that he used the magic for nothing. At this moment, he had an idea, actually an insight, because he had never thought of this possibility. He darted all ten shields formed in the air to try and attack Luke by simply sending them forward.


    "I''m a fucking genius!" Vinigo eximed as he actually managed to do what he envisioned. That was the face of the versatility of magics.<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf was obviously amazed by this change from defense to offense. He was too tired from using the <Eye of Horus> at different times and also from using <Vind>, so he believed in his own potential and used his reflex to dodge.


    In the end, Luke managed to dodge five shields very narrowly, and since his enemy wasn''t dumb, Vinigo saw that Meredith was getting further and further away from Luke as she was trying to get out of his field of vision. Therefore, he sent the five remaining shields to attack her.


    These shields were fast, very fast, fast enough even to surpass the movement speed of the half-wolf.


    "Get down!" Luke shouted at the half-wolf as he realized that he wouldn''t be able to defend her.


    Meredith immediately looked back in the direction of the two fighting men and saw five magical circles about thirty centimeters in length approaching her. Instinctively, she jumped behind a pir to defend herself.


    The shields hit this brick pir with force, almost breaking itpletely.


    Luckily, the material was old, but quite sturdy, so it held up even if ny percent shattered.


    When Luke saw that Meredith managed to dodge it in time, he was relieved.


    Soon after, the half-wolf looked at Vinigo as if the old man had just made the biggest mistake of his life. Luke began to walk toward Vinigo, who returned as he pointed his wand at the half-wolf.


    "Hey, man! You''re a teacher now, not just an Adventurer. Are you really going to screw this up by attacking another teacher?! Come on, forget what you saw, and we''ll be fine." He tried to bargain, while looking into Luke''s menacing eyes. Luke''s current aura was truly the most nightmarish that the Doctor had ever seen in his entire life. He could feel an atrocious urge with every step.


    The half-wolf didn''t answer him; he just kept walking toward him.


    "You don''t understand why I did all those experiments, why I bought so many ves and used them in my surgeries! I have a noble reason for that!" Vinigo eximed in desperation.


    At that moment, Luke stopped and took a deep breath, but stared at the old man with fury. "Wait, did you say use ves for experiments?"


    Without having to ratiocinate for long, Luke immediately connected this to the fact that the Chimeras were linked to Vinigo''s name in the letter from Marie, the demon woman. In that minute, everything made sense; everything fell into ce.


    "You''re a fucking disgusting, just a degenerate son of a bitch, a sick person." The half-wolf dered and put his arms back to use the explosive speed of a Sea Ornament stance.


    Before Vinigo could answer him, Luke vanished from the old man''s vision from one second to the next. Just then, the old man put his hand on his neck and pulled off his ne that glowed in a dark green hue. By the time he realized it, Luke had his hand on his neck and pressed him against the ground.


    "You were too slow this time, Wolf!" Vinigo shouted as he was suddenly propelled against the ground. Thus, he broke his ne with the strength of only his right hand.


    When the golden ne was broken, its green crystal was fully exposed. Its core destabilized, causing a blinding sh that illuminated the entire ce, making the dark environment clear as day.

 Chapter 231 Falling

    When Meredith stood up from behind the pir and threw the pieces of stone that had fallen on her aside, she saw Luke make an unusual pose with his arms, positioning them behind him. Then, the half-wolf disappeared from her vision and appeared in front of Vinigo, which startled her and the fat older man. At that moment, Meredith thought that the fight was finally over and that Luke would be able to immobilize his opponent, but she was wrong about that.


    Vinigo was able to pick up his strange sparkling ne and then broke it. The breaking of this strange crystal ne created a sh of light so intense that it forced Meredith to cover her eyes with her right arm.


    The sh created by the crystal came alone, and no noise came from it. However, when the half-fox opened her eyes and looked at where her best friend was fighting, she couldn''t find anything.


    ''What!?'' She was amazed, for Vinigo and Luke had disappeared from the basement and, worse, without a trace. ''No, that shouldn''t be possible. Luke is stronger than he is; he has to be around here somewhere.''


    Nevertheless, Luke was no longer in the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles underground, and Meredith realized this when she heard a crash that shook the structures of the entire region.


    After the spark, the half-wolf and Vinigo were teleported together to the surface, but not to a safe ce, but sixty meters high.


    From this height, Luke could see the whole vast expanse of the Academy and much of the city and its walls. He could see many more of Oukiwa''s notable buildings if he wasn''t fighting in mid-air. Luke was repeatedly punching the old mage''s face without giving him time to rest, as they both fell in an inevitably deadly fall.


    "You... son... of... bitch!" Luke vociferated and mmed into Vinigo with great anger, without giving him time to conjure any magic. Then Luke pulled him by the cor and pressed him down, to use him as a fall cushion.


    "You will not kill me! Use the shield! Use the fucking shield!" Luke ordered.


    "WE''RE BOTH GOING TO DIE TOGETHER NOW!" Vinigo shouted with insanity in his eyes.


    The half-wolf looked at him and realized how remarkable the resemnce was in his eyes to all the humanoid monsters he had ever fought. They all looked insane and didn''t fear the death, but none of them had been suicidal until this point.


    "I''ll make you sorry for making me use THAT early!" Luke dered, leaving Vinigo confused and bug-eyed.


    Therefore, in the midst of relentlessly falling against the roof of one of the Academy buildings, the half-wolf decided to use for the first time in public the Gene Skill he gained from ingesting the core of the Lord of the Jungle, one of the members of Marie and Masink''s Legion.


    Luke positioned his left hand against Vinigo''s chest, pointed his right-hand skyward, and roared:


    "<Yggdrasil>!"<sub> </sub>


    The old mage looked at both of Luke''s hands and saw nothing happening or being expelled. He felt an inevitable desire tough, even though he knew he would die in just a few seconds because the hiss of atmospheric pressure was getting louder and more frequent in his ears.


    "HAHAHAHAHA! You missed?! Ahhhhh, too bad! I''ll die, but I''ll take you with me-"


    Vinigo couldn''t finish his sentence because he saw a confident smile appear on the half-wolf''s face. Then he heard cracksing from below. For this reason, he turned his head a little, and what he saw startled and amazed him at the same time. The roof of one of the Academy buildings was now the site of a gigantic tree, but not only that, the branches of this leafless tree stretched out to reach them, growing at an almost divine speed.


    When one of these branches approached, Luke used his left hand on Vinigo''s chest to use him as a tform, throwing him against the roof of the Academy and at the same time reaching the branch.


    Tuuuummmm~


    Vinigo''s collision against the red tiles covering the ceiling of the Academy made an explosively simr noise. This bang wasrgely created because of the destruction of the shield magic that Vinigo used, which was supposed to be an absolute defense magic.


    The half-wolf directed the branches to leave him near the spot where Vinigo had fallen. The ten-meter tree behind him shriveled; the roots were dry, and the branches grayish. He then deactivated <Yggdrasil>, because it was an Epic Skill, but it tired him as much as his Legendary Skill, due to itsplexity. Incredibly, the half-wolf knew that he was still weak to use this Skill at its maximum, no matter how constantly he used the <Eye of Horus>.


    The dust raised by Vinigo''s collision against the roof of the building was mostly pushed aside by Luke with <Vind> as he ran towards his enemy, because he knew that the old mage wouldn''t die so easily. And he was correct in assuming this because Vinigo managed tond on his feet thanks to his shield, but wasn''t without damage, as his two legs broke and also his spine.


    The half-wolf saw Vinigo twisted from afar and continued to run towards the older man. But in the middle of the way, Luke saw that his opponent began to tremble as before, and then his limbs regenerated with an above-normal naturalness.


    Nheless, this regeneration came at a cost, a very high cost. It was clear that Vinigo''s face had aged a few years when he regenerated. He looked at the half-wolf angrily and said:


    "It has been many years since someone made me so old... Can you realize what you have done now? You have just ripped precious years of life out of the world''s greatest figure representing gic advancement! Do you understand the gravity of this?"


    Luke looked at him from top to bottom, with dropped gazes because of the disgust he was feeling just from exchanging words with that vermin.


    "In my conception, when I am done here, I will take away the freedom of just one more monster, which to me is nothing. If I have to break your bones until you turn into an old man who can''t hold his own shit, it will be even better for me."

 Chapter 232 Domination

    The fight''s climax between Luke Lange and Doctor Vinigo alerted the whole school, because their blows caused thunderous bangs, which echoed for over a kilometer.


    The students in the surface ssrooms rushed to the windows to try to observe what was happening.


    They could see a pot-bellied old man throwing different rune spells in the direction of the ''Half-Wolf'', as most of the students recognized Luke.


    Only a few hundred of the thousands of students in the Academy actually met Vinigo, because he taught an exclusive subject underground, so little was seen. For this reason, almost all the students who saw the crusty-looking old man fighting the Champion thought that he was someone who was attacking the school, and that Luke was protecting them.


    This conception wasn''t far from reality, but those who knew Vinigo didn''t dare to judge him so quickly.


    ? One of the people who refused to believe that Vinigo or Luke were threats to the Academy was Namor, the vice-principal, who was warned by a guard desperate about the situation.


    Since the current director, the highest-ranking person in the educational institution, had been on a trip to Sheltered Halv?y for two weeks, it was Namor''s responsibility to take care of everything, and everything was going well until then. Still, suddenly there was a building bing ruins.


    Without hesitation, Namor began to gather the guards, teachers, and information, to be able to resolve the situation.


    Luke and Vinigo were fighting avidly on the roof of the building where the Library was located. Luke only increased the pressure of his blows even more, thinking that Vinigo would retreat to the ground, where they would cause less structural damage. However, the Doctor was proud and didn''t back down. In fact, when the half-wolf increased his blows, Vinigo also increased the speed at which he conjured new spells.


    With his magic wand, every minute Vinigo was creating new circles with runes and thus casting elemental spells, such as mud balls, and such powerful gusts of wind as <Vind>, not to mention Gene''s powerful Ability that cast a tower of mes. Even so, none of it came even close to hitting Luke, because Vinigo''s movement speed was slowpared to the agility of the half-wolf.


    The only thing that was getting in Luke''s way of beating the nasty old man was finding a way around the nearly indestructible shield magic.


    At one point, Luke ran straight at Vinigo, who tried every which way to stop his advance by throwing several spells. Luke already knew a lot about his opponent and his capabilities, so he could see dozens of strands of the battle when he used the <Eye of Horus> again.


    Luke easily dodged all the spells that were thrown, looking into Vinigo''s eyes like he was teleporting on the battlefield.


    When Luke approached, Vinigo coated his entire body with conjured shields, but Luke had already devised a way to pierce this defense.


    He moved even closer to Vinigo, but instead of punching the shield, Luke just touched one of the magic circles and muttered:


    "<Yggdrasil>."


    Just then, roots sprang up from the roof and grabbed Vinigo''s feet, who was terrified. He had tried several times to use roots himself to try to trap the half-wolf, but with Luke''s speed this soon proved useless, but Vinigo never thought that his nt magic had given him an idea that Luke could copy.<sub> </sub>


    After the roots of the half-wolf''s Gene Skill quickly wrapped themselves around Vinigo''s legs, he thought about conjuring another spell; however, Luke was in front of him, and he knew that if he chose to deactivate the shields, he would surely die.


    That moment of hesitation cost the Alchemy Professor everything because suddenly he was pulled up, and a colossal structure enveloped him in less than five seconds. What people saw was another tree forming on the roof of the Library.


    Suddenly Vinigo saw himself in the middle of a massive, thick trunk, unable to move a muscle. His two arms were stuck in a thick bark, which was so attached to his skin that it seemed to have grown around him naturally and fused together over time. His head was in the same state, totally connected to the tree, so he couldn''t even move his neck to look at the sides. His legs were sunk into the tree''s stem, preventing him from moving as well.


    With his armspletely immobilized, Vinigo couldn''t hold his wand and dropped it.


    While the half-wolf approached, bright green leaves were growing on the branches of that tree, and as this was happening, the Alchemist felt that his space in this improvised prison was getting smaller and smaller.


    So, Luke stopped in front of Vinigo and looked him in the eye. He was d that his idea worked out, but smiling wasn''t in his ns at that moment.


    "Urghh! Don''t you dare touch my wand, you filthy creature!" Vinigo asseverated, even as his plump white skin was slowly being fused with the tree''s bark.


    That exmation made Luke notice the singrly glowing wand at the foot of the <Yggdrasil>.


    Luke walked over to the elegant wand, crouched down, picked it up, and examined it closely with his eyes. "That sure is a fine weapon. I think I''ll keep it for myself." The half-wolf dered.


    "You no¡ª" The fat old man was about to let out another wave of offense, but Luke made a movement in the air with his arm, and a piece of the bark of the tree covered Vinigo''s mouth.


    "You know, I''m starting a weapons collection, and every strong enemy I defeat, I take something from him. I first did that with a Demon; Beherith was his name. The second time was Nebezial, the guy who shouted to the world that he had the same strength as a Secr. Thest one was a Demon couple, which I think might be very familiar to you... Have you heard about Marie and Masink? Or did they have another name when they met in Stahurt?"


    Vinigo''s gaze changed from angry to frightened when Luke asked his questions.


    Until that moment, he thought Luke was bluffing about having killed demons, but suddenly he knew the codenames of two highly respected demons, and even the ce where Vinigo met them.


    With a simple movement, Luke caused the tree root to pull back again.


    Vinigo looked at him with wide eyes and questioned:


    "Who the hell are you really?"

 Chapter 233 Katana

    "Who the hell are you really?" Vinigo asked Luke, startled by the amount of information he seemed to know.


    Even though the half-wolf was the Champion of the Tournament of Legends, it was somewhat hard to believe that he knew about the Demons being real, something that people usually only thought were tales and ignored. Therefore, when Luke proved to know the truth about this and more, Vinigo was afraid that he couldn''t tell who this half-beast really was, nor where he hade from.


    Upon hearing the questioning, Luke looked into the depth of the old man''s eyes and dered:


    "I am the one who will kill the First Servant."


    Vinigo seemed even more surprised by that statement. Only a few people knew about the Servants in the Broteforge Empire, and those who did were either on the Cardinal Church side or the Smakusa Noble Family side.


    At this point, the old Alchemy professor opened his mouth to say something to the half-wolf, but suddenly a loud bang hit the Library''s roof.


    Luke looked back over his shoulder and saw a man with ck hair, green eyes, and a red tunic, who had a Katana sheath on the left side of his waist. There were some scars from cuts on the left side of this man''s face, and at the corner of his lips a piece of wheat.


    The half-wolf didn''t recognize him, so he moved his right hand and again covered Vinigo''s mouth with the bark.


    "You are surrounded, Mr. Lange. Don''t you dare move one more muscle." The man stated, while walking at a quick pace toward the half-wolf and drawing his sword.


    This man''s clothes were simple, but Luke soon noted that this simplicity carried the same reason he usually wears simple clothes: to increase movement speed. Ligh and simple clothes give the wearer more freedom, whileplex and heavy ones are practically a hindrance, although they generallypensate in defense.


    "Don''t move another muscle, or you want to die." Luke turned to the ck-haired man and spoke.


    The man realized that the half-wolf was serious and didn''t doubt that he really could kill him, so he stopped walking and removed his hand from the handle of the Katana, letting it slide fluidly into the sheath.


    Luke was on high guard too, because when he discovered that Vinigo had ves, he began to wonder if the older man might have friends at the Academy, in other words, more allies of the demons. Otherwise, he preferred not to fight because he was very tired from using his Gene Skills too much.


    "What are you doing? Why were you two fighting?" asked the man.


    "First, tell me who you are. Then, I will analyze whether I can trust you."


    "I am Kira, Fencing Professor. I would normally say that it is a pleasure to meet the famous ''Half-Wolf'' finally, but the situation doesn''t allow me to do this." The man replied, as he ced his right hand on his chest and bowed modestly. "Now, tell me why you were fighting."


    "I just did my duty. This man kidnapped a 1st-year student and took her to a secret floor in his office." Luke was shrewd enough to not have to create a morose lie, but rather tell one of the truths of what urred, because he didn''t trust Kira.


    "Secret floor? Student? That doesn''t make sense. Vinigo is one of the most exemry and respected Professors in the entire Empire. Besides, what you im is impossible, I''ve known him for over three years, and I''m sure he''s not that kind of person."


    The half-wolf sighed, fatigued. "If you are suspecting me, go to his office, and you will find the evidence that what I am saying is the truth."


    Kira looked at that with good eyes.<sub> </sub>


    "Sure, we can do that. Still, you will need to let Vinigo go until he is proven guilty. This Academy has its ownws, and everyone here is innocent until proven otherwise." He stated.


    "I''m sorry, but I won''t be able to uphold thatw." Luke stated.


    "Then you are giving me no choice... Now!" Kira roared, raising his left arm upwards as a nod.


    At that moment, sixteen guards surrounding the Library raised their spears in the air. The points of these spears opened, and yellow crystals were revealed on each of them.


    Then, in a single tone, all sixteen guards eximed:


    "


    !"


    At that moment, dozens of spheres of light appeared over the sky of that building and began to fall on the roof of the Library, like a shower of stars.


    Normally, Luke would leave the ce that was being targeted by the ability, but he couldn''t do that, because Kira charged at him, at the same time drawing his sword.


    This was the worst-case scenario for Luke. He was surrounded, tired, fighting someone obviously strong, and had his hands tied because he couldn''t use other Genes'' Abilities, as he still had to keep the <Yggdrasil> active to contain Vinigo. Not to mention that he was without the Behemoth Axe and also without Bastet.


    Still, Luke wasn''t the kind of man who would give up in front of the finish line. What was a challenge to someone who had been challenged his whole life? Nothing.


    At that moment, Luke took a deep breath and remained focused on keeping the Epic Skill active.


    Afterward, he looked at Kira and started to run against him as well. When the two were about to collide, a sphere of light hit the part of the roof in front of them, which created a sparkling smoke. The man with the Katana cut through that smoke with a dash without a second thought, but he didn''t see Luke anymore when he went through it.


    ''Huh!? Where did he go!?'' He wondered, after all, the half-wolf had been there for exactly one second.


    Then, Kira felt the atmosphere grow heavier, and a shadow hovered over his face. He instantly looked up and saw the golden eyes of the half-wolf, which had a clear expression of angerbined with effort.


    Kira''s right arm, which was holding his Katana, braked at that moment like he wasn''t fast enough to counterattack.


    ''All right, so you don''t give me a choice... I wanted to surrender you without having to hurt you too much.'' Kira thought and then focused on one of the sensations that were wedged deep in his heart, a feeling that was ming and, at the same time, agonizing.


    When the Fencing Professor managed to channel the sensation he was aiming for, he shouted:


    "<Hanafuda>!"

 Chapter 234 The Last Day Of Work For Two Teachers

    When the Fencing Professor managed to canalize the feeling he craved, he frowned and shouted:


    "<Hanafuda>!"


    At that point, Kira''s aura gained color, shape, and density, taking on a reddish hue and an almost liquid appearance, and immediately exploded before Luke could hit the man''s face.


    As he was suddenly thrown backward, Luke manipted the <Yggdrasil> in mid-air to make the roots soften his fall. Still, Luke was hurt a bit by falling on the roots, because the branches of this tree were especially tough.


    "Arghh! I guess that was dumb to try to be aggressive while I''m totally at a disadvantage." Luke said to himself while he stood up in pain. ''Since I''m out of options, I''ll have to use the roots, but that will weaken Vinigo''s prison.''


    He looked at Vinigo and saw that the old man was wearing a pained expression and was eagerly trying to get loose, even though some blood was already dripping down the corners of his mouth.


    Then, Luke turned his focus to Kira, who was motionless for some reason.


    The Rare ss Gene Skill called <Hanafuda> was like a double-edged knife. Because it offered forty-eight powerful types of attacks and defenses, but it drained the user''s energy, and Kira knew that if he overdid it, he would probably die, so he always took some time between one attack and another.


    So as soon as he got his breath back, he looked back at Luke, who had some scratches on his skin, which Kira couldn''t tell if he had caused. ''He''s strong; I have to be careful.'' Kira thought.


    When Kira''s eyes found Luke''s eyes, they both knew that neither of them had given up that easily.


    Kira began to run toward Luke, who just waited for him to get close enough. The moment Kira crossed the three-meter line, Luke crossed his arms like an X, catching his opponent''s attention. This arm position was only a feint to get Kira''s attention because Luke''s real movement was under both of their feet.


    Unexpectedly, roots emerged from within the roof, startling Kira. He thought Luke''s Skill was just to summon a tree, not literally control it. Besides, these roots weren''t intending to trap him but to attack him.


    "<Hanafuda>!" Kira shouted again, and so the same red aura from before cloaked the de of his Katana, which he skillfully used to sh the roots.


    Kira''s sword movements were simply sensational because he not only cut them off at the base, but moved the sword so quickly that it turned the roots into small pieces. Luke had never seen someone wield a sword so naturally, like it was part of his own body. This made Luke excited about the battle rather than fearful.


    So, they both fought for almost five minutes after that. The half-wolf was attacking and defending with the roots of the <Yggdrasil> while looking closely at how Kira used his Katana, slowly learning about his techniques.


    Luke''s intention wasn''t just to find a way to counter Kira but also to try to copyter.


    The half-wolf soon realized that Kira''s techniques weren''t that powerful, but had fixed fundamentals that made his movements smoother and more natural. In other words, Kira was so familiar with the handling of this Katana that it seemed to have be an extension of his body, which was only possible with many years of practice.


    However, what really seemed to make Kira''s attacks and defenses so powerful was the Gene Skill <Hanafuda>. This ability allowed its user to attack and defend in the most adverse situations with an almost supernatural maniption of aura, which certainly became an obstacle for Luke, who was unable to advance and was bing increasingly exhausted.<sub> </sub>


    The only good news was that Kira was also getting slower over time, and that between one attack and another, he almost always dyed the next attack on purpose to catch his breath.


    At one point, Luke sent several branches of the tree attacking the ck-haired man, who stood still and managed to break each of these long wooden structures. Then Kira advanced by spinning his Katana and cutting all the roots that defended Luke, but the further he advanced, the more numerous those roots became.


    For this reason, he jumped back, returning to square one.


    By now, Kira had realized that he couldn''t defeat the half-wolf, and that he was arrogant for specting that he could seriously hurt him. Gasping, he thought:


    ''This guy is a real beast. How the hell am I going to prate his defense? My supreme skill can only press him, but I can''t even really touch him. Did I do wrong toe here? No, it was Namor''s order; I had no choice.''


    Kira was holding the handle of his Katana with hands soaked with sweat and his legs trembling with fatigue. He was really close to his limit, and now he was thinking that it was aplete waste to have used the element of surprise that was the


    early on, because it proved useless.


    Luke, obstinate to win, sent a joint wave of roots and branches of the <Yggdrasil> to attack Kira as soon as he caught his breath. The roots went under the tiles to surprise him, and the branches went high up as decoys.


    At this point, Kira braced his feet on the ground and positioned the Katana in front of his body so that he could defend himself against the branches.


    However, as the fragments of the gigantic tree advanced toward the Fencing Professor, Luke felt the vibrations of the shingles of someone''s touch. He looked to his left and saw Namor leaning over the roof with great effort. The building was about four levels high, so it certainly wasn''t an easy task to climb it.


    "Hey, you two! Stop it!" Namor cried out.


    At that moment, Luke braked the advance of his sharp-edged branches that were heading toward Kira, who sighed with relief at the sight of the vice-principal. The branches stopped practically in front of Kira''s face, so that their points shone in front of his green eyes.


    Since this time Namor was without sses, Luke could see in his eyes that he was being frank.


    "There''s no reason for you two to fight!" Namor continued to say, and applied a little more strength to finally get his entire body up onto the roof.


    Then he looked at Vinigo, who was stuck in the trunk of the <Yggdrasil> and said:


    "Vinigo, you are banished from your position as Professor of Alchemy at the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles and will be imprisoned for the crimes of Corruption, Treason, Injury, Human Trafficking, Drug Trafficking, Oath Breaking, Abuse of Authority, Inappropriate Use of Alchemy, Kidnapping, Murder, Concealment of a Corpse, Private Imprisonment, and for using Human Guinea Pigs... I have the displeasure of once having called you a partner."


    At that point, Kira fell to his knees on the ground, dropping his Katana too. "So, you have been right all this time?" He asked Luke a rhetorical question, not believing that he actually avidly defended such a cruel criminal.

 Chapter 235 Final Sentence

    In the end, everything ended well for the half-wolf, even though he waspletely exhausted.


    Initially, he didn''t understand how Namor knew about Vinigo''s crimes, which made him very suspicious of the vice director.


    Could Namor have thrown up a false g by arresting Vinigo to try to seem innocent to Luke? To the half-wolf, that wasn''t an entirely dismissible possibility. However, these suspicions soon proved to be somewhat paranoid, as the reality was quite simple.


    When Luke and Vinigo were suddenly teleported out of the underground, Meredith managed to retrieve Vinigo''s journal. Inside this small, modest book, all the Alchemy Professor''s crimes were described in detail by his own hand. Perhaps as a way for him to gloat about his own actions, maybe as a way to document everything he had done, or possibly as a way to vent his guilt.


    After the half-fox took the diary, she had to choose between releasing the people trapped in the basement or running to try to find some help, but she was alerted because of the loud bang earlier, so she naturally chose to look for help.


    Meredith ran to the surface as fast as she could. She noticed that all the students were euphoric about Luke''s fight, who was somehow on the surface. Although she was relieved to know that Luke was fine and really wanted to help him in the battle, Meredith felt that she would be more of a hindrance than a good ally.


    Luckily, while Meredith was checking the halls for any Academy guards to inform them of the truth about Vinigo, she came across Nathalia and John, who were running towards the battle to help Luke.


    Meredith told them everything that Luke, and she had learned about Vinigo. Thus, together they decided to continue searching for guards, and when they finally found them, they were led to Namor, who was gathering information before taking more drastic action.


    For the vice-principal, it was a shock to read the diary of the Professor of Alchemy, someone so renowned and prestigious in the academic sphere for his revolutionary contributions to alchemy. No matter how much Namor wanted to believe that these ounts were not real, Vinigo''s bent handwriting was unique, and easily recognizable to someone who was used to seeing it in weekly reports.


    With an exnation for what was running, Namor finally feltfortable to act and arrested Vinigo.


    On the evening of that same day, the half-wolf gathered everyone at Ayumi''s Residence to tell them about all that had happened. In thefortable living room were Shiro, Ynosuke, Matthew, Zack, John, Martha, Meredith, Nathalia, Alexis, and Ayumi, all listening intently to Luke''s version of what urred.


    "So, what happened to Doctor Vinigo after Namor decided to arrest him?" Matthew asked curiously.


    "Xiii! Let him finish before you start the questions." John requested Matthew, who interrupted the story right near the end.


    Lukeughed and continued to tell. "We handed Vinigo over to the city guards working at the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles, and by the decision of a proper court, he was sentenced to death in fifteen years."


    "What? The death penalty for thieves is in the grant act, but for a degenerate, it takes fifteen years?" Matthew eximed with indignation.


    Ayumi got up from the couch at that moment, and then she lowered her head and bowed slightly. "I''m sorry about this inhumanew against thieves. I have tried to change it countless times, but almost all council members believe that it''s responsible for keeping the numbers of thieves low in Oukiwapared to smaller cities."


    This apology surprised everyone in the gang of former thieves, because no one med Ayumi for something like this. In the past, they had chosen to be thieves even though they knew all the risks, including death.


    Just then, Meredith struck Matthew''s head with a weak punch. "You have to weigh your words, Matt. That way you will make people misunderstand what you meant."<sub> </sub>


    "Ouch! I''m sorry, I''m sorry... I was just mad because he still had fifteen years to live. It sucks to share the world with someone so disgusting."


    "Oh, I understand! But there is an exnation for that, Mr. Matthew. A few years ago, Jimbe Colto, the Patriarch of the Colto''s, argued that such sick criminals deserve not only death but also time to process it, so they spend some time alive before they die. Hence, the Broteforge Empire''s death corridor was created, a prison where there are only high-level prisoners who are doomed to die." The Matriarch corrected her posture and exined.


    Everyone was surprised, because they had never heard of it, although they were used to daily life in the midst of crime.


    "And where is this prison?" Shiro asked.


    "On Daren Ind, to the far west of the Cardinal Kingdom." Ayumi replied.


    "Daren Ind?" Everyone in the half-wolf gang asked at the same time, including Luke, because they had never heard of such a ce.


    ss-S raised her hand, so she could exin, then Ayumi smiled at her and sat down. Alexis got up from her seat on the couch next to Luke and rified:


    "Daren Ind is a frighteninglyrge ind, beingrger even than Oukiwa and the Cardinal Kingdombined. There is a mountain of ck rocks in this ce, and at its peak, there is a giganticvake. They say that the ground in the area is covered by ayer of ash that neveres out, and that there is nothing on the ind, only a deep tower-type Dungeon, and the Prison."


    "It definitely doesn''t seem like a good ce to go sightseeing or rest." With his arms crossed, Ynosuke answered unassumingly.


    This made everyoneugh a little, not least because from what Alexis exined Daren Ind seemed to be the worst ce to visit in the world.


    They continued talking for a little longer in the living room to catch up; after all, they had gone almost a week without seeing each other, thanks to the boarding school, and that was exactly what was bothering Matthew, so he decided to ask.


    "So, I''m d you four are back here, but I still don''t quite understand something. Were you guys dismissed from residency? Or expelled?"


    "Actually, I have resigned from my position as Professor." Luke stated.


    "I have asked for a dispensation from boarding school until exam season, as I am doing well in all subjects." Nathalia exined.


    "Meredith and I have closed our enrollment. Although I enjoy studying, it would be many years before I graduate, so I decided to just keep training with Alexis and Luke; who knows maybe one day they two will create a n, and I will join as a knight." John rified and winked at the half-wolf and half-dragon.


    The two lovers were sitting next to each other on that couch, so they exchanged nces and smiled. "Who knows someday..." They replied simultaneously.

 Chapter 236 The Fear Trapped In Cages

    (Not edited yet)


    When Vinigo was arrested, he was taken to the underground of the Upper City Guild building, this being the only ce where the remaining Adventurers in Oukiwa continued to frequent every day. Therefore, this was also one of the best guarded ces in the entire city.


    At Namor''s own request, Luke personally assisted in escorting the carriage before he could return to the Strogueher estate and tell everything to his friends and his mistresses.


    Before leaving the Academy, Vinigo''s hands were locked with restraining gauntlets, and his mouth was also encased with a special device. These two restraints prevented him from using any Gene Skills or Magic.


    Vinigo would also never taste food again, as it would be dangerous to release the restraint from his mouth, so the death row guards would just inject the necessary nutrients every day into his veins.


    From the day the ally of the demons was judged, he was also condemned to live forever in a dark and fetid environment, locked inside his own mind with another version of himself that he may not have known existed. Vinigo was certainly no longer human when Luke defeated him, but by the end of his fifteen years of imprisonment he would surely have be something as bad as a monster.


    After Luke helped with Vinigo''s escort, he returned to the Academy with Namor. Together they went down to the Alchemy Professor''s office, which was being protected by some of Namor''s trusted guards.


    The vice-principal asked the half-wolf to help in a detailed search of the former Alchemy Professor''s office, after all, it was Luke who had found out about Vinigo.


    Luke agreed, but said he preferred to go in alone first to investigate. Since Meredith, John and Nathalia had already been released to leave the boarding school, they had already gone to the Strogueher estate, so Luke would rather do this alone than with strangers.


    Namor epted, after all Luke Lange had be a man he trusted.


    At the top of the office, Luke found no new information, only studies in Alchemy. So before he went down to the basement, he allowed Namor and the other guards to enter, so they could do their research.


    As Luke descended the winding staircase, he found the three doors that had made him curiousst time. As Luke opened each of them, he found empty and destroyed cages, vials with formaldehyde, a cadaveric conversation substance. However, most of the jars were empty, and those that were not, carried pieces of animals.


    After leaving thest room, Luke finally descended to the main floor of the basement.


    Taking a closer look at this moment, the half-wolf noticed howrge the space was. Right at the entrance he found Vinigo''s hand, which was cut off by the Behemoth Axe, and a little further on Luke found exactly his axe, which he missed so much in thisst battle.


    In addition, Luke could still hear the breathing further down the chamber, and realizing that there wasn''t much else to investigate he followed the sound of it.


    Then, with amplight in his right hand, Luke lit up the space where the breaths wereing from. When the cages were lit, the creatures trapped in it became very agitated and noisy. The warm light of amplight was never a good sign for them, so they began to grunt and groan in fear, but not scream, as if they had been taught not to scream.


    However, when they realized that it was not Vinigo, a point of hope appeared deep in their hearts, so they calmed down a bit.


    The half-wolf found an environment with dozens of cages, which contained mainly small animals such as rats, skunks and roons, as well as some medium-sized animals such as dogs, cats and other beasts. However, deeper into the maze of cages, Luke also encountered humans, who were plucky and afraid.


    Luke approached the humans'' cages carefully so as not to frighten them. They were wearing only old rags and stank badly.<sub> </sub>


    It was easy for Luke to count the number of people there, which were nine in total. There were women and men, old people and teenagers, all very thin and full of scars all over their bodies.


    "Calm down, I''m not going to hurt any of you." Luke spoke to them, as they were coerced in the back of their cages.


    Even though Luke tried to reassure them, they did not change the way they reacted and continued to be pressed in their cages. The half-wolf considered cutting the bars to release them, but he soon dismissed this idea, because he didn''t know them well enough yet. They seemed to have gone through hell in Vinigo''s hand, something the journal itself reported, but Luke still couldn''t dare to release any of them without gaining their trust as well, as the released person might try to attack him.


    Luckily for the half-wolf, a ve of the Alchemist stepped forward in his solitary cage and approached the warm light of themplight. Luke illuminated him better with thentern, and his eyes reacted sensitively to the glow of the mes, indicating that they were always inplete darkness.


    The half-wolf saw the face of a balding old man, whose thin arms were riddled with spots from working in the sun. ''He probably used to be a farmer before he became a ve, or maybe he worked in the sun in a forced way.'' Luke deduced.


    "You have the same voice as the man who told the Doctor to shut up... Are you a good man? Will you really help us?" The old man asked.


    Luke looked him in the eye and saw hope in the experienced eyes of that old man who never saw anything life, and that pure feelinging from someone so much older touched Luke''s soul.


    "Of course, I will go. Do any of you have Family in Oukiwa?"


    "Oukiwa? What is Oukiwa?" Looking confused, the elderly man questioned in his mild voice and with his mouth almost toothless.


    Hearing the doubt, Luke arched his eyebrows, surprised. "What do you mean? You don''t know what Oukiwa is? Wait a second, can you at least tell me where you guys came from?"


    "We are from the k Kingdom." A middle-aged man replied, sitting on the floor of a cage behind the half-wolf. "If you said we are in Oukiwa, we must be in Broteforge right? That nation to the far west."


    Luke turned to talk to the man better, and saw that hecked both arms, but the half-wolf just disregarded that and focused on the conversation, also to not shake the man''s self-esteem.


    "k Kingdom? Damn... How did you guys end up so far away? Yes, we are in the Broteforge Empire."


    The man reluctantly denied. "Well, that''s a long story. To be weak, it''s such a long and unpleasant story that it should be forgotten."


    The old man in the cage denied with his head, at the same time making quick clicks with his tongue. "But I think he needs to know some things. Kaizer, he can''t let us go without knowing us, we could be criminals and he still wouldn''t know. Just because he has the will to set us free, we should be honest with him."


    Of course, Luke was d that the old man thought this way, after all this was an honest way of thinking. They had no way of knowing that Luke could tell when they were lying or not thanks to his enhanced hearing.


    "You are wrong, sir. I don''t care if you used to be criminals or not." Luke said, surprising Kaizer, who was a deserter from the k Kingdom, meaning a man who fled the war on the Hati continent, a crime without forgiveness. "I just need to know a little about you guys to find out if there is anything you can help me with or not. Your ount may help me to connect this urrence to possible partners of the one you called as the Doctor, partners who are very rich and dangerous in this Empire."

 Chapter 237 Iron-Forged Traumas

    Kaizer was impressed by that half-beast in front of his cage, but he chose to remain quiet. He didn''t know Luke, and he wasn''t going to start trusting him just for saying a few nice words.


    Nevertheless, the eyes of the old man in front of the half-wolf sparkled at Luke''s words. Before he started counting, Luke opened the <Normal Inventory> and pulled out a bag of food, which he distributed to each of the nine caged people. Deep down, Luke feared that they were strong because of the experiments Vinigo had done on them and might try to attack him.


    After they began to eat, they all became less risky with the half-wolf, so the old man began to exin in detail what urred for them to get to Vinigo''s ws.


    "We were all on a gigantic boat that was organized by the rk Kingdom to send refugees to a town called Forge Hill because of the war. Altogether on the ship there were over two hundred people and no one knew whether or not the ship would make it across the sea to get here, the Skoll Kingdom."


    "Did you guys lose your way? Didn''t you have apass?" Luke asked.


    "If we had just docked the ship in the wrong ce, we wouldn''t have ended up here. In the middle of the sea, our refugee ship was attacked by pirate ships..."


    "Pirates?"


    "Exactly, the worst nightmare for anyone who travels by sea. Damned men who have no mercy even for children, women or old people, and that was no different with us. I can''t tell you how many ships there were, but it was more than enough for them to trade us into the coastal towns of some cities on the Hati Continent, which were probably crazy for workers to supply the demand of the Great War."


    "But the Hati Continent is many months away from travel, how long ago did this happen to you?"


    A thin woman in a cage parallel to Kaizer''s was the one who answered this time. "The attack on the refugee ship? Well, that happened a year or two ago. It''s hard to have a sense of time when all we''ve done is beg every day that the next one someone will show up to help us. Who knows, maybe you are that person, but if you''re going to take us as ves, I''ll pray that I''m a work ve this time."


    Upon hearing these words from the woman, Luke took just a single step to the side and faced her with a serious countenance. He then raised his right hand and made it as sharp as a dagger.


    When the woman saw Luke''s arm rise, she regretted opening her mouth. The stern expression of the half-wolf made her think that she would be punished at that moment, after all this is what Vinigo always did, when one of them uses slightly more affronting words or tones, he would punish them with increasingly stronger ps to the face.


    He told the ves that he only didn''t punch them so as not to hurt their fists to preserve his image as a calm teacher.


    In reality, this movement of the right hand rising was like a trauma for all those caged people, so that when Luke made this gesture, everyone cringed and changed expression. Even the old man who was talking to Luke believed that he would hit the woman, but he kept quiet, because he learned from Vinigo that he should never interfere in a punishment, because whoever interfered was taken out of the cage and never came back.


    However, Luke''s intention was as normal as possible, which anyone would do in that situation. He raised his hand and cut through the bars of the woman''s cage. Tin~<sub> </sub>


    Watching the iron bars of her cage fall to the ground, the very thin woman almost couldn''t believe her eyes.


    "There, now you are free. I won''t make any of you my ve or anything like that, I''m sorry if I made it sound like that. I just have important people to protect, and the people who did this to you may be connected to people who want to hurt the ones I love, so I wanted to know, but I guess maybe you guys can''t help me as much as I thought." Luke said and then began to cut the big ones off from all the ves.


    The truth was that the woman''s words made Luke think better about his first decision to keep them locked up until he warned Vinigo and the other guards.


    ''Perhaps there is no reason to fear them. If they were strong like Vinigo, they certainly wouldn''t be trapped here yet. Besides, how can the Smakusa be connected with ves? These people were probably sold with blindfolds on their eyes and gags in their mouths.'' The half-wolf considered.


    "Thank you, thank you very much!" Everyone gave thanks as they gathered around Luke.


    Luke was already out of hope of getting information from them, so he just guided them to the top of Vinigo''s office.


    The vice-principal''s eyes widened when he saw the ves, and he quickly ordered the guards to stop searching the office and begin to hold them. When all the ves had left the premises apanied by the guards and thanking Luke, he bid them farewell with a sad smile. He couldn''t even imagine what horrible things those people had been through and still managed to smile.


    Once everyone was gone, Luke closed his face again.


    "Luke, I swear to you there is no way those ves could have been brought in by the main staircase and there are no parallel staircases." Namor tried to exin himself.


    "Calm down, vice principal. I know very well that it''s impossible because about a hundred guards take rounds in shifts during the night, including many of them are in these underground stairwells... From what I''ve studied about thatnd, there used to be an old sewer system that was sealed off when the new one was built right?" Luke questioned.


    At that moment, Namor felt like he was the dumbest man in the world, because he had totally forgotten about it, after all it had been over a hundred years since the renovation.


    Then, the vice principal put his right hand on his chin and poked Luke''s belly with his left arm, "Ohhh! You never forget to show me that you''re really a badass~. I''ll send a group of guards out early tomorrow morning to prepare to search for some entrance at the bottom."


    "All right. I haven''t looked, but it shouldn''t be easy, there''s a rotten smell permeating the whole ce. By the way, have you found anything relevant?"


    At that moment, the bastard smile came off Namor''s face. "Actually, I found something pretty bad, a ve purchase contract that was hidden in a fake book..." Then Namor pulled the yellowed sheet of parchment from inside his overcoat and passed it to Luke. "I don''t know why he kept it, but surely the signature contained in that sheet will generate a scandal throughout Oukiwa should the information leak out."

 Chapter 238 Pathless?

    "So, what was the name on the contract this man found?" Ynosuke asked, curious, after Luke told everyone how the investigation after Vinigo''s arrest went.


    In that living room, everyone stared at the half-wolf with anxious stares, waiting for his answer. Then he got up from the couch with a serious expression from the couch and pulled the yellowish paper from a pocket of his pants.


    "Unfortunately, in this contract there is not the information we all expected, there is no mention of Erick Smakusa, nor any other member of his Family." Luke rified.


    At that moment, the sketches of smiles on everyone''s faces instantly vanished. All they needed was the slightest proof of a connection to the Patriarch of the Smakusa.


    "Hey, so why did you tell them that Namor imed there was a signature that could generate scandals? We need Erick''s signature or some family member of his, otherwise the investigation at the Academy will have been useless." Shiro stated.


    The Berserker was obviously confused, as their main goal was to take down the head of the Smakusa Family and thus take the sea of the Broteforge Empire from the clutches of the demons.


    In fact, they were almost running against a deadline they didn''t know what it was. At any moment, the Melki could strike war without even a formal deration, and since the Emperor of Broteforge was not avable for hearings at the moment, they had to do everything to weaken the Demons and their allies in the Broteforge Empire.


    When questioned by Shiro, Luke turned the letter over and showed it to everyone. "It''s certainly not news not to be the signature of the Patriarch of the Smakusa, but we''re not totally bewildered either." Luke stated.


    At the bottom of the yellowed page, everyone could see Vinigo''s signature and next to it a stamp illustrating the shape of a hat.


    Nathalia, Shiro, Martha and Alexis didn''t recognize that signature, but Ayumi and the rest of the half-wolf gang recognized that on the spot.


    "Straw Hat." They stated simultaneously.


    At that moment, everyone who didn''t understand what was so rming about the stamp finally understood, after all there was no way, they couldn''t recognize the title of one of the most dangerous men in all of Oukiwa, one of the crime bosses and one of the foundations that supported the ck market.


    "He was the one who sold the ves to Vinigo, I don''t im that it was personally, because even I who lived my entire life in the Lower Town didn''t see him even once. Maybe you were a henchman of his, but since Vinigo seemed to be a repeat customer, there is still the possibility that they were partners." Luke pleaded to continue the discussion, since everyone was tense just hearing the title of the notorious criminal.


    "Wait a second... now it all makes sense." Ayumi stated, getting up from the couch with a startled expression. "Straw Hat is one of the biggest vers in the entire continent, and the City Guard has tried several ways to find him. Although they have found many depots in many different locations and therefore freed many ves, they have never been able to find the way he kidnapped these people to sell... The sea, the sea is the answer."<sub> </sub>


    "That makes sense! And now that I remembered, there were a few paragraphs about it in Vinigo''s Diary, he described that he used to go to the East Port of Oukiwa to buy his ves!" Meredith recounted, not believing that she had almost forgotten such a crucial piece of information.


    "Okay, okay. But are you trying to say that Straw Hat has involvement with the pirates who sold the ves?" John inquired, because to him Straw Hat lived in Oukiwa, since he had quite a bit of influence and henchmen transiting in a specific part between Middle and Lower Town.


    "Involvement? I wouldn''t doubt it if Straw Hat was a pirate. I mean, that would exin why people never see him in Oukiwa." John fantasized as he always did.


    "No, I think he lives in Oukiwa. He just doesn''t appear in public much, after all, he needs to run his business around town and doing that from the high seas is impossible." Luke sat down in the armchair behind him and spoke.


    Ayumi crossed her very long legs and began to analyze the scenario they were set in.


    "Well, in the end all the factors in the demon letter are really connected, not in the way we expected, but somehow yes. As much as Vinigo and Erick Smakusa didn''te into contact with each other with this Arzen guy as an intermediary, the Sick Doctor who was studying Chimeras still had indirect rtions with the Patriarch. That is, assuming Erick is even allowing pirate ve-trading ships to enter Oukiwa''s maritime territory."


    "I''m pretty sure that''s exactly what''s going on." Meredith stated as she threw her arms back and lounged on that couch.


    "All right, but we only have the location of the East Port as the ce where these things ur, don''t we? We have no schedules and no dates as to when these ve activities ur. How do we move forward in this situation?" Nathalia stood up from the couch and asked everyone.


    The white-haired Elf raised her hand to answer. "I believe I speak for everyone that we have two options: partner with the city guards or set up a vigil at the port until we intercept this ve trading scheme. In Vinigo''s journal weren''t there descriptions of what these purchases were like?" She asked Meredith and Luke, the only two who could see some of the diary.


    The half-wolf read a few pages of the diary while he was in a carriage escorting Vinigo to the Guild in the Upper City, which was where he would stay until his transfer to death row was done, which was supposed to take six months.


    Upon questioning, Luke and Meredith tried to search their memories about this part, but there was nothing more than bizarre descriptions of how Vinigo chose the people he would buy.


    So, the two half-beasts simply denied Ayumi with their heads.


    Just then, Martha raised her right hand to speak, surprising everyone. "Excuse me, sorry to disturb your all-important meeting. But I wanted to ask you something, have you guys ever thought about dividing forces and focusing on two different ns, two fronts of action? I dare say that although this is an unusual group, we have some really great people here, it wouldn''t be hard to act with the city guards and set up a vigil at the same time."

 Chapter 239 The Three Objectives

    Martha the servant girl''s idea was the trigger to start a new n to finally arrest Erick Smakusa. Banishing him from the council, which brings together themanders of the eightrgest families in the Broteforge Empire.


    Since this could be a longer n than all the others, and since everyone was inspired by Martha''s words, the huge group living in Ayumi''s residence decided that they should fragment to act more widely.


    Not everyone in the group were adventurers with powerful Gene Skills, so they decided to form a division among themselves, to prioritize exactly how safe everyone was.


    This meant that powerful people like Luke Lange and Alexis Dmitry couldn''t work together, which made them both upset. Still, the half-wolf didn''t martyr himself too much over this, because he could still be paired with Meredith or Ayumi.


    Besides, the S-ss was still stronger than he was, and he knew he shouldn''t be worried about her safety because of this, but deep down, something still made him worry. This was like a feeling of uneasiness that he felt whenever he got away from her.


    However, before they drew pairs for the first day of the operation, they outlined three main objectives:


    Number 1 - Set up a vigil in the harbor.


    This was the most important step, after all, it was their only hope of finding something that would link Straw Hats, and their human trafficking scheme in the East Port of Oukiwa, with the Smakusa Family, who werergely responsible for the administration of that region.


    Number 2 - Work with the Municipal Guards to find the Straw Hat hideouts.


    The main motivation for finding the Straw Hat hideouts was to find documentation proving that the Smakusa were dealing with criminals.


    Although for minor criminals documents are superfluous material, for the underworld this kind of information is used as ckmail. In other words, not even the Patriarch of the Smakusa should be exempt from signing contracts, or any of his henchmen from stamping with the Smakusa Family shield.


    Number 3 - Keeping track of Erick Smakusa''s daily moves in the Central Pce, to make him feel pressured and afraid to act.


    With each passing day the Smakusa Patriarch was creating more tension among the members of the Council, therefore fine-tuning already established rtionships and dealings among its members.


    *


    When the goals were finally aplished, it was time to form the pairs and also the tasks of the first day, because they decided to vary this every day.


    "So, how do we do this?" Matthew asked, because he had no preference about who he would pair up with.<sub> </sub>


    "Let''s use logic, shall we?" said Nathalia. "For example, my mother needs to be fixed in the third goal, because she is part of the Council. Does everyone agree?"


    Without exception, everyone nodded to the white-haired Elf.


    Then the half-wolf raised his hand politely to follow up. "I think it will be better for everyone if you, Nathalia, and Shiro work together with the city guards every day. To gain the trust of these people is not at all easy, but Nathalia is charismatic and Shiro is reliable, you would be the perfect duo."


    "But wouldn''t that affect our rotation of doubles?" Shiro was surprised and happy about Luke''s reliability, and also thought the same way, but still couldn''t ept it without everyone agreeing.


    Just then, Ayumi reached out to grab paper and pencil from a small circr table next to the armchair she was in. "The doubles rotation is simple. We are in ten, not to mention Martha, who will be in the rear taking care of the house. That is, without me, Nathalia and Shiro you would still be seven, as we need six to form pairs with eight-hour shifts to guard the harbor day and night, there would still be one left to apany me during the day."


    Everyone looked dumbfounded at Ayumi Yamazaki, especially the members of the gang of former thieves. Normally, they would stay all night discussing different alternatives, trying to find the best one, but the Matriarch managed this with only half an hour of discussion.


    "You are really amazing." Marthaplimented her, understanding a little more that Luke did not fall in love with her only for her huge breasts.


    Hearing thepliment Ayumi was surprised, because she felt that the half-breed usually avoided her, so she blushed a little and thanked her in mumbles. Meredith was Luke''s childhood friend, so Ayumi wanted to get closer to her and be able to be her friend as well, but she hadn''t found ways to be able to do that yet.


    Luke smiled as he watched the two interact. "All right, so tomorrow''s pairs can be Meredith and Ynosuke in the morning, John and Zack in the afternoon, and Matthew and Alexis in the evening. That way I would go to the Council on the first day, and on the second day I''ll switch with some duo. What do you think?"


    Everyone agreed with the half-wolf, as these divisions were in line with the idea of leaving less powerful people with more powerful people.


    Ynosuke was at the fourth stage of the Sea Ornament, two levels above Luke, and while he still didn''t have the physical attributes as great as Luke''s, his range of attacks and defenses was impressively vast, so that the <Horus''s Eye> was never enough to predict all of his movements or attack patterns.


    Zack had also be quite strong during the trip, especially with the basic fundamentals of battle that Luke and Alexis taught him. This big red-headed man had abnormal strength, which had already made him break bones easily during tavern fights when he was younger.


    Alexis also needs noment, because he is by far the most powerful person in the group. Besides her extremely superior physical strength, she knows movement techniques that enhance all of this, not to mention her devastatingly powerful Gene Skills.


    Knowing all this about his friends, when Luke woke up the other day and went to the Central Pce apanying the Matriarch of the Strogueher Family, he was unconcerned about his friends and focused on his goal of keeping an eye on Erick Smakusa.

 Chapter 240 The Hall Of Thrones

    The Central Pce was the ce where the minds that ran the entire Oukiwa City came together, and also where matters that could impact the entire Empire were decided.


    Since the Emperor''s job was to take a broader look at the entire Empire, he couldn''t waste time on small things like criminal trials, bureaucraticws, reports, financial administration and the like, so this was the nobles'' job.


    There were eight Noble Families: Hangen, Smakusa, Colto, Sallow, Strogueher, Daren, Land and Bard.


    In the past the leaders of these families only met annually, but as the generations passed these meetings had to be more recurring, and so the Council was finally founded two generations before Ayumi Yamazaki took over as Matriarch of the Strogueher.


    At first, she had to fight the looks of the other members, after all, she was not a pureblood noblewoman, but a woman who became a noble through marriage to Akai Strogueher, a somewhat unbnced Elf.


    When Akai died, the Strogueher Patriarch of the time, Manilyn Strogueher, did not exile Ayumi, much to the dismay of some who did not wish this. In fact, he only did not do so because he was the first to find out about Nathalia, who was only a few months old at the time. For this reason, Manilyn gave Ayumi all the support and, in the end, everything happened as it should, Ayumi won the contest for the post of head of the Family.


    However, even after the long-haired, stunning-looking Elf had gone through all this and many other problems, her position was still being outraised by three members of the Council: Erick Smakusa, Shanks Bard, and Thomas Landford.


    Aymui warned Luke about this, and that he shouldn''t get angry if they tried to hit her in any way, because she already knew how to handle it.


    Still, the half-wolf did not ept that and answered her as they stood in front of the door to the Council Hall.


    "Wait a minute... did I hear you right? If they offend you, I''m supposed to be quiet?" He asked, not believing what he heard.


    She looked both ways, embarrassed, as there were many people near the scene. Then she took his right forearm and guided him a few feet to the side.


    "Yes..." Ayumi whispered, worried if any of the guards could hear Luke.


    Luke realized that he spoke too loudly, so he moved quite close to her face, making her blush, and whispered in her ear:


    "And when should I say something? When theypliment you, is that it?"


    The Matriarch found the half-wolf''s question funny, so sheughed a little and stopped when she remembered that the other people were watching them. Then she threw back a lock of her hair with her right hand and leaned over to whisper in Luke''s ear.


    "Just say something in case they ask, you are going as my bodyguard, not as a speaker, okay Professor Luke?" She teased him.


    When Luke heard this, he felt his heart flutter, for the gentle tone of the Matriarch''s voice made this title even more pleasant. At that moment he closed his eyes and asked her to repeat it. "Say that ending again, and I promise I won''t open my mouth for the rest of the day."<sub> </sub>


    ...


    "What are you doing, Mr. Lange? Shall we go inside?" Ayumi asked, and when Luke opened his eyes, he realized that she had already rushed to the door.


    ''Damn... I have to stop letting my senses be duped by this cheeky Elf.'' He thought, but in the end, he was d to see her smile, even though he had embarrassed himself in front of some people.


    When Ayumi pushed open the eight-foot-high door to the circr hall, naturally her bang was heard and then her creak, this was a giant door after all.


    Next, the half-wolf came upon an encyclical environment. On the ceiling of this ce were several shining crystals, which illuminated the entire room. On the floor, eight quartz thrones, separated by only a few feet, captured the attention of anyone who was present in this space for the first time, and Luke was no exception, but he restrained himself.


    Four of the eight seats were already taken, which meant that Ayumi was only the fifth to arrive for the meeting.


    Just as Ayumi opened the huge door, Luke turned back and closed it, to maintain privacy.


    The moment the people sitting on the throne saw the half-wolf, they all widened their eyes. They knew that Luke Lange was a member of the Strogueher Family, but it was never revealed what level of rtionship he had with its members, whether he was an estate guard, whether he was someone''s personal bodyguard, or even whether he was a professional instructor. These were the most predictable and usible options.


    However, this rtionship between the half-wolf and the Strogueher ceased to be clear when he began working at the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles.


    Still, no one thought much about it once they saw Luke, they just wondered why the bodyguard this time was not Oliver, who was the one who usually apanied Ayumi.


    The Strogueher Matriarch walked outside the circle to the throne with the Strogueher symbol carved on it, this one the design of a five-petaled flower inside another flower a littlerger, but with the same appearance. As she sat down, she looked to the sides to see who was present.


    On the throne to Ayumi''s right was an Elf with white hair and red eyes, which instantly reminded him of Nathalia, who had the same features. Based on what Ayumi Yamazaki had told him earlier about the members of the Council, this was the Matriarch of the Sallow Family, Nico Sallow.


    Beside her, there was a man of short stature with intensely red hair. His ears were more pointed and elongated than most Elves'', but he was also smaller than most Elves.


    As soon as Luke stopped at the right side of Ayumi''s throne, he moved from right to left as he stared at Luke.


    At that moment, the half-wolf knew that this little Elf was no ordinary bodyguard, in fact, Luke knew that no one in that room was really weak.

 Chapter 241 Noble Family Commanders

    On the throne to Ayumi''s left, there was a balding man whose ck skin seemed immacte from how clean it was. Although this man had a white goatee and traces of experience next to his eyes, these seemed well aware of everything around him. This was the Patriarch of the Colto family.


    At his right side, there was a ck woman as well. Her brown hair had long curls that seemed to imitate the curl of a calmke when a stone is thrown.


    Mr. Colto looked at Ayumi, and also looked at Luke, and then immediately greeted them both. "Good morning, how are you?"


    "Very well, and you?" The Matriarch answered for him with the proper intonation, because the thrones were rtively far apart from each other.


    Luke showed the man respect, even though he had never seen him. The half-wolf looked into his eyes and nodded as he bowed slightly. For both of them, this seemed to be enough.


    "We''re pretty good too." He replied, but hispanion stood motionless beside his throne, just staring at Luke.


    Then the Matriarch of the Strogueher looked at Nico Sallow, and greeted her with a nod. Mrs. Sallow responded in the same way, butplemented it with a closed smile.


    On the other side of the circr hall, Luke recognized two other important figures. Rujierd Daren and Amanda Hangen, respectively the Patriarch of the Daren Family and the Matriarch of the Hangen Family.


    Rujierd was an entric looking man, as his hair was snow-white, and his skin was between a ck and yellow tone. In addition, his teeth were sharp, and if that alone wasn''t enough to show off his wild nature, he still wore leather monster clothes.


    Matriarch Hangen was no ordinary looking person either. Her hair carried a strong shade of rust, although each of her strands had the luster of a well-kept de.


    They both realized they were being stared at by Luke, and precisely because they were not feared by the half-wolf they were even more curious about him.


    At that moment they both rose from their seats and walked over to where Ayumi and Luke were standing, closely apanied by their bodyguards.


    Impressively, Amanda was even taller than the red-haired man apanying her. In fact, she was taller than anyone in that room, easily exceeding six and a half feet.


    Her bodyguard was only about two meters tall, although he was her older brother.


    Apanying Rujierd was a strange looking girl simr to his, and well, this resemnce was easily exined by the fact that they were father and daughter respectively.


    The half-wolf couldn''t say why Rujierd brought his own daughter to the lions'' den, but it was understandable due to the fact that she was his firstborn, as well as the person who would inherit the leadership of this family in the future. The fact that Patriarch Daren was so confident to bring his daughter was not because he trusted all the council members, but rather because he was self-confident that nothing in the world would be a threat to his daughter as long as she was present.


    "Greetings, everyone!" Rujierd greeted Ayumi and Luke with only one word, but with a smile on his face. "You''re the boy who won the Tournament of Legends a few months ago, aren''t you? You disappeared for a while."


    "Yes, sir. Actually, working with the Strogueher has many advantages, and one of them is having freedom. I was on a trip to visit some distant rtives." The half-wolf replied.


    "And in the middle of the road you stopped to defeat a national myth and save a small town? Your family must be very uninteresting," Rujierd questioned.


    At this moment Luke realized that his day would not be easy and that even the man with the nicest manner did not stop acting like a venomous snake. However, Ayumi was there and wouldn''t let the half-wolf get into trouble on his first day at her workce.


    Before Luke could think of a response for the Patriarch, Ayumi interfered. "Mr. Daren, what are you getting at with these questions? Mr. Lange is a free man, young and very talented, it would be strange if he didn''t aplish remarkable feats. Don''t you think so?"


    Rujierd then smiled with just the left corner of his bonk and turned to walk back to his throne:


    "Ayumi, all dogs need cors when they leave the yard, and so does a wolf. Think about it."


    The Matriarch was just cold and ignored him, focusing on the giant woman in front of her, Amanda.


    "Good morning, Mrs. Hangen. How are you?"


    "I''m fine, actually, I was waiting for your arrival."<sub> </sub>


    "Hm? Why? Is there something I can help you with?" Ayumi inquired, surprised. Amanda was a pretty empowered woman, and she was hardly one to ask anyone for help with anything, let alone people from other families.


    "Yes, but I just came to let you know that I would like to continue the conversation about rebuilding the library of the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles."


    "Oh! Would you like to continue now orter?"


    "If possible, after the Council meeting. The person responsible for today''s agendas is Thomas Landford, so I predict it will be another tiring morning." Amanda rolled her eyes as she finished her sentence.


    Ayumi smiled, grateful that she wasn''t the only one who could hardly stand Thomas and his immature behaviors. "All right, we''ll talk about itter."


    The giant red-haired woman smiled briefly as she nodded and then returned to her throne.


    When the half-wolf realized that there was no one else around, he allowed himself to talk with his bride. "Mrs. Strogueher, does Shiro know that another Landford survived the massacre? I remember when he told me about it, he said he believed he was the only one who survived."


    "Shiro probably knows that he was not thest survivor, I don''t know for sure. We both never touched that subject, except when we did his interview. For what it''s worth Thomas is a man has be such an annoying man that Shiro wouldn''t put up with him for long." Ayumi exined, without turning her face to look at Luke who was out of her field of vision. "That you will find out in no time."


    Five minutester, the door to the circr hall was opened, and five people entered together.


    The first was Shanks Bard, an elderly man who wore elegant clothes and had a healthy posture, although he used a cane to get around. Next to him was a very strong man whose exposed muscles looked like shining monoliths of basalt.


    Behind them was another gray-haired man. He had an oddly shaped beard, because his sideburns were a mixture of white mixed with gray, and his goatee followed the shape of an arch, leaving only his chin bare. This was Thomas Landford, and the half-wolf recognized this thanks to the dozens of Landford insignia on his dark blue military uniform.


    Patriarch Landford began to scan the room with his eye, but stopped when he realized that Luke was present and began to stare at him as he walked to his seat.


    Luke didn''t even notice this man, because his attention was taken by the two other people who entered after Thomas.


    The first was Erick Smakusa, a man who walked in an elegant yet imposing manner. He had a cape with a ck exterior and a wine-red interior, and the rest of his outfit followed basically this same pattern. Still, Luke wondered what kind of fabric that was, because it looked sturdy, but also veryfortable and handsome.


    When Luke looked into Erick''s eyes, he noticed the way the Smakusa Patriarch looked intently at everyone in the hall, as if he was paying attention to any slightest movement.


    Hisrge white beard and long grayish strands entuated the pressure in his ck eyes.


    The moment Erick realized he was being stared at by Luke, he nced back for a second and then at Ayumi, and then said to the man apanying him:


    "Come with me more closely, Kyor. Mrs. Yamazaki is nning something."


    Then Luke constantly recognized the name said by Erick, although he had forgotten it for some time.


    ''Kyor!?'' Luke wondered, turned to look at the man apanying the Smakusa Patriarch and recognized him on the spot. ''So, I finally found you!


    Kyor was the name of the man with supernatural reflexes that the half-wolf had to fight against at the Vasconcelos Anniversary Festival, more precisely at the Luck or Fight Tournament.


    Luke Lange never expected to meet him again, although he had the urge. After all, it was Kyor''s fighting style that inspired him to focus more on slender attacks and dodges.


    This man withpletely ck hair, matte green eyes and a cold stare was wearing the same clothes as when Luke first met him, which made it clear that this was his work uniform. He was wearing the gray vest of a jacket, gray pants, and ck gloves, made of a sturdy material, but still kept them in the thin-fingered style.


    The half-wolf was staring at him behind Ayumi, and with his watchful eyes Kyor noticed this, stopped and returned the stare.

 Chapter 242 The Lessons Of The Past

    As Kyor and Luke stared at each other, everything seemed to slow down for both of them.


    The two had met very briefly almost a year ago, during a single night. Still, this was long enough for them to learn that they should respect each other, or rather, fear each other.


    For the half-wolf, this ck-haired man in front of him was the first person who made him wonder if he couldnd blows. Later he did, but in the days following that event, he wondered if he really earned it. Luke remembered vividly being in a fierce contest with Kyor, and when he finally managed to immobilize him and thought he could beat him, in thest moments he found several holes in his immobilization. With the skills Kyor had shown, he could even reverse the immobilization and pin the half-wolf, but he looked at the audience for a second and suddenly gave up on winning.


    Yes, Luke understood that that was just a silly tournament, so he forgot about it for a while, but now with Kyor''s sudden return to his life, he began to reflect on that as well.


    Now, for Luke and Kyor, they were like rivals who didn''t know each other, who didn''t know what the other was capable of. Almost a year had passed, so both were surely much stronger.


    "What are you doing, boy? I asked you to apany me." Erick Smakusa said to Kyor, who slid his gaze over Luke to Ayumi.


    Then Patriarch Smakusa sat down on one of the thrones and Kyor stopped to his right.


    "Everyone is here, right? So, let''s start the meeting." Thomas Landford said, and stood up from his throne, this time he pulled out a piece of paper from inside his military jacket, whose shoulder pads had little golden strings on them.


    "What will be the agendas for today''s meeting?" Mr. Bard asked, with a dismissive smile on his face as he looked at Nico, Amanda and Ayumi.


    Even to Luke it was clear that in the Council there were two groups that had divergent interests, and their members were feuding within the Circr Hall, not to convince each other, but to convince the neutral members, Jimbe Colto and Thomas Landford.


    In recent years, Thomas Landford had sided with Ayumi in most of the Council''s conflicts, but that ceased to be a fact a few months ago, since it was revealed to the world that she had hired a certain half-beast. In Thomas'' paranoid mind, Luke Lange was fully capable of being the beast that killed his entire family.


    So, when Thomas stood up, and the Patriarchs of the Smakusa and Bard Families smiled a little, everyone knew that something good was noting.


    "Khum! The first agenda of the day will be about the closure of the Guilds of the Lower City and the Middle City." Mr. Landford said as he read the paper in his hand. "You all know why we need to discuss whether this is possible, right? Guilds are expensive investments that need to make a minimum profit every day, otherwise we''ll have to allocate more of our forces to Dungeons every time."


    Ayumi nodded, as she heard him say. "Certainly maintaining the guilds is not something cheap. When I bought the rights to the Dungeon area in Vasconcelos, I spent almost a hundred thousand gold coins. Hiring staff, structure, fostering local trade, advertising, and all kinds of attention that a Dungeon needs is certainly not something cheap."


    Rujierd Daren stood with his arms crossed, and also shook his head affirmatively as Ayumi spoke. "Maintaining a Dungeon is not something cheap, even less so without many adventurers to advance it. Still, there are other ways to exploit its resources."


    "The problem is that there are three of them in Oukiwa. This is the city with the most dungeons in the entire world. Our only luck is that they are all of the Mina type." Ayumi rified.


    At that time, Thomas Landford clicked his tongue and looked at her coldly, "Mrs. Strogueher, this is not our problem. You and Mrs. Sallow who handle the investments in the south, Mr. Bard and Mrs. Hangen handle the north, while Mr. Daren and Mr. Colto are in the west. I don''t see any problems in the other regions like there are in Oukiwa."


    The blond-haired Elf noticed Thomas'' strategy to make her angry, so she decided to spit out a fact:


    "You are right, we all have our problems, but we are still one nation and we must cooperate with each other for the prosperity of Broteforge, no?" She asked, running her eyes over the faces of each of the leaders in that room.<sub> </sub>


    Almost everyone nodded, with only Erick Smakusa remaining. "Prosperity? The creation of the Council has only created intrigue among the Noble Families!" He said with his arms crossed.


    Nico Sallow saw this reaction as the reaction of a teenager when he sees that his parents have started fighting. So, she leaned forward a little and supported her face in his hand.


    "If by intrigues you mean rtionships, I will easily point out that our intrigues are one of the factors that keep the Broteforge Empire solid and unshakable as it is to this day." she said.


    Next, Bard surprised everyone with his assent about the Council. "Ms. Sallow, you and Yamazaki are right, the Council has been great and for that reason has been maintained for a few generations. However, being good at the moment does not mean that it will necessarily be good forever. There are many factors that make up the economy of this Empire, in addition to the religious, political and cultural factors..."


    Erick Smakusa rose from his throne and began walking to the center of the hall, where Thomas was standing. "I agree with you, Mr. Bard. There are so many factors that make up a nation that it is impossible to put each of them into topics, not in the dimension we are in today. Exactly for this reason, we should dismiss the Council, modernize it, and everyone will take care of their territory individually." He said, finally stopping beside Thomas.


    "That doesn''t make the slightest sense." Ayumi remained determined not to give in to that idea. "In the past, there have almost been two internal wars in the Broteforge Empire. The first one was between the Colto and the Hangen, the Colto dominate nature and respect it as one living thing, one entity, but the Hangen have long had a strong connection with manufacturing, so they didn''t care much for the region they dominated."


    "And the second was between the Sallow and the Strogueher." Nico pointed out. "The two Strogueher and the Sallow used to be a single family in the past, but everyone knows that the two brothers whomanded it created an enmity, which almost became a war twenty yearster."


    Luke''s eyes widened, because he had never heard of that, although he was quite curious as to why Nico Sallow had gic traits like hair and eyes so simr to Nathalia''s.


    "That''s in the past. Can you guys understand that?" inquired Erick, putting both index fingers to his head, as if he was calling them idiots. "Bard has lost influence in Suzano, Colto hasn''t been to his crops in over a year, Hangen hasn''t returned to Forge Hill either, and I haven''t set foot on one of the Parato Inds in a long time."


    "Sigh... do you want a vacation, or do you just want to divide the power of the Empire into nine like it used to be? I mean, don''t you guys understand that even if you prepared for years you couldn''t win a war to overthrow the Emperor, right?" Hangen spoke up, looking at Thomas, Erick and Shanks.


    "War? Who said anything about war? That''s a nder!" Patriarch Smakusa used.


    "What do you want us to think?" Ayumi asked him. "Some arguments thate from you actually make sense, because you point out obvious problems of every nation. The real problem arises when the three of you show yourselves to be more concerned with your own business than with the poption."


    "What do you mean? What are you talking about?" They asked.


    "Let''s be honest? Mrs. Hangen, Nico, and Ipletely entrust the Northeast and North to the Cardinal Kingdom, they are pretty sprawling, but there is order in the regions they are present, and no crime goes unpunished. They have Secrs in their Dungeons, Sensory Mages as allies, and even ways to talk to the k Kingdom across the Sea, of course, before the war on the Hati continent.


    "The way you''re talking, it''s look like you and she are friends, Ayumi." Erick tried to use the Strogueher Matriarch''s words against herself. "Isn''t that the least bit suspicious, my dear colleagues?"


    To the Patriarch of the Smakusa, had Rujierd Daren or Jimbe Colto begun to distrust Ayumi at that moment, the meeting would have been quite profitable already. In his mind, he thought he could make people suspect that Ayumi was up to something, for trusting a portion ofnd that wasn''t even hers to a foreign Kingdom.


    p However, when Erick looked at the other Council members who weren''t on his side, he realized that none of them had changed their expression. ''Wait... have they not even considered that Ayumi might actually be up to something? That''s impossible.'' Erick Smakusa thought, incredulous.</anda>


    At that moment, Luke fell in love with Ayumi once again, because as he saw her sitting on that throne with a calm expression, despite being used by the man with the power to start the war between Melki and Broteforge, he realized how fucked up that Elf was.

 Chapter 243 The Cloak Over The Silhouette

    After Erick Smakusa''s hypocritical attempt to try to cast doubt on Ayumi''s loyalty to the Broteforge Empire, he realized that no one actually thought that was possible.


    In fact, even Shanks Bard and Thomas Landford thought the attempt wasme, because everyone knew how dedicated Ayumi was to her work as Matriarch of the Strogueher. She was the person who injected the most coins from her personal fortune into government investments, she was also the most dedicated with security, and she was always the first person to vote for projects that make everyone''s lives better.


    Frustrated, Patriarch Smakusa returned to his throne, and from then on, the meeting went on without too many problems. Of course, Thomas Landford continued to throw some needles at Ayumi, but when Luke started to look at him angrily because of this, he stopped.


    To Thomas, no matter how many times he saw the fuzzy ears of the half-wolf, they would still look like horns.


    As the staves were passed, Luke and Kyor exchanged a few more nces, as well as Luke exchanged nces with Erick Smakusa. As warned earlier by Ayumi, that was a hungry lion''s den, so he didn''t dare look away even once.


    During the long meeting, several subjects were discussed. Among them, Shanks Bard questioned about theck of a proper trial for Vinigo, which would be done by the Council itself. On the spot, Ayumi pointed out all the factors of this early trial, including the fact that the Oukiwa Academy of Nobles had its own legition,ws and authorities, although it openly cooperated with the Council.


    She also exined that it was not she who decided to arrest Vinigo, but the institution''s Principal himself.


    Mr. Bardstly tried tactfully to raise a suspicion against Ayumi, after all her bodyguard was inserted at the asion in question. However, she lied a little and said that Luke was trying to find a suitable pupil to teach some of his techniques, which is why he eventually became a Professor at the Academy, not by appointment, but by his own merit.


    When atst Thomas Landford announced the close of his agenda, he reminded her that there would still be another Council meeting the next day.


    "Ah! My back is killing me!" Ayumi exasperated to Luke as she stood up from the throne, while watching everyone leave the hall.


    The half-wolf approached her from the side and teased her, slipping his arm behind her waist. "If you want, I can take care of that. Do you know of any ces around here that are empty at this time of day?"


    Sheughed a little, and looked at Luke. At that point, she could see in his eyes that he wasn''t kidding, so she turned to her and whispered in his lower right ear:


    "Save that energy for tonight~. If Alexis isn''t tired from her vigil in the harbor, we''ll have double the pleasure~."


    Then she turned back to the door and noticed that Amanda Hangen was walking calmly to the exit, probably because she was waiting for her approach.


    "Come on! The work isn''t over yet!" She spoke to Luke as she walked quickly to the exit.


    It took him a while to wake up from the stun effect the Elf''s words had on him, but he regained his distance with a single quick step, surprising Ayumi, whoughed as she was startled and punched him weakly in the shoulder as a way of punishing him.


    "Ouch, ouch!" he feigned pain, massaging the spot where she hit him.


    "That''s for never scaring me again!" She said as sheughed.


    Erick Smakusa looked at these interactions between Ayumi and Luke over his right shoulder after leaving the Council Hall. For some reason, Erick couldn''t keep his guard down in Luke''s presence, but it seemed that the half-wolf didn''t have the same feeling.


    As Luke walked with a smile out of the hall next to the woman he loved, he was stared at by two people who hated him for no apparent reason.


    ''I''ll make him pay for everything...'' Erick Smakusa and Thomas Landford thought simultaneously.


    However, if the two of them knew what was about to happen in the night over the next few days, they would beg for Luke''s forgiveness on their knees if they had to.


    When The Hangen Family Matriarch and Ayumi entered a small room to talk alone about a pending matter, Luke had to stand outside to prevent other people from approaching, as well as Amanda''s older brother, a man with red hair and green eyes, but of an ordinary size, like Luke who was only six feet tall.


    Luke looked at the man next to him, in an attempt to perhaps strike up some conversation, because in the hallway they were in there was no one else. But even after the half-wolf''s nce, the man remained motionless, just staring at the empty wall in front of him.


    ''Doesn''t he like to talk?'' Luke wondered, and again looked at the two extreme corners of the corridor.<sub> </sub>


    He looked to the right and saw no one approaching. Then he looked to the left and also saw that there was no one approaching, but rather a person peering at them, a silhouette to be exact. This silhouette was wearing a hood and disappeared when Luke blinked his eyes.


    Alerted, Luke looked at the red-haired man next to him, to check if Amanda''s brother also saw what he saw. The man was still motionless, just staring straight ahead.


    Luke looked back to the left side of the hallway, and noticed that the same silhouette was still watching him, but it quickly hid again.


    ''What the hell... I wonder if it''s some employee here?'' he wondered, curious.


    The half-wolf was used to people peeping or snooping on him, after all it wasn''t every fan who gathered the courage to approach him easily and ask for an autograph. This happened sometimes in the streets, and also when he was teaching at the Academy. However, he was not on neutral territory like the others, so this time he was a little more alert.


    So, Luke stepped out of the front of the wooden door, to go check if whoever was peeking at him was really a fan or could be an enemy spy.


    "I''ll be right back. An... I''m going to take a piss." Luke warned to the Matriarch Hangen''s bodyguard.


    The man didn''t answer the half-wolf, but turned his neck this time and saw him guiding himself to the left of the corridor. At that moment, he sighed and thought:


    ''I wonder why he was looking at me all the time? Does he have a problem with me? Does he hate me? Shit, it would be bad to have him as an enemy. Did he go into the bathroom, or did he get a sword to cut me into little pieces?''


    On the outside, the red-haired man still had a serious expression, but his trembling legs gave away his cowardly nature.


    As Luke approached where he saw the hooded silhouette, he noticed that the person snooping around him didn''t seem to have any intention of running away from him, because the person continued to stand in the hallway parallel to the one he was in. This person''s heartbeat was getting faster and faster as the half-wolf''s footsteps approached, echoing through that practically inhospitable space in the Central Pce.


    Luke noticed that there was no scent in the air, although he could clearly hear that the person was still there, so he redoubled his focus.


    So, the moment Luke reached the hallway where the silhouette was, he just stopped at the side of the hallway, still looking forward.


    "Can you stop spying, please?" He asked in a calm voice, of making anyone scared.


    "Do you always react this calmly to your secret admirers?" Amelia asked.


    The half-wolf recognized her voice at once, and turned to confirm it with his own eyes.


    Amelia was standing with her arms crossed and her back against the quartz wall, while smiling slightly at him. Although she was wearing a ck cloak, the delicate sparkle of her sapphire-colored eyes was still there, as well as her ck strands that now formed a long braid that was encircling the right side of her neck and held in front of her bust.


    He looked at her very surprised, because he didn''t expect to see her again even so soon, after all it had been months since Luke hadst had any contact with the Cardinal Kingdom staff.


    "You? What are you doing here?" he whispered and stepped into the dark hallway she was in.


    "Rebeca ordered me toe here after she warned you about the situation with the Emperor." Amelia exined, after her smile disappeared, not only because she was not received by Luke the way she wanted, but also because the matter they were dealing with was serious.


    "Did she send you back then? It''s been a long time since that happened, and the Cardinal Kingdom is closer to Oukiwa than Latgor, where have you been?"


    "Do you want me to tell you the truth? I''ve been afraid about how to act when I get here. I don''t know how the influence of the other religions is, and I also don''t know the ways in which the Demons are acting in the shadows. The only people I know are you and Alexis, but I haven''t found many traces of where they might find you." She exined.


    "You know I''m with the Strogueher Family, right? You could have gone to the gate of their estate."


    "What part that I don''t trust anyone else in Oukiwa that you don''t understand?" She said, as she removed her hood, and showed her flushed ears.

 Chapter 244 Wharf And Fog

    With Amelia''s presence, the problem with theck of long-distancemunication was solved, because she had an ability that allowed her to project herself or another person anywhere in the world at least that she or the person had ever been.


    When Ayumi finished her meeting with Amanda Hangen regarding the damage at the Oukiwa Noble Academy, Luke introduced Amelia to her, who was very polite and respectful, due to the position the blonde Elf held. To people close to her like Luke, it might already seemmonce to see Ayumi as an ordinary person, but to unfamiliar people she was still like a great figure.


    Amelia found Ayumi even more beautiful in person than the descriptions that came to her, could portray.


    After that, the trio could not return to the Strogueher estate, because Ayumi still had small meetings and Luke was to apany her all day, to make up for the absence of Oliver, who was working with Shiro, Nathalia and the city guards.


    At the end of the day, when they returned to Ayumi''s residence, everyone was surprised by the beauty with the presence of a new member, Amelia. Especially the S-ss, who grinned from ear to ear at seeing one of her best friends again. At first, all those presents were wary of the new woman''s presence, but the half-wolf exined what she worked on, who she reported to, and also the advantages of having her around, which made everyone less wary.


    However, Ayumi''s residence was a little emptier that day, because there were two people at the vigil who had just started an eight-hour vigil: Ynosuke and Meredith.


    Both the man with Oriental features and the half-fox had an obligation to keep watch at the East Port from sixteen o''clock until exactly midnight. When this time came, they would swap posts with the next group, who in turn would stay from midnight until eight in the morning.


    In any case, keeping a vigil was not an easy task, let alone during the night. The human body is gically programmed to rest when night falls, that is, the human being is a diurnal animal, and this meant that as the night went on, they would not only have to pay attention to every inch of the harbor and beach, but they would also have to fight against the brain''s desire to rest.


    *


    ¡ª Oukiwa City''s East Port, 21 hours and 53 minutes. ¡ª


    To be able to see any activity going on at thergest wharf in the area, Ynosuke and Meredith climbed onto the roof of one of the nearby warehouses. On most of this roof, the wood creaked and looked as if it would give way at any moment, but the duo managed to find a firm spot on the shed''s gable and there they settled down.


    It was another quiet night in that city, which seemed more and more dead. There was a great mist over the region, which was unusual for the current season. The winter had been harsh on the half-wolf pack during their return to Oukiwa, and they were thankful when their traces began to reduce.


    "I wonder how much longer we will have to endure this cold..." Ynosuke spoke, as he rested his head on his right arm and, sitting down, enjoyed the still sea.


    "Yaaawn! How long have we been here? Have you been counting?" asked Meredith, after stretching out. Actually, she was about to sleep a few seconds ago and only didn''t do that because Ynosuke alerted her.


    "I don''t know... a few hours maybe? Time is a strange thing. When we want it to pass soon, it takes time; when we want it to take time, it passes quickly." Ynosuke was very bored and just wanted to keep talking so he wouldn''t fall asleep.


    The half-fox stood up, cleaned up what little bits of wood were in his pants, and looked at the horizon.


    "That mist over the water, won''t it get in the way of ships docking?" She asked Ynosuke. Her hope was to catch a pirate ship in the act, or rather a Smakusa ship full of ves. She knew that something like that happening was practically impossible, but she still dreamed of such a simple oue.


    Ynosuke looked at her and asked:


    "You don''t know? Well, it is understandable not to know, because we have never stolen anything in this area... After sunset, it is forbidden to try to dock at Oukiwa. Boats that can''t dock within that time must drop their anchors and wait until dawn."


    "Hm... Why does that happen? Because of the darkness and fog?"


    "Exactly because of that. In the past, an ident urred in this very harbor and about a dozen boats sank. Apparently, a boat hit the harbor because there wasn''t something to guide it. After that, they tried to put men with shlights on the quay, but some people died that way too, especially on nights like these, with the thick fogs." Ynosuke exined.<sub> </sub>


    "Erghhh... how horrible." Meredith said as she faced a group of guards walking on the mooring.


    "What are you watching?" Ynosuke stood up a bit and looked in the same direction the half-fox was looking, and he saw the same men she did.


    "We''d better stay down, or they might see us." She threw back some of her cloak and stayed on her knees, not losing sight of the guards.


    Her watch partner nodded and knelt down as well. "Are they making rounds? Isn''t it a littlete for that?"


    "Let me guess... they probably usually make rounds separately around the harbor, but tonight is a strange night because of this fog, so they were afraid to do it separately and joined together." The half-fox hunched over in such a genuine way that it left Ynosuke surprised.


    However, even after Ynosuke was contentedly amazed at Meredith''s ability to read the situation, he didn''t manifest that. He never really understood what Meredith usually thought, so he also avoidedplimenting her lest she be overconfident. In life, confidence can be both the key to victory and also the embrace of death, most often the second option.


    When the group of guards approached the area where there were several boats anchored, all apparently empty, they split up due to the order of one of them, the one wearing obsidian armor.


    Two of the five guards walked to the right and went to check a pile of empty barrels that were abandoned; if there were any symbols on them, thepany, person, or family responsible should be fined. Two other guards went to the left, to check if anyone was sleeping in the smaller boats. Finally, their leader walked to the end of a pier, while illuminating the hulls of some boats with hisntern.


    To Ynosuke and Meredith, this seemed to be just a standard check. In the past, the ports were not so well checked and watched, but everything changed when illegal activities were noticed, especially the trafficking of drugs and also of weapons.


    Even though it seemed like just an ordinary round, Ynosuke and Meredith just kept watching, because they had nothing better to do.


    At a certain moment, the leader of the guards looked back and realized that his employees were close by, but were still busy with their work. Then he looked at the water, and as he stared at it, he distinguished a stronger than usual ripple. At this point, he looked back once more, and seeing that his subordinates were still distracted, he jumped into the water with hismp in hand and in his armor.


    Obsidian armor is part of the heaviest group of equipment that can exist and when you fall into the water with this type of clothing, it is practically a death sentence. The other guards who were on the piers knew this, so when they heard the noise of falling into the water and noticed that their boss was gone, they had a quick conclusion about the situation.


    "The boss has fallen into the water!"


    "Let''s help him!"


    "Get a rope, Kainan! We have to run the rope across his back!"


    "All right!"


    All the boss''s subordinates began to organize themselves to try to save his life, unaware that he jumped into the water on purpose. Obviously, the guard in obsidian armor didn''t want to kill himself, even though he wasmitting a near-suicidal act, and it was clear because he started struggling and screaming for help.


    Ynosuke and Meredith were shocked to see all this happening, and also very confused. As they watched the four guards trying to save theirpanion, they both suddenly had the same conclusion:


    ''This is a distraction!'' They were wide-eyed and, without needing tomunicate, began to scan the entire harbor for evidence to prove theirmon suspicion.


    Then they saw from afar something that looked more like a legend, at the same time that the confusion with the guards was happening at one end of the dock, at the far-left end of the pier a boat seemed to appear out of nowhere in the mist. This boat was big like a fisherman''s boat, but strangely dirty as if it had been abandoned.

 Chapter 245 Black Beard

    When Ynosuke and Meredith saw the boat emerge from the mist, they looked at each other in astonishment.


    The boat arrived silently in the harbor, without making any kind of noise. In fact, to the two former thieves who watched it approach, it seemed more like the boat came out of nowhere. Quickly, the suspicious vessel slipped in between two other boats of simr size, and stood there, without tying a thick rope to the quay or dropping its anchor.


    After this, nothing could be heard seen on the boat, not even a point of light or a person on deck. To Ynosuke, this was terrifying because it was dark and yet the boat parked exactly where it was supposed to, and also because no one got off the boat.


    "What was that that just happened?" The half-fox asked. She too was incredulous about what she had just witnessed.


    "I don''t know, but we don''t need to act. If we have to, we''ll stay here all night." Ynosuke stated.


    It was clear to both of them that the falling of the guard in obsidian armor into the water was a distraction, so that this suspicious vessel could reach the harbor unnoticed. Although it was dark, even the man with the slightest of reflexes would notice something moving in the harbor, where everything was so monotonous and only the faint waves of the sea could be heard.


    After the four guards managed to pull the head guard out of the water with much effort, they began tough at the situation, even though they were quite out of breath.


    "Hehe... What happened to you, boss? Couldn''t see where you were walking?" One of them asked.


    "Ha... Ha..." The man in obsidian armor was trying to catch his breath. "... My eyes were burning with sleep, so I started to feel them heavy, and before I knew it, I was already sinking into the water." He tried to exin himself.


    "You''ve got to be kidding... We warned you that this obsidian armor is unnecessary and that it''s a waste to wear it here." Kainan, the younger guard, spoke as he coiled the rope they used to pull the head guard out of the water.


    "Not to mention that there are some rotten nks in that harbor, and you''re in such heavy armor... You were lucky you didn''t fall through the pier. In case that happened, we wouldn''t know how to help you."


    "Right, right... I''ve understood and learned my lesson. Starting tomorrow, I won''te in that armor anymore, are you satisfied?"


    "Bruh! You always say that, but this is already the third time you''ve fallen in the water just this month. Don''t tell me you have that blurry eye disease, do you?"


    As the head guard stood, and the remaining water dripped from inside his armor, he replied:


    "Blurred eye disease? Are you some kind of bumpkin to talk like that? Talk like people, call it myopia! Hahaha!" He gave a light p on the back to the subordinate who tried to mock him. "Come, we have other areas to cover. If criminality doesn''t sleep, we shouldn''t sleep!"


    Then, after his shout the head guard raised his right arm, evidencing his firm fist. All the other guards looked at this as a huge act of bravery, because he was very close to dying a few seconds ago, but still he didn''t seem shaken, so they roared as well and headed to the right of the harbor.


    Ynosuke saw all this from afar and couldn''t hide his displeased expression at seeing that the younger guards fell so easily for the older guard''s litany. He knew that all the young adventurers and guards of Oukiwa customarily had a philosophy of heroism far above normal, so they wanted to fight crime, only he didn''t imagine that they could also be innocent to that extent.


    "I can''t believe they also even noticed that yet another boat just appeared out of nowhere." He thought and put his hand to his forehead, indignant. If he had known in the past that it was so easy to fool city guards, he would have stolen from them more often.


    After the five guards moved away from the area, everything was very quiet for almost twenty minutes. The icy wind became stronger, perhaps due to the sea waves that were intensifying this. The tide rose, and consequently the boats moved a little, only to have people appear on the deck of the suspicious boat a few secondster.


    All these people who appeared were men in ordinary clothes, and also looked quite simr, except that they were all very thin and carried sabers in their scabbards. Some of them moved to the bow, others went to check the starboard and port sides.


    They calmly checked to make sure that there was no one in the harbor, even after waiting for a long time. After checking everything, one of these men went back into the captain''s cabin and called the captain.


    Ynosuke and Meredith saw a muscr man climb the stairs and finally reveal himself on deck. He had a very voluminous beard, which made his face round in much the same way as his belly, which was sorge that it fell in front of his waist. In addition, because this man was shirtless it could easily be seen that he had a veryrge tattoo on his chest: the illustration of a hat, which was exactly like the Straw Hat stamp that Luke had seen on Vinigo''s ve contract.<sub> </sub>


    Back then, people who got tattoos were rare, even more so among criminals because they could use this to recognize the criminal. Still, marking the body with tattoos wasmon among wizards who used runes.


    Those who seemed to be the underlings of thisrger man brought arge bed, and covered her back as well as her head.


    With her extremely keen and focused hearing, Meredith could hear them talking:


    "I will go and return before dawn. Since all the worms have been sold in Stahurt, I will have to go and apologize personally to the boss so that he doesn''t kill all of you. When I return, I want to see the whole deck cleared and if you have enough time, clear the barnacles as well. You are out of six, it shouldn''t be hard to do this simple job."


    <o>,m All the underlings nodded and bowed to the man with the ck beard. Next, a man on the edge raised his right hand to ask something.</o>


    "Speak." Themander allowed.


    "Sir, the warehouse is stinking pretty bad. Do you want us to clean there as well?" He asked rather fearfully.


    The man with the tattoo sighed, "We don''t need to submit to that. What''s the point of you cleaning everything up and the next shipment makes it dirty again? It''s useless."


    "Yes, sir." The servant said and bowed his head again.


    "Right. Now don''t waste any more of my fucking precious with stupid questions. In case someone shows up, create the best lie you can, and if I get here and don''t find one of you, I will hunt you down to hell."


    Everyone looked into themander''s ck eyes, and so they could feel the seriousness with which he was speaking. So instead of brandishing loudly because it was night, they bowed until their foreheads brushed against the dirty wood of the deck.


    The bearded man smiled at his inferiors, walked to the bow of the ship, and used exactly that as a support to climb down to the deck, quite carefully. He knew that if he jumped, he would probably end up breaking the wood of the harbor because of his weight.


    Afternding on the pier, the man looked at both ends of the harbor and all his eyes could reach was mist, so he headed left.


    ''Lucky we''re high up and far away, so he can''t see us.'' Ynosuke thought as he watched the man start walking. "What are we going to do now? He''s walking alone."


    Meredith stood and followed the bearded man''s walk with her head. "Come, we should follow him." She said and lifted Ynosuke by the cor of his jacket.


    "Hey, the boat is over there. We should focus on the boat, no?"


    At that point, the half-fox remembered that her friend did not have as effective hearing as her own, so she sighed, looked again at the bearded man following along the pier, and said:


    "He basically said that the ship is out of ves, so it doesn''t matter to us, because he already got here like that. He also said he''s going to find his boss, and on his chest is a tattoo of the..."


    "Straw Hat symbol." Ynosukepleted her reasoning. "Okay... if there''s no one on the boat and there''s a chance we can find where this asshole is hiding, I''ll take it. Let''s go!"


    Meredith smiled and as she walked to the front end of the shed they were in, she tied her hair in a ponytail, so she wouldn''t be in the way in case she needed to run or fight. Since the half-fox was used to sneaking up behind people at a young age to steal from them, it was not difficult for her to follow the captain of the suspicious boat without making any kind of noise.


    The same applied to Ynosuke, because before the whole mess with the demons got its start, he was the worst of the pimps and this forced him to learn to be as quiet as he could. After all, there were countless asions when he got involved withmitted women and then had to run away from their husbands.

 Chapter 246 The Cage

    Could Meredith''s decision to pursue the huge ck-bearded man be rash? A little.


    On the boat there could be hundreds of pieces of information that could point to the involvement the direct rtion to the Straw Hat. However, to the half-fox the tattoo on the chest of the man who came out of the cockpit, as well as the matter he discussed with his subordinates, proved enough evidence to know that the big criminal was directly involved.


    Therefore, if that neglected care boat, and the subordinates belonged to the Straw Hat, it was more than obvious that the theory that the Smakusa were even neglecting the security in the ports precisely to help this kind of criminal. Still, negligence was not exactly a crime, meaning that it was not a good enough reason to punish someone with expulsion from the council. The half-wolf group still needed more evidence to prove that one of the most influential men in the kingdom was in fact a scoundrel who was helping demons and also criminals.


    As Ynosuke and Meredith followed the bearded man through the middle city, they wondered why Erick Smakusa was risking everything he had. Could the demons have promised something to him? Or even the First Servant himself? Did Erick desire even more power and influence after the fall of the Emperor or did he just long for something greater?


    For both, it was impossible to find an answer to such aplex question. Not least because there was probably nothing in the world important enough for them to risk everything they had, which was not as much as a Patriarch of a Noble Family, but it was still good friendships and a warm bed to rest in.


    So when the ck-bearded man stopped in front of a dark alley, looked at both ends of the street, and entered exactly this alley, Meredith and Ynosuke looked at each other, because they knew exactly this ce and what was in it.


    In this dark alley, in a border region between Upper Town and Lower Town, there was an entrance to the old sewer system.


    As this sewage system was dmissioned, it wasmonly used for illegal activities, especially a very famous one whose name was: "The Cage". To ordinary people, this might not mean anything, but to people who had once lived in the criminal world, like the gang of former thieves, this ce was like the Municipal Arena, but much worse.


    "What is this then, ''The Cage''?" Nathalia asked curiously as Ynosuke started telling everyone about. Meredith and he returned to Ayumi''s residence because it would be dumb to try to follow the bearded man into the sewers.


    When asked, Ynosuke smiled. "It''s Oukiwa''s stronghold of marginality, where the son cries and the mother doesn''t listen. If I could define The Cage in a few words, it would certainly be as the closest ce to a Dungeon that exists outside of a Dungeon."


    Nathalia arched her eyebrows, impressed by the description. Then she looked away and saw Meredith, John, Luke, Zack and Matthew nodding without choosing to add anything else, because the description that Ynosuke pointed out was really the best fit.


    "Tell us more about it, please." Ayumi asked, her eyes narrowed. Of course she had heard about The Cage, but theoretically they had never been able to find out its exact location, so over time that was forgotten.


    "Right." Ynosuke nodded and continued, "The Cage is what has been nicknamed a ce where illegal organized fights take ce, however, if you are thinking that these fights are like illegal tavern fights, well... I need to disappoint you, because drunks have no room there. The fights in The Cage are organized by amount of wins, so whoever wins more, bes more famous and theoretically wins more."


    "Wait, wait." Luke spoke, before his friend ran away from the most important subject. "No need to bring up the subject about money, betting and rewards, at least not now. I believe what Ayumi wants to know about is how the ce works, the fights and thepetitors, and who runs the ce."


    "Thanks Luke, that''s exactly what I have in mind."


    "Okay, so I will exin first how the ce works. As far as I know, the fights take ce every Friday starting at 1am. Since the ground of the city and dense, and the sewage deep, it is almost impossible for everyone wheeling around the streets to hear the crowds screaming. In the past, there were seven Cages, or rather rings, which were basically the chambers of the sewers, and in these Cages people would war to be thest one standing."


    Ayumi listened to everything very carefully. "All right, I think I understand the basis of the business. People know the ce, the time, and also that there will always be fun and guaranteed blood, so they frequent the ce."


    "Of course, but there are levels of ''associates'', ranging from one to four, from what I remember. Depending on the ''associate'' level, certain fights are not avable to watch." Ynosuke continued to exin.


    "Ow, you know a lot more about this than I expected!" Matthew was impressed by his friend.<sub> </sub>


    Ynosuke smiled, rolled up the sleeve of his right arm garment and showed a muque. "It''s just that I''ve always wanted topete there someday, it must be an inexplicable adrenaline rush."


    "And we can make that desiree true, can''t we?" Zack asked, trying to get up to speed on the subject. "If you have such a desire, why don''t you go and fight?"


    The half-wolf came up behind Zack, who was sitting on the couch, and touched his right shoulder with one of his hands. "It''s not as simple as it sounds... They say that all sorts of things have fought in the Cage, from Adventurers and wild animals, to monsters, and thisst one I believe is just a silly rumor."


    The Matriarch of the Strogueher raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wait a moment, even Adventurers usually fight in this ce?"


    "Especially Adventurers. As I said at the beginning, drunks have no room in the Cage. If you guys told me that a demon is hiding down there, I wouldn''t doubt it."


    At that moment, Ynosuke''s words made Meredith remember something, and she began to feel like an idiot for not having remembered it before. "Did you say ''demon''? What if there was something almost like a demon that hides inside The Cage? Straw Hat''s henchman said he was going to find the ''boss,'' and soon after he entered the dark alley. It is obvious to deduce that Straw-Hat is hiding there, no? At least, that would exin why no one has ever seen him."


    Everyone present was stunned at the possibility that this was real, especially Ayumi Yamazaki, because she had been for some years funding the City Guards. "What if he is not only using The Cage to hide but also to do business?" She pointed out the possibility.


    "What do you mean?" Ynosuke asked.


    "As Meredith said, if he''s hiding in there, there''s a possibility he could use that to cover up various other crimes, without at least having to expose himself. Besides, we don''t even know what his face is."


    "Yeah, there''s no reason for us to wait around any longer. If there is anyone who can tell us everything about the Smakusa, it is the Straw Hat, after all it is obvious that Erick has been helping him traffic humans, and maybe even worse... We need to capture the Straw Hat." Luke said.


    *


    The Oukiwa underground is a diverse ce. In this space, there are three Dungeons, twoplex and extensive sewer systems, and countless other mysteries.


    However, the focus of the half-wolf gang''s mission was The Cage, a ce where all sorts of people dig in for money, fame, or bloodlust. For Luke, this was one of the ces he had promised himself he would never set foot in, but now it was necessary to break that promise.


    In the everyday residence of the Strogueher Matriarch, many ns were discussed that night, and although Ynosuke applied to be the person to distract the attention of the crowds so that Luke and the others could infiltrate the ce, everyone knew that this would not be enough. Ynosuke was a man with powerful martial fundamentals, but nothing above that, he had no range of Genes Skills, no experience in mortalbat with people capable of using Genes Skills or Rune Magic, so he could not be chosen.


    The four people applying for the position of distracting the crowd, and holding their attention, were Nathalia, Shiro, Alexis and Luke. For everyone, any of these could survive at least a few fights on the First Level of the Cage.


    Still, surviving was not enough. Whichever person it was, had to draw a lot of attention long before the fight, and only two people fit that trait: Luke and Alexis. Obviously, crowds would gather to watch the Champion of the Tournament of Legends fight, as well as thousands of people would toast money to see an S-ss up close.


    However, if Luke Lange''s name, or rather the title of the ''Half-Wolf'' was announced as participating in illegal fights right after attending the Council alongside Ayumi, these things would be intertwined, and the Strogueher''s influence would go down the drain. Therefore, the person chosen as a distraction was none other than the half-dragon, and without any doubt even the most exclusive members of this kind of club, which was Cage, would beg the Straw-Hat to attend, so this union would create a loophole for Luke to act.

 Chapter 247 Crime King

    Alexis'' application was simple, because she didn''t even have to go to The Cage for it, not least because that''s not how you apply. Matthew knew a guy, who knew another guy, and who was the brother-inw of a guy who worked at The Cage, which made the whole process easy. The half-dragon only needed to meet with thetter home, to prove that such euphoria from her sister''s husband was not just drivel.


    To prove that she was an S-ss, Alexis needed to show a crystal pendant, whose crest of the Cardinal Kingdom Guild was impossible to giarize.


    By the time the man hit his eye on the pendant, he already went crazy and wondered who was the height of the half-dragon in the Cage. Still, he promised that he would be able to schedule the fight for Friday of the same week, and that it was impossible for the Cage bosses not to ept, because a single fight could yield thousands and thousands of gold coins.


    When the day came, only the half-wolf group and Alexis Dmitry left the Strogueher estate because, ording to Luke, neither Nathalia, nor Shiro, nor Amelia and even less Ayumi should get dirty with this kind of work. Besides, this work would be faster if only professionals did it.


    Everyone agreed with this decision by Luke, because he had experience in the matter. However, the fact that they agreed did not make Nathalia and Amelia any less nervous about what might happen.


    "I could have gone, I could help them with my astral projection and other abilities should they need it." Amelia spoke, as she tapped her foot on the ground and looked at the ground statically.


    Night had already fallen, and everyone knew that by now the abandoned tunnels must have been packed with hundreds of people to watch the S-ss fight.


    "Yeah, I could have gone too!" Nathalia eximed and raised her right arm in motivation. "I could have helped them in case it all went wrong!"


    Shiro looked at the two with a fallen look, as if he didn''t understand the two women''s reaction. "Are you seriously going to disagree again just when they''ve already gone? It''s pointless, we just have to wait." He said and plopped himself down on one of thefortable couches in the room that was being their meeting ce, the main living room of the residence.


    Thement from the huge man, whose hair was already starting to get long and flowing, made Nathalia and Amelia quiet.


    After Alexis was effectively signed up to participate in an opening fight, even though she was a neer to the Cage, everyone began to architect a n around this main distraction, and during this architecting, Amelia and Nathi tried to contribute, but were soon lost. The half-wolf gang was organizing everything with such professionalism that it literally surprised everyone.


    So at one point, Nathalia, Shiro, Amelia, Ayumi, and Martha just let them work alone. In the end, the best possible n was put together, bringing together the experience that all six former thieves had gained from years of experience.


    Still, when Shiro looked at the women in the room, he could tell that they were not very confident that everything could work out.


    "What are you guys worried about? Don''t tell me it''s with Luke, is it?" He asked, because the tension emanating from them would soon suffocate him.


    "No, it''s not that." They quickly denied in sync.


    Shiro crossed his arms and clenched his eyes, while looking at them.


    Since Nathalia didn''t want to make it seem like she didn''t trust Luke''s strength, she quickly began to exin herself. "Look, they are out of eight and yet only two of them have really strong Genes Skills, how can I be confident in that?"


    "That!" Amelia then agreed. "I know I''ve known everyone else for a very short time, but Ynosuke said this ce was as scary as a Dungeon. You can''t stay calm with six normal people going to a ce like this."


    Now, Shiro understood the point of their fear. "I understand your fear, I really do, but trust me, this is unnecessary. Nath, you heard Luke when he came home from his trip, he infiltrated the Residence of two demons, and believe me, I''m sure this is a feat only he can do. The others? Well, they managed to help rebuild a city, do you really think they can''t handle creating some headaches for Straw Hat?"


    The next moment Ayumi Yamazaki entered the room, carrying a tray with cups and a pot of tea, prepared by Martha. She could hear the end of the conversation, so she decided toplement Shiro''s sentence.<sub> </sub>


    "Girls, if you are afraid of what Straw Hat is capable of, remember that famous criminals are yes dangerous, but those who have never been discovered are the best."


    The truth was that, ever since they were children, everyone in Luke''s gang had always taken as much care as possible to carry out any dangerous action. Not even once did they act without nning first, and not even without having information key to the sess of their ns, so this time was no different.


    Since Shiro, Nathalia and Oliver were cooperating with the City Guard, they had ess to exclusive information about the Straw Hat.


    This information was not clear enough to point out what he looked like, and for the most part only demarcated areas where he had some dominance or influence, but there was something fundamental in the municipal guards'' documents, which was that Straw-Hat had four main subordinates.


    Hierarchical systems in organized crime were not umon, but this certainly did not suit big crime Kings like Straw-Hat, because these systems usually ended in betrayal. Still, the half-wolf gang devised a n to contain Straw-Hat''s ''generals''.


    And if a crime king can even have generals, he can certainly have a Kingdom, and for Straw Hat, The Cage was equivalent to a Kingdom, at least on Fridays.


    The Cage was an even worse ce than Ynosuke''s descriptions. There were not just seven or eight arenas as he pointed out, but dozens and dozens, where many different kinds of fights took ce. In some rings, fights were organized in pairs, others inrger groups, and there were even all-on-all fights that gathered up to ten people.


    Toplement the fiery atmosphere of the ce, there were torches in every corner, and Adventurers everywhere. As information about an S-ss fighting in The Cage spread quickly, many Adventurers returned to Oukiwa for this very reason, because they wanted to see what a person of the highest rank was capable of.


    For that reason, Alexis Dmitry was not surprised when she looked up from the arena floor and saw hundreds of people crowding around to try to watch her fight.


    ''I think I kind of like that feeling.'' She thought as she saw everyone excitedly shouting for her. Then she put her hand over her chest and felt it throb. ''Everyone expects something from me, just because of my title...'' This was her first time being recognized outside the Cardinal Realm as a high ranking Adventurer, so she was a little nervous.


    Then she looked in front of her and saw a gigantic grating, and between the iron bars of this grating, a ck curtain wasing out, concealing everything behind her. A few secondster, this grid was lifted and a man was pushed into the arena.


    At this moment, everyone watching exploded with excitement, and the bettors began to collect a lot of money. At that beginning, there were few crazy people who dared to bet against the S-ss, and one of those crazy people was exactly the King of the Cage, the man named Straw Hat.


    He was not watching the fight personally, not least because that would be impossible without revealing his face, but since this was the main fight of the night he made sure to use an Epic-level Gene Skill to watch it.


    When the iron grid was closed again, Alexis noticed that three eyes appeared in different ces in the arena.


    She couldn''t tell what they were, but noticing her opponent, she could tell that he was probably the conjurer of these eyes.


    The man in front of her had a simr physique to Luke, not too tall, not too short, not too muscr, and not without muscles. However, there was a clear physical difference between him and the half-wolf, and this difference was the way this man walked.


    The moment he was pushed into the ring, the man fell on all fours like an animal. Instinctively, he looked at his opponent, the half-wolf, and backed away like a frightened animal, but not with an expression of fear, because he was smiling.


    From a sheath positioned in the lumbar region of his spine, he withdrew a small dagger, and at the tip of this sharp dagger it was possible to see some poison dripping.

 Chapter 248 Booom!

    The tip of this man''s dagger glinted in the glow of the arena, which was being illuminated by a magical light, which did note from a specific ce, but was spread all over the ce. After this man pulled his knife from its sheath, he continued in the same animalistic position.


    The half-dragon looked at him as if she was bored, because she had faced hundreds of monsters far more terrifying than this man in the depths of the Cardinal Realm Dungeon.


    Then, without so much as an announcement or a call, the battle began with a fierce thrust from Alexis'' opponent.


    He put the handle of the dagger in his mouth and dashed forward in a single motion, aiming to cut the belly of the half-beast as he approached.


    However, the woman with the glowing horns disappeared in front of his eyes, and appeared in the next instant to his left. The man''s eyes widened before a single punch from the S-ss was enough to knock him to the ground.


    BOOOM!


    The blow that Alexis Dmitrynded on the man''s face was so overwhelming, it created the sound of an explosion, which resonated throughout the vast sewer system.


    The sight of the man passed out at her feet made it all the more impactful. This had been her first and only punch in the battle, and yet it was enough to put her opponent in the dream world. The overwhelming silence of the crowd made the whole situation even more unsettling.


    Everyone wondered what had happened before their eyes, because they had never seen someone move so fast that they were bewildered as to which direction.


    When everyone finally realized that what they watched was real, they shouted excitedly, especially those who bet on the half-dragon.


    "I knew she would win, she''s a S-ss!"


    "This woman is too fucked up!"


    "I want to marry her and be her puppy!"


    "She just disappeared and then POW! Oh, man! That was pretty good!"


    Alexis was also confused as to how easy the battle was. She certainly knew that she could beat any opponent who stepped foot in an underground ring, but she didn''t expect that she would win with just one punch and that her opponent wouldn''t even try to react.


    ''Alright, alright... This was just the debut fight on the first level, maybe the next ones will be better.'' She deduced, a little hopeful to say the least. She wanted to have some exciting battle or an interesting opponent.


    To the half-dragon''s happiness, her request was granted, but not with the announcement of a new battle in a few minutes but with the opening of the Cage''s bars once again. As soon as the iron bars were raised, she saw a sextet of heavily armed men step forward to enter the battle arena.


    ''That''s said I''m talking~.'' Alexis was grateful because she had also promised Luke that she would be able to buy some time so that he and the others could act calmly.


    Each of these adventurers were wearing shining armor, adorned with the purest and most powerful metals avable on the market. Just by looking at them from afar it was possible to notice that these armors were of Panspermia, that is, the best type of armor there is, even than most obsidian armor.


    In addition, each man in this sextet wielded a different weapon, also all of the Panspermia, denoting the will to win that Straw Hat had, who had bet a lot of his own money on the victory of his main Cage winners. To him, even if this was an S-ss, it would be impossible for the half-dragon to win against this group of experienced Adventurers.


    The half-dragon looked at each of the men who entered the arena and smiled, because she knew that atst she would have a real challenge. In this sextet, there was an archer, a mage, two swordsmen, a squire and a tank.


    "Look, look what we have here~." One of the swordsmen spoke as he stepped into the ring with his arms outstretched. He had a smile on his face as well as his allies. "I wonder if the little girl is lost. I''m afraid she got the path to the Dungeon a little wrong."


    Alexis put both hands on his waist, and replied at his height: "Really? I thought I was in a den of lower Goblins, and now I wonder if I mistook the path when I asked your dumb mother for guidance."<sub> </sub>


    The half-dragon''s words made the audience roar andugh, because the smiles on each of the men''s faces simply wilted.


    Then, the swordsman who insulted her first pointed his one-handed sword at her and stated, "When you are agonizing in pain here, about to die, know that no one will show up to help you! This is hell and everyone here only wants to see blood and pain, so don''t underestimate us!"


    The man''s speech also excited the crowd. Among the hundreds of people, there were a few dozen who bet against it, because they knew these men and knew what they were capable of. These people started shouting for a victory desperately, increasing the tension in the atmosphere, which didn''t bother Alexis a bit, it just made her more excited.


    The half-dragon took onest look at her opponents and the battleposition they were using, before finally charging towards them.


    Just like in the previous round, the S-ss disappeared before everyone''s eyes in an instant. The audience only noticed her presence again when they heard the ng of her fists meeting the tank''s massive two-handed shield, which protected the secondary swordsman from certain death.


    This collision of Alexis and the tank generated an intense gale in the room, which shook the hair of the spectators.


    Unfortunately for the tank, its defense was not enough to stop the S-ss'' momentum, which soon after colliding with it saw an opening created by the big man''s sloppy footwork.


    Seeing the tank''s feet being exposed parallel to the shield, she spun her body around and delivered a swift footstep powerful enough to knock him to the ground. The man fell to the ground in his heavy armor and, when he blinked, he saw ss-S jumping on him, with an excited smile on his face.


    ''Fuck, she''s a monster!'' he thought, startled. In all his years of experience, his defense had never been taken down so easily, not even in the times he faced floor bosses.


    Jumping over the tank, Alexis had full opportunity to attack the swordsman he was protecting, but her shrewd eyes noticed the tensioned string of the archer''s bow, so she was forced to retreat.


    ''Shit, this is a big group, and they are good. Each of them is covering for their partners'' shorings.'' She judged as she stepped back.


    With the arrow already positioned on the string, and with the string already tensioned, the archer almost managed to catch the S-ss unnoticed as she passed through the tank, but when she suddenly retreated and the archer tried to follow her with his aim, he realized that the half-dragon was purposely hiding behind the swordsman. The truth was that this retreat of the half-dragon was a feint for her to get in the way of the archer.


    Since the bowstring was heavy and tensioned, when the S-ss moved out of his sights, he instinctively eased the force he was using on his arms and consequently and lowered his bow to move. At that moment of the archer''s distraction, Alexis made a leap upwards and a dash in mid-air, leaping over the swordsman who was supposed to protect the most vulnerable member of the group.


    The archer suddenly saw everything get darker and a shadow appear over his face. He looked up and saw the half-dragon with his fingers of his hands crossed, about to take a swing at him.


    ''Oh, god...'' He thought for a millisecond before he was hit by the half-dragon''s blow.


    Just like his opponent from the previous battle, the archer copsed with just one attack from Alexis.


    The truth was that not only was her speed spectacr, but also her strength. Still, for the swordsman who had been taunting the S-ss for a few seconds, her main strength was her fluid and abnormal movement.


    Striking the archer in the head and seeing him fall to the ground, Alexis tossed her red hair to the side as she turned to look at the swordsman behind her. There were still five opponents left, but she was in a special mood to knock out this man, whose eyes were now flickering with fear.


    She tensed her knees again to make another thrust toward him, but this time the group organized itself more quickly than when the tank was knocked over.


    The squire slid into the vanguard of the swordsman-principal, and was soon followed by the secondary swordsman and the mage.


    The tank rose up behind them, giving the group a cool look that excited the crowd. They wanted an exciting battle, and they were having it, even with Alexis giving up the use of her Gene Skills to make the fightst longer.


    However, even with the adventurers'' grandiose act of managing to stand their ground against a powerful S-ss, the Straw Hat knew that they couldn''t hold out much longer, so he was increasingly idle.

 Chapter 249 Steps Of Thunder

    The squire of the Adventurers'' group was holding a shield in his right hand and a sword in his left hand. This shield was rectangr, had rounded edges, and seemed to be made of steel, one of the strongest materials used both for swords and shields and for armor, but this type of material was exclusively forged by master smiths, because its melting temperature is even higher than that of ordinary iron, which requires extreme care in handling.


    This expensive equipment was not all that this squire had, because he was wearing armor with green details, and even the cap on his head had a metal part to protect him from blows.


    Since this man was a bit confused by the speed of the half-dragon at the beginning of the battle, she knew that the faster she was, the less he would get in her way.


    To continue the battle and get an opening to dispel the united group, and also to annoy them, she grabbed the archer by the cor and hurled him towards them. However, she was taken aback when instead of supporting the archer, the mage raised his staff high and conjured currents from another dimension, which pierced the chest of the unconscious man and headed towards the S-ss.


    Alexis arched her eyebrows, confused. She had deduced that this was a group of friends, but the way the archer was treated by his own allies made it obvious that this was not the case. So she jumped back, aiming to experience how far those three chains with pointed ends could follow her.


    To the half-dragon''s surprise, the chains managed to catch up with her in a second, forcing her to defend herself.


    When one of the chains that moved on its own flew towards her face, she dodged, grabbing the chain with her arm, all while also dodging another chain, which almost grazed her. At that moment, she had an idea and grabbed the second chain, and then intertwined them, leaving them unguided.


    Since there was only one chain left in the battle, the mage''s group did not let this support be in vain and ran towards the C-ss. This created an opening that Alexis had not expected, but desired.


    Soon after noticing the onught of the four physical attack adventurers, she began to run towards them, closely followed by the remaining chain.


    The Magician knew that if thisst chain tried to attack the S-ss and she deflected, there was a good chance it would hit one of her allies who could still help her in an eventual victory. Therefore, he deactivated the skill to prepare to use another skill, and the current disappeared. This was a rather dumb decision, because the half-dragon was practically surrounded before, and now she was free to move much more freely.


    The crowd went wild once again when they saw that the sh between the S-ss and four of the adventurers was imminent.


    When they finally approached, Alexis demonstrated why she had been considered a prodigious student at the University of Oukiwa. She dodged all the men''s attempted attacks, while at the same time attacking them. Her movement and perception skills were so out of bnce with the standard, that she was able to dodge and attack even enemies who had their backs to her.


    Even if the sword blows passed half-centimeter from her face, she was not alert. She could have died at any moment there, with a blow of some kind, and yet she remained calm.


    In the end, she was just ying with those poor men, and this was clear to the crowd, the Straw Hat underlings, and especially to them.


    With extreme ease, Alexis dodged two attempted lunges from the lead swordsman, and as she spun around, shended a kick to the belly that sent him flying away. She then tried to hit the second swordsman with a punch, but your blow was defended by the squire, who then opened the half-dragon''s guard with his shield and tried to cut her with his sword.


    Instead of dodging, she held the squire''s sword with the two fingertips of her right hand and smiled as she looked him in the eye.


    This act of holding a steel de with only two fingers made the crowd go wild and angered the Straw Hat even more.


    The Cage King was in a distant room, surrounded by three of his generals. They were all watching the main fight that night and were fascinated by the way the half-dragon was fighting.<sub> </sub>


    The general closest to the Straw Hat was Boris, arge man with a dark beard, who most of the time didn''t usually wear anything to cover his chest. He didn''t have a muscr appearance, in fact he had a bulging belly, but he also had huge arms that made him intimidating.


    Counting gold coins on a table next to him was one of the other generals, this time a woman. Luna was her name. This woman had hair in a light brown shade, able to remind anyone of the sight of a vast wheat field. She was a bit small and also thin, but inpensation her genius for managing business was unparalleled, using concepts that would make bankers feel envious.


    The one remaining, but not thest general, was a boy of ordinary appearance and a reliable smile. His hair was ck and his scruffy beard gave him a youthful, almost innocent touch, when in reality this boy was a wolf in sheep''s clothing.


    To the generals, the boss''s irritation was understandable, because he had bet a high amount on the defeat of the half-dragon, and if that came to pass, The Cage would not only gain notoriety, but he would also quintuple the amount bet. Even so, the generals still believed that they would make arge profit that night, because the high-level members were also bettingrge amounts, and the tax rate per bet would yield a lot.


    Realizing that his generals didn''t seem as annoyed as he was, Straw Hat looked at them and asked:


    "Have any of you seen Izabel? She was here a second ago..."


    The boy with the innocent smile looked at the Straw Hat to answer him, and did not see his face, only the big hat made of straw covering his face. At this point, he realized that his boss was not just angry that he was losing a bet, but rather that he was having his pride broken.


    "Boss, Izabel left 1 minute ago to solve a problem that came up in Sector 1." The bearded man promptly replied.


    At that moment, the battle broadcast showed that the half-dragon ended up subduing the six adventurers by getting a little more excited. At one point, she simply looked around and saw everyone lying on the ground, agonizing in pain. Things were happening so quickly that she eventually forgot to retain the force of her blows and ended the fight earlier than she herself wished.


    As all the defeated men were being removed from the arena by some smaller henchmen, the Straw Hat ordered:


    "Boris, release Elysium." The tone of his voice was serious and serene, but somehow it was still easy to tell that he was not liking the way things were going.


    So, when the half-dragon was left alone in the arena once again, the entire crowd tensed up to find out what her next opponent would be. No one had ever fought even two battles in a row, but the S-ss was already going into her third consecutive fight, and had already defeated no less than seven opponents in less than ten minutes.


    Still, Alexis knew that wasn''t enough time for the half-wolf and the others toplete their part of the n, so she was grateful for the Cage King''s pride and intense obsession with victory. As the iron bars of the ring began to be lifted again by the ck particles, everyone''s eyes bugged out to see as quickly as possible who the next S-ss opponent would be.


    Meeting everyone''s expectations, a five-meter-tall lion appeared, and because of its appearance and size, everyone was confused whether this was an animal or a monster.


    Each step of this creature was like thunder that made everyone''s eardrums hurt.


    This lion''s mane was so voluminous and majestic that itmanded respect just by looking at it. Moreover, the strands of this lion''s mane were not orange or yellow, but had a coppery hue that made it even more beautiful.


    This time no one in the crowd dared to shout or run to bet, because the fact that the half-dragon and the Copper Lion were staring at each other created a tension in the air that left everyone simply mesmerized.

 Chapter 250 Game Over

    The half-dragon''s calm eyes were analyzing the lion in front of her, and the gigantic creature slowly began to circle the S-ss. This was a typical way for predators to react when faced with something that might provide it with some danger.


    This caution from the lion gave everyone away that this creature was not a monster, because if it was, it would have already gone after Alexis.


    Even though it was not a monster, the murmurs about the lion''s appearance did not stop resonating through the crowds.


    "But what''s wrong with this lion? Why is he so bright?" One man asked hispanions.


    "Are you worried about the color of his fur?" One of his friends asked, incredulous.


    "Yeah, man... Look at the size of that thing, how are you concerned only with the color of its fur?" Another questioned, also displeased with his friend''s dumbness.


    <o>,m However, faced with his friends criticizing him, the first man was not intimidated but rather amazed at his friends'' ignorance.</o>


    "Ha~ So you guys don''t know?" He asked as he ced his right hand on his chin and sat up in the air as a wise mage would sit.


    At that time, all of the boy''spanions saw a hypothetical light appear behind him, as if he was reaching the next level of wisdom.


    "Sit down, grasshoppers. I will exin color theory to you." He said.


    Even in the face of such wisdom, his friends looked at him with mean eyes and crossed their arms.


    "Come on, man, spill it."


    "Yeah...what''s with all the suspense?"


    The boy could only smile as he came across so uncultured. "It''s all very simple, dearmoners. Some Cardinal Kingdom theorists have studied different animals that live in the Skd?dsgen Forest, and together they havee to the conclusion that there is a pattern of colors in the animal kingdom. By analyzing this pattern, they realized that size is not always synonymous with strength, at least not for some animals. Apparently, there are animals so evolved that even though they have the shiest colors they still manage to stand out and kill even sneaky animals."


    "The color? Don''t say it, nonsense..." One of the friends didn''t believe me.


    "You don''t believe me? Watch the battle and you will see that what I am talking about is true."


    So, the three colleagues went back to paying attention to the battle. At this point, the lion had already made its first lunge and was not stopping trying to hit the half-dragon.


    Alexis easily dodged all the paws and scratches of the ferocious beast. She was fascinated by the beauty of the lion, and she was also sorry to hurt it.


    In fact, having to fight such a magnificently beautiful animal made her angry, because she noticed scratches on the vertebrae of its paws and legs, which meant that it was being imprisoned.


    ''Well, what could I be expecting from a ce where dozens of people die and no one everins.... It wouldn''t really be a surprise if they forced ves to fight.'' She thought as she deflected.


    To her, the poor lion was just fighting for his life, although she knew she was facing a much more powerful person than usual.


    With that pitying thought, the half-dragon abandoned her idea of not using Genes Skills and in the middle of a lion dash towards her, she looked deep into his eyes and spoke:


    "<Styre>."


    The intonation of her name caused the lion''s mind to gopletely white, and the animal stopped in mid-strike.


    "Now stand quietly in the corner and onlye out of there when I tell you to." She said, and pointed to one of the corners of the arena."


    Obediently, the lionplied with her order andy down in one of the corners on the side opposite the gate.


    The crowd was in shock at this ability, which they had never heard of.


    "Wait, she justmanded and he obeyed?"


    "Was this an actual skill or was it a word of adtion!!!?"


    "THAT WOMAN IS PRETTY FUCKED UP!"<sub> </sub>


    "Such an imposing lion even stood a chance against her."


    "If that was a skill, I want to buy that!"


    "Are you kidding? If that was a Skill, I''m afraid of her, because that means she was taking it easy so far in all her fights.


    "It''s obvious she was taking it easy!"


    "The S-ss are really on another level, something almost divine..."


    That night, many people who had never seen a high-level Adventurer saw one for the first time, and it served to put many proud Adventurers in their rightful ces. Instead of trying to evolve, they were there having fun in the early hours of the morning in an illegal ce and maybe, just maybe, if they tried a little harder they could be more powerful.


    Although Alexis'' strength taught a lesson to many people in the Cage, the King of the ce was not at all pleased with the results.


    In his chamber, the Straw Hat looked around and saw that only Boris was present at the end of the fight.


    "Where did the other two go?"


    Boris was at a loss to answer, because the two other generals warned that they were leaving to solve problems that had arisen, but they were easily ignored. "Chief, problems have arisen for Luna to solve in the vaults and Denis has gone to check what happened to Izabel and what''s taking her so long to return."


    "Sigh..." The Straw Hat sighed, and with the fingertips of his hand, he raised hisrge hat, showing his angry look to Boris, who shuddered.


    The Cage King''s eyes were as red as blood and his face as white as the moon, but that night the Straw Hat''s face was dark because of the tension.


    "Elysium is the strongest of the beasts on this continent, and yet nothing stopped him from being treated like a kitten by this woman.... Sigh..." He spoke and sighed once again. "All I wanted to see was an exciting battle, but all I saw were ants trying to hurt an anteater."


    The man with the ck beard was surprised that his boss was not stressed because he was losing money on bets, or because he was proud, but rather because he wanted to be entertained. At this point, Boris began to rotate his right shoulder while massaging it with his left hand.


    "All you want is to watch an exciting battle, right? All right, I will provide that for you, boss." He said and smiled as he stared at the face of the half-dragon on the projection in the chamber.


    "Okay, I''m counting on you." Straw Hat spoke, and lowered his hat again, concealing his face.


    Then, as Boris reached the iron bars, the darkness dissipated and he could be seen behind them. Seeing one of the Straw-Hat generals in person caused everyone to shout with excitement. Many had heard about him and his appearance, but no one had ever had the opportunity to see him fight.


    Yes, he had a slightly fat belly, but his arms were still very muscr and scary.


    Soon the heavy bars were lifted by Boris'' own hands as he entered the arena.


    The half-dragon faced him with a serious countenance, because she had heard about Boris through Ynosuke and Meredith, but in person he seemed even bigger. Still, she was excited to see that her enemy would be one of the four Straw Hat generals, because that would make Luke''s job easier.


    When Boris entered the arena, he didn''t say anything or wait for the crowd to quiet down, in fact, he took advantage of this environment in his favor to make his first move. He put his right leg forward, and his left leg back, and then did the same with his arms. Next, a ck cloud appeared around their feet, and then around their hands.


    Suddenly, a thunderous crash reverberated through the ring, startling everyone. In the blink of an eye, Boris disappeared, and when everyone realized that there was a shadow rapidly approaching the half-dragon, they shouted in excitement once again.


    However, the half-dragon didn''t want to go easy on someone who traffics in people, so she summoned her light gauntlets and struck Boris in the face as he approached her. Another crash echoed through the arena, but this time it was apanied by a dense cloud of dust.


    As soon as this cloud of gray dust had dissipated, everyone could see Boris lying on the ground with nk, white eyes. From his mouth, blood was flowing, and it was also noticeable that he had lost many teeth. In addition, there was a crater around him, generated by his own impact with the tough ground.


    Since the S-ss fight against one of the generals was even faster than the first battle, the crowd was speechless, and so was Straw Hat.


    ''Tsk! I knew he didn''t stand a chance.'' He thought, raising his hat and deactivating the projection in the chamber he was in.


    Suddenly, he felt a chill and before he could even move, he felt the frigid touch of a de on his neck.


    "Game over." Luke said.

 Chapter 251 Crazy

    As he felt the cold de touch his neck, Straw Hat heard someone say in his left ear:


    "Game over."


    Immediately, he looked into his spacious room, which was being illuminated by the faint glow of torches. There was no one else in the room, just him and the person threatening him. This surprised him, because he always made sure he was never alone, precisely so this kind of thing could never happen.


    At that moment, he realized that he had let his guard down too much because of his desire to want to see an exciting S-ss fight, and this desire did not let him notice that he was in the middle of a chess game.


    Letting an entric smile appear on his face, the Straw Hat held up both his arms. "All right, all right... I am surrendered, you win. What do you wish? I know you have no desire to kill me, otherwise you would have already torn my throat out, so don''t ckmail me."


    "Ha! You are shrewd." Luke gave a slightly teasingpliment and started to turn around on Straw Hat''s throne to look him in the eye.


    Seeing the fuzzy ears of the half-wolf, and his yellow eyes, the Straw Hat was surprised, but tried to suppress his expression. He could not even imagine what the herald of the Strogueher Family might wish from him, other than his death.


    "Let me guess, you will imprison me in Death Row like you did Vinigo?" Straw Hat asked. In a few moments, he could only associate the half-wolf and the ambush in the Cage with a dismantling of the human traffickingwork. This made sense, because there was a rumor that the half-wolf was the one who defeated Vinigo, and Vinigo was one of Straw Hat''s most loyal customers.


    Standing in front of the red-eyed, unshaven man, still with the obsidian sword at his throat, Lukeughed a little. "Are you kidding? You think I''m some kind of good hero or vignte? No, I''m not."


    At this point, the Straw Hat raised his eyebrows, confused. "So, what do you want?"


    "I''m d you asked... I heard through a friend that you and the Smakusa have been doing business for some time. I want to overthrow the Family Patriarch, and you will give me the tools to do it."


    Straw Hat didn''t even dare deny Luke''s statement, because of the confidence Luke had in his intonation he had already made it clear that it wasn''t just a suspicion, but a fact.


    "You know I can''t do that." The Cage King immediately dismissed.


    "You know what I really know, I know how all your schemes work: human trafficking, underground fighting, fake betting, counterfeiting coins, moneyundering, drug trafficking and thousands more. You have nowhere to run, nowhere to ur, because you know that you are not capable of even scratching me. You are a strategic, shadowy, clever mind, but any moment you dare to do, I have already foreseen."


    Knowing how correct the half-wolf''s words were, the Cage King just crossed his fingers and sighed, as he always did when he was stressed.


    "Okay, I will, but you will owe me a favor."


    "Okay, I will owe you a favor, but only if you can promise never to go after anyone close to me." Luke agreed, as he already had something nned.


    The Straw Hat was surprised to have his request granted, after all he was at a total disadvantage and it would not be strange for the half-wolf to refuse.


    "You wish only to know about Erick Smakusa?" He confirmed with Luke, before he began to speak.


    "If you want to open your mouth so badly, tell me all about who burned down that shed in Oukiwa''s West Port, and also about who spread the rumors about ''The Beast''."


    "Why, you started with just one request and I''ve already jumped back?" The Straw Hat looked seriously at the half-wolf, once again revealing his face hidden most of the time by the shadow of his hat.


    Luke merely shrugged and stated, "You had the audacity to try to negotiate with a sword around your neck, and I had the shame to give in to your request, answer anything I ask."


    Somewhat surprised, Straw Hat nodded. "Okay, I will answer your requests, not because I am afraid of you, but because I find your motives for wanting Patriarch Smakusa noble."


    "And do you even know my motives?"<sub> </sub>


    "Oh! Of course I know. A famous enemy of the demons that inhabit this continent, and a hero of the shadows who is trying in every way to stop a catastrophic war."


    At that moment, the half-wolf could not find the words to show his surprise.


    "How do I know so much, you wonder? Well, being an experienced criminal has its rewards. Now, let''s get down to business..." The Straw Hat continued, and finally made a sign with his right hand, stretching out his long fingers and then putting them together like a war.


    In front of the Straw Hat''s bust, a gray, semi-transparent square appeared. In this square, Luke could perfectly see item icons simr to those of his <Normal Inventory> skill, but he found it strange that the crime boss didn''t utter the name of an inventory skill, just a sign. Still, he didn''t care much and focused on what was happening in front of him.


    Right after the inventory window was opened, Straw Hat quickly looked for a specific item with the icon of a silver-stamped scroll. All the icons were reduced representations of the stored item, so it was not difficult for him to find what he was looking for.


    Before clicking on the item, Straw Hat realized that the half-wolf was snooping through all his items, despite the Skill leaving their names hidden.


    The Cage King smiled, clicked on the item and said, "These Inventory Skills are useful, no? I just keep in my <Small Inventory> what I would like to take to the grave with me." Then he tilted the parchment to ce to pick up.


    "That is, your greatest secrets..." Luke reflected, as he opened the delivered parchment to read it.


    So, what the half-wolf read during that minute made him almostugh, because all he needed to arrest Erick. Besides the signature of the Smakusa Patriarch himself at the bottom of the page, the document was about a series of agreements made between the Straw Hat, his henchmen and some members of the Smakusa Family in the past.


    ording to Straw Hat, this term had been signed a few weeks ago, when Straw Hat expressed his fear of being eventually betrayed or having his businesses dismantled by Erick Smakusa, as political propaganda.


    To Patriarch Smakusa, this was an absurd fear, so he finally signed a document himself, which Straw Hat promised to keep.


    "That will be enough." stated Luke as he closed the parchment, then put it away in his inventory.


    "All right, now we will move on to your second request, and believe it or not, this request will directly intertwine with the first and the third."


    "How so?"


    "You know, right? The City Guards watch the ports, but they are special and separate divisions from the rest of the City Guards, because their boss is different. The city ones who bankroll it is Ayumi Strogueher, and the port guards who pay their sries is Erick Smakusa."


    "Yes, I already knew that, go ahead."


    "Right. As I was saying, the port guards who gave all the tools for the civilians to burn the warehouse, as well as ways to cover them up, after all if they tracked the civilians, everyone would discover the corruption scheme behind these guards."


    "You mean to say that these people were killed?"


    "Killed? No, of course not. All the civilians were duly captured afterwards, tortured, and by now they are probably being sold on another continent."


    At that moment, Luke grabbed Straw Hat by the cor and almost drove the sword into his chest. "You bastard, who gave you the right?"


    "Oh! Are you nervous because they were sold into very or because you didn''t get a chance to take revenge with your own hands?" The Cage King asked smiling.


    Luke just controlled himself, and threw him back into his throne seat, causing him to m hard against the backrest. "Hurry up and finish everything, or are you really trying to buy time thinking your friends will arrive?" The half-wolf looked him in the eye, and Straw Hat was startled to have his idea discovered.

 Chapter 252 The Wooden Door

    Luke received confirmation that his suspicions were true when he saw the startled expression on Straw Hat''s face.


    "Um! Say no more, the truth is stamped in your eyes..."


    "Tsk!" The Straw Hat snapped his tongue, and put away his red tunic that was messed up by Luke''s tug.


    "Come on, keep going." Luke ordered, finally putting the tip of his sword against the Cage King''s throat. Just one more move and his throat would be cut like nothing by the obsidian.


    "All right, all right. I will speak!" He reacted to this, and raised his hands high again. "Where was I again? Right... port guards are paid to facilitate the entrance to the port, as well as to spread some information."


    "What kind of information?"


    "The rumor about ''The Beast'', for example, was one of many legends spread over the past few months, saying that it was a mystical creature, a monster, or even a person who lived in the forests around Oukiwa... It''s hard for them toe up with something from scratch, apletely new piece of information, so they usually take a small rumor and increase it. The rumor about ''The Beast'', which you seem directly involved in to me, was spread by a teenage thief named Zeld, he ims to have had his band of thieves attacked by a man who could run faster than shadow, and that every movement sounded like a roar."


    The half-wolf did not recognize the name of the boy who was attacked, but he certainly remembered a situation long ago. In the past, when he felt obligated to protect his friends at any cost, he had without much thought killed almost an entire group of thieves who attacked his carriage to Vasconcelos, leaving only one boy alive.


    ''And how the hell did the Smakusa know it was the one who killed those thieves? It could have been any Adventurer...'' Luke wondered, and suddenly a sh of awareness reminded him of something. ''I almost forgot about the First Servant and damn his mania for knowing too much.''


    At this point, Straw Hat noticed that the half-wolf was distracted in his thoughts, and decided to try something. At high speed, he mmed into Luke''s fist who was holding the obsidian sword with his right hand, and with his left hand he grabbed the de to spin it, getting rid of the sword tip on his neck while applying a counterattack.


    However, just as he did this maneuver to perhaps drive the sword into Luke''s chest, his left hand caught half an inch from the half-wolf''s body.


    The Straw Hat looked down at his arm, startled, to see what was wrong with it. Then he saw small vines wrapped around his arm, pinning him down as if they had grown naturally around his arm.


    He was simply at a loss as to how to react, because he didn''t know what had happened in thest few thousandths. ''I was sure I wasn''t with these things a second ago, howe this is here?'' He wondered, looking at the serious face of the half-wolf.<sub> </sub>


    Luke didn''t smile at Straw Hat''s attempt, he was just disappointed. "Well, I can''t say I''m surprised, because I''m not, but it''s a little sad that we have an agreement about the future established and it''s not respected, isn''t it? But who am I to say something like that..." Luke said and took a step back, while ordering his vines to secure Straw Hat on hisfortable throne.


    "Hey! What are you doing!?" The Straw Hat tried to shake himself hard to fight off the vines. This only made them curl up more and more, as if fighting only made things worse. "Are you going to arrest, you bastard?" He asked Luke, stretching his back forward.


    The half-wolf turned on his back, and as he walked to the main exit, which was arge wooden gate, he said:


    "You know, I''d rather prevent headaches, so I''m afraid I can''t fulfill the agreement we made."


    Then Luke opened the big wooden gate, and five people revealed themselves. All of these people wore worn clothes, were dirty, and had wounds and scars coating all the naked parts of their bodies. Almost instantly after the door was opened, and these people appeared, the strong wind current that entered the room extinguished all the mes of the torches, turning the people into simple dark silhouettes.


    These silhouettes began to smile, and thest thing Straw Hat saw before Luke closed the door and left him in the darkness, was the sound of the smiling des these people held.


    When Luke closed the door, he felt nothing, neither pleasure at condemning someone as bad as the Straw Hat to death, nor sadness at having added one more face to the list of people he has already killed.


    Meredith and Matthew, who were waiting for him outside, were the people who were a little wary about the decision to let some of the ves take revenge on those who were holding them captive.


    "Is it okay that we did that? Didn''t he have anything else to talk about?" Matthew asked. With his forward lean, the left sleeve of his jacket swung, while his right arm stretched forward, waiting for a touch from the half-wolf.


    Luke realized this and touched one of his fists to his friend''s right fist. "It was either that or kill him with my own hand. There''s no reason to risk any more than we''re already risking. Alexis is walking two demons back and forth, and having an enemy who friends with our enemy would be an obvious problem in the future."


    "You''re right... So, you got what we were looking for, right? If not, there is a document storage room in sector 3 and we can start looking there." spoke Matthew.


    "There''s no need. Look, he handed me this, I believe it to be true, but we won''t really know until we get home..." Luke showed the parchment with the silver seal and then asked, "Where are the rest of the staff?"

 Chapter 253 Task Force

    Even before Luke condemned Straw Hat to death, all of The Cage was already upside down, because some people had not been pleased with the half-dragon''s easy victories.


    To some, she couldn''t be that strong, there was no way she could be, while to others her tremendous strength was what finally gave meaning to why S-ss Adventurers were so rare, and that the talent of an S-ss wasn''t just their Genes Skills.


    This difference of opinion caused intrigue, which quickly turned into riots and evolved into fights within the crowds. However, these fights were not only happening in the crowd, but also within some of the hallways.


    Meredith and all the others of the half-wolf gang had to fight against Straw-Hat goons to get to the agreed point, the visitors'' entrance to the main arena. When they finally got there, almost at the same time, they saw Alexis cleaning her nails as if nothing was happening. Beside her, there was a lion with fur that looked like it was made of copper.


    "Roaaaar!" The lion leapt forward and roared, to try to scare them away.


    Bastet, who had already returned, summoned herself. "ROAAAR!" The half-wolf summoner was half the size of the lion, but somehow managed to roar even louder, making the walls shudder.


    "Hey, hey! Shhh..." The half-dragon said, and smoothed the lion''s fur as if it were a kitten. "<Styre>."


    Not only was the entire pack of the half-wolf surprised at the way Alexis tamed the animal, but so was the half-wolf herself. He had never seen her use this ability, and at that moment he wondered how many secret abilities she had. Even though he was curious, he didn''t wonder and focused on his goal.


    "What is that thing?" Luke asked her as he looked at the lion.


    "Thing? Don''t talk about Zack like that..." said Alexis and continued stroking the fur of the animal, which was white-eyed and foggy-minded to stay calm.


    "ZACK?!" Everyone eximed.


    "Me?" Zack, the red-haired giant of the pack, asked. Everyone suddenly called his name, and he didn''t understand why.


    "N-not you..." Ynosuke said to the big man and looked at the half-dragon again. "Why does the animal have the same name as him?" He pointed at the red-haired man.


    "Oh, I thought they looked alike..." Alexis spoke simply.


    Herment caused everyone in the gang topare Zack-Human''s appearance to Zack-Leon. Afterparing, everyone actually thought that the tone of the threads of both of them were somewhat simr.


    "Actually, the lion is even better looking than Zack." John joked, making everyoneugh, even the red-haired giant, because he believed that having a rugged appearance was essential to his way of life.<sub> </sub>


    While everyone wasughing, they heard many footstepsing from the opposite side that the gang came from. These footsteps echoed, and made them ready for the fight.


    Then dozens of men appeared, wearing cheap leather armor. They all wielded iron swords and pointed their des in the direction of the invaders. It was more than obvious that they were just remaining Straw-Hat henchmen from other sectors that were not attacked by the half-wolf gang.


    At this point, Alexis ordered the copper-furred lion to attack the goons. All they heard after they ran out the other side were the desperate cries of the goons, trying to escape from the huge animal that was squeezing to run down the corridors of that wide sewer.


    As they tried to locate a parallel exit, because the main exity in the direction of the general confusion, they found several dark and putrid chambers where there were more ves, abandoned to die.


    Watching the dejected look on the half-dragon''s face, who was trying to find a way to support the poor, Luke couldn''t stand still. He distributed all the food he had stored in his inventory, as well as thest remaining coins from his prize for winning the Tournament of Legends.


    Everyone knew that it might be a foolish decision and a waste of money to hand over so many coins without receiving anything in return, but in reality Luke didn''t feel like he was doing this for free, because Alexis'' smile was, with absolute certainty, the greatest gift he could ask for.


    In the end, they made it out of theplex sewer system in which The Cage was located.


    Fifteen minutester, the city guard stormed in with over fifty heavily armed guards, as nned by Luke and Ayumi Yamazaki. Since the half-wolf didn''t know exactly what to expect when he entered that ce, he prepared himself and advanced reinforcements without having to request them, although they took longer than necessary.


    Upon entering the ce, they found many people dead, some people still on the ground, unconscious, and others struggling. They had a lot of work to do to put things in order, but by the time the sun came up everything was calmer in the area.


    They found the bodies of dozens of henchmen, all four generals, and what they believed to be the Straw Hat, a man in his mid-thirties whose eyes were the same color as the liquid that oozed from the corners of his mouth.


    From that day on, Oukiwa became bustling once again, not with Adventurers, but because the city guard did not stop acting even for a minute during the next three days. Documents found in secret rooms in the Cage, showed the location of many sheds and outposts of the Straw Hat scheme, where they found drugs, more ves, monster spoils and even fake monster hubs.


    To close with a golden key, on the fourth day of the city-guard task force, a formal request was made by Ayumi Yamazaki. She asked for the council to meet to discuss the direct involvement of Erick Smakusa, the Patriarch of the Noble Smakusa Family, involving corruption schemes, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and all the crimes that he, with full intention, helped the Straw-Hat tomit.


    This request echoed through the thick and high walls of Oukiwa, and within hours everyone knew. So when the representatives of the eight families began to gather at the Central Pce, crowds of curious onlookers filed in behind.


    For the first time in history, a council member had filed for the removal of another member, which could mean that by the end of the council meeting, the council would no longer consist of eight members, but only seven.

 Chapter 254 Without A Shadow Of A Doubt

    Upon learning of Ayumi Yamazaki''s usation, Erick was extremely enraged. He had not anticipated that she would make such a bold move so quickly, but rather that it would take at least some more time.


    Well, Erick certainly knew that using the Strogueher Matriarch at every council meeting was risky, and once again he took the risk by epting the court summons.


    Unlike the other times, this trial would not take ce in the ordinary Circr Hall, but in a courtroom exclusive to Oukiwa, in the Central Pce.


    In the court chamber there were eight thrones whose seats were more than four meters high. These eight thrones formed an octagram, and the golden lines on the floor, which also outlined them, illustrated an eight-pointed star.


    As the court stood at the highest point of the Central Pce, its ceiling was wide, as was the rest of the enclosure. In this same chamber, there were twenty seats separated from the thrones, which were that of the jury.


    Normally, council trials did not have a jury, but in situations like this one it was necessary. Although higher trials were really rare, the whole organization of the Central Pce had the job of trying to seek out as biased people as possible for the jury, so the jury was made up of dozens of people totally different from each other, from the most diverse walks of life, from bakers with Lower City trades to High Rank Adventurers.


    Upon entering the hall and encountering all these people chatting in the jury seats, Luke didn''t mind them, and walked over to a few more secluded, hidden chairs to sit down. As Luke approached these chairs, he saw two men with ck hair and serious looks, who were watching the jury people talking with stern looks on their faces.


    The half-wolf recognized one of these two men, because he was Kyor. Now that Luke knew that Kyor was actually a Smakusa, he finally understood where the formidable abilities Kyor demonstrated in their brief confrontation came from. In reality, Luke felt dumb to learn that Kyor was a Smakusa, because Kyor practically said hisst name at the Luck or Fight Tournament, changing only one letter. At the time, Kyor announced himself as an Amakusa, not a Smakusa, and this simrity caught the attention of only a few people that day, but not even Nathalia or Alexis noticed this.


    The man next to Kyor had a face shape so simr to his that Luke found this strange. The chins of the two were the same, the cold eyes were the same, and all the superficial features of their faces were very simr. To Luke it was more than clear that they were brothers.


    This man had very long hair, but it was tied up in a long ponytail. In addition, he wore round sses that somehow highlighted the fine features of his face, as well as his very white skin.


    When this man saw Luke approaching with Nathalia Strogueher at his side, he smiled briefly as a greeting, and Luke reciprocated with a simple nod. This was the only kind of interaction the half-wolf had with the two Smakusa, because all the people sitting there were not focused on interacting, but on the judgment.


    Of the eight high thrones, only six were upied by council members, and the moment footsteps began to echo through the chamber, all six noblemanders turned to look at the main door. At that hour, they all saw a dazzling-looking blond-haired elf enter the chamber.


    "Good evening,dies and gentlemen." Ayumi greeted her fellow council members as she arrived in the center of the octagram. They all smiled affably and nodded briefly, giving her permission to begin. "So, as everyone here present knows, I believe that the Broteforge Empire Council membership position of the Smakusa Family Patriarch, Erick Smakusa, should be revoked and that he be imprisoned for viting all codes of morality of nobles, and also for coborating with organized crime."


    Jimbe Colto looked at Ayumi and spoke, "Before we summon Erick Smakusa to this court, I have to ask: Ms. Strogueher, you are aware that should this usation prove false, you will be the one to lose your post on the council, correct?"<sub> </sub>


    "I am aware." She replied firmly.


    "Very well, tell us your side of the story," Patriarch Colto asked.


    "It has been a while since Erick Smakusa has had ideas diverging from mine, in fact, since Manilyn''s departure from the post of Patriarch to cede the position to me, Mr. Smakusa has never actually epted a noble foreigner. Nevertheless, I never bothered with it, after all disagreements are normal, but when Erick Smakusa started proposing the idea of breaking up the council and dividing us, I knew he was up to something."


    "Up to something? Define that better, please." Thomas Landford said, resting his head on his fist and propping himself up in his chair.


    Ayumi Yamazaki felt she couldn''t talk about the demons, at least not before she talked to the Emperor first, so she rearranged the subject. "It''s hard to say what he was up to, but anyone who wants to can look deeper, and I only stopped because I was already choking on the blood of the people he made suffer."


    "Right. Before we continue, have Erick Smakusa brought in." Jimbe ordered some guards, who went to a room next door and picked up Erick, who wasn''t even handcuffed.


    When Erick saw Ayumi, he did not look serious as he normally did, but rather gave a closed smile and proceeded to the center of the octagram.


    "Good evening, Erick. How are you?" Jimbe asked the man with gray hair and beard.


    "I could be doing something useful instead of wasting my time, but that''s okay, sooner orter that would ur in our generation." He replied.


    "What do you think about Ayumi''s usations, pointed out in the summoning request?" inquired Shanks Bard.


    "They are all false, gentlemen. Ayumi is desperate because things are not going as she anticipated, that it is not being easy to manipte us as she did the rest of the Strogueher''s. She would hate to admit that she is wrong, and that someone as old as me can make changes to change this town for the better."


    "So, you im to have no rtion to drug trafficking, human trafficking, bribery, alienation, abuse of authority, and the other crimes cited?"


    "Without a shadow of a doubt, I am innocent."

 Chapter 255 The Accusation

    When Erick Smakusa imed to be innocent, no one questioned it. The truth was, until that moment, no one knew who was right, whether it was Ayumi Yamazaki, the greatest ruler of Oukiwa and Vasconcelos, or Erick Smakusa, an experienced, strict, and cunning nobleman.


    Jimbe Colto was analyzing the situation with all these factors in mind, as were the other Council members. Although they were not the ones who would vote on the sentence if Erick was convicted, but rather the jury, they were the ones who would make the decision whether Ayumi''s evidence was concrete or unptable.


    "Ayumi, continue your prosecution, please." Nico Sallow asked.


    The blond-haired Elf was staring at Erick, however she regained her attention after her friend''s request. "Mr. Smakusa, to really get all this started, first I will ask you something. Can you answer for me why there are so many cases of missing vessels or shipwrecks?"


    Patriarch Smakusa didn''t even turn his face to look her in the eye, and answered her by looking at the council members. "Why, dear Mrs. Yamazaki, we have already talked about this in the council many years ago, is there really a need to answer?"


    "Coborate, please, Erick." Rujierd requested, now with a much stricter countenance than normally.


    "Right, right." The gray-haired man relented, as he smiled and held up both hands. "You want me to let the jury know too, don''t you? All right, the reason there are so many cases of shipwrecks and missing vessels at sea is obviously not the strong waves or storms, after all, the sails we produce are the best, but rather attacks by pirates."


    At that moment, a buzz started among the people making up the jury, because it was Erick''s responsibility to protect the maritime territory of the Broteforge Empire, and this was not urring.


    Patriarch Smakusa was no fool, and used his own answer to defend himself as well.


    "You all know how extensive the sea is, don''t you? There is no way we can patrol every inch of it, much less fight intense battles against pirates every day. They are cunning, sneaky and also very intelligent, if we underestimated them we would already have entire cities taken over by them, including Oukiwa," Erick said, shifting his calm gaze to the jury and the council members.


    Ayumi smiled wryly. "It''s not necessary to protect the entire sea, just the coast is enough, but even that you can''t orchestrate. The Smakusa family has enough power and money to protect the entire east coast of the Broteforge Empire, and the west coast is practically all uninhabited. Yet they don''t even protect Oukiwa properly, and we all know it."


    "Frankly, what are you talking about, woman?" Erick questioned, not understanding. With theck of adventurers in the city, he was forced to put more security in the ports.


    "I''m d you asked... Almost a week ago, I started a task force in conjunction with the City Guard, and three days ago we were able to achieve our main goal: to end the reign of one of the heads of organized crime in this city, the Straw Hat." Matriarch Strogueher spoke.


    By that time, everyone knew that Straw Hat was dead, they just didn''t understand how that connected with the current trial.


    "Other than the City Guard, I gathered a group of formidable people, a Tournament of Legends Champion, an S-ss Adventurer, also an official Member of the Cardinal Realm, and other people whose past and present few people were lucky enough to know. This unique group quickly found proof that the Straw Hat is actually not a legend as some cogitated, but just another pirate, in fact, the greatest of them."<sub> </sub>


    Everyone was quiet for a second to digest this new information. Straw Hat''s ve selling and drug trafficking scheme was well known among the most influential people, especially among the Council who had a tremendous headache with him. In the past, even the former Patriarch Landford put a bounty on his head or any information that led to him, but even then it was not discovered how his schemes worked.


    "Straw Hat was killed by ves three days ago, and his body was duly cremated. However, besides his ashes that he left behind, he left behind a lot of useful information, information that dooms someone as respected as you, Erick." Ayumi continued.


    At this point, Erick Smakusa arched his eyebrows, and when he saw the confident look on the blonde Elf''s face, he shook his head negatively, as if refusing to believe that she actually had concrete evidence. "You are bluffing, I have never been involved with this fellow, or any other criminal in this city. If he was trafficking ves across the sea, it was probably only happening in the blind spots of my troops."


    "Are you sure what you are talking about?" Then Ayumi snapped her fingers at Nathalia, this being the signal for her to bring out the silver-sealed scroll.


    The white-haired Elf promptly stood up with the scroll in hand and handed it to Ayumi, who thanked her.


    "Is that your main evidence, Ms. Strogueher?" Jimbe Colto inquired, for he had already naturally assumed the post of trial remediator.


    "Yes. I believe there is no circumstance, political privilege, validity, third party influence, or age that can contradict a fact." She replied.


    "All right, let us see."


    Then Jimbe pointed his index and middle fingers at the parchment, and suddenly a purple aura enveloped the delicate paper. The parchment began to levitate subtly, rising a few feet until Mr. Colto caught it with his bare hands.


    Calmly, Jimbe opened the parchment, read its contents, but expressed no opinion or reaction. The same happenedter with Shanks Bard, Thomas Landford, Amanda Hangen and the other members of the council, until finally the parchment reached the hands of Rujierd Daren.


    The wild-looking man, canine teeth and chest in in sight, closed his eyes as he finished reading, gritted his teeth and began to knead the edges he held of the parchment a little. As he opened his eyes, his eyes immediately met the eyes of Erick Smakusa, who was apprehensive because none of the members denied the parchment contents as they read.


    With a clear expression of anger stamped on his face, the Noble Family Patriarch Daren said to Erick:


    "I can''t believe you were doing this under the covers all this time... Before we can vote, I demand an exnation from you, Erick."

 Chapter 256 The Sentence

    With a clear expression of anger stamped on his face, Noble Family Patriarch Daren said to Erick:


    "I can''t believe you were doing this under the covers all this time... Before we can vote, I demand an exnation from you, Erick."


    "What are you talking about, Jimbe?" Erick asked, confused.


    "Oh, are you still acting like an underhand? Well, no problem at all, because I will read that document so that all the people present can hear."


    At this point, all the people who made up the jury exchanged nces and prepared their ears well to listen carefully.


    Then Rujierd began to read what the document said:


    "I, Erick Smakusa Bon, admit for purposes of ''proof of loyalty'' that I am cooperating with the Straw Hat. Our business involves torture, murder, human trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping, private imprisonment... And thisma-filled list extends to ten more different illegal activities." Rujierd spoke in a noxious voice. His face was with an expression that mixed disgust with anger.


    Of all those present, Rujierd was the angriest of all, because he really felt betrayed. When he took over as Patriarch of the Daren Family, and consequently assumed a throne in Conseloh, Erick was the one who assisted him in the first months, and he had great respect for Erick, despite his confused ideals.


    Mr. Smakusa didn''t know what to say, but the answer the council needed was exactly in his eyes. His eyelids were dark, scratched and droopy, as if there was no life there anymore. His pupils were as small as was humanly possible, and his mouth was trembling, as if he wanted to say something, but was too afraid.


    Everyone present in that courtroom stared at him for a few seconds, and those seconds quickly became the most agonizing seconds of the old Smakusa Family Patriarch''s life.


    All the judgmental gazes were torturing him, and for a certain moment he thought he was in a chamber where there were only these dozens of eyes. For someone like Erick, who was always in the spotlight of glory and ttery throughout the Empire, being judged for the first time in his life was an almost gut-wrenching blow.


    When Erick finally spoke something, that something was an exmation, actually a cry of pain.


    "I DIDN''T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I SWEAR! I already know what happened...it was Ayumi who made Straw Hat write that, wasn''t it? She''s the real criminal! She must have betrayed him and made him write that."


    Even in the face of Patriarch Smakusa''s desperate usations, Ayumi Yamazaki did not tremble. Smiling, she said:


    "Why are you so distressed? No one has even mentioned that there is a signature of yours on that document... or did you already know there is one?"


    With his pupils shrinking, Erick Smakusa looked so angrily at Ayumi as if he were seeing the very personification of the devil in front of him. In the dark chamber filled with judging eyes, the Elf''s green eyes stood out, them beingrger and more prominent than any other.


    "I believe the proper penalty for the greatest shame in the history of this Empire is death, those in favor of that, please raise your hands." Amanda Hangen said, and raised her hand immediately afterwards.


    The raised hands of the council members had no effect on the vote, because it would be the jury that would decide, but their raised hands had great weight, which influenced the decisions of the people who made up the jury.


    The first hand to be raised was Amanda''s, and soon after that of Rujierd Daren, who now refused to look into the empty eyes of the one who was something like a mentor to him.


    Shanks Bard and Thomas Landford exchanged nces briefly, but did not raise their hands.


    Nico Sallow and Jimbe Colto were afraid to raise their hands. Rationally, for both of them this was too quick a trial to decide something so important, but then Jimbe looked at Erick''spanions who were sitting a few feet away and was surprised to see their angry nces at his own family.


    As far as Jimbe knew, those two men present were Erick''s first and only grandchildren. Both were raised by him even after their parents died, yet even that special bond wasn''t stopping them from leaking their feelings, as the two were looking at Erick Smakusa with anger, not Ayumi.


    The eyes of Kyor and his brother made Nico and Jimbe make the decision they were afraid to make: raise their hands.


    The people on the jury, gradually as they saw themanders of the noble families raising their hands, also raised their hands, even though they were afraid of what voting for the death of a Smakusa might entail in the future.<sub> </sub>


    Therefore, when Ayumi Yamazaki finally raised her hand as well, symbolically, most of the jury were holding up their hands.


    "Sigh... Without further ado, I announce that Erick Smakusa Bon is sentenced to death. Anyone against this decision, speak now or forever hold your peace." Jimbe Colto was direct and proimed.


    In Erick''s vision, everything was ck and white, and his eyes could only distinguish color in the one person in front of him: Ayumi.


    ''This is all your fault, all your fault, all your fault, all your fault...'' He repeated mentally, as he stared at her with a frightening look.


    At that moment, Mr. Smakusa threw back his ck cape, raised both hands, and imitated the pose that an archer normally did to shoot an arrow. From one instant to the next, a bow of mes appeared in his hand, and on the string of mes three arrows appeared. The whole atmosphere quickly became hotter, and the people on the jury began to get ready to run.


    For most of the people present, going through this second was almost torturous because it took so long, however, it was especially agonizing for Luke, who saw the future hundreds of times during this second. At the end of all his predictions, the result was always the same... Ayumi always managed to be fast enough to be able to activate her shield Gene Skill, but that skill could never hold all three arrows, no matter how hard she tried. More often than not, the shield of the Matriarch of the Strogueher Family would break with the impact of the second arrow, and it would go right through her, followed closely by the third arrow, which would embed in the chest of the blonde Elf.


    In all predictions, nothing Luke tried to do worked either. Neither using Bastet, nor the explosive speed moves of the Sea Ornament.


    The arrows from Erick''s skill were as fast as light, and Luke could never get fast enough to even manage to throw himself in front of the arrows and die in Ayumi''s ce.


    "Shit, shit, shit... Why? Why did I decide toe instead of allowing Alexis toe in my ce? She is faster than me, she could save her."


    "No, don''t think like that, it''s not all over yet."


    Two clones fragmented the half-wolf''s mind within the Horus Dimension, separating his rational part from his sentimental one.


    "What are you talking about, idiot? We''re exhausted, there''s no saving her."


    "Luke one, reason, there is always something we can do, we are never out of options, think..."


    With hisst strength, Luke began to think and in a simple snap of inspiration, he remembered something.


    When the <Leg of Horus> was deactivated because of the time limit that the half-wolf''s body could pass within the ability, he was drenched in sweat, but still had enough energy left to scream.


    "LESCAAAAAAAAAAR!" Luke cried out as he watched the sh of fire arrows intensify, blinding everything in the room.


    As he pleaded for the presence of the mysterious boy who had told him the whereabouts of the gang of former thieves, Luke used hisst weapon. The half-wolf thought that if his destiny was indeed connected with the boy who carried an owl on his shoulder, he might answer his call so suddenly.


    Then, as soon as Luke shouted, time literally stopped. He looked around him, and saw all the desperate people, and he could also see the sparks from Erick Smakusa''s bow stop in the air, without disappearing.


    The half-wolf quickly tried to move, without thinking much, after all, he wanted was to save Ayumi. However, his legs were still locked, just as all the rest of his body was also static.


    ''Did I identally activate <Leg of Horus> again?'' Luke cogitated, even though he knew he was too tired for that. The world was not moving slowly like when he activated the Skill, this was literally standing still.


    As Luke wondered what was going on, he heard footsteps echoing from the main entrance of the ce. The pounding of footsteps on the marble floor projected a thin, even slightly soothing sound. These footsteps slowly came closer, but Luke couldn''t move to look at who or what was approaching, until suddenly Lescar''s face appeared before his eyes.


    The ck haired boy had a closed smile on his face, and spoke:


    "Hello~ You called me, didn''t you?"

 Chapter 257 Merchant

    "Hello~ You called me, didn''t you?" said Lescar with a friendly smile.


    If he could Luke would have smiled when he saw the boy''s face, which was full of strange scars.


    "Oh! I forgot that you can''t move." Lescar was walking backwards, fitting the half-wolf''s field of vision, and snapped two fingers of his right hand.


    At that moment, Luke felt all the weight on his shoulders disappear, and his muscles, tensed up due to fatigue, were finally released from their temporal prison.


    The half-wolf rotated his right shoulder a little, as he looked at Lescar in disbelief at what was happening around him.


    "Did you do all this yourself?" He asked.


    Lescar brought his right index finger up to his cheek, thought for a second, and replied, "Was it me? Maybe, but that''s not what I was called to do, right? And I believe it''s not time yet, so what do you need."


    "I need you to save that woman!" Luke pointed at Ayumi, who was only a few inches away from the second arrow, after managing to block the first arrow with her translucent shield.


    The boy looked back, finally noticing what was happening around him. "Well, well... The eight members of the Broteforge Empire Council are gathered together, and one is about to kill the other? Tsk, tsk... I don''t know if I should interfere with that."


    "What do you mean?" The half-wolf questioned with wide eyes.


    "Luke Lange, there are things that need to happen and things that should not happen. Your death, for example, is something that shouldn''t happen, but Ayumi Yamazaki Strogueher''s life doesn''t matter to me. In fact, it makes no difference whether she dies or not."


    The half-wolf was incredulous at the boy''s words, although he understood almost nothing of what Lescar meant. "All right, then I''ll save her myself." Luke decided to take advantage that the world was still, for this was a unique chance that even the <Leg of Horus> did not foresee.


    In the midst of Luke''s first step, Lescar snapped his fingers and made his legs lock again, as did hispletely.


    "What are you doing!?" questioned Luke as he noticed that he could still move the muscles in his head.


    "Luke, she''s not essential, forget it."


    "She''s essential to me, you idiot! Without her there will be no point in protecting this fucking Empire from the demons! I don''t care what happens to the cities, or the people. I just don''t want Ayumi to be sad or lose the sparkle in her eyes while I sit on my ass anywhere!" The half-wolf shouted.


    At that moment he was feeling frustrated that he had to beg for someone''s help, even though he had worked so hard over the past year to get stronger. He was also feeling fear, fear of losing one of the people he had loved most throughout his life. In addition to anger at himself for not having foreseen that something like this could happen, after all Erick Smakusa was not just a henchman but a respected nobleman, it was to be obvious that he would not ept being condemned without fighting back.


    Lescar was surprised, because this way of acting was not simr to the way the half-wolf acted when he first met him.


    "I get it, I get it... If this is so important to you, and since I''m not supposed to intervene directly, I''ll give you a boost so you can try to save her, okay? I just need you to listen to me before you try to act." The boy said with a neutral expression.


    At this point, Luke realized how it really made no difference to Lescar whether Ayumi was alive or not, but the half-wolf also didn''t let his thoughts wander in the midst of the confusion, because he had a goal to fulfill.


    Hearing the boy''s calm words, Luke merely nodded.


    "Thank you for such understanding... Right now, we are in a parallel dimension where I have separated this ce, this moment. In the real world, all time is running naturally, but here I can keep it still. It may be confusing for you, but I hope you understand that anything you do here, will have no effect in the real world, meaning that no matter how many times you save her here, nothing will change in the Other ce."


    "So, what should I do? If even with downtime I can''t save her, how could I? I''ve thought of thousands of alternatives, but none will work."


    "I was hoping to ask this question only when the time came, but if you called me ahead of time I have no choice... Luke, in the distant past they used to call me The Merchant, eh... I know it''s a weird nickname, but are there any Gene Skills of yours that you wish to exchange for a stronger one? As The Merchant, I can do that."


    Luke didn''t understand what he meant by ''in the distant past'', as Lescar was just a boy, but also having the notion that Lescar wasn''t just that, he didn''t question it. So, he started thinking about which Skill he wouldn''t miss too much.


    Luke didn''t have many Genes Abilities, so this was a very difficult decision.


    <Vind> allows him to control some of the wind, as well as generate it from nothing. This was the first Gene Skill he had assimted, and also one that had saved him from death several times.


    ''No, it would be impossible for me to get rid of <Vind>.'' Luke decided.


    The next Abilities that came to his mind were <Horus'' Eye> and <Yggdrasil>, but he quickly dismissed the possibility of swapping them.


    ''Maybe <Normal Inventory>?'' He wondered with his right hand on his chin as he thought.<sub> </sub>


    As he watched the half-wolf think about what decision he would make, Lescar stared at him and gradually realized a few things.


    ''Ow... he was desperate not long ago, but now he ispletely calm. His mental stability is totally monstrous, normal people would be shaking in that situation, but he''s deciding rationally.'' Without realizing it, Lescar imitated the half-wolf''s thinking pose, with his right hand on his chin. ''If he continues like this, in the future he might actually surpass all of us.''


    "I''ve already made my decision." The half-wolf stated, looking the ck-haired boy directly in the eye.


    Lescar smiled, and snapped his fingers again, releasing Luke. "Are you sure?"


    "It''s a risk, but yes, I''m sure."


    "There is no way to choose which Skill you will receive in ce of that one. Do you still want to continue?"


    "Is that the only way?" Luke tried to get Lescar''s help onest time.


    "No, I can''t interfere directly." The boy replied in a serious manner, making the half-wolf understand. "If you are still motivated to have a chance to save Ayumi Yamazaki Strogueher, shake my hand." He then extended his right hand to the half-wolf.


    Without a second thought, Luke shook Lescar''s hand firmly. "I give up the Gene Skill <Sirkelig>."


    Lescar nodded, and at that moment lc particles began to envelop the touch of the two''s hands. In just a second, the hands of the two turnedpletely purple and a tremendous aura surged over them. Glowing particles began to spew out of their handshake, and the longer it went on, the more they increased.


    The half-wolf was feeling a tremendous pain in his hand, which he did his best to endure without screaming.


    The lc particles caused whistling sounds as they passed by their ears. When they noticed, the dozens of particles became hundreds and then thousands.


    "What''s happening!? Are we expecting something else to happen!!!?" Luke questioned, looking at his right hand which was enveloped in a kind of purplish ore.


    "That exchange was bound to happen, but even I don''t know what to expect!"


    Luke didn''t know how to react to Lescar''s words. ''Destined? There''s no such thing as destiny nonsense.'' He thought.


    Suddenly the amount of particles expelled by the handshake began to diminish. Gradually, everything that was glowing in the ck and white space around Lescar and Luke began to be stable. After a few milliseconds of calm, abruptly the particles began to return to the handshake, making it weigh even heavier.


    Finally, when everything came together, only the cracking sound of the purple ore, which held Lescar and Luke''s hands, could be heard.


    Luke looked at that sand-like ore, but as bright as obsidian, seeping through his fingers. At that moment, he felt an indescribable calm.


    [You traded Gene''s Skill <Sirkelig> with a Merchant].


    ''Does the voice recognize that too?''


    [<Sirkelig> is a Rare Level Skill. The Level of the next Skill will be simr].


    [Affinity bonus granted by the Merchant. The Level of the next Skill will be increased].


    ''Ow! That''s pretty good!''


    [The exchange with a Merchant has taken ce.]


    [Exchanges with a Merchant can no longer be made.]


    [You have obtained a Single Level Gene Skill.]


    ''Wait a second... after Rare Level there shoulde an Epic Skill, right?''


    p [Skill <G, a Capital Sin> learned. No assimtion required]]</anda>


    ''Eeehh!? I don''t even know what that means.'' Luke thought as he heard the voice announce. ''What a weird feeling... I feel like I know what this skill does.''

 Chapter 258 Bloody Floor

    When Luke Lange heard the voice in his mind let him know that he had gained a new Ability from Gene, he felt a strange sensation.


    Somehow, he already knew what his new Skill could do, even though he had never used it even once. This surprised him, because even when he bought <Sirkelig> from Vasconcelos, he had to go through the process of assimtion, awareness and practice of the Skill, but now that was not necessary.


    ''Is that the merchant''s power?'' Luke wondered, looking down at his own hand, which tingled with excitement to use this new Gene Skill.


    The moment Luke opened his mouth to talk to Lescar again, he noticed that everything was starting to move slowly. The boy was no longer in front of him, and the world around him was ceasing to be ck and white.


    ''I have to make sure I thank him the next time we meet.'' Luke thought.


    The half-wolf knew he had returned to the normal dimension, when he heard the bang caused by the collision of a fire arrow with Ayumi Yamazaki''s shield.


    Most of the people on the jury got up to start, while others stayed to try to stop Erick. No one had imagined that he would act in such a way, not even his own family.


    As they felt the immense heat generated by Erick Smakusa''s Epic Ability, all the people in that one felt powerless.


    The guards standing vigntly at the entrance door could not take a step before the first arrow hit Ayumi''s shield.


    The Nobles on their thrones were so taken aback by the sudden behavior of Patriarch Smakusa that they were in shock for a few seconds, not knowing how to react, just like everyone else.


    However, Luke had already seen the scene of his bride dying dozens of times within the Horus Dimension, so no thought troubled him when he finally felt he could save her.


    Luke stretched out his right hand toward Erick Smakusa, and said nothing, just stretched his five fingers forward with his palm facing up. Just then, a howling st echoed throughout the chamber, as if a gale had started inside the courtroom.


    The mes from Erick Smakusa''s arrow and bow suddenly changed direction, going to Luke''s right hand. When these mes reached his hand, they simply disappeared, as if they had never existed.


    The mes from Erick''s abilities were so intense that as they went to Luke''s hand, they formed a cyclone of fire. Luke felt his hand burn with that extremely high temperature, but that only happened because his body was not yet fully adapted to the use of the <G>.


    After a few brief seconds, the half-wolf realized that this pain was almost nil, although it was so strong at first.


    Everyone watched the half-wolf react faster than anyone else, and were simply fascinated. Although for most it was not the first time watching Luke use a Gene Skill in person, because they watched the Tournament of Legends, he still managed to surprise everyone.


    Fascinated, Rujierd Daren felt gifted at the sight of Erick Smakusa''splete nullification of the Gene Skill. ''I thought it was just rumors about nullification-type Gene Skills, but... it''s real!'' he thought.


    Erick Smakusa eagerly tried to keep up the mes of his bow to at least try to shoot one more arrow, however he was feeling more and more empty.


    Soon, a sudden thunderous crash crossed the hall. When attentive people saw a figure cross the room, they thought it was Luke. However, when Erick Smakusa''s head rolled upwards, the half-wolf was standing in the same ce.


    The blood squirting from the severed neck of Patriarch Smakusa wet the faces of the two grandsons of the old nobleman. Both were serious, but panting with rage, filled with disgust, and perhaps disgust of their own grandfather.


    When the people opened their eyes again, they saw Erick''s head rolling on the floor of the courtroom.


    The long-haired, spectacled brother quickly hid his de, and tried to regain his posture as he adjusted his ck tunic. Kyor swung his sword to the side, staining the floor with the blood on his sword. At that moment a new symbol appeared and a new era began in Oukiwa, indeed, a new era in the entire Broteforge Empire.


    The next few days were even more eventful in that great city. The condemnation of the Patriarch of the Smakusa Noble Family resonated throughout the four cardinal points, as did the fact that he had been killed by members of his own family.


    Of course, Kyor and his brother were punished harshly by the Council, because Erick''s death was to be done by an executioner in an empty ce, not in the Central Pce itself, a symbol of the power that was Oukiwa City. Even after being punished, the twins did not back down or seem sorry, and because of this determination the remaining members of the Smakusa Family decided that one of them should inherit Erick Smakusa''s position, even though they were too young.


    However, it was not up to the Smakusa Family itself to decide this, but rather the Emperor himself, who had the supreme say in the Broteforge Empire.<sub> </sub>


    Still, none of this politicking mattered to Luke anymore. If the main insider, who cooperated with the demons to insert them into the Broteforge Empire, was dead, he had no reason to interfere with the decisions. In fact, he was just relieved that he was out of the hell that was watching Ayumi die again and again, time after time.


    When Nathalia, Ayumi and Luke returned to their residence, they told each other that despite the scares their main goal was also fulfilled.


    As they talked about the situation, everyone in the gang asked Luke a lot of questions, but he tried his best to deflect them. He always wanted to be as honest as possible with his friends, but Lescar''s words about fate still scared him a little.


    Although Ayumi, Meredith and Alexis noted that he lied that he had bought this ability some time ago, none of them tried to pressure him. They all trusted Lukepletely, and thought that if he was hiding something from them, it was for a good reason.


    In the days following the court case, no one took a day off.


    Luke returned to training avidly to reach the next stage of Sea Ornament, and also to get a better understanding of what <G> might be able to do besides nullifying some types of Abilities.


    Even after all that urred, Ayumi went back to work, that was her duty after all. Oukiwa''s backstage was bustling, and many praised Ayumi''s excellence for not giving in to Erick''s wishes at any time.


    Thomas Landford and Shanks Bard had their reputations affected, because even in the face of such evidence against Erick, they did not raise their hands to judge him. They tried to dismiss it, saying that this gesture would be useless anyway, but a few dayster it was discovered through investigations in Erick Smakusa''s old office in the Smakusa Fortress that the attack on the Horizon n was a joint action between them and the former Smakusa Patriarch.


    The Council was lenient with the two of them, but because this attack had greatly diminished the morale of the City and its investments, they were sentenced to the Death Row, a prison that Rujierd Daren personally protected.


    After these stressful trials, Oukiwa regained the trust of therger ns, and thousands of other adventurers. Luckily, this was just in time for a dungeon breach, which would certainly have been a disaster.


    Throughout this almost a week, no one from the half-wolf pack could start to make a n, and they were just waiting for Amelia''s answer so that they could finally have the meeting with the Emperor. They predicted that thanks to what happened with the former Patriarch Smakusa, the Emperor would finally agree to see them, but the answer was taking longer than expected.


    Meanwhile, Alexis continued to train Zack, Ynosuke, John, Meredith and also Nathalia, but Matthew quit the training on the third day.


    In fact, since the day in court, Matthew began to act differently. He was quieter, more thoughtful.


    During a sunny afternoon, with a blue sky without even a cloud, the half-wolf spotted Matthew sitting on a bench in one of the gardens of the Strogueher estate. The breeze was weak, but it was enough to make the atmosphere refreshing.


    The wind on the treetops ruffled their leaves, which made everything more peaceful.


    Without thinking twice, Luke walked over to the bench where his friend was sitting and sat down beside him to keep himpany.


    At first, Matthew ignored his presence and continued to stare at the clear sky, while his brown and white strands were thrown back.


    Since Luke was tired, he was just left to enjoy the cool wind blowing away his sweat. The half-wolf was not the biggest fan of sunny days, but it was undeniable that days like this were better for training.


    At one point, Matthew arched his back and rested his left arm on his knee. His hair fell down, and his bangs covered his eyes.


    "Luke, I''m going out..." Even hesitantly, Matthew uttered.


    "Going out? Fine, be my guest."


    "No, you don''t understand. I''m leaving the gang."


    "W-what?"

 Chapter 259 Farewell

    <o>,m The half-wolf was extremely surprised by his friend''s sudden assertion. Matthew had never given any indication that he was dissatisfied with the pack, at least not until recent events.</o>


    "Don''t get me wrong, I love you guys and I want more than anything to stay by your side, but I''m too old to live such aplicated life." Matthew pointed out.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Now, we have a glimmer of peace, but for how long? You''re still hated by the demons, Alexis carries two demons up and down, not to mention you enjoyed the life of Adventurer in the Dungeons, which means you''ll probably want to go back."


    "Matthew..."


    "Wait for me to finish, Luke. In a few months, I will turn twenty-six. At that age, usually people are already married, have a house to call their own, or a promising career, but what do I have? A few things, but none of the things I dream of." The brown-haired, gray-haired man reflected as he looked up at the blue sky.


    The half-wolf merelyplied with his request, and kept quiet, as he realized that it was not yet his time to speak.


    "And I was thinking, I''ve been dating Jess for so long, and even after so much shit I''ve done, so many sudden disappearances, shees back into my embrace. I guess I owe her a happy life, you know?"


    As he finished hearing Matthew''s words, Luke heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Sighh! Don''t scare me, man! Haha!" Luke eximed, and gave Matthew two weak ps on the shoulder, who was at a loss to understand the reaction. "Watching you thoughtful all these, I thought you had some really bad news to talk about. Anyway, Matt, you are practically my brother and I will always support most of your decisions. You are smart and more than anyone you know what you want. I admire you on those points."


    Matthew''s eyes sparkled as he heard the half-wolf''s response, because as much as he had expected a positive responseing from Luke, he was still nervous.


    "Matt, if you are worried about your safety, or about putting Jess at risk, remember that you are no longer the same man you were a week ago, nor a month ago, nor six months ago. You have grown strong, you now have Gene Skills and also experience. You can take care of yourself better than ever."


    At Luke''s words, Matthew smiled once again, because it wasforting to him to be recognized by his best friend, even after having abandoned him and run away so far away.


    "You are simply the most amazing person I have ever met," Matthew said, and opened his arm so that he could hug Luke, who reciprocated.


    From the first minute Luke decided to follow the trail of his friends to the Fort near the Cardinal Kingdom, he already had in mind that he would not force them to stay by his side, but rather that he would help them realize their dreams. In fact, more than Luke''s main goal, making his friends live happily and safely was an obligation, to be able topensate them for having helped him stay conscious and whole even while sheltering in the darkness.


    Breaking the news of Matthew''s departure to the rest of the gang was not easy, especially for Meredith, who thought that the initial trio of former thieves would never be separated again. Matthew had a heart-to-heart talk with her, and like Luke, she gave in.<sub> </sub>


    Ynosuke, Zack, and John only failed to cry when they saw Matthew drive off in a carriage from the Strogueher estate with all his bags. With tears in her eyes as well, Meredith stroked the heads of the three in an attempt tofort them.


    When the iron gates of the estate were closed by the guards, and the half-wolf''s friends went inside, Ayumi noticed that he kept looking toward the exit.


    Then the Matriarch walked to his side, stopped, put her right hand on his shoulder, and questioned:


    "You pretended to be strong and confident so as not to make Matthew go back on his decision, didn''t you?"


    Luke turned his face to the opposite side of Ayumi, and answered with a nod after a few seconds.


    ''Can he be cute like that too?'' Ayumi blushed at the sentimental gesture of the man next to her. She shook her head to put that kind of thought out of her mind, smiled, and spoke, "Two days ago, Matthew came to my office in the back of the second floor to talk to me..."


    Immediately, Luke turned to look into Ayumi''s eyes and to hear better what she was talking about.


    "He asked if there was any way to increase the patrolling of the city guards throughout Oukiwa, and well, in a meeting with Nico Sallow I got her to invest a bit in security as well, after all with Straw Hat''s death, many would like to try to take his ce."


    Luke looked at Ayumi, unable to believe that perhaps Oukiwa would finally find order. Although this was not a dangerous city, it was still a very dirty city underneath the cloth. Cases of corruption, heinous crimes, and various kinds of trafficking were still going on, but in the shadows of the Lower City and the Middle City, away from most of the powerful Adventurers who frequented the city.


    For these reasons, upon hearing the words of Matriarch Strogueher, Luke felt a weight go off his shoulders, because perhaps more children would not have to live the life he lived for many years.


    "Hey, lovebirds in love! Come on over here! Amelia is talking to the Pontiff, and she has good news!" Ynosuke said, propping himself on the door of the huge residence.


    Luke and Ayumi looked at each other and walked at a quick pace into the house.


    *


    Thatte afternoon, a long-awaited piece of news finally arrived for the half-wolf gang. As predicted earlier, the events of confusions and conspiracies in Oukiwa were enough to catch the attention of the Emperor of the Broteforge Empire.


    Thus, a formal invitation made to the name of the Matriarch of the Strogueher, initially disguised outwardly as a gesture of gratitude from the Emperor to the Noblewoman who discovered the rotten apple of the Kingdom, but in reality the conversation would be much deeper.

 Chapter 260 The Symbol City

    Sheltered Halv?y was a city unlike any other city in the Broteforge Empire, whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Even though this grand city had borders that stretched across miles of forest, greenish fields and verdant hills, most of its territorial domain was washed by seawater.


    As Luke, Ayumi, Nathalia and the rest of the gang approached Sheltered Halv?y after two weeks of travel, they noticed that there was less and less forest, and the fields became more extensive.


    Since it had been many years since Ayumi hadst visited this town, she was surprised not to see as many trees as there used to be. When Ayumi Yamazak took over as Matriarch of the Strogueher family, an invitation to a banquet was extended, just like this time. On that asion Ayumi met the Emperor for the first time, and had long conversations with him regarding her vision for the future of the Empire and his vision.


    As Ayumi recalled the day she met the Emperor, her eyes widened, because several hypothetical situations popped into her head.


    As Ynosuke and Luke talked about Sea Ornament, and the others rested, looking at the scenery and rxing with the galloping of the horses, Matriarch Strogueher suddenly cleared her throat to capture everyone''s attention, and spoke:


    "I know we are only a day''s ride away from arriving, but I just remembered something. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to talk with the Emperor for the first time, and for some reason, I almost forgot about the personality desas... difficult to deal with."


    Everyone arched their eyebrows, not understanding what she meant. If she meant that the Emperor had a difficult personality, like someone who gets angry easily or someone who is very methodical, none of them thought they had a problem dealing with it.


    "What do you mean? Does he, like, have a horn fetish? If so, I think I''d better not attend the banquet." Alexis asked, while trying to hide her horns, making her look very cute.


    "In case it is something like that, or that he hates half-horns, we just take that disguise elixir, no?" Luke asked her.


    "Disguise elixir, what is that?" inquired Meredith, interestedly.


    "Guys, it''s not a prejudice, still less a fetish." Ayumi stated, putting her right hand to her mouth to hold backughter. "Although in the past the Imperial Family established the prejudices..."


    "Mom?" Nathalia caught the blonde Elf''s attention, because she was starting to ramble on about it as she always did when she needed to exin something.


    "Right, right, I get it. Let''s say the Emperor is proud. Yeah, that''s the most appropriate word to describe his personality."


    "I believe extremely proud would be a more correct adjective." Amelia corrected.


    Luke frowned, not believing it. "I have dealt with many proud and haughty nobles in my life. I believe we can connect with that, can''t we?" He asked Meredith, Zack, Ynosuke, and John, who nodded with looks of determination at the half-wolf.<sub> </sub>


    At that moment, Amelia and Ayumi exchanged nces, and saved themselves the trouble of telling the Emperor''s stories. Their hope was that, since this was a very serious matter, perhaps the Emperor would not expose his difficult side.


    The next day, when the big chariot of the gang first approached the city, at least close enough to see a glimpse of what it looked like from afar, everyone saw a forest of gigantic trees whose leaves werepletely pink. In addition, most of the buildings in the city had greenish, pointed roofs, standing out amidst the beautiful trees, but also matching the environment.


    To uncultured people, like most of the half-wolf gang, Sheltered Halv?y seemed to be just a very strange town, and also different from what they expected. What they didn''t know was that the Capital of the Broteforge Empire was the heritage of an ancient people, the Ainveldibra and Ainyedre Elves.


    In the past, the city of Sheltered Halv?y was a symbol of unity for the entire nation, and at the present time this idea still persisted, bringing people from many different cities.


    Still, as Luke entered the town by carriage, he felt strange. The street was very clean and there were hardly any weeds growing between the cracks in the sidewalks, although there was a gigantic forest of trees surrounding the city, just as all the buildings looked modern and splendid.


    Not only for the half-wolf, but for any other first-time visitor to this city, it was normal to feel this way, because there was no other city in the world like this one.


    In the streets, the inhabitants walked quietly and passively. It was possible to notice many adventurers too, who wore splendid armor, but there were not as many as in the Cardinal Kingdom, where on every street it was possible to see at least one different Adventurer.


    As they watched the scenery change rapidly because of the fast-paced carriage ride, they didn''t even notice they were approaching one of thergest buildings in the city.


    <o>,m "Wee, to the Emperor''s Pce!" Ayumi eximed as she got off the carriage first.</o>


    Then, each person who got out of the carriage after her had the same reaction. First, everyone was dumbfounded and, for a second, speechless to describe the thing before them.


    They were looking at a long, wide marble bridge, which had a perfect grove and rich Gothic architectural details, which were the four pirs of five meters each on each side of this bridge. This majestic bridge connected the Pce to the normal city, creating a path for all those who needed to enter the Pce for some reason to pass over the gorge, which was not empty, but only served to ventte the Pce''s underground.


    It was easy to notice lightsing out of small windows in the walls of this cliff, which caught anyone''s attention. While everyone in the half-wolf was watching this canyon that went as far as the eye could not reach, they heard footsteps approaching from behind them.


    Ayumi Yamazaki turned around, and saw a man with gray, flowing hair, who was standing with his arms back and a very formal outfit.


    "Hello, Matriarch Strogueher. Long time no see, eh? In case you don''t remember, I am Jefford, one of Emperor Cant''s three chief butlers. We have been awaiting your arrival."

 Chapter 261 Emperors Palace

    "Hello, Matriarch Strogueher. It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other, hasn''t it? In case you don''t remember, I am Jefford, one of Emperor Cant''s three chief butlers. We were expecting your arrival."


    Everyone looked at Jefford, and immediately noticed something different about him, about his aura. It was evident to everyone that he was no ordinary butler.


    "Hello, Mr. Jefford. It''s a pleasure to see you again after so long." Matriarch said. She also put her right foot back, her left foot slightly forward, rotated her right hand and ced her left hand on her lower back, concretizing a normal curtsy.


    Everyone in the half-wolf pack made the same gesture, because they were instructed to do so by the Matriarch. However, their curtsy was much less graceful than Ayumi''s.


    Jefford closed his eyes, snorted briefly, and began to remove his ck jacket. Demanding and strictness were exactly the reasons Ayumi had asked that all members of the gang learn to bow properly.


    The butler, whose gray hair was tied back in a ponytail, tossed his jacket to one of the two guards in white armor who were apanying him. Both guards were wearing full armor from head to toe, but you could still see the guards''ck of surprise through the three stripes on their helmets. This pointed out that it was not unusual for Jefford to be strict.


    With his white glove of soft fabric, Jefford ced his right hand on his chin and began to circle the group, analyzing their position.


    His attentive eyes noticed the sweat dripping from Zack''s forehead, thergest of them all. Then he noticed the well-groomed hair on Meredith''s and Luke''s chaps, and smiled briefly, yet something else was obvious, and that was what displeased Jefford.


    "Your curtsies are...okay. It is clear that you have had great instructors, especially the women. However, there is something that bothers me. The clothes of you, you, you, and you, are totally against the norms of etiquette for a meeting with the Emperor." Jefford pointed at Luke, Zack, John, and Ynosuke. "Also, you need to trim the loose hair on your faces, and trim the strands of your hair properly. As it is, you look like animals."


    Ayumi simply sighed upon hearing Jefford''s notes, because she had warned the boys about these issues, but they all said she would not beautify herself just to find another man. Well, that stubbornness only dyed the inevitable. All the men had to give in, after all their goal was to talk to the Emperor.


    Then they all crossed the marble bridge, which was personally protected by dozens of imperial guards, whose white armor reflected the gracefulness of the ce. In the background, one could notice the presence of a gigantic pce with many domes, towers and a huge staircase. This construction was even more than the Cardinal Church, as well as more graceful and rich in detail than the Central Pce.


    As they entered the domains of the Imperial Pce, it was noticeable that there were not many normal people circting around, but rather many schrs, just as there were in the other important buildings throughout the Broteforge Empire.


    So, a little over an hour after the gang had entered the Central Pce, the men were finally ready.<sub> </sub>


    The servant girls trimmed their beards in both directions, except for Zack''s, who eagerly refused to remove what he called his ''symbol of bravery''.


    Unlike everyone else, Zack also refused to let them cut his hair, and the only way they found to make him more presentable was to throw his hair back and keep it that way with Vaseline. Thanks to this, every time everyone looked at Zack they felt an uncontroble urge tough, even Ayumi, not because he looked ridiculous, but because of his disgruntled expression.


    After everyone was officially ready, they were escorted by no less, and no more, than fifteen imperial guards to the Emperor''s Hall.


    Without exception, everyone was quite nervous on the way to the hall, because they didn''t know how the Emperor would react. He could simply reject vehemently the chance of the Melki Empire invading them, and expelling everyone from Sheltered Halvoy for such a serious charge, but he could also believe what they had to say, and maybe even avoid war. At that moment, everything depended on the Emperor''s decision, and how reasonable he would prove to be.


    When the thud of two gigantic doors opening was heard, Jefford stretched his arms forward, directing everyone to move on.


    Before even entering the next enclosure, Luke saw a long table, which had at least twenty seats. There was no one seated, except for the man at the end of the table.


    This man was young, too young to be the Emperor, or at least that''s what Luke thought.


    Hearing the door to his hall open, Cant finally stopped looking at the book he was reading right in the middle of a bountiful table. He looked forward and saw nine people enter the room. Cant did not recognize most of these people, but he did recognize Ayumi and Amelia.


    Then, when everyone finally entered the hall that was partially circled, and fully lit by dozens of ss panes, Luke saw ten guards standing around the table. These guards were totally different from those who roamed around the Pce.


    Most of the guards wore white armor, which hid their true faces. These normal helmets were almost round and had three vertical stripes for the wearers to see. However, the helmets of the guards inside the hall were different. They had several spikes sticking out of the sides of the head, and the whole armor seemed sturdier, even though there were dozens of spines on each part. On the parts where there were no spines a thinyer of ck Scales, a rare drop from Dragon Level Bosses, was noticeable.


    Noticing all this in just a second, Luke Lange concluded that that young man in front of him was indeed the Emperor.


    "Hello, guests. I am honored to finally wee you to my home..." said Emperor Cant, cing his right hand on his chin and propping himself on the back of his chair.

 Chapter 262 Reports

    "Kneel before Emperor Cant!" One of the higher-grade imperial guards ordered as he mmed his staff on the ground.


    At that moment, everyone knelt, except the half-wolf. His gang members were confused by thisck of obedience, and the urrence made the Emperor arch his eyebrows briefly.


    "Luke, what are you doing? Kneel down." Amelia whispered.


    "Kneel down? Why would I kneel? At the moment, it is the Emperor who owes me something." Luke stated.


    Ayumi Yamazaki''s heart raced as if there was a lion stalking her, but she didn''t think to turn around to question the half-wolf''s attitudes.


    None of the guards would dare admit such disrespect for the most powerful figure on the continent, so they all immediately drew theirs, and the one with the spear shouted:


    "What! Insolent man, put yourself in your ce!"


    "Downey, calm down, let''s hear what he has to say." said the Emperor with an overbearing smile.


    Luke smiled too, however in a way that made it clear he knew what attitude the Emperor would have. "Cant your name, isn''t it? I must admit I didn''t know that until I got to that bridge. Anyway, Cant, your yard is infested with bugs, and everything is about to get worse... Have you ever wondered what it would be like if monsters started emerging to the surface like insectse out of the ground?"


    At that hour, a dry silence hung over the entire environment. None of the guards would dare disobey the simple order to be quiet. Luke''s friends didn''t know what he was doing by being so direct, but they didn''t want to go against it either.


    The look on Emperor Cant''s face was a mixture of surprise and disbelief. He partially understood what the half-wolf meant, even with such a pithy analogy, but he couldn''t understand some things yet.


    All the tension only dissipated a little when the Emperor decided to say something. "If you were nning to get my full attention, now you have it. Tell me everything you have in mind..."


    "The Melki Empire could attack us at any moment." Luke spoke without winding up.


    "Based on what do you assume that?"


    "Almost a year ago, Vasconcelos experienced once again after a long time what it was like to have a demon. The mere presence of the demon caused a disturbance in the region, causing some monsters to act out of Dungeons, and even conversation.... Today, I am cursed by one of those monsters, a High Goblin who had magic scrolls, something only a ''School'' ss mage could do."


    The revtion took everyone in the half-wolf gang by surprise, except for Alexis Dmitry who had already felt it.


    "But my curse doesn''t matter now... This demon had a mission to spread the word of a crazy sect whose name was Followers of Chaos. Somehow, the members of the Followers of Chaos were able to use the regional distortion in the Dungeons to their advantage, and were able to give orders to the monsters. In the end, Alexis Dmitry and I managed to lure the demon and kill it, as well as another demon that was on a secret floor of the Dungeon."<sub> </sub>


    The imperial guards slowly lowered their weapons as Luke spoke, because they noticed in his calm aura that he was not a threat. They were also very impressed, because there were few people in the entire world who could say with such simplicity that they had killed a demon.


    However, the Emperor was still suspicious of the half-wolf''s words, even though he seemed to have the full support of the Matriarch of the Strogueher Noble Family.


    "Prove to me that you really killed a demon."


    Luke stretched his right arm forward with his palm facing upward, and in the blink of an eye a ck axe appeared in his hand, whose de seemed to be as sharp as a sheet of paper, and no doubt its material was iparable to any weapon that can be forged by an ordinary cksmith.


    Upon seeing the Pansperm axe, the Emperor looked at a woman among the ten royal guards, and she immediately understood what he wanted. So, she walked over to Luke, as the Emperor said:


    "Mrs. Bullock is the best cksmith in this city, I trust her judgment."


    As the woman approached, Luke held out the Behemoth Axe to Mrs. Bullock, and she was able to bear the weight of it without even shaking.


    She looked for only a second, but she could see all the main features of the axe. "Without a doubt it is a Pansperm Weapon that can only be obtained through a Demon Core. I dare say that this is the only axe of its kind in the world, because I have never heard of another one like it. Without a shadow of a doubt, it is veridical."


    "All right, thank you, Mrs. Bullock." The Emperor thanked her, and the woman returned to her post. "Please continue, Luke Lange."


    The half-wolf was a bit surprised to be called by his real name, not his title as strangers usually called him now, however, he continued his statement anyway.


    "Just before we killed the demon, a figure manifested itself through a corpse. This figure proposed a deal to me, which said that it was for me to stay out of anything involving the Chaos Followers. Later, this figure appeared in the same way when I killed the demon. However, this time it dered itself as my enemy and threatened all the people important to me. If this figure wasn''t the First Servant speaking through a corpse, I wouldn''t have even worried."


    After Luke, no one said anything else. At first he was confused by thisck of reaction, but soon something caught his attention. The hearts of all the imperial guards present in the hall sped up exactly when the title of the First Servant was uttered. Nevertheless, the moment the half-wolf looked at the Emperor again, he realized he was still being taken with disbelief.


    "You see, Mr. Lange, the demon race is all but extinct and there is no way they could be conspiring on the side of the Melki Empire, which is what I predict you are getting at. Besides, the Cardinal Church hunts down everything foreign in the vast territory of my Empire, so I say that everything you said is impossible."


    Again, a confident smile appeared on the half-wolf''s face, even during this battle against the Emperor''s ego, and Luke said:


    "Until two weeks ago it was also impossible to see Erick Smakusa as a disgusting criminal. Don''t you think you''re a little blinded by your pride, Cant? Before you say anything, I have a way to prove in every way that everything we say is true."

 Chapter 263 Demons Seal (Part 1)

    "A way to prove everything you''re talking about? Um, that would be really exciting. All right, I''ll allow it." Spoke the Emperor, resting his head again on his right fist.


    The overbearing, confident smile had disappeared from the ck-haired man''s face, and the guards noticed that his eyes were more alert than ever. Many of the Imperial Guardsmen were nervous to see Cant''s ck eyes so serious, because they didn''t look that way even when the news about Erick Smakusa''s arrest for treason reached the Emperor.


    Then, to prove his point, Luke turned to Alexis and nodded, which was not a sign of previously nned action, but the half-dragon understood what he wanted. She stood up, summoned the beautiful green bird, and from within its feathers she pulled out a white cube, causing sighs. Alexis held out the cube to the half-wolf, who took it carefully.


    "Do any of you know what that is?" Looking at the mighty knights in white armor, whose strength of each was on par with a Tournament of Legends winner, or even above, Luke asked.


    Before anyone even had a chance to deny, the Emperor answered while regaining his posture, and finally a look of surprise appeared on his face, but slowly turned to anger:


    "That is the seal of a demon. What do you think you''re doing bringing it here? This is the home of my family, my friends, my wives. Guards!"


    At this time, the imperial guards without a second thought drew their weapons and started walking quickly towards the half-wolf. All the members of the half-wolf, including Amelia and Ayumi, stood up without hesitation.


    Luke did not tremble, Luke did not sound off, he just said very calmly:


    "You know, Emperor, the behavior of a human is a reflection of the state of the mind. Lack of trust breeds fear,ck of love breeds hate, and pride breeds death. Do you really want to put your pride and fear in front of the lives of millions of people, or would you rather listen to me before you act? A wise leader would choose the second option, that''s what the Council members and the Pontiff of the Cardinal Church did."


    When Luke finished speaking, all the Imperial Guards stopped to listen to the Emperor''s decision first.


    Cant looked deep into Luke''s eyes coolly, then his gaze went to the white cube in the half-wolf''s right hand. He then looked at the apprehensive people behind Luke, and noticed that even Ayumi and Amelia were afraid, which made him feel a little bad.


    "All right, all right... If you are so confident, I will allow you to continue." The Emperor stated, as he unraveled his gaze.


    "Thank you very much, sir." said Luke, finally reverencing him with a nod. Soon after, Luke looked back and extended his hand to the half-dragon, who was not too far away.


    Alexis took his hand, still a little confused, and whispered:


    "Why did you decide to act alone?"


    The half-wolf took advantage of the fact that one of the red-haired woman''s hands had already grabbed one of his, and pulled her away when she asked. In a serene voice, he answered calmly. "Ayumi insisted that he is proud, and I thought I should tease him to grab his attention."


    "Why didn''t you warn us about that?"<sub> </sub>


    "Why? It''s simple. You would be able to convince me that this was too risky, and I would probably end up epting the original n, something my instincts told me not to follow."


    "Khum! If you keep me waiting too long, I''ll get angry again." The Emperor warned.


    "Oh, that won''t be necessary, sir. However, before we can proceed, we need to ask you something."


    "I am listening."


    "Do you have confidence in your safety? I mean, I''m not asking you this to provoke you, but I have a demon in the palm of my hand and I also know his name, so I will be able to kill him as soon as possible, but first I wanted him to spontaneously confess everything to you. What do you think?"


    Emperor Cant was quiet for a few seconds, while his imperial guards waited for the answer with distress.


    "All right, move on."


    The half-wolf looked at Alexis, and they both nodded at the same time. He handed her the white cube.


    When the half-dragon felt the strange sensation of the cube touching her skin once again, she felt ufortable as always.


    ''This time I will use a weaker magic circle because we don''t have much audience time left.'' She thought, and suddenly a translucent circle with runes appeared around the cube, causing it to rise naturally.


    In just a second, this single, small magic circle expanded a few dozen times, causing the half-wolf''s friends to sigh, as they had never seen rune magic up close before. For Alexis it was also a strange sensation to use magic after some time without even thinking about it, but her muscle memory allowed her to realize the magic circle without making mistakes or losing focus.


    Ten seconds after the emperor''s speech, the cube was already on the ground, and around it a slightly orange circle, closely resembling the shade of the half-dragon''s hair.


    The S-ss looked at the half-wolf, who nodded to her, and only then did she release the demon prison seal. At that moment, the cube turned to nothing but dust, and an intense amount of energy was expelled from it. The energy was mostly held back by the magical containment circle, and the rest just threw everyone''s hair back a bit.


    Amidst the glow of energy, a figure just over six feet tall emerged. The man inside the circle had ck hair, pale white skin, and torn but still elegant clothes. He had his arms crossed back, and after being released a smile appeared on his face, disying his sharp fangs.


    "How nice it is to be back,dies and gentlemen." Masink spoke, as he opened his arms to the side, leaving him with an open chest. Both of his hands lightly touched the edge of the magic circle, which released a weak burst of energy against him. "Ouch, if only those weren''t the conditions I''d like to be in."


    "Shut up, Masink, or rather, Morax." Luke ordered.

 Chapter 264 Demons Seal (Part 2)

    Upon hearing Luke Lange''s voice, the false demon-count frowned and the smile vanished from his face. Although, Masink understood that Alexis Dmitry was a little stronger than the half-wolf, his irremediable hatred of Luke angered him more than any had angered him all his life, and finding out that the half-wolf already knew his name made him feel even angrier.


    Now quiet, the demon tried to start reasoning about ways he might not be killed. ''I''ve been sealed and released a few times, but I''ve never met a human who had a chance to kill me... half-wolf son of a bitch. Okay, I have to tter you, maybe I can negotiate a release.''


    "Morax, do you want to be released?" Luke soon asked him, as if reading the demon''s mind.


    Upon hearing this, both the demon and the emperor looked suspiciously at Luke. They didn''t know what to expect from every action of the half-wolf, so they were on their guard.


    Moreover, at this moment the demon noticed that he was in an overstuffed dining hall, and at the head of thevish table was a man of about thirty with ck hair and handsome robes. On the right and left sides of this man were five guards in white armor on each side, making him look imposing.


    He recognized the armor, and especially the ck hair of the man who was the youngest Ruler in history. Realizing where he was made Masink feel many different things at once.


    "Do I want to be released? Well, that''s a pretty dumb question, but it''s not a surpriseing from someone like you, half-beast."


    "Haha! Morax, morax... You''re very grouchy with me, and that''s not stopping you from expanding your vision. Pay attention to your surroundings and see that I am the only one who is thinking rationally and dialoguing with you."


    The demon didn''t have to try very hard to notice that the expression of hatred stamped on the half-dragon''s face was almost tormenting. He knew of her strength, he knew he was trapped, and that they already knew his real name, she was going to kill him as soon as she got the chance.


    Masink put both hands on his lower back, and turned to Luke again. "Okay, what do you want?"


    "Simple, tell me the First Servant''s n and I will set you free." Answered the half-wolf.


    It was more than clear to anyone that Luke''s promise was actually a bluff.


    "I already told you that no one can speak of the Greatest demon of all time, much less betray him like you are asking me to, I would die sooner orter."


    "You know, Beherith thought the same thing. He insisted he wouldn''t say anything when we arrested him just like you did, but in the end he made the right decision and was released."


    "Beherith?" Morax recognized the name of the demon who once possessed Jean Pollo. "You are lying. Of all the lower demons, Beherith was the most loyal to our lord''s n. He would never say anything to you."


    "You are almost right. He is really dead. At first he didn''t say anything, and it caused us quite a headache, but after putting some pieces of the puzzle together he noticed that he was just being used by the First Servant to try to hit me, weaken me, or strengthen me, I still don''t know.... Believe me when I say he died a peaceful death, a painless death, because he was aware of qu-"


    "I don''t care what a lower demon did or didn''t do. He is a disgrace if he really chose to betray us.... I won''t say anything even if they choose to kill me."<sub> </sub>


    The half-dragon snorted upon hearing these stubborn words being spoken by the demon, and then she summoned her green bird once again, because she didn''t want to waste any more time. From within the bird''s feathers, she pulled out another white cube, whose glow startled Morax.


    The demon in the circle initially thought Alexis was going to seal it again, but as another conception arose in his mind, he heard the half-dragon inquire:


    "Have you ever wondered how Marie ended up after you were sealed?"


    Alexis'' question echoed in the demon''s mind hundreds of times in a second, leaving him a little stunned. "She couldn''t get away?" He refused to believe it.


    "Do you think she could resist my sealing and strength in the state you abandoned her?"


    "Shit..." Masink removed his hands positioned on his lower back on a whim, and began to gnaw the nail of his right index finger, expressing for good his nervousness, which until then had been disguised. "Do you guys know her name? I mean, her real name?"


    "Do we know?" Alexis bluffed. "If you want, we can put her in a magic circle just like you, and from there we can see who speaks first. I bet the imperial guards have a lot of powerful abilities that would cause her tremendous pain."


    Unusually, this was the first time many of the group had seen Alexis act sadistically.


    "Okay, okay, I will tell you all about it. Sigh..."


    Alexis and Luke exchanged nces, and smiled briefly at each other, with the feeling of victory in a mind game against this demon.


    This was the first time many of the group had seen Alexis act sadistically, but they were not startled, but rather impressed.


    "Tell me what the First Servant''s n for Broteforge is." Luke ordered, not asked.


    "The Demon Lord wishes the world to be more like Dungeons. To do this he infiltrated the Melki Empire three hundred years ago, used many different names and receptacles, until he got the perfect receptacle for himself. The Dungeons on half the continent were broken, and ironically the monsters stopped appearing there and started appearing on the surface. He says that seeing the whole world in chaos is nothing but a step towards his goal," replied Morax.


    "And he wants to turn the Broteforge Empire into that too?" The Emperor asked,pletely interested and confident in the misgivings the half-wolf earlier pointed out.


    "Of course he does. That nation is one of the five great nations of the world, and it''s on the secondrgest continent. If it dominates Broteforge, only the sea will be in the way of world chaos."

 Chapter 265 The Fall (Final Volume Chapter)

    "World chaos? Is that what he wants?" The Emperor asked Morax, only to confirm what he had heard.


    With his elegance and petnce put aside at that moment, the demon nodded, answering the man''s question.


    At that moment, Cant brought his left hand to his temples. As he massaged them gently, he began to try to reason and absorb everything he had heard in a few minutes.


    Another son of the Emperor had just been born, and thest thing he would want to go through at this moment was war, even less so against such mystical beings as the demons, iparable enemies. Of course, the Emperor had many strong warriors at his service to fight a war, but since the Dungeons appeared in the world, the armies of all nations were reduced to only a few tens of thousands of troops.


    The whole situation was made even worse if you included the factors that the war would be continental, and also that the demons could use the monsters resulting from Dungeon breaks.


    "Do you know where he will start? When will the war start?" Luke asked.


    "Um... I already told you the goal of our race, are you guys still not satisfied? Humans are really a rotten race who only think about their own navels, that''s why they will be exterminated!" Morax eximed.


    The demon''s voice echoed through the gigantic chamber, and at the same time the rays of sunlighting through the panes of ss were slowly extinguished by the passing of a gigantic cloud. Luke looked at Morax coldly. Those eyes made the demon tremble with fear. Morax closed his fists to try to hide the trembling, but the half-wolf''s gaze on him seemed so piercing that the demon felt his mind was being prated.


    Luke stood face to face with Morax, and suddenly the sound of a stab could be heard. Soon people noticed that the half-wolf had stuck a sword into the demon''s belly.


    "Don''t be an idiot, and answer our questions. Because if you don''t, better than killing you or your wife, I will break your soul. Now tell me, why are you trying to buy time?"


    A ck liquid dripped down the left corner of the demon''s mouth, but it dried up before he even began to speak. "Haha! Who knew that magic circle wouldn''t separate us! Cof, cof! Well, you''re right, of course I''m buying time. Can''t you feel it? Cof!"


    "Feel? Feel what?"


    "HIS aura approaching! HAHAHAHAHA! THE FALL OF THE BROTEFORGE EMPIRE BEGINS TODAY!"


    That was a long second for everyone in that room, because they personally heard the deration of war. In that long second, they remembered something that made everything even worse. A few minutes ago, the sky was clear and without any clouds, so what the hell could have covered up the sun?


    Just as everyone was wondering this, and silence lingered over the hall, in the background shouts could be heard as quick, metallic footsteps reached the door of the hall.


    A guard opened the door to the hall abruptly, because he waspletely desperate. His gasping breath did not stop him from shouting to the Emperor:


    "YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY, OUR CITY IS UNDER ATTACK!"<sub> </sub>


    Cant immediately rose from his chair, and the shouts outside the pce became even louder. Before he could even give the order for the imperial guards to start acting, the ten panes of ss in the hall exploded.


    Responsible for the shattering of the windows were the dozens of imps that now infested the hall''s ceiling. These imps were small monsters, no more than sixty centimeters in size. Their skin was usually wrinkled and red, with pus-filled blisters and spines scattered on various parts of their bodies. In addition, they all had a pair of wings, which pped frantically to keep them flying even when stationary.


    A hundred of these monsters invaded the Emperor''s hall as if it were nothing. They talked among themselves and shouted in a voice so thin it hurt your eardrums.


    The Imperial Guards drew their weapons and rushed to form a circle around the Emperor. However, it was not they who acted first against the imps, but the half-wolf''s band.


    Nathalia summoned her Spear of Panspermia, the Daughter of Hades.


    Although nervous, frightened and surprised, Ayumi Yamazaki did not stand still. She created a shield above the group, pushing more than thirty imps away.


    Everyone else also prepared for an intense fight, because from the persistence of the shouting outside it was possible to tell that the confusion was not only here.


    "Shit, what do we do now?" Zack asked with raised fists, because he didn''t bring his hammer.


    "Stay calm, Zack. It''s okay..." Luke said with an unshakable calmness of aspect. Then he uttered low enough that only he himself could hear: "<Yggdrasil>."


    From the floor of the hall emerged dozens of roots that hoisted toward the monsters. The vertices of these roots were extremely pointed, and ording to Luke''s orders they began to kill the imps one by one. In just a few seconds dozens of imps were killed, but their bodies fell to the ground without crumbling.


    In Luke''s head dozens of messages resounded, but the transmitted message radiated was different from before.


    [An Imp has been killed. Its corpse may or may not contain its Vital Core.]


    [An Imp has been killed. Its corpse may or may not contain its Vital Core.]


    [An Imp has been killed. Its corpse may or may not contain its Vital Core.]


    The half-wolf noticed this drastic difference, but something else quickly reced that sense of strangeness. Luke realized that using the <Yggdrasil> was consuming a lot of his energy, especially since he was killing dozens of monsters in just a few seconds, but there was something strange in the air.


    As Morax began tough hysterically, and dozens more imps kept storming into the hall through the panes of ss, Luke noticed somethingrger among a swarm of monsters, a humanoid creature, or rather, the devil himself.

 Chapter 266 Monsters Versus Humans

    The devilish figure''s mere pass through one of the windows was enough to make the wall around it explode, hurling debris and scattering a lot of dust. The creature moved its right hand as if cutting something, and all the dust dissipated in a single second.


    Then the monster of the day revealed its appearance amidst a swarm of imps. It had horns curved backwards, which bent in a way that created almost a circle. His skin color was simr to that of the imps, but his muscles were veryrge and defined.


    With a petnt smile on his face with thin, human-like features, the devilish monster smiled and said with both arms outstretched:


    "Kneel before the omnipotent demon Ro¡ª"


    Before the self-styled demon could finish his sentence, five of the ten Imperial Guardsmen charged toward him. At that moment, the path of each of the guards'' des became visible in the air, as they cut through the wind and intertwined. To most of the creatures in that hall, the movements of the Imperial Guards were so fast that they were unseen, but to the others it was like a joint, coordinated dance.


    Only the noises of the wind and the shing of des was heard, and in the end everything was silent.


    The smile on the demon''s face vanished, giving way to an expression that conveyed both his fright and his fear. In the speed of a simple snap of fingers, dozens of cuts appeared all over the monster''s body, which didn''t even have time to scream as it turned into a dense ck smoke.


    "What was that!?" John asked aloud as he saw the monster shattered in a second.


    Ynosuke pointed with his right hand at the white armored guards just ahead. "It was them... I think."


    Seeing those people on their backs wearing their shining armor, John could see a light mystically hovering over them in his imagination, as if the imperial guards were not just above average people, but people truly blessed with a higher power. His eyes sparkled like the first time he had seen real adventurers in his childhood.


    The Emperor was not even surprised by the achievement of his sentries. After the demons were killed, the imps stopped entering the hall, so they were quickly exterminated, but one look through the panes of ss was enough to see that this was not the end yet.


    Sheltered Halvoy was being attacked by dozens of monsters,ing from the sky, the earth and in the shadows.


    When all the imps were killed, the Imperial Guards knelt before the angry gaze of Emperor Cant, who eximed:


    "Pay attention, I want you to convey the following message: the Broteforge Empire is at war with the Melki Empire! All those who are true to the principles of our nation will have a sword and shield to fight by my side, and even those who don''t care about principles, at least join us because you care about the world you live in, because this war will decide the future of humanity! Go!"


    "Yes, your Imperial Majesty!


    Then, beneath the feet of seven of the ten Imperial Guardsmen appeared green magic circles, and after a vivid glow the seven disappeared.<sub> </sub>


    Then Cant turned to look at the half-wolf group, as well as at Morax, the demon who was trapped in the magic circle.


    "You need to act as well. Amelia, you havemunication skills for long distances, correct? Use this to warn Pontiff Rebeca, so that she will warn Sensory Magician Mika ?kerman, in case she is on our side, I already have a n in mind. Mrs. Strogueher, you are a symbol of strength and influence of this nation, so stay somewhere safe for now, and of course you must take your daughter, she is the future of this nation. Luke andpanions, I didn''t know you, but you have already earned my respect, so I will make the most selfish request so far. Please get rid of this demon by your side, since his life is no longer needed, and fight alongside my guards to keep Sheltered Halvoy standing."


    Everyone hesitated for a second, but the half-wolf did not. Once again he did not kneel, but mmed his right fist into the left side of his chest and roared:


    "Yes, sir!"


    Seeing Emperor Cant give intelligent orders, without so much as a flicker of his voice, made Luke begin to admire him.


    Then everyone followed his gesture and roared in agreement with the Emperor''s orders as well. When Cant left the hall, apanied by the three remaining Imperial Guards, Ayumi and Nathalia looked at Luke, hesitant to actually take shelter somewhere.


    "What are you waiting for? Go!" Luke pointed to some guards at the exit, who were taking orders from the Emperor himself to protect the Elves and Amelia.


    "But..." Ayumi was saying with a hand on her chest, but was suddenly silenced by a hug from the half-wolf.


    Lukeid Ayumi and Nathalia''s heads against his chest, and hugged them lovingly. "Stay alive, I won''t be able to keep fighting if any of you die. So don''t you dare die."


    They blushed, but smiled, happy. The whole half-wolf group was warmed by this scene, because now they should not only fight for themselves, but also to protect other people.


    *


    From that day on, everything changed. That sudden monster attack became known as the First Wave, and it revealed to the whole nation that monsters could emerge from Dungeons and that it wasn''t just a rumor, especially since the attacks urred in several locations throughout the Broteforge Empire, causing imaginable damage and hundreds of deaths.


    Sheltered Halvoy, the capital, remained virtually untouched. Some of the thousands of high Rank Adventurers lived there, so the low level monsters of the First Wave had no chance to survive.


    To ordinary civilians, the sky covered with imps and the ground strewn with blood was a sign that the apocalypse had arrived, but each time a civilian was saved by an Adventurer that idea of the end of the world proved distant.

 Chapter 267 The Strengths Of A Sovereign Nation

    At the time of the beginning of the war between the Melki Empire and Broteforge, there were 500,000 F-ss Adventurers, 100,000 E-ss, 20,000 D-ss, and from that the level difference got even more, with there being 3,000 C-ss, only 1,000 B-ss, and 134 S-ss Adventurers.


    However, there were still two types of people with power above the S-ss, who were not necessarily Adventurers. These people were the Sense ss Mages, mages so powerful that they can use spells even more powerful than Gene Skills of the highest level, and there were also the Secrs, people so talented that their talent appeared only once in centuries.


    For these fantastic people, the quantity was 7 Sensory-Magicians and 13 Secrs.


    At the time of the invasion in Sheltered Halvoy, one of the seven sensory-mages was on the farthest floor of the city dungeon, but he returned to the surface in a snap of his fingers. He saw the monsters attacking people, but ignored this, after all it was only a few monsters and the local Adventurers could handle it. What really caught his attention were the dozens of ships thaty on the shore of the city. These ships bore the crest of the Melki Empire, which made the man confused.


    Still, these ships could not do anything against the Imperial Capital. Why? The answer is simple, it was because a sensory magician was present. With his release and control of electricity, Hazard energized the water particles in the region''s atmosphere and they quickly turned into ordinary clouds, which evolved into Nimbostratus-type clouds.


    A storm began, which forced the ships to retreat to a more distant part of the sea. Hazard preferred to do this rather than actually destroy the ships, but his efforts to avoid a conflict were unnecessary, because one had already begun.


    Amelia discovered that the attack on the Imperial Pce was only a distraction, or rather a warning. Many miles away, Parato Ind was taken with extreme ease and speed, which was a critical blow to Broteforge right from the start. Everything was happening too fast and the iing information was confusing.


    However, one thing was clear: there was no resistance from the Smakusa Navy, otherwise Emperor Cant and the other Commanders of the Noble Families should have found out beforehand what was going to happen, so they could react, even if it meant sacrificing Parato Ind. However, they didn''t even have that option.


    If things continued to progress in this way, Oukiwa would be taken within a few days, which should not happen anyway. To this end, Cant called an emergency meeting with the main people of the Broteforge Empire.


    There were twenty-two people gathered in all, and all very powerful, which made Luke think:


    ''What the hell am I doing sitting here?''


    The half-wolf only agreed to go to this meeting because Ayumi Yamazaki and Alexis Dmitry asked, but he didn''t expect that both Secrs and Sense-Magicians would be present.


    On his right side was Ayumi, but on his left was a Sensory-Magician of intimidating aura and genius. She was Shin, an Elf with white hair just like Nathalia''s.<sub> </sub>


    Also, on the other side of the gigantic round table were a blond man with ck wings; a girl with golden, semi-transparent horns; an old man in white clothes and gray hair who didn''t even seem to be feeling the strain of war; and Mika ?kerman, a woman with golden hair and a gentle countenance.


    Also present were the Secrs Barret and Baptist, the Cardinal Church Pontiff, the Jernmagiker brothers, Hollorius, and other powerful nmanders.


    Normally, most Adventurers would choose not to get involved in a War, after all, most followed the philosophy that it made no sense to die for something like this, and since there was no Martial Law in the Broteforge Empire, choosing not to go to war was a real option. However, the situation was different this time, because Emperor Cant decided to spread the word to everyst person of his people that the Melki Empire was being controlled by evil demons, which is why they decided to attack after so long of peace and parity.


    On the other side of the continent, the First Servant was extremely irritated by this action, because this should have happened a few months ago, not at the beginning of the war. Why was this so bad for the Melki Empire? Well, with the information that the Broteforge Empire would have to protect itsnds against demons and monsters, the Adventurers finally got involved.


    The choice for most was easy and didn''t weigh much in the bnce: go into cramped caves to fight monsters, or protect a nation and have the chance to be a war hero? Even the youngest enlisted for the Emperor''s military service, whose promised pay was even higher than that of ordinary Adventurers. Everyone was a winner.


    Still, not everything was going so well for Emperor Cant as the troop buildup. Of the five of the seven Sensory-Magicians who had answered Rebeca''s summons, only one had made himself avable to the Emperor for battle. All the others said they were neutral for the time being, which confused everyone, but no one dared to question their decision.


    This one Magus-Sensor was called Jiyo, and he was the man with ck wings.


    To make up for the absence of the most powerful warriors of the Cardinal Realm, the Emperor already had a n. He ordered the founding of three special squadrons:


    The Fire Ray Squadron was the first to be founded, and would be headed personally by Jiyo. This squadron would be the elite force of the Broteforge Empire, and would study the right moments to enter the battles, with the objective of being the trump cards for great victories. Jiyo had full authority to summon any member of the Broteforge Army to join his special forces.


    The second squad to be founded was the Domain Order, whose responsibility was to fill most of the gaps in the regr army. In other words, this squadron was responsible for managing supplies, defending cities far from the front line, and spreading information.


    Thest squadron to be founded was the Shadows. Its members were to gather crucial and deterministic information about the Melki Empire, acting under the cover of darkness. By the way, everyone was surprised when Cant asked Luke Lange tomand this squadron.

 Chapter 268 Is Being A Guardian Really Necessary?

    When Luke was asked to head the Shadow Squadron by Emperor Cant himself, he felt honored. Still, he did not ept to be the leader of something so important.


    Yes, he knew that he had his merits and efforts that made the proposal not so lunatic. However, Luke knew that everything he had learned in thest year was not enough tomand a squadron, because he didn''t even feel like a leader.


    The half-wolf felt that if he agreed to lead a squadron, the lives of all the people under hismand would be in his hands, so he agreed to just be part of the Shadows and follow some orders. Luke knew that he was too involved in the war, and that now that it was on, he couldn''t run away from his responsibilities, not least because he had people to protect and a home to look after: Oukiwa.


    For these reasons Luke imposed a condition for agreeing to enlist as a shadow. He wanted a guarantee that his friends would be safe in Sheltered Halvoy, which was now the safest ce in the nation. However, the king denied this condition, because he could not guarantee the safety even of his own family when monsters could appear in the corner of the rooms at any time.


    Still, Cant gave Luke one night to think about what he would do with his life. If it was his wish, Luke could even serve on the front lines, or in the Fire Ray or Domain Order squadrons.


    When Luke finally closed the door to his room in the residence reserved for Ayumi Yamazaki and escorts in a building near the Emperor''s Pce, he sighed and locked the door.


    "What do I do now?" He wondered, as he took off the formal shirt he needed to wear during the meeting.


    Not being able to stop the war was a hard blow to the half-wolf''s emotions, for he had never stopped to ponder what he would do if the war started. He hadplete confidence that he could stop it, but once again everything went against his expectations.


    "Ayumi and Nathalia are safe here for now. But what about the others? If Reba''s spections are true, there are at least Ten Servants, and there are still the ultists of the Chaos Followers infiltrating the nation. Aaaargh! I''m out of options!"


    There was a whirlwind of thoughts disturbing Luke, and thinking about protecting so many people was suffocating him.


    Knock! Knock! Knock! Someone knocked three times on his bedroom door, causing him to get up from his bed. Answering the door, Luke saw Alexis with a serious countenance, and she was looking him in the eye.


    "Hi, do you need something?"


    "We need to talk alone. Are you alone?" At the same time she was saying this she was trying to peek over Luke''s shoulder.


    "Yes, I''m alone, you cane in." Then Luke stepped out of the way, allowing the half-dragon to pass. "What? Did something happen after that meeting? Were you able to talk to Amelia?" he was worried, because it was rare to see her act like this.


    The red-headed woman with horns sat down on the soft bed, crossing her legs and arms afterwards. "No, nothing happened!" She stated, irritated.


    Luke arched his eyebrows, confused. "Did I do something?"


    The closed expression on the half-dragon''s face immediately changed to a countenance of surprise. She hadn''t even realized she was acting rudely.


    "No, no!" she eximed, at the same time shaking her head and hands.


    Luke sat down next to her on the bed, took her right hand, and asked in a calm voice:


    "What happened to me, my love?"<sub> </sub>


    Upon hearing those words, Alexis blushed and looked away. She was quiet for a few seconds, and the words just wouldn''te out of her mouth, because she didn''t know how Luke would react to them, but in the end she said everything she wanted to.


    "Rebeca was trying to convince me to go back to the Cardinal Kingdom and not go to the front lines of the war."


    "You''re going to the front lines?"


    "That''s what I intend."


    Luke didn''t even think much of it, he just smiled and nodded, at the same time contracting his lips. To Alexis this was a different smile than the others from the half-wolf, both because of his facial expression, and because he squeezed her hand as he made the gesture. She noticed that he did not agree with her decision, but he still respected her and would therefore support her.


    "What about you? What will you do?" She asked.


    "Isn''t it obvious? I will go to the front lines too."


    "But what? Are you doing this for me?"


    "Can I be honest? Partly, yes, that is one of the reasons, but you have made me realize that the ce where I can be impactful is on the front lines, whether acting from the shadows or fighting among the troops."


    "Are you sure about that? You know that everyone will follow you, right?" She asked, referring to their group.


    "Yes, I know that. And I still wonder how I will protect all of them.... Amelia, Ayumi, Nathalia, Zack, Ynosuke, Meredith and John. Today I wonder if taking them out of that fort in the countryside in the Northeast was really the right decision..."


    Alexis released her hand from Luke''s grip, took his face and forced him to look into her eyes. "Pay attention, Luke. You don''t need to protect everyone, that''s impossible and you''ll only wear yourself out. You need to trust us more, and learn that you won''t be able to protect everyone all the time."


    Hearing this was like the famous ''click'' for Luke Lange, who until that moment had not realized hisck of maturity in wanting to protect everyone. To top it off, Alexispleted the dialogue by asking:


    "Luke, what do you really want to do with your life? Don''t think about anyone right now, just think about what YOU want to do."


    "I will go to the rear." He stated.


    "Okay, so that''s what you will do. Wait a second.... Did you say rear?"


    "Yes, I will go to the rear of the demons. The Emperor and the Cardinal Church are working in a very defensive and reactive manner, which I do not support. If there is no limit to the amount of monsters that can emerge from the Dungeons, we will lose the war by numbers in a few months. If we want to win, their rear must be attacked."


    "In other words, you will go to the Melki Empire?"


    Luke said nothing more, just nodded with a determined look.

 Chapter 269 Impacts

    <strong>¡ª December 7, 1512, Era Arani. ¡ª</strong>


    "Huf! Huff! Come, father, run!" A little girl shouted to her father, who needed to use crutches to walk.


    The man was doing his best, but still the shadow that followed him and his daughter was still very close. He could feel this closeness not by the noise, but by the shiver down his spine caused by the cold that the mysterious creature emitted.


    "Run ahead, daughter! I''m right behind you, I just need to catch my breath a little..." The man stated.


    The little girl hesitated to heed this order, but she remembered that her father once said that children who don''t obey their parents are ugly. Because of this, she continued to run as far as she could down that long alley, however, it only took one look back for her to stop running again.


    Her father was leaning on a wall, and when he saw her stopping, he shouted at her to run, but the child was paralyzed with fear. Behind the man was a spectral monster, whose ck cloak was ck and translucent, and the yellowish bones frightening to someone who had never seen a spectral before.


    The little girl tried to scream to warn her father, but no sound came out of her mouth.


    Desperate, the man screamed as hard as he could for his daughter to run, but the little girl''s bulging eyes evidenced his terror.


    Eventually, the man was grabbed by the spectral creature, and the monster''s nails dug deep into his skin. Just then, a man who was nearby and heard the screams appeared in the alley. His hair was mostly brown, but there were also many gray hairs. His full beard highlighted his age; his mature look, his experience.


    Since he had only his right arm, this man took the child on hisp with a little difficulty.


    For the man with the crutch, seeing this bearded man determined to get his child out of this ce was like a spark of hope, at least enough to make him smile in his final moments, even as he was pulled up by the spectral man and his flesh slowly tore away.


    However, the man suddenly heard loud footstepsing from above, and when he looked up, he saw almost in slow motion a horned woman punching the spectral with her white gauntlets. The spectral creature was thrown to the ground with a powerful blow, and Alexis Dmitry caught the man before he fell to the ground as well.


    The little girl saw it all up close, and began to cry with happiness when she realized that her father had been saved.


    The man who was carrying the little girl was also impressed by the scene, and was even more awestruck when he realized that it was someone he already knew. The same applied to Alexis, who smiled at the sight of that man.


    The daughter shook herself free from the brown-haired man''s arm easily and ran towards her father, who was bleeding heavily.


    Alexis pulled out of a side pocket an advanced healing potion and gave it to the man in the crutch, which not only healed his injuries, but also his spine. At the man''s feeling the intense pain in his spine cease, he almost cried with emotion, but restrained himself and focused on matching his daughter''s embrace.


    "You''re still as amazing as ever, aren''t you, Alexis?" The one-armed man stated.<sub> </sub>


    "And you''re still alive, which is impressive." She said with a wry smile. The two shook hands, and she stated, "I''m d you''re okay, man. We have a lot to talk about..."


    So they guided the little girl and her father to the next safe area of Oukiwa, and finally sat down to talk in a tavern when it got dark.


    A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a kind smile poured a ss for Matthew and another ss for Alexis, and then continued to pour the sses with beer on her tray to people at other tables.


    "It''s been a while since we''ve seen each other...three weeks maybe?" Matthew asked Alexis, and took a sip of his beer.


    The half-dragon took the handle of the mug, but felt no urge to drink the alcohol. "No, it''s been five weeks."


    "Ow! Time is passing even faster than I expected."


    Alexis looked at the brown-haired waitress, and pointed with her chin as she asked Matthew, "Your girlfriend is pretty."


    "Jess? Yes, for sure in the world. In fact, she epted my marriage proposal, and now we''re engaged."


    "Engaged, huh..." Alexis felt a small twinge of envy, and to suppress it she took a long sip of her beer. "Lucky you..."


    Matthew realized this, but chose not to say anything. "And the others, how are they? Have theye to the front line too?"


    "Ynosuke is training civilians who enlisted in Sheltered. John enlisted as well, but he doesn''t feel confident to go to the front lines yet, so he''s upgrading. Zack and Shiro are in the 17th squadron, fighting as Tanks. Nathalia, Ayumi and the other Strogueher are in Sheltered as well. Everyone is very angry about Luke and Meredith''s decision, but there''s nothing to be done."


    "Wait a second, what did those two do? Thest thing I heard was that Luke was in a special squadron protecting the North."


    Alexis looked around, and realized that all thebatants in the tavern weren''t even paying attention to the two''s conversation. "They infiltrated the Melki Empire." She whispered, while covering their mouths with one hand.


    "What?" Matthew squinted his eyes.


    "He thinks the only way the Broteforge Empire can win this war is to figure out how the monsters are manipted, and maybe try to stop that. I don''t know how he''s doing, but then that third wave was even harder than the first two. If he really gets any meaningful results or information, he will be the hero of this war, but I don''t know... those towers are full of monsters, doom and gloom, and demons... I don''t have a good feeling about it."

 Chapter 270 Mountain Ranges

    The mountain ranges that divided the Oteforge Empire and the Melki Empire were a frightening ce. The mountains were kilometers long and stretched as far as the human eye could not see. Their sharp peaks were made of the purest ice, and even the middle parts of these mountains hadyers andyers of deep snow.


    A warm wind blew from every corner of this mountain, and it came from all directions. Not to mention the treacherous and deadly terrain.


    The word slip in this ce was synonymous with death, and it was no wonder that these mountain ranges prevented a major war at the time the continent''s Empires were making moves to expand.


    "Luke, when will we stop for a rest? Sniff..." Meredith asked with her nose running a little. She was hugging herself from being so cold, and yet she was shivering quite a bit.


    The half-wolf turned back around, taking off his hood, "There''s no way we can stop now, a storm ising, and if we''re homeless when it starts, we could freeze to death." He looked at the region of the sky behind the half-fox and saw that the higher clouds continued to follow him toward the mountain ranges.


    It had been five days since they had left Sheltered Halvoy, crossed a dense forest and started up into the mountains. Saying goodbye to his friends was not easy, not when he had fought so hard to bring them close to him and was suddenly leaving them, but in his view it was necessary.


    When Ayumi Yamazaki heard about Luke''s n, she asked him to try to talk to the Emperor, because maybe he could get a team that specialized in infiltration, after all, in her view this was better than him going it alone. Luke refused for the same reason he refused the position of Shadow Squadron Commander. He didn''t want to carry the responsibility for the life and death of others, he wasn''t ready for that yet.


    In any case, all the half-wolf wanted to do at this moment was to focus on his goal, and not on the people he left behind.


    p Since the storm wasing in their direction, Luke and Meredith urgently needed to find a cave for shelter, or at least a hole in a mountain. However, getting around was very difficult because of the more than forty centimeteryer of snow, and any sudden movement could mean a deadly slide.</anda>


    "Okay, Meredith, get on my back." Luke ordered. He had his back to her, and leaned forward a little as he called to her with his hands. "If I can jump, we can go faster."


    The half-fox put her hands on her waist, and debauched a little. "Do you really think you can do it? I''m a little heavy." She inquired.


    Luke knew her so well that he knew her debauchery was just her way of disguising her shyness. Did he know that from the tone of her voice? No, it was because her tail was wagging really fast.


    As soon as he zed his eyes on her bulky, red-haired tail, Meredith realized that she let that give her away once again.


    "Are you sure you don''t want toe?"


    She turned her face for a second, and this time her tail did not wag, however, her face did blush quite a bit.


    With Meredith at his back, Luke felt more confident to go faster. So, he began to jump from side to side, and these jumps were over ten feet high. This was only possible now because the Second Stage of the Sea Ornament greatly increased his physical attributes, especially his agility and strength.


    The moment the storm started, and the swift winds from the mountaintops began to whistle in the eardrums of the two half-beasts, they knew they were in trouble.<sub> </sub>


    Despite this, Luke kept moving forward. He jumped,nded in a safe ce, waited a second, watched for the next ce he shouldnd, and jumped once more. This process was deterministic so that they didn''tnd in a snowy hole or, worse, fall off a cliff.


    Luke kept moving forward, but suddenly Meredith squeezed his shoulders firmly.


    "Luke, wait a minute. There''s something wrong here..." She shouted so that her voice would stand out over the noise of the wind.


    He immediately stopped. "What is it?"


    "We are not alone. Pay attention to your hearing."


    At first, the half-wolf found such a request strange in this situation, only he still followed the instruction as he knew that Meredith would not be rmed by any nonsense.


    Since the half-wolf had senses as sharp as Luke''s, it wasn''t too difficult for him to hear what she was talking about. At a frequency lower than the wind, there was the sound of snow being pressed down firmly, which in this situation could only be footsteps.


    If there were footsteps, it could mean that there were locals nearby, so they felt relieved for a moment. Only when they got a little closer to the sound, strange voices became quite evident.


    "Come on, you slugs! Can''t you people realize how boring this fucking weather is!?"


    The two half-slugs sneaked closer to where the voice came from, and noticed that they were on slightly higher ground. They peered down from above and saw a very small man riding on the neck of a veryrge humanoid creature. In front of this man were five other humanoid creatures.


    For a brief moment the storm abated a little and the vision became a little clearer, which allowed the half-beasts to see better.


    The giant creatures were fat, but had very muscr arms and legs that could easily crush the small man with the annoying voice. One look at these things was enough to realize that they were not humans, but monsters, and that they looked almost perfectly like the descriptions of a Goblorc, in other words, real giants.


    These giant creatures grumbled a little as they kept walking forward with wooden boxes strapped to their backs, but they didn''t even question the directions of the man on the back of thest monster.


    "That''s it, move on! Let''s enjoy that the weather has improved a bit! Hihihi!"


    Luke looked at Meredith beside him, and they didn''t need to say another word for the other to understand each other''s intention. It was cold, but they needed to follow these monsters.

 Chapter 271 Orc

    In the freezing cold of those snowy mountain ranges, Luke and Meredith followed the six giants for a few hundred meters. As they followed them, Luke remembered a book he had read during the return trip to Oukiwa a few months before.


    This book was an ordinary bestiary with only one hundred pages, but it cost the princely sum of 500 silver coins at that time. Both because of the price and because it was a type of book he had never bought before, the half-wolf was curious and bought the bestiary. He didn''t even carry it in his <Normal Inventory> anymore, but the rich knowledge from the book was ingrained in his mind.


    Thanks to this book, Luke stoppedparing the physical size of the giants in front of him to the Famous Goblorc, aka King of the Goblin, because he noticed that the resemnce of these monsters was greater to Orc''s, abominable and solitary beings whose strength is capable of murdering up to dozens of Superior Goblins in territorial disputes.


    So, Luke followed them even more cautiously.


    As time passed, it became clear to the half-beasts that the Orc''s were following a route. Of course, the short man in the neck of thest Orc in line was the one who was guiding them, but it was still strange, because they didn''t know where the Orc''s might be going. There was nothing for in the ranges, no city, no people, just ice and stone, at least that''s what they thought.


    However, when the wind blew harder, and the snowkes condensing in the air came out from in front of the half-orc''s eyes, a surprising horizon was revealed. Between four frozen mountainsy a t space, and covering this space were several buildings covered in snow, but still in one piece.


    From afar, it looked like a settlement, but Luke had never heard of such a ce in the ranges, nor had Ayumi warned him about it when he left, so she didn''t know either.


    The architecture of the ce was a little unusual. The roofs were somewhat rounded, like domes, and the buildings were all made of heavy concrete blocks, which couldn''t even have been manufactured in that region with such intense cold, and were even less likely to have been brought this far away from any civilization.


    Furthermore, in a wide open space that appeared to be the courtyard of that strange settlement, there were almost a dozen blue-skinned Orc''s. These monsters were just sitting there, and there was a much smaller person in front of them, apparently talking something.


    This rmed Luke, but not enough to make him desperate. He took Meredith''s arm and said:


    "We have to deal with these monsters now, so we can also find out what they are doing so far away already."


    "I agree, but we''re pretty close to those buildings. Don''t you think they might just, I don''t know, howl for help?"


    The half-wolf put his hand on his chin, and was quiet, because he hadn''t thought of that.


    "Okay, I have an idea." He stated after thinking for a while. "They are slow, so we can overtake them quietly if we want, and I''m also sure they can''t hear us the constant blowing of the wind. So, we will continue on the higher ground and go further ahead. Since we''re just over a kilometer away, we can try to deal with these six monsters separately, and then we''ll take care of the other ten."


    "All right, then you go ahead, because I can hardly see the back of my hand from all the snow here." Meredith agreed because she trusted Luke''s instincts. If he said it was possible for them to kill these monsters, then it should really be possible.


    With his senses sharpened by the use of his focus, Luke ran fast on the ground above the route the Orc''s were using.


    The short man thought he heard something, and even asked the Orc''s to stop for a moment. At that moment he saw some snow dripping from the top, but he didn''t even think that it could be someone, rather he thought about the possibilities of an avnche.


    After the Orc''s started walking again, the half-beasts moved forward once more and took a good margin of distance from the group of monsters.<sub> </sub>


    They analyzed their surroundings, and drew up an ambush n. The war had already begun, so the enemies could not be ignored or spared.


    As the first monster was passing under a steeper relief of rocks, the heap of snow shook. The short man on the back of thest Orc noticed this, however, the second he eximed to order the monster to back off, an immense amount of snow fell on his head, bogging him down on the spot.


    "Shit, are you dumb!?" The man asked the snow-hit creature. "Hey, let''s stop for a minute until this idiot gets up!"


    Of all the words the man said, the Orc''s understood only ''Hey'' and ''stop'', so they didn''t even care that they were being offended.


    Thanks to this decision by the man, the half-beasts got the chance they had been waiting for. With the monsters finally stopped, Luke was able to act.


    From the stone walls parallel to the Orc''s path, dry roots appeared and grabbed the feet of five creatures at once.


    The wind blew louder that second, and the half-wolf shouted loud enough for Meredith to hear:


    "Now!"


    The sense of confusion that the monsters and their leader felt was quickly answered by the sound of something approaching. In the middle of the trail that the monsters were following, a snowball appeared as if it had turned into air. This ball gradually increased in size as it got closer.


    The Orcs tried to move their legs to retreat, but their feet were trapped by roots. They struggled a bit and managed to easily break through that poor wood. However, it was already toote.


    The ball was so big that it crushed the first monster that was still getting up from the first attack.


    "What are you stupid creatures doing!? It''s just a snowball!" shouted the man with the thin irritating voice.


    That second Orc in line didn''t understand a word the short, strange man said, yet he acted.


    He put his right fist back and when the ball approached, he punched the ball so hard that it smashed the snow, and the corpse of that Orc that was crushed and merged into the ball.


    But, of course, it was exactly something like this that the half-beasts were expecting. Besides the bits of roots that could still regenerate near the monsters'' feet, there was also a lot of snow now, which made their movements even slower.


    Since Meredith was only a few meters away, the half-wolf saw no better time to attack than now.


    This time he jumped in front of the snowballing Orc, because he didn''t want to waste time sneaking one by one.

 Chapter 272 The Snowy Village

    It was only when Luke was facing the first Orc in line that he realized just how big this creature really was.


    The monster was surprised for a second, but reacted immediately afterwards. He opened his muscr arms wide, showing howrge his wingspan was, to cause fear in his opponent, and roared.


    That roar was loud, and ferocious enough to make the snow on their feet shake. Had Luke not cleared much of the snow on the ground above, that vibration could have been the trigger for an avnche.


    In the vige a few hundred meters below, the person guiding the other Orcs thought he heard somethinging from the mountains. Still, the wind was always blowing so loudly with the echo caused by the mountain ranges, that he thought it was just storm noises.


    Luke, who was standing very close to the Orc, felt some of the monster''s spittle fly in his face, but he didn''t care.


    He threw his coat up in the air, as he charged toward the first of the five remaining monsters. In the midst of this swift movement, he brandished the Obsidian Sword that once belonged to Nebezial. In one swift, clean and frightening movement, Luke sliced the first Orc in half.


    "One down."


    The short man''s startled expression at the neck of thest Orc changed in the same hour to anger, and he shouted, "Attack that savage bastard!"


    In his conception, the wolf ears of that half-beast, and the environment they were in, pointed out that he was perhaps a local resident. After all, only half-beasts or monsters could survive conditions as extreme as those of the mountain ranges.


    When Luke saw the second Orc begin to try to run towards him, he realized that the monster''s movements were naturally slow, and with a thickyer of snow the creature became even slower. So, Luke didn''t hurry, he brandished his sword once more and in the midst of this movement he threw the sword.


    The thrust of the sword into the Orc''s broad skull spurted blood, and before the monster''s body could fall to the ground, Luke had already jumped up, removed the sword from the skull, and charged at the third monster.


    Watching those movements, the man wondered who the hell that savage was. Then he remembered something, a rumor that reached the monster troops.


    This rumor said that a half-beast was the main target of the high rank, and that his capture was of top priority. However, this was not the duty of ordinary monsters, but of demons, so the short man had even forgotten about it, until he saw that half-beast kill four Ice Orcs in less than a minute.


    With his face covered in ck blood, Luke stopped in front of thest Orc, and noticed that he was acting differently from the others. While all the others attacked without thinking, thisst Orc was still, motionless, with an almost catatonic countenance.


    Behind the skull of thisst monster, Luke saw a man, who was neither smiling nor looking angry, he was just quiet.<sub> </sub>


    In the thoughts of the short man, he was determined to survive, but he also could not underestimate his opponent.


    ? However, Luke was so furious with the monsters and demons after the First Wave of attacks on Broteforge, that he didn''t even give the man time to try to negotiate. He regenerated the roots in the giant''s feet, and pulled him hard to the side with them. The ice aided in the task of draining the Orc, and as the thing slipped, Luke ran his sword through the giant and the short man. Their bones could not even withstand the obsidian de.


    [A horde of Ice Orc''s were killed, Orc''s don''t drop cores].


    Luke found the information from the voice saying that Orc''s didn''t drop cores strange, because he had never encountered a type of monster that didn''t at least have a chance to drop a core. So his confusion soon found an answer: the Orc''s corpses were not disappearing.


    Since the half-wolf had no knowledge of which Orc body parts were the best to sell, he just ignored the corpses.


    Luke walked over to his coat lying on the ground, and as he picked it up he patted it down a bit to get some of the snow off it.


    As he approached Meredith, who was a little further up that trail, he said:


    "Let''s go down to the vige. If this really is a Battle Outpost, we have to destroy it."


    The half-wolf had learned a lot about wars and their subtleties during the meetings he had before leaving the Broteforge Empire. Most notably, the emergency meeting with Secrs and Mage-Sensors that taught him about the franks, the tactics, troop formations, necessities for maintaining a war, allplex aspects. It is also true that this meeting made Luke realize how weak he still waspared to the Secrs and the Magus-Sensors, and this made him understand that he could expect no less than this level of power for the high-level demons he might encounter.


    At no point did Luke stop evolving, and he always had a lot of help from luck, but going into enemy territory he would need to start abusing his instincts, his luck, and also the things he had been learning little by little.


    As soon as they got close enough to the vige, the half-beasts noticed that everything seemed quite empty. To avoid first contact so early, they didn''t go into the courtyard, but instead circled the buildings a bit, looking for more monsters or people who might be sheltering from the cold. All they found in this brief search were dozens of boxes like the ones the Orcs carried up the mountain.


    With this information, Luke deduced that this was not an outpost of the Melki Empire yet, but this old and decayed looking settlement would soon be at least a resting ce for the monsters.


    Anyway, Luke should destroy this ce and the supplies, so he asked Meredith to look for a high point where she could give him cover with her bow, while he would attack the Orcs head on so they could have a peaceful night, after all it would be dark soon.

 Chapter 273 The Archer

    "Houhko tomok!?" One Orc said to the other.


    The other Orc understood everything the other said, after all, that was theirnguage. "Goka-nomi y boda."


    "HAHAHAHA!"


    These two were thest Orc''s in that group of ten monsters who were in the courtyard of the snowy vige. They were not paying attention to what the person in front was saying, as they could hardly hear her.


    "Hey, you two there! What are youughing at!?" The man walked through the Orc''s to thesest two. "You do know that this is very important here, don''t you? You are part of the first attack on a major city, so you need to pay attention!"


    The man''s stern tone didn''t evene close to being enough to make the Orc''s intimidated.


    Seeing that he had no choice, the man with the ck overcoat, white hair, ck eyes, and ky skin simply gave up being peaceful. A shadow appeared over his gaze, and he slowly raised his right hand. In the same minute, the Orcs stoppedughing, because they felt that something had changed. They looked at their right hand, and saw it slowly rise, until suddenly they punched themselves.


    "Don''t forget that I still have control over your bodies." The man spoke, and the two Orc''s fell knocked out as he turned on his back. "Now all listen well, when your brothers arrive, we can no longer rest, we will descend the mountains and enter the forests of Broteforge."


    Watching this scene from afar, and from a slightly higher ce, Meredith was a little surprised by the power of the white-haired man, but she did not hesitate in what she had to do.


    The half-fox summoned her Arch of Panspermia, a gift given by Ayumi Yamazaki for her bravery in wanting to apany Luke.


    ''I almost forgot how light that bow is.'' She thought.


    Meredith used bows a few times during her childhood and adolescence, mostly when Luke was teaching her to hunt and use her instincts. However, the time she spent with Yoelona was when she began to learn the basic fundamentals as well as the art of archery.


    After summoning the bow, she positioned it in front of her breasts, using her left arm to hold it. With her right hand she pulled an arrow from a small sheath in her pants, and ced it on the string. Then she sighed deeply, aimed at her target once more, tensed the bowstring as much as she could, and finally shot the arrow.


    The loud sound of the gale obscured the whirring of the arrow, and that same gale caused a disturbance in the arrow''s course that Meredith had not expected, because she was not used to shooting in such extreme environments. Because of this disruption, the arrow did not hit the skull of the first Orc as the half-fox had intended, but rather the back of the Orc.


    The monster didn''t even feel pain when the arrow dug deep into his skin, for that reason also he didn''t react.


    ''Shit, this wind makes everything even colder and on top of that it hinders my attack.... Lucky for me the freak isn''t feeling the arrow, so I can try one more time. Luke, rest assured, this time you''ll get the signal you''ve been waiting for. Meredith spoke internally.


    The half-fox this time took two arrows and put them in the string. She was still not confident that she could fight the wind being so inexperienced, however, she had an idea in her mind. As she positioned the arrows, she sighed deeply once again, as if her life was depending on it, and shot the two arrows at the same time.<sub> </sub>


    Something different happened the moment the two arrows wereunched. One was faster than the other, and the arrow that wasgging behind began to be pulled by the first arrow.


    A little way off, Luke noticed that the second arrow lined up with the first, as if it was following the same route.


    So when the first arrow felt the wind disturbance and changed course, the second arrow was protected from this by being in the vacuum of the first, and when this vacuum was broken, the second arrow started its ignition point again, getting even faster.


    The first arrow hit one of the shoulders of thest Orc in the row, who already had an arrow stuck in his back. The second arrow hit his skull with such a high speed that it went through him like it was nothing.


    ''Yesss! I got it right!'' Meredith celebrated that her idea had worked out better than she had expected.


    Hearing the gooey noise, and the thud of the Orc on his back, the white-haired man turned back. At first he thought that maybe the monster had fainted from sleep, after all, Orc''s did that sometimes. Still, the pool of blood quickly generated by the open skull made him realize that it wasn''t just a nap.


    "GET READY! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" he shouted, and immediately began to look around for the person who had shot the arrows that were in the back and skull of the dead Orc.


    His eyes danced across the pure white of the outskirts of the settlement, and all he found was snow and more snow. The snowkes were blown by the intense wind that cut through the mountain ranges, and this created something like a mist, but made only of pure cold. Thanks to this mist, anyone''s vision was made at least ten times more difficult.


    The man did not give up when he did not find the archer within the first second. He raised his right hand, causing four of the Orcs to stop acting confused and form a shield around him. In this way, he was able to keep holding on while searching for the archer.


    However, killing the scaly-skinned man was not Meredith''s goal. She just wanted to attract attention, and to achieve this she shot another arrow, revealing her position.


    As the arrow was shot, a unique glow appeared in the midst of the kes, and it flew across the courtyard at top speed until it stopped at the chest of one of the Orcs protecting the man.


    Upon seeing this glow, the man gathered all the focus and hatred he had, ordering the monsters to attack anyone who was in the direction from which the arrow came.


    This was the opportunity Luke had been waiting for, as the Orc''s moved away from the man, he had his chance to act. From a building near the courtyard, the half-wolf whispered low:


    "<Yggdrasil>."


    A thirty-foot tree blew the roof off the building, and the roots tore through the courtyard. Luke was mastering this powerful ability more and more each day, and each day his power grew greater.

 Chapter 274 Poor Knight

    When the giant tree generated by the <Yggdrasil> skill burst through the ceiling, its branches grew monstrously fast and attacked the Orc''s.


    The monsters screamed in pain as they were grabbed. The white haired man fell backwards with fright. He tried to control the Orc''s to fight back against the branches of the tree, but this effort was useless, because they were regenerating.


    As if it was something easy, the branches lifted the Orc''s, which were five meters each. At the top, all monsters were broken in half by the severe squeezing of the branches that filled with life from the blood.


    <o>,m Luke discovered the day he killed dozens of imps that his <Yggdrasil> ability bes stronger in proportion to the amount of monsters he kills. This fascinated him and made him wonder how strong this skill could be, what the limit was, so he spared no energy to use the skill when he saw the Orc''s in a ce that the tree would not hinder him, but would help him.</o>


    All nine Orc''s died in the blink of an eye, without the man having a chance to control them properly.


    "That''s not possible! What was that!?" He wondered, dragging himself backwards as he stared in fear at the giant tree, whose green leaves that had grown were stained with the ck blood of the Orc''s. "Is thatnd sacred or something!?"


    The man stood up, and turned back, ready to run as far as he could. However, when he turned he saw a person stop in front of him, with a cold and practically inexpressive gaze.


    "Boo." Luke scoffed.


    Although it was a joke from the half-wolf, the man was truly startled by Luke''s thick voice and the way Luke was staring at him.


    "Aaaaah! Please spare me poor lost soul, I didn''t mean to disturb yournds! I''m already leaving."


    Luke was confused, but the apology was not so bad. He shrugged and decided to abuse the cooperation of the man with scales a bit.


    "Tell me what you were doing here. You must be honest, or you will not be spared."


    "Okay, okay!"


    The coward agreed with a low nod, sitting down on his knees and head down before what he believed to be a guardian spirit of the snow vige. After all, no human being could simply be strolling through the highest mountain ranges in the world.


    "I... Actually, we were simply carrying fertilizer to sell in the cities of the Broteforge Empire." The man said.


    "With monsters?"


    "The world has changed a lot since you died, poor knight."


    ''Poor Knight?" Luke felt as if someone had hit his head with a piece of manner, and a vein popped out on his forehead. "Wait a second, you think I''m dead?" The half-wolf was confused.


    ''Dumb bastard spirit, you don''t even know you''re dead. Calm down, Eliot, you need to stay calm. I can''t let that spirit get angry, shit...'' In the end, the white-haired man just smiled in a cynical way, as if he did not wish to answer Luke''s question.<sub> </sub>


    ''Huf! Whatever... just tell me the truth, and I''ll let you go." Luke tried to negotiate calmly, for he was not yet a barbarian.


    ''He may be a conscious spirit that wanders thesends, maybe if I lie it will be worse...'' He pondered. ''Any truth? Regardless of what it really is?"


    The half-wolf nodded.


    "All right, I will speak the truth.... We were carrying alchemical bombs for use in the rear of the Front Line." With a brief exnation, the man said without any guilt as if he were confessing his intentions to a mirror. He didn''t even think about the possibility that Luke was real.


    Thanks to his hearing enhanced by his focus, Luke noticed that there were no irregr palpitations in the man''s heart while he was speaking. That meant he was not lying.


    "Where were you guysing from?" Luke asked seriously.


    The man arched his eyebrows, but decided to answer. "We came from a Military Post near the Howling Hills."


    "You guys carry a map, don''t you? Let me see it."


    "Of course, just wait a second I''ll get it from my pocket." Then the man opened his jacket and suddenly shed with a knife in the direction of the half-wolf, who did not even for a second lower his guard.


    Luke dodged the knife as if he had all the time in the world. He could notice the facial expression of the man, who didn''t even seem to know what he was doing, and also the wrong way the man was holding the knife. The sharp de passed close to his cheek. At that moment Luke moved his left arm to the man''s neck and squeezed him hard to knock him out.


    It all happened in just a second for both the man and Meredith who was watching from afar with two more arrows tensed on the bowstring.


    When the half-fox saw the man fall, she sighed with relief that it all worked out. As she had never fought monsters before that day, winning the two battles against Orc''s was certainly something to be proud of, even if it seemed so paltry to Luke.


    As it was getting dark, Luke put the man on his shoulders, after all he still had questions to ask, and met up with Meredith so they could go into one of the buildings of the snowy settlement together.


    The cold in that region was severe and deadly, in a way that Luke had no idea how there could even be a building so high up. As soon as they entered one of the buildings, the questions about what it was all about only multiplied.


    On the walls of the spacious chamber were several strange symbols, which were neither runes nor normal letters. These symbols were somewhat square in the center and irregr around the edges, but followed a pattern simr to that of a humannguage, which meant that it might just be an ancientnguage.


    On the walls there were also many beautiful drawings carved deep into the stone blocks. In one of these drawings Luke saw something that reminded him of something he saw a long time ago: a half-moon.


    This half-moon reminded him of the woman he saw in his vision and relieved him of his curse when he didn''t even know what it was yet. He had the chance to have only a brief conversation with her, but the situation was so unusual that his brain had erased it, until this moment.


    Luke didn''t think much of it and touched the illustration of the moon with his right hand.

 Chapter 275 The Crescent Moon

    When the half-beasts entered the first chamber of the vige''s main building, they were astonished at all the wealth of culture that seemed lost in that ce.


    For Meredith it was just an interesting fact to have something so old in such a remote ce, even more so because this vige could have existed for thousands of years, thanks to the low temperature of the ce. However, to Luke it all seemed really fascinating, and the half-fox only noticed because he had his mouth open while looking at everything with his eyes shining.


    She smiled at seeing him so interested. ''He''s been so quiet and tense thest few days. It''s really refreshing to see him so engrossed in something other than his own thoughts.''


    Luke walked ahead without waiting for Meredith, until he stopped in front of arge panel that joined several stone blocks together. On the edges of this stone panel were strange designs, or rather runes that werepletely distorted, and in the center was an illustration of a crescent moon.


    Before he even touched the moon, Luke felt something strange. Old memories were returned to his consciousness, causing him a mixed feeling of strangeness with familiarity.


    At that moment, he recalled the sight of a woman on his back and her soft voice that was strangely familiar to him. This woman''s face had thin features, her hair was yellowish like the petals of sunflowers, and on her back was the same symbol of the crescent moon that was drawn on this wall of this chamber.


    Curious, he touched the moon.


    Meredith saw Luke touch the drawing and also saw him remain static for many seconds. His eyes were fixed on the moon figure, at the same time as his body was paralyzed.


    In the half-wolf''s mind, everything was even stranger. The instant he touched the figure, his consciousness was covered by a dense snow, as if he was waking up after sleeping for a long, long time. Initially, his fingertips touching the figure began to tingle, then he could feel this same sensation all over his arm.


    He couldn''t think of anything tooplex, like wondering what was happening to him, he was just existing in a deep nothingness.


    Somehow he knew that this feeling, this feeling of strangeness, was fleeting and that it shouldn''tst more than a few seconds. When the fog in his mind finally cleared, he felt every muscle in his body pulsing and a voice resounded in his mind, telling him:


    [You are close to finding out, but it is not yet time. In the future, offer me an unbreakable promise, and I will help you with any goal you desire].


    After the soft voice spoke this, he recognized it as the voice of the blonde woman he met in one of his waking dreams. Luke couldn''t tell if these strange visions and sensations were being caused by his curse, or if something greater was really watching over him.


    Right after the woman''s message, Luke woke up with a weird feeling, as if there was something stuck in his throat that he wanted to talk about.


    Sweating, he looked at the half-fox behind him. Meredith was looking at him with a bit of fright and fear, for he had only been staring at the moon figure for a few seconds, only now he was suddenly panting and wide-eyed.


    "Are you okay, Luke!?" She asked.


    With his hand on his throat, he tried to say something, but the second his vocal cords quivered to produce a sound, he felt something brake them. There was definitely something in his throat.


    So he put one hand against his throat, bent forward, and began to try to expel whatever it was.


    Meredith quickly noticed all this. "Are you choking on something!?" She ran up behind the half-wolf, who, although he tried to deny it with his left hand, could not stop her.<sub> </sub>


    From behind, she put her two hands together at the height of his abdomen and pressed three times.


    Suddenly, Luke expelled something shiny, which fell to the floor of the dark chamber. They immediately focused on that strange object, whose brightness ranged from very intense to almost nil. In addition, the white glowing object emitted a kind of low buzzing sound, but in that chamber it echoed in the stillness.


    The half-wolf came closer, and saw that this object was a rather unusual looking brooch. The brooch was shaped like the head of a wolf with long ears and an elongated snout.


    "Urgh! Luke, when did you swallow that?" The half-fox asked, finding the whole situation strange.


    He turned quickly to look at her. "I-I didn''t swallow that thing...probably."


    With his attention returned to the brooch, he slowly moved his hand closer to take it. As soon as the half-wolf touched the brooch, the glow became more intense, the buzzing louder, and the object began to vibrate in Luke''s palm.


    [Gods Tuner found.]


    This time the voice that resonated within the half-wolf''s mind was different from the others. The voice that was normally soft and feminine, this one time was a thick and masculine voice.


    Meredith noticed that Luke paled once again as he picked up the metal brooch. "Luke, Luke! Wake up, Luke!" She shook him, in desperation.


    The half-fox already knew that Luke was cursed, so she was always wary when he acted differently than normal.


    Just as Meredith called out to him, Luke returned from his state of surprise. "I heard a different voice..." He stated.


    "Huf... Are you okay? What do you mean a different voice?"


    "You know when we acquire a new Gene Skill? Some people say they hear a female voice, for others it''s a male voice."


    "I know, I know. I heard a female voice when you gave me that skill as a gift."


    "Normally, I would listen to a female voice too. But I heard a male voice when I yed this..." The brooch was still in his hand, and it no longer vibrated or glowed.


    "Wait, you touched this and the voice resonated? What is that? Maybe you mistook it for a core, ate it, and your stomach didn''t digest it?"


    "I-I wouldn''t swallow a blow job. I know how to differentiate it from a Monster Core." He blushed. "The voice said that''s a Gods Tuner, I don''t know what that means."


    "Gods Tuner?" The half-fox arched his eyebrows, because he remembered something. "I think I''ve read about that somewhere."

 Chapter 276 The Texts Of A Yellowed Page

    "Wait a second... You said you know what that is?" asked Luke.


    Meredith crossed her arms. "I literally don''t know, I just remember reading that in some of the books I read. I believe I can look for something in the books we brought in your inventory, but how about we set up our camp here first? I''m freezing."


    "Okay, let''s spend the night here."


    The half-wolf looked at the fallen white-haired man lying on the ground, who appeared to be fast asleep.


    Since there was no firewood in the middle of those ridges, Luke had to prepare himself for this cold. Luckily, he had learned in the past that sets of items can be stored in his <Normal Inventory> taking up a single space if ced in apartment. Thanks to this discovery, Luke had an idea when they were about to start the climb up the mountain ranges. He felled three trees with the Behemoth Axe, split the logs into dozens of cylindrical pieces, and thus managed to assemble three bundles of firewood, taking up only three ces of the ten in his inventory.


    The <Yggdrasil gene ability> was difficult to cut and burn, so Luke would only try to use wood from its roots or branches as ast resort, not least because they withered quite quickly after Luke deactivated the ability.


    So, in that cold and mysterious chamber in the vige, they set up a small camp, as if they were in a forest. Luke set up the campfire, and lit the fire, using his Obsidian Sword and a sturdy stone as a makeshift flint. Also, Luke didn''t forget to make sure that their hostage was securely fastened to one of the pirs of the chamber.


    While Luke roasted some of the meat from the deer he ughtered before the climb up the ranges, Meredith was eagerly searching for something about the Tuner of Gods in her books.


    Since most of the half-fox''s current collection was part of Ayumi Yamazaki''s library books, they were all veryplete and well-written, so there were a lot of pages and information.


    At one point, Meredith was so focused on her task that she would read the entire pages of the books in a matter of seconds and already turn to the next one. Thus, even the thin sheets of old paper were able to cut the tips of some of her fingers a few times, evidencing the young woman''s persistence.


    After a few hours, when the wood from the fire was already about to run out, and Luke was taking advantage of the lull to rest a bit, the half-fox finally found it.


    "I found it! I can''t believe I found it! Uhhh!" she eximed in excitement and delight.


    Luke opened only one eye, showing that although he was resting, he was awake the whole time.


    "Luke, I found it,e look!" Meredith pointed to a thick book in his hand, which the half-wolf had not yet had the opportunity, nor the time, to read.


    He stood up from his corner on the other side of the campfire, and sat down next to Meredith.


    "It''s literally the same name!" She stated.<sub> </sub>


    Although Luke was a little skeptical that they would even be so lucky to find the answer they were looking for right in one of the books that was already in his inventory, Luke agreed and took the book in his hand to read with his own eyes. "Excuse me." He asked.


    In the middle of the yellowed page, there was a brooch drawn, only the appearance of the illustration seemed to try to mimic the figure of a bear''s face. Text surrounded that drawing across the page.


    [In the past, there were religions, peoples and whole nations that worshipped gods, lost gods. The world has not changed much since then, but back then people believed faithfully that everyone should choose at least one god, to dedicate their entire lives, soul and often body, thus bing an avatar of that god, a son.


    Some people believe that the lost gods still live on, even if the society of people devoted to them has long since copsed.


    People who still believe in the lost gods today have only one clue, a single piece of evidence, that separates them from the scythe of stigma: The Tuner of Gods.


    Legend has it that when the ancient gods notice something of great potentialtent in mankind, they cane out from wherever they are, from any hole, cave or tomb, to present that noble person with the key to their home.


    However, of all those who followed the pathid out by the God Tuner, only one returned. Hazor is his name, or at least it was before he gave in to madness and retired to a city in the Melki Empire called Stahurt].


    When Luke finished reading, he almost couldn''t believe that he finally had a concrete clue to the mystery that had gued him for so long.


    At the same time, he opened the old map of the Melki Empire, given to him by Emperor Cant, to check if he was too far from the city mentioned in the texts.


    "Dith,e here for a second, please. Do you think we can change the route we set?" He spoke, already with pencil in hand ready to alter. "I believe it is crucial that we at least check this clue."


    The half-fox crossed her arms. "I know, I know. I don''t even know what to think about all this stuff that happened to you, it''s not even mentioned in the book. However, Stahurt is literally on the opposite side of the road to which we intend to go, and which we agreed with the Shadow leader."


    Luke thought and thought and thought some more, but he couldn''t substantiate enough arguments that could convince Meredith to go against the initial n. "Fine, we will go to Yukiat, but you must promise not to go into the Dungeon with me."


    "Erghhh! That''s not fair! Why should I promise something if you are the one trying to go against the n we drew up together?" She protested.


    "Now, there are three possibilities for ending our mission. First, by causing extreme destabilization in Melki''s rear, that is, in the Dungeons, thus giving time for perhaps the remaining Sensory-Mages to be convinced to fight this war for Broteforge. The second option is to kill the First Servant, which is almost impossible for only two people, because we don''t even know his location like we know that of the other demons. Thest option would be to convince Lescar to tell us everything he knows and is hiding from us, but I feel this is even more impossible than the second. Therefore, we cannot fail at the first possibility, least of all Yukiat."


    Meredith dared to open her mouth to retort him, however, she didn''t think of anything that could contradict him, after all, she knew that all she wasn''t as strong as him, at least not yet.

 Chapter 277 A Human Allied With Demons?

    As Meredith slept peacefully in her warm sleeping bag next to Luke, who was standing guard, a grudging groan could be heard crossing the ce they were in.


    Luke Lange''s wolf ears twitched as he caught the sound, and he immediately looked to a specific pster on the opposite side of the chamber. There stood the man who controlled the Orc''s and who innocently believed that Luke was a guardian spirit, both because of his strength and because finding humans in a settlement lost in the middle of miles of mountain ranges was not something expected.


    When this white-haired man opened his eyes, he came across the half-wolf sitting cross-legged in front of him.


    The man was a little surprised that he was still alive, but also a little frightened by who he saw as he despaired. The man looked right and left, but all he could make out was the fact that he was inside one of the buildings in the vige.


    "Shesshhh! You''re not a ghost, are you?" He asked after a mournful sigh.


    <o>,m Luke just shook his head negatively, making the man feel like the idiot he really was.</o>


    "What are you going to do? Eat me? You''re not a cannibal, are you?"


    "Of course not, but I can be just as cruel as one." Answered Luke, without so much as a shiver.


    Sweat immediately began to bead down from the strange man''s forehead. "Right, right, right, right. Just tell me what you need to know and I will help you. Just don''t kill me man, I have a daughter who needs me."


    Luke arched his eyebrows. "Do you really think I would fall for a lie, for such a ridiculous bluff?"


    "I-I''m not bluffing!" With some desperation, the man tried to move his arms and lean forward, but Luke had tied him quite firmly to the stone pster, so he didn''t even get out of ce.


    To the half-wolf it was simply unbelievable the idea that someone who was on the side of the demons actually had a family to protect, after all, the demons wanted chaos, the end of the small spark of peace that the world had experienced since The Cmity.


    Besides, what the man imed was practically impossible. Humanoid monsters, as this man seemed to be thanks to his scales, could not have children because procreation among monsters was somethingmon only in the weaker monster species, such as Kobolds.


    Even though he didn''t believe it was possible, Luke was not an unreasonable man.


    The half-wolf uncrossed his arms, and put them over his legs. "All right, prove that what you say is true. If you can, I will listen to what you have to say before I can question you."


    Luke saw tears of happiness pool below in the man''s wide-open eyes, who thought for a few seconds, and then suddenly stated, "My wallet! In my coat pocket is my wallet. I carry everywhere a drawing made by my daughter, and a letter written by her!"<sub> </sub>


    Luke removed the man''s wallet from his own overcoat, surprising him. "You mean that wallet? Um, I thought you were some kind of monsters like the Goblins, who steal people''s belongings for themselves, but if that''s what it is, I''ll take the liberty of opening it to check."


    The reality was that Luke had just forgotten to check the wallet that fell out of the man''s pocket as he carried it into that building.


    The man wasn''t even surprised that Luke had already picked up his wallet in advance. "The drawing is in the front pocket, and so is the letter."


    The man''s wallet seemed to be made of animal leather and was quite normal looking, yet it was still able to surprise Luke. It was not verymon in Broteforge to use wallets, and only a few people used them to keep some documents, such as purchase receipts, letters, statements and other prominent papers from the bureaucracy.


    Luke searched the wallet with close attention to detail. ''Three gold coins and a Certificate of Enlistment to the Melki Empire. Just that in the first pocket.''


    Opening the document that was titled as Certificate of Enlistment, Luke found the following information:


    [Certificate of Enlistment to the Melki Empire.


    I, Wanney Cuslley, apply to serve in the name of my homnd, the Melki Empire, and honor the legacy of all those who desire a unified, just and...]


    ''So, his name is Wanney...'' Well, of course that could be false, but not even the humanoid monsters of the Legion had human names like that.'' Luke thought.


    When Luke turned to the second andstpartment of the simple wallet, he immediately saw a nice drawing, a portrait.


    In that small portrait was drawn the face of a young girl with eyes drawn like the captured man''s, but this girl''s hair was depicted as dark, not white.


    "That is my daughter..." The man stated with a slightly sheepish voice. "When I said goodbye to her a month ago, I am sure she already knew that I would not be back to see her grow up, find a good boyfriend, get married, have children and fulfill her dreams... My mission is practically suicidal, yet she told me to have ''strength, focus and faith'' and that everything would work out."


    "Stop trying to move me, because you won''t be able to see a smile on my face. I am out in the cold, talking to an enemy and in the middle of a war, while all I wanted was to be in my girlfriends bed with them in my arms. However, you have managed to convince me that you are a human, so tell me everything you know about the Melki Empire, its strategies and ns, and I will release you."


    "Are you serious?" The man inquires, a little fearful, after all if Luke considered him an enemy it would not be unusual for Luke to kill him after he told him everything. "Give me a guarantee, and I will speak."


    The half-wolf crossed his arms, ring at the man angrily. "The guarantee is that you are still alive, and if you don''t tell me, you will die. What do you think of that guarantee?"

 Chapter 278 Hypocrisy

    "All right, all right." The man tried to appease the moods of the half-wolf. "What do you want to know?"


    The first thing Luke thought to ask was also his biggest doubt at the moment. "You are human, have a daughter and yet you fight alongside monsters? I don''t understand that."


    "You don''t understand why the Broteforge Empire is strong, influential and has many powerful warriors. The Melki Empire, although it had part of the continent, became weak over time, it becamecent. When an elder mage from Orkenby discovered how to manipte the instincts of monsters, and control their wills and bodies, the Emperor believed it was time to proim our ce on top of the world, preventing the true monsters of Broteforge from one day seeding in ending the world."


    "Broteforge end the world? What are you talking about?" Luke couldn''t evenprehend if Wanney was serious or making fun of his face.


    "You guys eat the cores of the monsters you kill, right? You trade them like bread, or rather, swords. With each core you ingest, you be more like the monsters you kill than the humans you were. It''s not hard to predict that one day this power will implode, and turn you into monsters as irrational as any other. When that dayes, you will sweep the face of the earth in destruction."


    Since the half-wolf was past the stage of questioning the origin of the Genes Abilities, he was not even tempted to believe Wanney''s ims.


    "Anyway, the hypocrisy... You im withplete certainty that one day we will end the world, but that is your goal, the goal of the demons."


    "Demons? What are you talking about?"


    At that moment, Luke smiled wryly at how foolish the man was. "Demons are nefarious creatures that possess the bodies of people, like a snail enters a shell. From the moment of possession, you can hardly tell the difference between the original person and the demon. Also, when the receptacle is killed, that is, when the shell is broken, it just gets released into the world and searches for a new person to possess."


    p Wanney denied with his head, swinging it sideways. "That''s a bogus bluff. Demons are just old, lying legends, a myth to keep children away from the vicinity of Dungeons."</anda>


    "Monsters walking on the surface were just legends in the old days, as was the power to control them. Do you really wish to cover your eyes so as not to see the truth?"


    There was no reason for the man to believe Luke''s words, after all he didn''t even know him. However, the serious look on the half-wolf''s face and his confident posture made him question whether what Luke was saying was really true. The whole situation made him think about how devastated his nation had be after the monsters had started walking on Earth, and made him realize that maybe not everything the Emperor propagated was an absolute truth.


    After swallowing the lump that was in his throat, Wanney asked, "What is your name?"


    "Luke Lange." The half-wolf answered smoothly. If the First Servant had put a bounty on his head, Luke could kill this man in front of him with no problem.


    "Mr. Lange, I trust you." Wanney lied.


    The half-wolf heard the white-haired man''s heartbeat change for a second as he said it, indicating that he was lying, but did not question him about it. Luke would just watch out for Wanney''s actions as if he were still his enemy.


    *<sub> </sub>


    The next morning, Luke and Meredith entered into agreeing that the best possible resolution to the problem with the hostage was to keep him alive, yet at the same time use his knowledge.


    Relying on information passed on by a stranger was certainly something risky and something the half-wolf would not want to do. Still, the information they had about the locations of some things in the Melki Empire was quite outdated, so keeping Wanney alive and by their side was the best choice.


    Wanney just seemed grateful, and obviously didn''t fight the half-wolf''s decision, after all, he was also interested in what he could learn from these strange half-wolves.


    It took them two whole days to go down the mountain ranges, because Luke would take Wanney on hisp to go down some of the riskier regions, since the mobility of the man with scaly skin was not very good.


    At one point, Meredith was so curious about the fact that Wanney had scales on some parts of his body.


    She looked at him closely as they walked beside a canyon, and asked:


    "Wanney, you have scales. Are you a half-beast like us?" That was the only theory the half-beast could think of.


    "Half-beast? No, no... I wish I could... Let''s just say those scales are the price you pay for learning some things, maybe even a punishment from the gods." He replied with a thoughtful look.


    "Pay attention on the way, if any of you fall, I won''t be jumping in to pick you up." Luke stated, looking down into the canyon hundreds of feet deep beside them.


    A dayter, they finally reached the end of the ridges and came upon a t field that went as far as the eye could not reach.


    They looked at the ridges behind them and shivered at the thought of going up again. All three had the feeling that everything in the cold and the height was even worse than normal, and the one who had this feeling the most was Wanney, who had lost a humanpanion and also several Orc''s that were very difficult to tame. Now, all that didn''t matter anymore.


    In front of the vision of that weird trio were miles of in, which had an ufortable appearance. The trees were dry, the grass was dead and brittle, the soil was practically exhausted, and the sky was covered with gray clouds.


    They thought they had just been through hell, but they weren''t sure if the mile-long mountain ranges that divided the continent were really the worst part.


    As Luke had his ears tuned, he was the first to hear a sharp noiseing from above the clouds, and this sound he had never heard before. Immediately upon hearing this and realizing that it was indeed approaching, Luke shouted:


    "Scatter!"


    There wasn''t even time for Meredith and Wanney to react, because something in the same secondnded in front of the trio.

 Chapter 279 A Living Legend

    The sound of the impact of whatnded was so loud that it resonated for miles, like thunder, and powerful enough to cause earthquakes that were felt beyond the ins.


    Amidst the dust raised by the impact, Meredith jumped back, obeying Luke''s order for them to disperse.


    However, Wanney couldn''t move even a muscle, not from fear or surprise, but because he already thought he was dead as soon as he heard the sound that cut through the clouds. Since Luke couldn''t let this man die yet because of the valuable information he could offer him, Luke grabbed him by the cor of his shirt and pulled him backwards.


    As soon as the dust rose, it too was spread by a pping of wings.


    At that moment, the members of the trio could see the appearance of what hadnded in front of them.


    ''It''s exactly as they say... the skin is ck as the darkest of coals, the musclesrger than that of any other kind of monster, and the aura even worse than that of a whole horde of monsters.'' Wanney thought.


    What was in front of them had the body of a giant lizard, crocodile scales, ws even bigger than swords, and a tail so long that just moving it breaks the sound barrier, not to mention the pair of long wings on this creature''s back. What was in front of them was not just a monster, but a legitimate dragon.


    "Damn it, Meredith, back off right now!" Luke immediately ordered. "That''s a drag¡ª" He couldn''t even finish speaking before the dragon made its first attack.


    The dragon opened its gigantic jaw and a beam of energy suddenly shot out. Luke had no idea if that beam could seriously hurt him or if it would just make a few scratches, but he preferred not to test that because of the legends surrounding the dragon stories. Luke pushed Wanney to the left and jumped to the right, thus deflecting the attack.


    The half-wolf got up quickly and started running towards the dragon''s paws without hesitation. He had read in a book that dragons'' weak points were their size, which made them weak againstrge groups or parties of adventurers, such as n raids against Dungeoneering Floor Bosses, and at the same time that there was this information there was the information that dragon''s paws were the main targets of groups. So, Luke ran as fast as he could towards the muscr legs of the monster.


    At over fifteen feet in size, the dragon was thergest creature Luke could remember ever seeing, so it would not be an easy opponent.


    "<Eye of Horus>." Luke used the Legendary Skill.


    The dead fields around him were shrouded in a thinyer of mist, which prevented him from seeing beyond a limit of fifty meters. This skill gave him time and calm to breathe and think.


    ''I need to keep Meredith safe and so does the man. Still, it is a very big responsibility to take care of two lives while facing a Dragon. I don''t even know if I can beat one even if I were fully equipped and prepared.'' Luke deduced, taking a closer look at the creature''s features.


    The dragon''s scales glowed in a metallic and ck, as if they were a pure and freakish ore, also very imposing and frightening in appearance.<sub> </sub>


    ''Humph! Anyway, it was remiss of me not to have thought that this might ur. I will now find the best way around it all.''


    Luke used the lines that formed the Dimension of Horus to create two clones of himself. This was the most he could do after such a grueling trip, even with his little time left to continue with the <Eye of Horus> active.


    By the end of an hour, all three half-wolves within the dimension were drenched in sweat. At this time, they looked at each other and had the same thought, it was impossible to defeat the dragon alone. Of course, they were not basing this conclusion only on the dragon''s first move, which seemed frighteningly powerful, but also on the way it shot for hundreds of meters above the clouds to the ground.


    Besides that in case the dragon wanted to escape, he would be able to, because other than Meredith''s bow and arrow, Luke didn''t have a way to attack from long distance, that was his weak point.


    ''If there isn''t a way to defeat it, there must be a way for us to stay alive.'' Luke thought positively.


    It didn''t take long for Luke to actually find what he was looking for among the millions of variables in the battle. After that, he deactivated the <Eye of Horus> and continued his run towards the dragon''s legs.


    Instead of summoning the Behemoth Axe as he normally did, Luke reached into the side belt of his pants and pulled out three knives, which he threw in the same second.


    The knives flew towards the dragon''s wide face, and were immediately repelled when they collided with the monster''s scales, showing how weak the weapons were inparison with a dragon''s natural protection. This was the result Luke was already expecting, as the dragon immediately looked at Luke, not having time to pay attention to the other two.


    Meredith noticed Luke''s intentions, and although she didn''t agree, she didn''t question them at that moment. She ran over to Wanney, and helped him up.


    "Am I alive? How am I alive?" Wanney wondered aloud, looking at the huge dragon practically beside him.


    "He saved you, thank him after he kills the monster." Meredith pointed at Luke, as she pushed to help the white-haired man.


    "No matter how strong your boyfriend is, he can''t defeat a dragon."


    With her face slightly flushed, the half-fox didn''t disagree with the man. "Let''s back off a bit, we''ll just be a burden here. If you dare try to attack me, know that I will not be merciful."

 Chapter 280 The Resounding Voice In The Soul

    As soon as Meredith and Wanney started running towards arge rock that was near them, the giant dragon''s eyes


    followed them.


    The pair of horns on top of the dragon''s head glowed for a brief instant as it opened its mouth. In the next second, a long st of dark energy began to spew from the monster''s mouth toward the fleeing duo. Dragons were too proud creatures to let victims escape unharmed.


    Luke propelled himself forward with speed, and hit the dragon in the jaw with an explosive punch, in a move so fast that even the dragon could not predict it.


    Luke''s blow was so powerful that it stopped the dragon''s attack.


    Face to face with that imposing monster, Luke knew he had no time to hesitate, after all, he had seen countless times with the <Leg of Horus> what just a moment''s hesitation could result in a battle against a dragon. Determined to let the other two escapes, Luke spliced his right jab into a left jab from below, aiming to strike the monster''s jugr.


    Luke managed to hit the jugr, and it threw the dragon''s head back a little, but that was all. The dragon''s scales were too tough.


    ''Damn, the toughness of that thing is even greater than I could have predicted, I won''t be able to fight bare handed.''


    The half-wolf lost a lot of mobility every time he chose to use the Behemoth Axe, and even though this weapon was a crucial key to his greatest victories, using it against a dragon was tantamount to abandoning the full range of possible attacks that the Sea Ornament martial art provided.


    ''There''s not much to think about... I need to buy time, and I''ll only achieve that if I injure it.''


    In Luke''s hands, an abyssal-looking ck axe suddenly appeared, and Luke immediately spun it around to try to attack the dragon.


    As he ran, Wanney looked back for a brief second, and saw that that wolf-eared man really was managing to slow the dragon down. In the Melki Empire, half-beasts were a ss ofmon servants and employees of the wealthy, and Wanney had never heard of any that could be a warrior, so to be defeated by a half-beast and to see him fighting on equal terms with a dragon was certainly a surprise.


    Wanney was pulled by Meredith to continue their momentum to the rock, and when they finally got there, Luke felt relieved because he no longer had to hold back. After one more attempt at scratching the dragon with one of its front paws, Luke defended with the Behemoth Axe and felt his arms shaking from the tremendous strength of the monster, but he managed to withstand it and jumped back, stepping back.


    "I don''t care how strong and big you are, we will not stop here." Luke spoke to the monster and mmed the axe handle into the ground as he knelt down."<Yggdrasil>" he uttered.


    A gigantic tree instantly formed between the dragon and the half-wolf, whose trunk was ten meters thick. The roots of this tree dug deep into the ground, and its branches formed a shadow in front of the beast, who was obviously surprised that this was suddenly summoned.


    Still, what was a tree to a kind of monster capable of destroying entire forests in minutes?<sub> </sub>


    The dragon''s ornamental horns glowed, and the energy beam shot out again, cutting the tree in half.


    Luke already knew this would happen, but he hoped he would at least have time to control the branches of the tree first.


    Luckily, the half-wolf was able to use the smoke created by the burning of the trunk to sneak through and the thunder of the tree falling to advance unbound, thus creating the opportunity he had been waiting for. Luke concentrated very well as he pulled plenty of air into his lungs and used a technique he hadn''t used in a long time, a technique taught to him by Yoelona.


    With much experience and a slight feeling of strangeness, Luke managed through his breathing to coordinate his heartbeat, speeding it up. At that moment, his muscles became firmer and his whole consciousness more precise. Luke didn''t know and didn''t understand, but at that moment he concentrated his Qi.


    Like a dark sh of lightning, Luke suddenly came out of the smoke, startling the dragon, which turned to strike him with its tail.


    The half-wolf used the debris from part of the <Yggdrasil> tree to change its trajectory, which once again surprised the monster. Luke did this maneuver again and again, using every feature and feature of the battlefield to his advantage, aiming for the best possible result.


    From the outside, those watching this would see the dragon confused by not knowing which direction his enemy could attack from, however, in the heat of battle Luke couldn''t even think about how funny it was to see a confused dragon, because he was too focused not to miss under any circumstances.


    Luke didn''t have much time with his improved strength, so he had to attack, at least that''s what he thought. The dragon surprised him when it pped its wings and flew a few feet upwards, with no patience for the games of that human who was annoying to him.


    "What do you think you are doing, insignificant creature?" The dragon asked, startling everyone with his thick voice.


    Just the beating of that monster''s wings was enough to clear the battlefield, so Luke had no choice but to stop propelling himself to and fro. After all, this was certainly not foreseen.


    "Can you really talk?" Luke asked as he looked up, still with his axe in his right hand, and ready for anything.


    "Of course, I can talk, what do you think I am?" The sounding out of the dragon''s mouth was strange, as if it was resonating all the way down to the soul of the half-wolf.


    "A monster." With all the simplicity in the world, Luke stated.


    At that moment, the dragon sighed through itsrge nostrils and a sudden explosion of ck smoke urred around it. The half-wolf didn''t understand, and just gripped the handle of his weapon tighter, but almost dropped it when he saw the small creature that came out of the smoke where the dragon was.

 Chapter 281 Ogen

    After the explosion of smoke around the dragon, a man much smaller than the dragon came out of the smoke. He had wrinkled skin and gray hair, both traits of great age and experience. His clothing was a long cloak made of satin, which wrapped around the most crucial parts of his body.


    Luke was jaw dropped and confused, he had never seen anything close to this happening, a monster transforming into a human, nor vice versa, at least this is what seemed to have happened.


    Soon the half-wolf noticed something familiar about the dragon, its horns. These horns protruded from the top of its head, and although they looked cracked and quite old, they still gave off a singr, crimson glow.


    "Are you a half-beast?" Luke eximed loudly so that the dragon could hear his questioning.


    p The man with the glowing horns, who was floating in the sky above the half-wolf, ced his hand on his chin as he lowered himself gently to the ground. "Isn''t that obvious? You''re a half-wolf too, you should notice these things with just a nce. Frankly, young people these days are still as foolish as ever. At least you''re a little stronger than most."</anda>


    Even with many questions to ask, Luke did not allow himself to let his guard down just because the man was a half-dragon like Alexis Dmitry.


    Luke ced the Behemoth Axe in front of his chest and asked, "Why did you attack us?"


    The gray-haired man crossed his arms. "I attacked you and your group because you dared to invade thend of the Glorious Brako. I cannot allow that, but I see you are not just any warrior, after all you can read my every move."


    "How... never mind. Just let us pass through the ins, we don''t want any confusion." Luke nced at therge rock that was five meters to his right, where Meredith and Wanney were hiding.


    The dragon crossed his arms, and denied with his head. "I cannot allow mere humans to start wandering into my lord''s territory, not even brave warriors like you, still less two cowards who simply ran away."


    Luke almost choked on his saliva at that moment, because he too was nning to run away after clipping one of the dragon''s wings. ''Damn, I should have listened to Wanney. He warned me that it was dangerous to go through the ins, but I had no choice, going around the coast is dangerous and could take weeks more.... There is nothing to do, I will use your teachings now, Matthew."


    The half-wolf smiled falsely with one corner of his mouth, put away his axe and opened his arms in a friendly manner. "What do you say we trade? My friends and I pass through the ins, and you and your lord get a good amount of gold."


    In Luke''s mind, no one could reject dozens of gold coins without at least hesitation, yet that is exactly what the dragon did. The dragon looked at the bag of money that Luke pulled out of the <Normal Inventory> and turned his face away, as if that bag full of coins was nothing.


    Luke almost clucked his tongue, but held back. He put the bag of money away in his inventory and threw both hands to the side, disappointed by the dragon''sck of courtesy for not trying to negotiate.


    With a tone of withdrawal, Luke spoke, "Why, I thought all half-dragons were greedy for money. Looks like I was wrong."


    Immediately the gray-haired man turned to look at Luke, uncrossing his arms. "What made you assume that? My race is too powerful to be concerned with petty things like that. Are you trying to insult us, to be insignificant?" He stewed his chest.


    Luke turned his face away and began to analyze the other items he had in his inventory that might be able to convince the dragon to leave them alone. "Not exactly. My girlfriend is a half-dragon, and she is fascinated by money, especially the coins she earns in betting, so yes, I have a little experience with her race."


    The silencested for a few seconds after he said this, so that he got strange and turned to look at the dragon, hoping that the dragon was waiting for another offer from him.


    However, the old gray-haired dragon was, in reality,pletely dumbfounded.


    "Alou? Did you sleep standing up?" Luke tried to run his right hand in front of the man''s eyes, which were not even blinking.


    At that moment, the half-dragon came back to reality, and a huge smile appeared on his face, a smile not at all intimidating, but rather one ofpanionship. "You really know a half-dragon!? What''s her name!? What does she look like!? Or rather, where is she!? I haven''t heard of another half-dragon in many years, much less a woman. My people will celebrate with this news!"


    Initially, Luke was surprised, however, he soon realized that this was his chance. "Are all of your people like you?" he asked.<sub> </sub>


    "No exceptions, but we shouldn''t talk about that here. If you really know a half-dragon woman, you must go to lord Brako, only then can you cross the ins." The half-dragon exined, crossing his muscr arms for his average age.


    "How long will that take? ording to my friend Wanney, the Acronym ins will save us two weeks of travel to reach Mount Ptine, in case your lord is further away..." Luke didn''t even have time to finish his inquiry, because the man suddenly turned into a dragon again.


    With that thunderous voice that echoed even within their souls, the dragon ordered. "Come up, I will take you and yourpanions to Lord Brako. If you are lying about meeting a half-dragon, you will all be killed."


    "Wait, you want us to ride you? Like a horse?" Luke couldn''t believe it.


    Since the half-wolf waspletely sure that Alexis really was a half-dragon, both from her physical characteristics and the fact that he himself had told him so, he epted the deal.


    ''This will probably be faster than spending two weeks walking around ces along the coasts where there are so many Outposts ording to Wanney, however, it''s still very strange.'' Luke pondered.


    "Just get on, before I get angry and lose what little respect I have for you, inse-Khum! Friend, I said: friend!" The dragon said.


    So Luke had no choice but to agree to ride the dragon. Before that, he walked over to Meredith and Wanney, and the man with scales on his face could hardly believe what he had seen in thest few minutes. He knew that the Acronym ins was a strange ce unlike anywhere else in the world, but surely a dragon bing a human exceeded his expectations a thousandfold.


    "The dragon wants us to ride on it so we can fly to his Lord, that''s the only way we can get through the ins and who knows maybe we''ll get a ride with him." Luke pointed with his right thumb to his back, where the ck-scaled dragon was sitting waiting.


    Wanney was extremely surprised. ''He actually managed to dialogue with a mythological being. Who is this man?'' He wondered, looking at Luke as he nodded frantically with excitement to get on the dragon.


    Meredith clenched her eyes cynically, as if she couldn''t believe what her eyes were seeing. ''Luke put him up to wait like a puppy.'' She thought as she looked at the sitting dragon.


    When Luke had convinced Meredith that there was no other alternative, he led Meredith and Wanney to the half-dragon and introduced them.


    The dragon bowed his head slightly to the half-dragon, as a gesture of greeting that she was also a half-beast. He looked for a second at Wanney and turned his face away without greeting him when he saw the scales on his skin. After that, he lowered his left to the ground so that everyone coulde up to his spine.


    "Hold tight to my scales. If any of you fall while I''m flying, I won''t have time to catch you before you crash to the ground, so be careful."


    Even though they were afraid, everyone climbed on the dragon''s back.


    "By the way, what is your name, Mr. Dragon?" Meredith asked, very interested. She listened to Luke''s entire conversation with him, but at no point did she hear him introduce himself."


    The dragon began to p its wings at that moment and with each swing the wind shuddered around it, causing rumbles. "My name is Ogen Griffin, but you may call me only as Ogen, for Griffin is the name of my n."


    "n? You are part of a n of Adventurers? Ow, I can''t imagine how there are still Adventurers in Melki, that''s surprising." Luke paid attention to the dragon''s words and said, while the other two sitting behind him looked down and watched the ground get farther and farther away.


    "Oh, you''re a foreigner then... I had my suspicions, but now I''m sure. Anyway, we don''t use the word ''n'' in thesends to call a group of Adventurers like in the rest of the world, but rather to denote to a kind of family."


    At this point, Luke wondered, ''Is Alexis a remnant of this Griffin n? Or is the half-dragon lineage different from this man''s?''

 Chapter 282 Stones Over An Immaterial Lake

    As the dragon took flight, Luke didn''t know where he was going, but he definitely felt that finding this Lord named Brako was better than not finding him. Luke also couldn''t tell for sure if Ogen, the ck Scaled Dragon he was riding, was on his side or the Melki Empire''s, however, he certainly sensed the animosity that existed between Wanney and Ogen.


    As they flew away, Luke was not shy and soon asked, "Ogen, are you, or rather your Lord, part of the Melki Empire?!"


    "You spoke to me, warrior!? It''s hard to listen at that speed!" The dragon replied, pping its wings with intensity and dodging therger clouds.


    "I asked if your Lord serves the Emperor of Melki!" Luke shouted even louder so that Ogen could hear him.


    "Oh, but of course not! A Lord serves no one!" Between a weaker p of wings, Ogen retorted.


    Luke couldn''t determine whether the dragon lied or not, because Ogen''s heart already had a strange rhythm from the first moment the half-wolf met him. Maybe that meant he was an experienced liar, or maybe it didn''t mean anything at all.


    Either way, Luke was betting a lot of things at this moment. He could be going to the demons''ir and not even be able to know it.


    However, something inside the half-wolf told her from the first moment of conversation to try to trust the half-dragon, and that was what she was doing. Don''t get it wrong, the half-wolf wasn''t believing that everything Ogen said was true, he was just trusting his instincts that Ogen was not his enemy, and it was his instincts that had gotten him to where he was, so he was somewhat reassured.


    The moment after the Dragon slowed down to answer Luke, he pped his wings once again with great force and in a single second overtook a thickyer of clouds that was above them. Then Wanney, Meredith and Luke got their first glimpse of a panoramic view of one of the most beautiful ces in the world.


    As if the sky were ake, and the clouds a shallow mist, rocks asrge as inds floated naturally above the clouds, moving only slightly with the strong wind, from side to side. Under many of these earthen stones green vines drifted for dozens of meters until they became weak and brittle in the wind.


    Between many of these inds there were chains that held them to each other. On the inds there were forests, waterfalls, and on the ind that was in the center and thergest of all the inds, there was also a small town with a few dozen brick buildings.


    Although a little away from the town, they saw people walking, growing food, and even children ying, all with horns like Alexis'' on their skulls on thisrger ind.


    Meredith blinked her eyes a few times, scratched them hard, and still refused to believe that what she was seeing was real. How could suchrge inds float above the clouds?


    How could this be possible? Her sense of normalcy was totally shattered by these questions.


    The people walking on the inds saw Ogen approaching and started waving happily at him, after all, he was one of the Three Great Dragons.


    "This ce is beautiful, don''t you think?" The dragon asked the people mounted on his back. "Well, it''s one of the few beautiful ces left in this nation, one of the few ces that Corruption hasn''t reached yet."


    "Corruption!?" Luke and Meredith literally asked at the same time.


    "Oh, you guys don''t know that yet? That is certainly unusual, but my Lord will know how best to exin to you what Corruption is."


    The dragon resisted its urge to greet people as it passed above the city, pped its wings and flew even faster to a part of thisrger one where the city was already bing distant. In the middle of a vast grove of green trees, there was arge building with a circr roof on which there was a dome.


    Luke was as speechless as Wanney and Meredith, who just could not believe what was before their eyes from the first moment they saw the floating inds. That feeling of fright and daze only went away when Ogennded in front of the construction of that grove.


    When they stepped onto thend of the ind, the feeling was exactly the same as any other footstep, but the treetops shook more than usual and you could feel the ind swaying in the wind, making it impossible to forget that they were many hundreds of feet above any firm ground.


    Wanney stepped onto the grass with both feet, arched his eyebrows and then jumped as high as he could, but as hended he realized that this could not be an illusion, there was no way it could be. "So, it''s real, the old tales about flying Inds are real!" He eximed, knelt on the ground and squeezed the grass that remained between the fingers of his hands.


    "Hey, inset-I mean warriors, make your friend shut up, please. We are in sacred territory." Ogen asked, striving to be as polite as he could and crossing his muscr arms.<sub> </sub>


    "Friend? We don''t even know this guy." Luke stated with a simplistic expression.


    "Oh, you guys aren''t? Then can I throw him over the edge of the Ind?" The half-dragon grabbed Wanney by the back of his cor and lifted him up with ease, after all Wanney was not a very tall man, and Ogen was taller than the vast majority of normal men, even at his advanced age.


    "No problem." Meredith threw her arms to the side.


    Luke crossed his arms and agreed with a nod.


    Wanney''s use was to guide them and also provide some information about ces in the Melki Empire, however, Wanney became just a hindrance from the moment they met Ogen.


    "No, no! I can still help you! I know better than anyone about Melki!" Wanney wiggled like a child to try to escape the dragon''s grasp.


    Ogen let go of the man with scales on his skin after watching him struggle, and Wanney fell t on his chest on the ground, somewhat relieved.


    "Are you guys going to want this little bug''s help?" The half-dragon asked, looking at Wanney with much disgust.


    Meredith and Luke exchanged nces at that moment, and came to the same conclusion without exchanging even a word.


    Luke stewed his chest and decided, "Before we make any decisions, I should meet your Lord, no?"


    The old dragon didn''t disagree with that, he smiled and asked the trio to apany him, and that''s exactly what they did. So, they walked for a few meters until they finally came upon the entrance of the building they saw from above.


    This building was, in a way, simple. The thin stone beams supporting the second floor of the building, which followed an architecturally open concept, were numerous and from the entrance seemed to form a path, which they followed as Ogen guided them inside the second floor.


    After entering the main part of the building, where there were older looking walls, it only took one look upwards for everyone to see rock drawings in orange stones on the ceiling that were as old looking as the bases of the lines themselves.


    People more avid about history, like Meredith, would be fascinated for the rest of their lives if they had at least a few minutes inside this building. The half-fox, although she didn''t have much time, was the only one of the three visitors to the flying inds to realize that that building was not some kind of weird temple, but rather a construction whose purpose was to try to preserve and keep standing the stories written on the walls of that small old building in the core of the newer construction. She noticed this because she connected the cave drawings, the ancient facet of the construction and the huge amount of beams.


    When they finally came across the end of the beams, they were already facing arge hall with lots of entrance to the sun throughrge windows and many different nts, a real garden.


    "?? Oh, the shuddering of the roots that brought me here, but I don''t feel like I got there yet, if I go back now, is anyone still waiting for meee? ??" A man with a harmonious voice sang while watering a strange nt with pink flowers and white leaves.


    "Khum!" Ogen cleared his throat to show he was present, because the man didn''t seem to notice the sounds of footsteps. "Lord Brako, I have brought visitors whom I thought it necessary for you to meet." He knelt down and spoke.


    At that moment, Brako turned calmly to look at his faithful half-dragonpanion and saw three totally strange people. The first thing he noticed were the particrities of each one.


    The woman with therge bust, thick clothes, orange ears, and bulky tail was certainly a half-dragon.


    The man with ck hair, slightly pointed wolf-like ears and eyes so yellow that not even the most sunflower could match was also a half-beast, by his judgment certainly a half-wolf.


    Finally, the white-haired man was the person who created the most fear in the lord''s heart. The scales that emerged at some points on his skin were certainly not recognizable traits of any half-beast race.


    "You have brought a Corrupted One into our home, Ogne. You know that don''t you?" Brako spoke to the old half-dragon, who was standing with his head down and knees on the ground a few feet away.

 Chapter 283 The Handshake

    "Ogne, you do know that you brought a Corrupted One into our home, don''t you?" Brako asked, looking calmly at the kneeling old half-dragon.


    The lord present had long horns like all the residents of those inds, but his looked more worn and old than even Alexis'' horns. Although this was true, Brako did not look that old, in fact, he seemed to be younger even than Ogne, however, only by a few years.


    Brako had gray hair as well, but this only on the sides of his head, while on top, sharing space with his horns, there were brown strands.


    He wore a strange white robe, like Ogne, but Ogne''s thin facial features made him look more gentle than someone with the lord''s appearance, who had thick features and a voluminous beard, a different kind of beauty.


    Hearing his glorious lord''s question, Ogne shuddered a little, but did not flinch, "I know, sir. Still, this man was apanying the two half-beasts who came from far away, or rather, he was being used by them or something, so I couldn''t just release him from his prison. Of course, if it''s an order from you, I''ll kill him right now without hesitation."


    Wanney''s pupils contracted at that moment, and he looked at Luke and Meredith startled, perhaps looking for an objection from them. The two half-beasts remained quiet, and didn''t even look at the man.


    "Okay, okay... First, I will listen to them, then I will decide what we are going to do. For now, just an introduction will be enough. By the way, my name is Brako Griffin, and I am the Elected One to rule these flying inds for the next fifteen years."


    Luke was relieved that the lord of the ce seemed a far more ordinary person than Ogne, who was literally the personification of the stereotype of the Dragons of legends, tremendously powerful and tremendously proud.


    The half-wolf ced his right hand on his chest and bowed his head slightly, as did Meredith beside him.


    "We are two travelers from the Broteforge Empire who just want to get over the ins so we can get to Mount Ptine faster." Luke spoke with respect for the figure present.


    Brako ced his right hand on his chin and spoke, "In the end, they were just ignorant travelers trying to pass through our territory. I''m relieved that it wasn''t something more serious, like dangerous invaders.... Still, it is strange that they are still alive, Ogne has killed hundreds of travelers who dared to step foot on the ins, and he has a habit of attacking first and asking questionster."


    At this point, Ogne blushed and looked away from the lord. "You know that for most people it is strange to hear a dragon asking anything. They would attack me anyway! I am very handsome, rare and intimidating, anyone''s first thought when they first see me is Death rted."


    "I know, I know. I''m not ming you. Anyway, I am intrigued by the fact that you guys are alive.... You are certainly very strong, however, there is no one stronger than Ogne who would leave you without scratches, so this leads me to believe that you havee to a mutual agreement.... What made you two stop fighting?" Lord Brako demonstrated why he was considered a wise man, analyzing the entire context in seconds.


    Luke, Wanney and Meredith were impressed by Brako''s speed ofpletion, but Ogne was not, he just rested his eyebrows raised by the tion of having to exin himself.


    "The man in ck acknowledged that I was a half-dragon and also said that his girlfriend is of our race." Ogne exined after regaining the upright posture of his spine.


    The lord looked at Luke with the wrinkles in his eyes squeezed out, as if such a thing was hard to believe. However, all he found in Luke''s eyes was a deep seriousness. "She''s a woman, right? How old is she? It''s been many years since we''ve heard about another being of our race that doesn''t live on these inds."


    "I never asked her age right, after all I don''t care about that, but she must be 25 or 26." Luke stated.


    "Um~. There are a few women in that age range around here, however, all five of them have lived here since they were little, and have only been out a few times." The man ran his thick fingers through the tip of his bulky beard.


    "She lives in Broteforge currently, and is fighting on the front lines of the war." The half-wolf understood that a misunderstanding was urring, and soon set about resolving it.


    Lord Brako was more surprised to hear about the war than about the location of the half-wolf. "What are you talking about? What war?"


    Only then did Luke get a dimension of how long information takes to travel, especially to reach more isted peoples as this one appeared to be.<sub> </sub>


    "You don''t know about the..." Meredith was about to tell, but Luke suddenly stepped forward and put his arm in front of her chest, as a gesture for her to stop talking.


    With a stern expression this time, Luke didn''t hesitate and said, "We won''t say anything more until we''re sure of one thing. Do you know about the demons that rule the Melki Empire?"


    Brako looked him in the eye, and showed no expression. Then he turned toward the strange nts behind him, and watered them again. Thus he remained for a few seconds, until the lord himself broke the lingering silence that was in ce.


    "Yes, we know about the demons, and well, as far as I thought a minute ago, only leaders like me of the Half-Dragon People knew about that reality. In a way, I''m relieved that we don''t have to carry that burden alone."


    "You guys are on their side?"


    "On their side? That would never be possible, even if they offered an entire nation to us, after all, our race was almost extinguished before The Cmity happened. Back then, the demons discovered that our race is the most powerful in the world, and started hunting us down to use as receptacles for their evil bodies."


    Brako continued to water the nts with his metal watering can.


    "My people tried to resist, but only a few were left, since then we have isted ourselves and seek little by little to rebuild ourselves, of course, out of sight of any other people, so that the past does not repeat itself again." His voice had a mncholy tone, as if he had lived through everything he described.


    The half-wolf was undecided whether to believe the lord''s story or not. His mind told him not to trust such simple words with so many enemies lurking to kill everyone he loves, but his heart processed the lord''s emotions, and his instincts told him to trust this old man.


    "I don''t know if I trust you, and I certainly don''t advise you to trust me. So what do you think about a mutually beneficial arrangement?" Luke extended his right hand to the lord, even though it was a few feet away.


    Ogen looked at the half-wolf''s hand, looked at his glorious lord, not believing that a stranger was even extending his hand to him. Still, he didn''t interfere because his Lord didn''t ask.


    Brako nodded, ced the watering can on a wooden table that was a little further away, walked over to Luke''s outstretched hand and shook it with his right hand as well, initiating an agreement that would literally change the fate of the world.


    *


    Since the day of Luke Lange and Brako Griffin''s agreement, only a week has passed, and much has changed.


    The residents of the peaceful, but also dull, region of the Flying Isles needed to go back to training, after all, there was now a threat greater than any most of them had faced in their entire lives.


    Although the half-dragons had known that the Melki Empire had been run by demons for some time, they never thought that they had an expansionist vision, not even that they challenged the Broteforge Empire. However, the demons waited a long time to act even after theypletely dominated Melki, they waited so long that they seemed to know the exact moment to act, and that moment came when the k Kingdom went to war with the Daiyu Dynasty, so the demons'' biggest antagonist, the Cardinal Church, was much more limited.


    ? Brako didn''t listen to all this information for free, he also exined what this Corruption was that Ogne hadmented on while flying over the Inds.


    The Corruption was a kind of spore that was spreading all over Melki''s territory, and although it was not deadly to breathe these spores, it still caused a pain as agonizing as inhaling acid. Its origin was mysterious to the half-dragons, however, Wanney knew exactly what Corruption was, which within the Melkian army had another name: manos.


    Wanney exined that the Commanders of the army he had forcibly disinherited pointed out that the manos spores are from a time as old as water and fire, and that these natures were born almost at the same time, but while water has the gift of nourishing life and fire of extinguishing it, the manos have the function of fortifying it.


    However, as the spores killed every single wood in the Melki Empire, the more voluminous the army of monsters became, creating Corrupted, people capable of controlling the monsters.

 Chapter 284 The Coffee Mug

    <strong>¡ª February of Year 513 - Front Line of the War between the Broteforge Empire and Melki Empire. ¡ª</strong>


    ''Huh... huh... I can''t rest, I have to keep going.''


    A woman with glorious red hair and a pair of majestic horns was kneeling in the middle of the battlefield.


    She was holding a sword with gold and crimson details nailed to the ground, and she was breathing breathlessly. Beside her feet were hundreds of monster bodies of the most varied species within a radius of at least two hundred meters, but in front of her yet another horde of monsters walking towards her.


    Her body was already extremely fatigued, her joints ached as if she had gone back to training as she had during her entire adolescence, and her mind was a little dizzy because it had been many hours since she had been fighting.


    Even with her legs wobbly, the half-dragon leaned her body weight on the sword on her right side and stood. Then she brandished the sword forward and ced it face to face with her chest.


    ''I can''t give up yet, Luke was the one who got this information advantage for us, so we should take advantage of it and destroy this outpost!'' she spoke to herself, trying to motivate herself.


    Suddenly, she heard footstepsing from the left of her back. When she turned around, she saw Luke with a smile and wearing obsidian armor. As soon as their eyes met, she felt her heart pounding like never before, after all it had been many months since they hadst seen each other.


    However, by the time she jumped up to hug Luke in her full loving embrace, she woke up from that dream.


    "Damn it, Alexis...that dream yet again?" The S-ss spoke aloud as she looked up at the ceiling of her tent.


    A little stressed about missing the half-wolf and not being able to see him, and tired from the previous day, Alexis huffed and quickly tried to get up from her bed.


    "The camp is always so quiet at that time of day..." She noted once again, after easily realizing that the sun had not yet risen.


    When Alexis Dmitry put on her clothes this time, she was not wearing the routine white shirt with embroidery on the sleeves, nor the dark blue zer she normally wore, but rather a nice armor that obviously highlighted her beautiful curves and also protected her more than ordinary clothes.


    "That cksmith is really good... He managed to get the best durability and strength that the scales of a Lord of the Kobolds can achieve."


    Her armor had scales that protected the sides of her abdomen, her boots and also her bracelet, because she was still choosing to wear a skirt, after all she always thought that pants restricted her movements.


    After dressing, she blew out the me of thentern with one breath and left her private tent. As soon as she left the tent, she saw a sea of tents. There were thousands of tents, and among them were also poles erected with gs emzoned with the Melki Empire''s coat of arms, which had the same number of points that star designs normally have, but each of the points of this coat of arms was arge circle that in the end connected in the middle with a smaller circle.


    The vision of that same destroyed ce had been appearing constantly in S-ss'' dreams, and it also appeared in her vision at that moment when she was watching the sea of tents. Apanied by this quick and vivid vision came a strong headache that made her put her left hand to her forehead and close her eyes for a moment.


    "Good morning! Wait, are you okay?" A gentle, sweet voice caressed the ears of Alexis who slowly opened her eyes.


    So, when she opened her eyes and looked to her right side, she saw the kind healer and alchemist who often helped her with some things. This woman was holding two iron mugs with coffee in them, and hesitated to extend one of them to Alexis when she realized that she was not doing very well.


    The half-dragon smiled a little, and reached out to take one of the coffees from the woman. "It''s just a passing migraine. More importantly, how are the survivors from yesterday?" She asked and took a sip of the coffee she received as a gift.


    "The ones you brought back from the safe-point with Matthew Oliveira?" The woman needed to confirm, because there were many survivors from war-affected neighborhoods in Oukiwa.<sub> </sub>


    "Exactly, it was a little girl and a man of about 50, her father."


    "I remember them perfectly. They were directed along with the other refugees to Boiji in thete afternoon, because their house was destroyed in the first wave, and they have no living rtives in Oukiwa."


    Alexis smiled contentedly. "I''m d they were left in peace, at least for now."


    "For now? What do you mean, ma''am? We are managing to handle the waves with the army of volunteers and adventurers, we are not doing so badly that we need pessimism." The woman did not hold back the words of her opinion, after all she was not a servant, but a schrly alchemist.


    At that moment, Alexis looked her in the eye a little more seriously and said, "Follow me."


    The two walked to the back of the half-dragon tent. There were a few dozen morerge tents, however, it was a muchrger number than there were in the small mounds ahead. Behind theserger tents was a ten-meter-high wall made of ancient stone bricks, in which there was arge hole that allowed one to see how thick this wall used to be.


    ? "I know that you came from the Imperial Capital to help here, however, I do not belittle the damage that happened in the first waves, and that continues to happen with the remaining monsters. The wall of this city used to be one of its symbols of respect, and it is broken, as are its people. We have not been able to save as many people as we would have liked, but those who are gone will surely be avenged, I guarantee you this, even if this Empire falls, I will not stop fighting."


    Seeing Alexis speaking so earnestly, the woman could not hide the blush that appeared on her face. She had be a deep admirer of this ss-S Adventurer in thest few days, and she did not doubt Alexis'' willingness at any point, she just did not approve of the negative thinking, although Alexis was more than right to reflect on everything bad that had happened to Oukiwa.


    Just the fact that one of the five major cities of the Broteforge Empire had be the epicenter of a war of suchrge scales was surely a frightening thing.


    "Understood, sorry if I was disrespectful." The alchemist spoke and looked away while sipping some coffee.


    Alexis approached her and gave the woman a weak p on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "You haven''t slept yet, have you? From the position of the moon, it should still be another two hours before dawn. Go to your tent and get some rest, the day will be long if we are to advance with this army in dir¡ª"


    As the half-dragon spoke, she saw an explosion of mes in the distance and the sound of that explosion didn''t even reach her ears, however, she still interrupted her sentence.


    "Eliza, run to the nearest bell and swing it, swing it as hard as you can." Surprised, Alexis didn''t know how to react, she just gave the orders as fast as she could as she walked towards the explosion that happened amidst the sea of tents.


    Next, dozens of explosions happened in several different ces. The constancy of the explosions illuminated the hills in the distance, beyond those on which hundreds of tents stood. On those hills farther away, thousands of monsters had been revealed, just as Alexis had seen in her dream a few minutes ago.


    As she ran towards the monsters, she just smiled, for unlike how she had been in her dream, tired, she was now well and willing to kill tens of thousands of monsters for a whole week if it were possible.


    However, when she was halfway through and watching from afar as the first warriors began to confront the horde of monsters, she heard a holeing from the sky, like thunder.


    The night was partly cloudy, with a few clouds in the sky, but it was still possible to see the moon. Then, in front of the moon something appeared, and its silhouette was evident to all who looked for the noise of the thunder amidst the explosions. This silhouette was huge, it had four legs and two wings whose wingspan was as big as the body on which they were supported.


    Alexis'' eyes widened, and he immediately used <Fist of Life>, after all this was his strongest weapon and the only one that could stop something so big. Looking at the creature that was flying over the skies, she had no doubt what that creature could be, after all its features were unique.


    ''Dragons? They can control Dragons? That''s not fair!'' sheined as she noticed although she hadn''t had the opportunity to see the creature up close.

 Chapter 285 Annihilating Monsters

    p Wide-eyed, Alexis could hardly believe his eyes. A dragon was flying over the sky of the vast area where hundreds of tents had been erected to support the Broteforgian Volunteer Army.</anda>


    ''Dragons? They can control even Dragons? That''s not fair!'' Alexis thought.


    Drops of cold sweat poured down from his forehead just from seeing that such a kind of legendary monster existed.


    The members of the army who were getting ready for battle, wearing armor and picking up weapons, looked up at the sky lit up by the constant explosions and saw the gigantic monster above the clouds. Many lost hope for their lives in the same hour.


    "What is that? I''ve never seen something so big!"


    "Could it be a Wyvern!?"


    "Ah! I don''t want to die!"


    "What are you talking about? A Wyvern is at most ten feet tall, this monster is at least ten..." A thick-voiced knight stated as he adjusted the shoulder pads of his armor. "Shall we go?" He asked the man waiting beside him.


    The other man, who had light eyes and blond hair, nodded and turned to speak to the dozens of hopeless soldiers. "Don''t mind that, the Special Squadron is with us and will surely take care of it! Archers, protect our rear, squires in front, mages get ready! Focus on the monster hordes!" He roared and raised his sword high.


    "EEEEHH!" Most people roared as well with their weapons raised.


    This man who spoke was a ss-A Adventurer who was in the first battalion that faced the second horde just a few miles from Oukiwa less than a week ago. He was one of the few who returned from the battalion, but just his return was already a huge aplishment.


    "With him by our side, we will make it!"


    "I heard that he has the ability to improve the defense of hisrades, by his side we will be protected from that creature!"


    Seeing a symbol of resistance and resilience was a crucial factor for the soldiers at that moment.


    On top of a small ridge, Alexis Dmitry watched the chaos spread in the east near the walls of Oukiwa. It was not as if before every Wave Oukiwa received a letter warning day and time, however, this time the surprise attack was certainly more cowardly than the others, for it was during the early morning hours and the day before that same army had fought thousands of other monsters.


    The Melki Empire was not letting the Broteforge Empire recover between one offensive and another, and the interval between each attack had be more and more stifling since the day of the attack on the Imperial Capital.


    Alexis was thinking about all this, and what she should do now, unlike the other times, was not to go easy on the monsters, not even the dragon. So she bent her knees, put the hands that wore gauntlets of light behind her, and leaped off the ridge toward the vanguard of the monster horde.


    ''As an S-ss, my duty here is to lighten the load for the others to be able to break the horde''s formation, meaning I have to kill as many as possible!''


    Then, when many soldiers who had already formed the horde-formation, so that they could counterattack in smaller numbers, and began to run towards the vast crowd of monsters, they saw something bright in the sky. The veterans immediately recognized the white glow, which seemed to have put fear into even the dragon, because it had disappeared among the misty clouds that were gathering in the sky above the battle.


    Then after the glownded in the middle of thousands of monsters, an explosion so intense as to shake the ground urred.


    The soldiers struggled to stand upright in the face of the tremor, digging their spears and swords into the ground, which was not the case for the monsters, who had nowhere to stand and many fell to the ground.<sub> </sub>


    As soon as Alexisnded after jumping from the summit, she had used <Divine st>, and seeing that all the monsters around her turned to dust, she was not content with so little. She used Gene''s Skill <Fist of Life>, which wrapped her hand with white, translucent gauntlets.


    Immediately, she looked back and saw a Nixudaemon, a monster of the same lineage as the Orc''s, but far more dangerous and lethal. His skin was pale blue and his body was the equivalent of two Orcs mixed together, which was probably his nature, because this monster had four muscr arms and four strange tentacles sticking out of his back.


    However, such a monster that could wipe an entire small vige off the map, was not able to cause any trouble for the S-ss. She simply charged towards him and punched him in the face with her right fist, breaking the glorious fangs from the lower part of his jaw. Nixudaemon had no time to recover after taking the punch, because Alexis amended another attack in the middle of his stomach.


    The half-dragon''s n was to have killed Nixudaemon with that second punch, but his thickyer of fat proved somewhat more effective than he had expected.


    "If that''s the way you want it, I will increase the power of my punch as much as I need to!" She eximed in mid-attack.


    The gauntlet touching Nixudaemon''s belly began to heat up and an instantter it began to rotate, forming a kind of drill. In this way, Nixudaemon''s chest was pierced without him having a chance to react. Alexis'' instincts were what made her notice that her blow would not be enough to defeat her enemy even while it was not yet over. This was her strength, her specialty, her ability to perceive the elements of battle was frightening.


    Even after showing such strength the monsters didn''t stop running towards Alexis. It''s not as if the monsters didn''t realize her genius, it''s not as if they didn''t know that the opponent in front of them was stronger than anyone present, but they simply didn''t care about any of it. A clear message echoed in their minds: kill them, kill them, kill them.


    And they simply followed the order, without question, without retreat, without fear.


    Alexis killed monster after monster with bravery as her horns glowed more and more intensely because of the excitement. When a monster took off on her, it didn''t matter to her whether it was a High Goblin, a Prum, or an Aarakocras, as she simply annihted monster after monster without stopping, even though she received cuts and scrapes.


    However, this monster horde was even bigger than the previous ones. No matter how many monsters Alexis killed, more monsters filled the spaces she tried to create.


    At one point, she finally found herself pressed. She was using <Finder''s Tails> to defend herself from the blowsing from various directions, which didn''t leave her totally without attack options like that, but there were so many monsters around that he couldn''t even find gaps to strike them withoutpromising himself.


    ''Shit, the soldiers didn''t advance as far as I expected.... I have to get out of here, otherwise I''m going to die.'' The S-ss concluded.


    The hundred or so soldiers who were trying to advance on the monster army had been standing still for some time, as, many soldiers in the vanguard died and those in the rear couldn''t cover the gaps, asioning more deaths. Now, part of the formation was ruined, which meant that all of Alexis'' efforts were about to be thrown in the trash.


    Still, Alexis hoped that if she could get together with the other soldiers, they had a chance to hold out until reinforcements arrived.


    However, there was still something in the skies that worried not only Alexis, but all the rest of the army. The dragon appeared again, this time under the clouds that now covered the moonpletely, so that only the glow of gene skills, explosions and fire arrows illuminated the battlefield.


    In this dark ce, Alexis was like a beacon to the monsters, because of the white glow of the gauntlets she wore.


    At one point, Alexis was less than thirty meters away from reaching the vanguard of the Volunteer Army, and coincidentally, or not, this was the moment that the dragon roared the loudest. The timbre of its roar was so loud that everyone felt the bones in their bodies tremble, and the S-ss was no exception.


    Alexis looked up and realized that the dragon was getting closer and closer to the ground. Although the monster had not attacked yet, everyone felt that the moment it attacked would be the end of the entire Broteforgian army present, after all, no one could reach it in the sky. However, when the monster finally decided to act, he did something that literally no one present could even imagine.


    In a swift swooping maneuver, the dragon dove towards the battlefield, and then opened its huge jaws. Quickly, blue rays like those that could be seen in the sky on rainy days were generated around its fangs, and then everything was shot out as a single beam of energy in the middle of the army of monsters.

 Chapter 286 The Surprise Element

    As the Dragon fired bursts of energy at the Monster Army, the entire Broteforgian Army, at least the members present on the battlefield, werepletely in shock.


    No one understood why the dragon was attacking those who were theoretically its allies, but deep down they were relieved that they were not the targets of the gigantic monster.


    Each dragon attack devastated everything in its path, killing millions of monsters and leaving thend it hit in an energized, or rather electrified, state. The ground shook intensely and the sound resonated for miles, from theke that divided Vasconcelos, to the newest outpost of the Melki Empire, on the shores of the East Sea.


    Alexis was at a loss to understand why the dragon was helping, as was everyone else, however, unlike most she was not convinced of victory, and continued to do her best to kill as many monsters as possible.


    This horde of monsters was very close to Oukiwa City, and should the Broteforge Volunteer Army not be able to contain the attack, Oukiwa was going to be devastated by the monsters. Should Oukiwa be erased from the map of the Broteforge Empire, Melki would have free passage to Vasconcelos, a much smaller city, the Cities in the North, and to the Imperial Capital. This would not mean that the war was lost, however, it would certainly be a hard blow and difficult for Broteforge to recover from.


    Besides, Oukiwa had three Dungeons, and if the monsters were reallying from Dungeon Breaks, well, the demons would have an efficient way to expand their army and a defeat in numbers would be inevitable.


    Broteforge depended on Oukiwa staying, and everyone on the continent knew that. Therefore, this war was no longer just strategic, but also a war of resistance for the Broteforge Empire.


    With this in mind, Alexis didn''t rest for even a second during that early morning hours, keeping his eyes on the dragon''s every move.


    The moment people saw the S-ss'' efforts to turn the course of the battle alongside the ck-scaled dragon, they felt motivated to do their best as well.


    When the sun rose in the morning, the clouds that made the sky hazy were already far away on the horizon. The first warm rays of the sun touched the faces of the soldiers as if they were ball of wool caressing them, as the bodies of most of the soldiers filled with cold blood and open wounds.


    "Are there many monsters missing?" The leader of one battalion asked as he pulled his steel sword from the head of a Superior Goblin.


    He looked back and saw his tenpanions were fighting with a small group of other Fomoris, a distorted humanoid figure monster whose skin was pale, almost white. The Fomoris almost always carried prehistoric wooden sticks in their hands, as well as wearing some very old clothing rags.


    "We''re managing, go help the others!" The man in the long mage cloak pointed to the left, where there was a Goblorc, a type of Elder Goblin who usuallymandsrge groups of Superior Goblins and also amon Floor Boss in Dungeons.


    This four-meter tall, green-skinned monster was giving trouble to a few dozen soldiers, because most of them were tired and the Goblorc was much stronger than ordinary monsters.


    However, neither the Goblorc, nor the soldiers, expected that the dragon would once again dive from the sky towards the battlefield and that it would crush the Goblorc bynding on top of it. The Broteforgian soldiers were startled and unconsciously raised their weapons at the dragon.


    The dragon looked like an even more frightening being up close. His scales were thick like the shields some Tank ss warriors carried, his appearance fierce to say the least, and his scent was pure death.


    The front paw over Goblorc''s head moved for a moment, and the dragon noticed that the green monster below him was still alive and resisting. Quickly the dragon made a little push with his leg and exploded the Goblorc''s head, unintentionally throwing brains at the soldiers.


    A few hundred soldiers gathered around the Dragon in less than a minute, all with their weapons ready to attack.


    Although it was surrounded, the dragon still looked at the humans with an air of superiority, with its chin up and its wings retracted.


    No one dared to attack the dragon without amander''s order, just as nomander dared to give such a foolish order. The dragon, despite being a monster, had helped them.


    When it got tired of waiting, the dragon sighed through its nostrils, frightening all the soldiers, who were paralyzed in the same instant with fear of an attack. However, the dragon''s reason for sighing was out of boredom, for as he gave up waiting, he spoke aloud:


    "Where is Alexis Dmitry, the half-dragon?"


    His voice reverberated for hundreds of feet, surprising anyone who heard it. Everyone knew from the first moment the dragon helped them that there was something wrong with that dragon, but hearing him speak a humannguage was beyond anyone''s wildest expectations.


    Immediately, buzz began to appear among the human army about who the imposing dragon was speaking.


    Of course, everyone knew the name of the S-ss Adventurer who was helping everyone on the Front Line, however, almost no one was bold enough to speak her location.<sub> </sub>


    Upon hearing her name, Alexis immediately began walking through the crowd to the front of the dragon. Her horns caught the attention of the people in front of her, and she didn''t even need to ask permission for people to make way for her.


    The moment she crossed the space bounded by the very soldiers surrounding the dragon, she looked up, aiming for the dragon''s eyes.


    For the first time, he lowered his head to look at the small woman in front of him. She was wearing armor with reddish scaly details, and a small silver tiara on top of her head, which somewhat emphasized the magnificence of her horns.


    As soon as the eyes of the two crossed, the dragon inquired, "Are you really Alexis Dmitry?"


    "Yes, and what are you?" Her voice did not tremble, because she was not afraid of the dragon. She had watched the dragon fight all night, so she knew she could beat it.


    The dragon answered himself with questioning, not because that was unusual, but because it was exactly what Luke Lange asked when he met him.


    Upon being questioned, the dragon lowered its head and shrunk its wings. A ck smoke explosion happened around him, making all the soldiers desperate for a second. Alexis didn''t move a muscle.


    With a snap of his fingers the dragon was able to create a gale, which dispersed all the smoke he created.


    Everyone immediately looked up as they noticed the smoke dispersing, only they found nothing.


    "Ow! Where did the monster go?!"


    "Ready your weapons!"


    "I wonder if it was a distraction...?"


    "What happened?"


    The confused inquiries of the soldiers were answered only a secondter, that is, the questions about where the dragon was were oveid with inquiries about who the man was who had appeared in the midst of everyone. This man had gray hair and an above average stature that made an ordinary soldier look like a pre-teen next to him, in addition, he was wearing a strange outfit that set him apart from everyone else.


    "Do you want to know what I am? Or who I am, young man?" Ogne asked, looking her still in the eyes.


    Alexis noticed that therge horns the dragon disyed were exactly like the pair of horns on the man''s head, which were also very simr to hers in shape.


    The half-dragon''s eyebrows rose. "Are you... like me?"


    Ogne smiled at her. "Yes, and where Ie from there are hundreds like us. We need to talk, not only alone, but also as a group. Get your leaders together."


    *


    The victory of that early morning in the face of such adversity against the monsters certainly went down in history. Suffering a surprise attack, having smaller numbers than the enemy and almost suffering a shameful defeat could have been the end for Oukiwa, however, the dragon''s help totally changed the course of the battle.


    Still, hundreds of humans died that night, and not only their bodies were to be cremated, but also the bodies of many monsters that, for some reason, did not fall apart. It was not time to celebrate victory, at least not yet. Literally at any moment another surprise attack could happen, so everyone needed to try to recover as quickly as possible and stay prepared.


    In light of this, the main leaders of the Broteforge Empire gathered as quickly as they could, which took less than a day, because most of them were in the Imperial Capital, except for Rebeka, the Pontiff of the Cardinal Church, because she needed to stay in the Cardinal Kingdom, protecting it.


    At first, many found the sudden summons strange, for they were managing everything involved in a war after battles. Food, weapons, potions, building materials, orders and many other things were the factors that determined how long an army wouldst, besides the political squabbles. However, this summons was more than justified when these people heard about what had happened in East Oukiwa.


    Certainly to hear that the Volunteer Army had managed to resist yet another wave wasmendable, but the fact that they had received unusual help was the event that frightened them.

 Chapter 287 The Message

    The greatest leaders of the Broteforge Empire had gathered at the request of Alexis Dmitry, a ss-S Adventurer whom everyone had learned to admire and respect since the sudden outbreak of war.


    At arge table in the Imperial Pce sat the most important figures in Broteforge.


    Seven of the Ninemanders of the Noble Families were present, missing only the two leaders of the Smakusa Family, who had been missing since the two days leading up to the Continental War, as well as all their rtives.


    Leaders of powerful ns who nowmanded the main defense forces of the Imperial Capital were also seated at the table. Most of them carried their entricity, but it was exactly the fact that they were outsiders that made them stand out from the majority and also what made them as powerful and influential as some of themanders of the Noble Families.


    Besides them, at the right end of the table sat the person with the greatest decisive power in the entire Broteforge Empire, namely Emperor Cant. He was a young man, but also very responsible. The Emperor''s thirst for victory was probably the greatest in the entire kingdom, surpassing that of Alexis, Luke, Ayumi, and anyone else besides himself; after all, Cant had wives and children he would protect with his life if he had to, and he also carried the legacy of his entire family, as well as all the expectations of his father, the former Emperor.


    At this table, one person stood out from the rest, more than the Nobles, n Leaders and the Emperor. This person had short white hair of old age, bulky muscles, and a height well above average. This was Ogen, an old half-dragon.


    Ogen was an experienced man, very experienced, so he could read that the situation in that hall was even more tense than when he fought Luke Lange a few weeks ago.


    Of course, no one there doubted the old man''s ability to really transform himself into a fifteen-meter tall dragon with ck scales, for the event had been reported by thousands of soldiers and broadcast for hours in meetings prior to the one required by Ogen; however, it wasn''t every day that people heard about a man who was able to transform himself into a monster, and it became even more unbelievable to the Leaders of Broteforge when they heard that this same being helped rather than annihted the Broteforgian Army.


    There was the possibility that it was all true and that the man really did have pure intentions, but this help could also be a way of trying to distract or deceive them, those two always being the first alternative for strange people and strange events.


    "What are you?" Ayumi was the first among the leaders to address words to Ogen.


    The beauty of the Strogueher Matriarch was mind-blowing most days, but receiving her suspicious gaze conveyed an unbearable feeling to most people, like a warning not to tease or underestimate her.


    Ogen didn''t seem to mind this look. With arms crossed and eyes clenched in boredom, he yawned and replied, "A half-dragon."


    Ayumi continued with an unflinching expression. "Of that we already know, and that is perhaps undeniable because of your horns like Alexis Dmitry''s. So I am basically asking your name, the ce youe from and what yourmand position is, so we will know how to address you."


    The dragon noted that there was no use gettingzy now, nor being proud. This meeting could decide the fate of the entire continent and even the entire world, including his people and his Lord, so Ogen began to understand that he couldn''t be ignorant and end up messing everything up.


    ''I have to make my Lord proud.'' He thought as he uncrossed his arms and adopted a posture more appropriate to the situation. Ogen ced his right hand on his chest subtly and stated, ''My name is Ogen Griffin, of the Griffin n, thest half-dragon n in existence. I am one of the Three Great Dragons who protect the half-dragon people, but today I am not a protector, but an emissary."


    Thanks to this more human presentation, the people at the table could be a little more reassured. Ayumi already had this in mind, as Alexis warned her that the hours she spent with him were terribly long due to his bad personality, and that was exactly why the Strogueher Matriarch requested an introduction for her.


    The Emperor ced his hand on his chin as he stared at Ogen. "Right, Mr. Griffin. I confess I''ve never heard about someone with the ability to transform into a monster like you can, but I''m not surprised, this world is fantastic and giant, people with unique abilities appear all the time. By the way, I would like to introduce myself, I am the Emperor of Broteforge, you can call me by myst name, Cant, and I am extremely curious about what your goal is with us, not just about you." Affirmed the man with ck hair and crimson eye.


    Usually, Emperor Cant was quite smug, however, since the war started this trait of his personality was severely hurt.


    "As I said, today I am just an emissary. Have you guys ever heard of Luke Lange?" Ogen asked.


    In the same hour, the expression of most of the people at the table changed. Luke Lange was a recognizable name to any inhabitant of the Broteforge Empire, but especially important to the people in that hall, because they knew the truth about where he was, a truth that the normal inhabitants and soldiers did not know.


    Ayumi Yamazaki and Alexis Dmitry stood next to each other at the table and immediately looked at each other. They already knew that Ogen had a message to reveal, however, he refused to say who it was from until everyone was gathered.<sub> </sub>


    "He speaks of the half-wolf, doesn''t he?" Hollorius, leader of the Escadron d''incendie n, asked. After the tournament, Hollorius tried to approach Luke to convince him to join his n, but had his attempt thwarted.


    Jimbe Colto was wearing a confused expression. "Him? It''s been many weeks since I''ve heard about him."


    "His mission status is not being disclosed." Amanda Hangen exined to Jimbe, to her left at the table.


    Batista, a Secr, was standing with his arms crossed and also frowned upon hearing about Luke. "Isn''t this that crazy man who is on that suicide mission?"


    "Yes, yes, I''ve had a chance to talk with him.... Certainly an interesting individual~." Mika ?kerman said.


    The Emperor remained silent.


    Ayumi restrained the urge to ask how Luke was doing, after all it had been weeks since Amelia Hangen had gotten in touch with him and Meredith. At the time, they had not crossed their ranges yet.


    However, while Ayumi''s main personality traits were to be calm and rational, Alexis was pretty much going in the opposite direction, so she quickly asked:


    "How is Luke? Is he alive?" From theck of contact, the S-ss feared that the worst could have happened and constantly needed to try to forget about it by delving deeper and deeper into the heated battles of the Front Line, but upon hearing Luke''s name mentioned she couldn''t help herself.


    "Um..." Ogen crossed her arms and thought for a moment before answering. "The half-wolf is fine if that''s what you want to know, however, even he can''t tell you how long he will be like this. The day after I took you to my people''snd, it started attacking again.... You must know what it is."


    Ayumi immediately looked down at the table, breaking into a cold sweat. Ogen could only be talking about the curse that afflicted Luke and one of the reasons Ayumi was so worried about this trip Luke and Meredith decided to take.


    Manilyn presented a theory of how to cure her, which would be by killing the creator of the scroll that cursed him. However, the only clue they had about this person was the name: Bukavac.


    Before the half-wolf''s girlfriends could say anything more, the Emperor finally interfered. He politely stood up so that he could speak and exulted:


    "Luke is a man, I''m sure he''s fine. The proof is that, even in the difficult situation he has put himself in, he thinks about this nation and its people, not to mention that he is apparently responsible for Ogening to Broteforge, which allowed us to defeat the Fourth Wave. Certainly, the message you bring is very important, isn''t it, Mr. Griffin?"


    Ogen sighed and nodded. "Luke said that under current conditions, the Broteforge Empire cannot defeat the demons, and that you must pull back your forces..."


    "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Jiyo, the Sensory Magician whomands the


    Special Forces of Broteforge and who had been silent until that moment, suddenly stood up from his chair upon hearing Ogen''s words. "RETREAT IS NOT AN OPTION! NO MATTER WHO SAYS SO!"


    "Calm down, Jiyo. The man is not finished yet." Kristofer ordered. The leader of the Hunter Owls n was being in a chair near the corner of the table, wearing his original blue Yukata.


    "Khum!" Ogen cleared his throat. "It may just be the ravings of someone debilitated, but while Luke was sleeping, he was also talking. The first day, the words that came out of his mouth were indecipherable, like innocent whispers. However, as that week progressed, he began to talk about a blonde woman, about a half-moon, until when he finally woke up, he said he knew how to not only stop the advance of the Melki Empire, but also defeat the demons forever."


    At that moment, no one at the table knew how to react. Normally, they would not believe such empty wordsing from a stranger, however, if it was true that Luke knew how to win, they felt they could not doubt. The half-wolf had proven to most at that table that he was someone special, but could the future of one of the greatest Empires in history be entrusted to a mere former thief?

 Chapter 288 Hair That Shines Like Moonlight

    ''Huh? Bubbles?'' Luke thought.


    In his vision, everything was gradually getting darker. At the same time as he felt lightness in his body at that moment, he also felt his body sinking deeper and deeper.


    ''Where am I?''


    His mind was sleepy, and he could remember almost nothing. Thest thing he could remember was being at a dinner party a few seconds before. At the table were Meredith, the Lord and his wife, however, after a certain part Luke couldn''t remember anything else from the dinner, but all he had to do was try a little harder and he would remember.


    ''Was I poisoned? No, that''s impossible... They looked as desperate and surprised as Meredith...''


    The half-wolf was managing to recover some shes of memory with great momentum, and now he could clearly see thest moments of that unassuming dinner to which the Lord had invited him.


    At that moment, Luke had nned to let Meredith rest for two days on the Flying Isles, and he would use that time to learn all about the Melki Empire from Wanney and the half-dragons, but that n was interrupted on the first day.


    ''Hah... That feeling in my chest, I''ve felt it before.'' He thought, cing his right hand over his heart. ''It''s the same as that time...''


    A pain so strong in his chest that it was capable of expelling every molecule of oxygen from his lungs, that was Luke''s definition for the pain he was feeling. This terrible stimulus had been marked deep in Luke''s mind ever since Manilyn revealed that the reasons he lost consciousness sometimes was not because he was sick, but because he was cursed.


    Now Luke felt as if he was sinking deeper and deeper into a deepke. He could see in the form of bubbles in the water the oxygen escaping from his lungs. He could also feel the pressure of the water around him gradually getting stronger, heavier, and unbearable. The once clear glow was now distant, indicating that he had long since moved away from the surface.


    ''That''s my... limit?'' Luke looked down at his own outstretched hands, reaching for the light. ''You guys haven''t given up yet, have you?'' Looking at the palm of his right hand, which was struggling bravely, he smiled bitterly with squeezed eyes.


    Suddenly, Luke felt someone touch his hand and pull it away. Surprised, he opened a slit in his eyes so that he could see who was touching him in such a hurry.


    As he opened his eyes with difficulty, the first thing Luke saw was a blonde woman swimming towards him in that darkke. Her hair shone like moonlight and her face was beautiful like a mermaid''s.


    She took him by the hand, and at that moment Luke felt the drowsy state of his consciousness return to normal. Suddenly an aura enveloped him, and they both reached the surface of theke.


    Stunned, Luke looked down, thus seeing that he was flying over an infinite water surface. The water in this ce was calm and undisturbed, like still water in a puddle after a long storm. This water reflected the blue sky over Luke, like an endless mirror.


    But while Luke noticed all this, he also stared at the woman in front of him. She was floating as well, holding his right hand as she did inside theke.


    "Who-who are you really?" Luke asked, breaking into a cold sweat. The time inside theke seemed to havested an eternity.


    She smiled, looking at him fondly. "I told you to look for me, didn''t I? You''d find out if you did."


    Luke looked away. "I was going to do that...at some point, but now that you''re already here in front of me, things have made it easier."


    "Um! I wish things were that simple." The woman looked at the horizon. "This ce is beautiful, don''t you think?"


    <o>,m "Certainly... Where are we? In the sky?"</o>


    "Bhuahaha! Do you really think things like heaven and hell exist? Bhuahaha!" The woman startedughing so hard that she put her hands on her stomach.


    With clenched eyes, the half-wolf didn''t see where the funny was, yet for some reason he unconsciously smiled a little at seeing herugh so casually. ''Laughing like that, she reminds me a little of Ayumi, but certainly with a mix of Meredith and Alexis'' personality.'' He thought.


    The woman wiped away the tears on her face and slowly stoppedughing. "All right, all right, I understand that it''s not like you humans to know that sort of thing."<sub> </sub>


    Luke crossed his arms and kept a serious expression. "What are you talking about? Do you think you''re some kind of goddess or something?"


    The woman''s gaze became a little more serious, but she still disyed an amused smile. "What am I? That''s a tricky question to answer, even more so than the others... Well, I have lived many lives, had many names, seen this world born and also know how it will end. Some may call me a divine being and worship me, others may see me as a creature even more evil than the demons. However, in reality I am the bnce that bnces the order of this world, and I am also the one who will seal the fate of all mankind when the timees. If the world is peaceful, I should be the person responsible for causing chaos, and if you are evil, I would be the herald of peace."


    With his eyebrows arched from such surprise, the half-wolf looked at her and just asked, "You didn''t mean that you WERE the scales of this world, did you?"


    She smiled once again, put her right hand on her chin and rested her right arm on her chin. "Now I understand why fate led you to me." The woman said as she nodded. "At one point in history, the spirit world of our world suddenly collided with another, a world of pure chaos, a world where your scales abandoned their duty or just couldn''t reverse the chaos they created. When this happened, I used everything I had to try to stop what you humans call an irruption. In the end, I was able to stop it, but I didn''t have enough strength to kick out the doors that connect our world to that other world."


    "The Dungeons."


    "Exactly... The first thing I thought after I finally managed to stop the irruption was that I should try to look for clues in these structures and make sure to seal each of them, however, I was weak, very weak, and one day I thought I would stop and rest for a while. I just woke up when you touched me..." She suddenly looked at Luke with a downcast look and a slightly flushed face.


    "DON''T TALK THAT WAY, YOU CRAZY WOMAN!" He punched her weakly in the head, crossed his arms, and turned his face away.


    "Ouch, ouch... I was just kidding! Hahaha!"


    "Humph! From what I''ve picked up, you''re into me then, somehow, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, I''ve been hitching a ride with you since the day you touched that sign on the second floor of Oukiwa Dungeon."


    "So, it was at that door with countless skulls.... Damn the day I agreed to enter a Dungeon..."


    The woman put both hands on her waist. "Hey! Are you saying you wish you hadn''t met me!?"


    "No doubt about it." He answered without hesitation. "Now answer me, why have you stayed with me all this time? Can''t you get out?"


    The serious expression returned to her face. "Unfortunately, I lost most of my powers when I paused the irruption. Even after resting for a few hundred years in that Dungeon, I still couldn''t recover enough even to form a material body, I''m afraid that perhaps the solution this time is not time. Therefore, it is more advantageous for me to help you stop the demons than to simply continue falling asleep..."


    "I see... So, since I am seeing you and can touch you, is this a spirit world?"


    "Luke, that is your soul, at least a part of it. Normally, my current strength would not be capable of greater things than putting subliminal messages into your dream and watching your journey, but as the curse increased, your soul fragmented a bit and that allowed me to travel through the cracks into your consciousness."


    "In other words, the curse allowed me to get to know you.... So, I suppose you know a way to stop the demons, don''t you? In the beginning you clearly said, ''I am a Goddess who has experienced the past, the present, and the future, and you are inferior to me!''"


    "Hey! I didn''t say that!"


    "Are you sure? That''s how I heard it..."


    "Hmmm! Yes, I know several ways we can stop the demons." She tossed her blonde hair to the side and turned her face away. "However, the collision of two worlds hurts the natural order. What does that mean? I will exin it to someone like a brass mind like yours. Each world has its parameters and it is as a basis on them that I, as a scales, can calcte all possible probabilities to keep the bnce, thus knowing everything that will happen and anywhere in the world. When another world enters the field, parameters foreign to the scales are entered, and since I don''t know what each parameter can do exactly, things get confusing."


    "In other words, are you as useful as an ordinary war strategist? You know everything about your side, but virtually nothing about the other side." Luke articted.


    A vein began to pop out of the woman''s forehead. "I hate to admit it, but you''re right. However, I''m not just a strategist, I''m the best there ever was. And I don''t need to know everything about the enemy to say with certainty that the strategy the Broteforge Empire is following will not end with the defeat of the demons."

 Chapter 289 Sacrifice

    Upon hearing the words spoken by the scale, Luke looked down,pletely shocked.


    "Don''t you feel that too, Luke Lange? Isn''t that why you decided not to remain in the Broteforge Empire?" The woman asked, looking into the eyes of the man in front of her.


    The half-wolf was fully aware that the direction in which the Broteforge was heading with the current strategy was not one of victory, yet hearing this from another person was frightening.


    No, actually it was not because he heard it from someone else, but because he heard it from that being of supposedly divine origin.


    At that moment, Luke put his left hand behind his head and began rubbing his hair. "Ahhh! You''re right! Are you satisfied!? I abandoned my friends because I didn''t trust the n of any of thosemanders. I tried to say in those meetings that adopting a defensive position not knowing the numbers of the enemy army was a dumb decision, but I also understand that there''s no way to be aggressive in a war without sacrificing some things, and based on what I''ve seen, the Emperor isn''t willing to sacrifice anything."


    Scales let out a little air through his nose upon hearing that. "One of the greatest lessons I can teach humanity is that there are no results without sacrifices. For a warrior to be strong, he must put in effort. For a jar to be created, the natural state of the y is molded with effort, time and technique. Do you understand what I am saying? Sacrifice is not the end, but only a means to achieve something. If you choose not to sacrifice anything, you are already sacrificing the chance to win and thus the oue bes predictable..."


    "..." Luke was silent for a few seconds.


    Until suddenly he looked at her again with an expression of conformation and inquired:


    "All right, what do you know that might help us? Am I not on the right track? Did I cross the border between the two nations for no reason?"


    "You think that was without reason? Luke, I told you, there are no bnced parameters when two worlds cross the same path, there is no right or wrong now. You have crossed the border and found new allies, and no one knows what these new allies might do for you soon. The right future has already been altered once, and when that happened, it became more malleable than ever." She spoke, cing her hands behind her lower back. "I cannot guarantee that the path along which I guide you will be a guaranteed victory over the demons, but I am sure that it will be a better future than the one you follow. If you can understand that, I will follow by your side, guiding you, however, you must know your own limits, because there is a price for that as well."


    "I know my limits."


    "Do you really, or do you just think you do?"


    "What are you talking about?" Luke was confused. He knew he was still weakpared to the strongest people in the world.


    However, the woman looked down with a downcast look, making the half-wolf understand on the spot that she was not talking about strength.


    "Luke, it is sad to say this, but your curse is advancing faster and faster, and it is fragmenting your soul. For now, this is what allows me tomunicate with you, however, soon your body will be just an empty shell."


    The half-wolf looked into the eyes of the scale and realized that this was not one of his jokes.


    Then he sighed and looked up at the blue sky, where white clouds were passing over them, wooing them. Although not one of the smartest people in the world, Luke understood that his own life was the sacrifice necessary to follow the best strategy, to go with the guidance of the being that once ruled the entire world, yet now that same being had the humility to make such a human request.


    "Then that will be the end of me, won''t it?" Luke inquired in a serene voice.


    The woman frowned. "Will you really ept death so that I can guide you?"


    "Ever since I became a thief, I knew I would not die in peace.... A world where I don''t have to do anything, that is my ideal world, and I know that may seem like a rather juvenile thought, but if there is peace after my death, I will be happy. Nevertheless, I wish to actually make a deal with you."


    "A deal?"


    "I want you to promise me that after we are done with the demons, you will leave the world in peace for a few hundred years, abdicating your duty as scales during that time." The half-wolf asked earnestly.<sub> </sub>


    She was about to vehemently deny this request, but seeing the downcast look on Luke''s face touched her heart. "All right, I think the inhabitants of this world deserve a little peace after so much chaos."


    "Right. Then we will seal the agreement that for as long as it takes, you will be my mind-strategy and I will be your body-physical to aplish our goal."


    At that point, Luke extended his right hand to the scales.


    She looked at his hand and saw the huge amount of calluses. That was proof that besides being very talented, the half-wolf was someone who was hard working, and looking at that hand, Scales felt that there was indeed no better person to help her get the world back to normal, help her perhaps get her powers back.


    "Okay, so listen to my n carefully, I won''t keep repeating it." She squeezed Luke''s right hand with her right hand and spoke.


    *


    As soon as she finished telling Luke her n, he almost couldn''t believe that she wasn''t joking. Her n was simply the craziest and most unbelievable, but also the one that made the most sense looking broadly at all the features and strategy options the Broteforge Empire had.


    Her idea was not to sacrifice the Broteforgian Army in a crazy onught towards the Melki Empire, nor to bribe the high-ranking officers of her opponents, let alone to seek reinforcements elsewhere in the world, which was also a probability.


    What Scale had in mind was to pull back and reprogram the Army''s battle function at that point. Thergest number of soldiers were in Oukiwa, on the front lines of the war, but there were also tens of thousands scattered inrger cities, and a few thousand in smaller towns, making the total number of enlisted men not really actively participating in the war.


    Emperor Cant''s first war strategy to fend off the hordes was to use the number of soldiers originating from each city to defend the cities they were already in. Therefore, cities withrger numbers of inhabitants had a more voluminous defense.


    However, thinking this way was the same as wasting thousands of soldiers defending cities that were probably not targeted by the Melki Empire, nor by the demons. To deduce that, just as in any other war, the Melki Empire had goals to achieve made it clear that they wanted to dominate the cities that had Dungeons first, and those that didn''t, really didn''t interest them.


    This goal was obvious when looking at a map that by dominating the Parato Inds, Melki had ess to the entire east coast of the Broteforge Empire, including Forge Hill, arge mining town near Forge Hill, but they still did not attack it. Of course, after a few defeats against Oukiwa the demons could choose to advance against Forge Hill, take it down and move on to the Cardinal Kingdom, another city with Dungeon. Since the Cardinal Kingdom had the most powerful city and the most powerful Adventurers in the Broteforge Empire, an action like this would be the same as provoking the Secrs and Sensory Mages, so the Melki Empire had not yet had the audacity to do this.


    In the end, there were only four targets left for the monsters to attack: Oukiwa, Vasconcelos, Sheltered Halvoy, and the Ind belonging to the Daren Family in the West, where Death Row was located.


    Vasconcelos was protected between Oukiwa, the mountain ranges and Sheltered Halvoy, the Imperial Capital.


    The Ind of the Patriarch Rujierd Daren was in an inhospitable ce in the middle of the sea, but overpowering it could be an even greater challenge than attacking the Imperial Capital, becauserge natural structures isted it from the rest of the continent.


    So there were only two target options left: Oukiwa and Sheltered Halvoy, and these were exactly the two targets chosen for the First Wave, Oukiwa City being the main target, because of all the problems and conflicts that had gued it in the past months, making it not as powerful a city as it once was.


    Looking in such a panoramic way, Luke felt that everything seemed to have been nned in advance by the First Servant, as he had deduced a few months ago.


    However, Scales'' n could counteract any and all previous ns of the greatest among the demons. Her idea was to pull the poption back from the small towns to the fiverge cities, making the Broteforgian Army''s efforts more focused and the logistics less fragmented.


    "That was your n? Group everyone together?" Luke looked at the blonde woman with his eyes clenched, not believing it. "¨¦... isn''t that pretty simple?"


    At that moment, Scales inted her cheeks and turned her face away. "Idiot! That''s only the first part of the n, now we need to find a way to warn the leaders of the Broteforge Empire of this and get them to agree."

 Chapter 290 1509

    When Ogne revealed the first stage of Luke''s n to the leaders of Broteforge, they thought it was absurd. In fact, this was the exact same reaction as Luke himself when he heard the same n the moment the blond-haired woman told him.


    However, just as with the half-wolf, they pondered the possibility.


    The Broteforge Empire was able to withstand Four Waves, but thest wave was a hard-fought victory that they narrowly missed. It was undeniable that Luke, unlike the Broteforge Empire itself, was managing to make headway, as he got such a powerful ally in a few weeks of travel. What else could Luke have discovered?


    The leaders of Broteforge were already feeling the immense pressure of a terrible future approaching, so they all knew they needed at least a breakthrough, but would this breakthrough they so desperately sought be by going backwards?


    "What do you guys think? The idea is working and has consistent pirs, however, it is a risk, it is a sacrifice." The Emperor pointed to everyone at that table as he ced both hands on it. He had his fingers crossed and this was the first time that the Emperor seemed really undecided.


    Kristofer, leader of the Hunter Owls n, raised his hand to speak. "If I may be allowed to be the first to speak, I will give my opinion. I am against ceding our smaller cities to Melki, that would be asking too much of all its citizens. They would need to leave their homes, their jobs, their trades, all without there being a guarantee that when they return, those assets will still be there."


    Mika ?kerman soon rebutted his statement, revealing her opinion as well. "Assets? There will be no point in having assets if they are not alive. Should we win this war, they will get back everything they''ve ever conquered. Ask a father whether he would rather keep his home or his son''s life, and he will answer you without hesitation."


    Despite the frank words, the Sensory Magician articted them in a way that Kristofer did not feel thwarted, but rather inclined to ept the n.


    "Miss ?kerman is right." Amanda Hangen stated. She stood with her arms crossed, highlighting her huge muscles. "I know that this n will sacrifice everything I have, an entire town, yet every day I feel more frustrated to be here, safe, away from the citizens who inhabit Forge Hill. The history of that town is millennia old, descending from the first Hangen, but protecting a legacy won''t be worth it if it ends up forming shame."


    These statementsing from one of the most powerful Nobles of all time certainly made quite an impact on the people sitting at the table.


    After that, Barret ced his wooden bow on the table, causing a grave noise to echo through the hall. "I don''t know who this Luke Lange guy is, and I don''t know what he''s done to be so respected by you guys, so I can''t trust his n blindly. Besides, Boiji is the town where I grew up, I will not ept its destruction."


    Alexis Dmitry sighed upon hearing these words from an oldpanion. "Barret, I know you are a Secr now, but you are here to vote for this strategy or not, regardless of what is decided, we will all help carry them out. Mr. Griffin also pointed out that there are moreter steps if we decide to pursue Luke''s idea."


    "I know, I know. You don''t have to remind me of that," Barretined.


    "If you want, I can contact Rebeca so we can find out her opinion on all this. I know there are Secrs and Sensory Magi here, however, the Pontiff has a right to be able to participate in such a defining decision." Amelia spoke up. She was on Ayumi Yamazaki''s right side and Alexis Dmitry was on the left.


    "Please, Miss Hangen." The Emperor allowed.


    So Amelia stepped forward, ced both right hands on the table, sighed and used <Astral Projection>.


    Reba was surprised in her living room by a wide beam of light whose colors ranged from purple to dark blue. Obviously, she recognized this strange phenomenon.


    In moments, the beam of light expanded, transforming itself into a rectangr table that the first characteristic was that it was very long. On this table, there were more than two dozen people easily recognizable to Reba, both because of her familiarity with these people, and because they were all figures from the Broteforge Empire.


    She was quite shocked to see them united after so long, and a strange feeling of uneasiness gued her heart as soon as she noticed the serious expression of all of them.


    "Good evening,dies and gentlemen. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" The Pontiff asked, rising from thefortable armchair at her desk.<sub> </sub>


    In the hall in the Imperial Capital, everyone could see Reba as a huge hologram above Amelia''s head, who had her eyes closed and was concentrating so as not to lose the connection.


    The Matriarch of the Strogueher was the one who stood up and exined the situation to Rebeca, who was surprised that Oukiwa was close to falling during the early morning hours, but not so much because the defense strategy of the Broteforge Empire was decided so quickly that it certainly opened gaps for the enemy to take advantage of, or rather, by being outnumbered against such a simple strategy, the demons didn''t even have to worry about Broteforge''s strategy, because it was only a matter of time before they lost.


    ? "Got it... The current strategy is working, however, we can''t know how long it will continue this way. How many have died in those first few weeks?" Reba inquired, putting her right fist over her lips, denouncing her concern.


    Emperor Cant was in the middle of turning around to ask the imperial guard who was collecting this information, but Alexis answered the same second the question was asked.


    "One thousand five hundred and nine people by the Fourth Wave. There are a significant number of missing people as well, these who may have been devoured by the monsters, butchered, or worse."


    All was silent for a few seconds after the S-ss Adventurer spoke, until the Pontiff sighed and said:


    "The exorbitant death toll for such a new war is proof that the fate that awaits Broteforge is not what we long for. I trust the final decision you will make, and I also trust Mr. Lange. He has been helping with the investigation of the demons and this possible war from the very beginning, so there is no better person for us to listen to. When you finally decide you are in favor of his n, let me know, I have some ideas for the rapid transportation of citizens from one city to another."


    After that, Amelia Hangen deactivated the <Astral Projection> ability, sweating with sweat. However, there was something different in the looks of everyone sitting at the table, something different from when Amelia had closed her eyes. Most of the figures were looking more determined, and a few showed a frustrated look.


    The Emperor looked at each person''s face and spoke:


    "This is the best way. Should it be proven that Mr. Griffin is indeed an envoy of Luke Lange, Mr. Lange is right, there are no gains without sacrifices. I know that everyone present here has already sacrificed a lot, it''s just that maybe that''s not enough."


    On the faces of the Secrs and the Sensory Magi the shame was stamped. Most of them knew the information about the amount of dead from these first weeks.


    The first to react from them was Jiyo. He stood up and bowed his head with a serious countenance. "I and everyone I represent in the Special Squadron are in favor of the change in strategy. If approved, wemit to the execution of any order, from food logistics to a direct attack on the Melki Emperor''s Pce."


    Then Barret stood up and ced his right hand on his chest, leaning forward just as Jiyo had done.


    One by one the people sitting at that table stood up and agreed to the change in strategy. It didn''t matter whether it would require much more effort from them or not, because the fate of the continent was at stake. In the end, even the people who were initially against sacrificing smaller cities topensate in defending cities with Dungeons voted for the change, making the decision unanimous.


    "Very well, then it is decided. The Broteforge Empire will retreat even further. Regardless of the revolt this decision will generate, we stand together and aremitted to this new strategy." The Emperor was thest to stand.


    Everyone in that hall bowed once again, this time in simultaneity.


    "You four." Cant looked in the direction Ogne, Alexis, Amelia and Ayumi were standing. "You guys know a way tomunicate with Luke, right? Let him know that he can proceed with his part, and alsomunicate in advance which city or location he will be staying, I will ask that some shadows go to the Melki Empire, so they can assist him."


    "Yes, your Imperial Majesty!" The three women bowed in respect, however, Ogne only nodded briefly.


    None of the people present at this meeting in the Imperial Pce knew, but on the other side of the continent, Luke and Meredith were already beginning to take the first steps towards the second stage of the n, because Scales predicted that a future where her strategy was negated simply didn''t exist, even considering in the calction external parameters.

 Chapter 291 The Worlds Biggest Army

    The Broteforge Empire was on the ropes in space and hadn''t even noticed it until it was toote. Luckily, they had some totally unexpected help that was able to change the fate of the battle called the Fourth Wave.


    Before the Fourth Wave, there were three major battles and some minor conflicts, and in all of them the Broteforge Empire managed to hold out. However, Broteforge could not consider these battles as victories, because hundreds of people died in each of them. The Broteforge Empire''s death toll became even more frightening when the fact that the Melkian Army had only monsters entered the discussion.


    There was no doubt about it, Broteforge needed a new strategy. It took a while for them to realize this, but when they did they efficiently began to act.


    This change of strategy was masked and seen as a retreat by the Melki Empire.


    In the cities of the Melki Empire, the demons celebrated the retreat of the Broteforge Empire as a great victory. In their view, it was only a matter of time before the entire continent was fully in their hands.


    Except for the cities with Dungeons, all the formerly Broteforgian territory was now controlled by the Melki Empire, which quickly divided its army into what strategic regions. Thus, if Broteforge dared to make a sudden onught, they would be massacred from all directions. By securing themselves in their cities, the citizens of Broteforge werepletely surrounded.


    The First Servant found the movement of the Broteforge Empire strange, a retreat was not what was expected, not at this moment.


    ''What is going on? They should try to resist as much as possible.'' He thought, sitting in his armchair while looking at a giant table that disyed a map of the entire continent. ''There''s something unusual... Anyway, there''s no chance they''ll win when they get cornered.''


    The leader of the demons was not alone. Around the table he was looking at, there were nine other people, all with a dull smile stamped on their faces. Without a doubt, those people were demons as well.


    "Listen to me carefully." The First Servant asked calmly, then picked up the crystal ball that was also on the table with one of his metal hands. "They are ceding space to us, and we can''t afford to waste it. This is certainly the first significant victory we have achieved. If I can point to the reason for this setback so quickly, I''d say it was because of our brothers'' sacrifices over the past year."


    "Sacrifice? I''m sorry, sir, but I wouldn''t call the shameful death of those clowns that. They underestimated the Cardinal Church, the Secrs, and their Magi are quite powerful." A man pointed out.


    The First listened to the man''s statement as if he were listening to a dog barking on the other side of the wall, he simply wasn''t bothered.


    However, Lizz was certainly bothered by thement, but said nothing.


    In a way, she felt a little bad for not warning Beherith that the First Servant was using him to try to create insecurity in the public policy of the Broteforge Empire.


    This strategy seemed to have worked, and in the demon leader''s own mind this could have been one of the reasons for Broteforge''s retreat.


    Again, the First Servant began to speak, but now he had a disdainful smile on his face. "You know what? Send THAT to Oukiwa City. The Broteforge Empire has already fallen, it''s already in our hands, we''ve already dominated the continent, now we just have to deal with the pests in our garden."


    The aura of malevolence in the room these demons were in was so intense that it could drive an ordinary person totally insane.


    *


    Oukiwa City used to be a very populous ce. Because of the three Dungeons that existed in this city, Adventurers from all regions of the Broteforge Empire visited the city regrly to trade items, buy, party, or explore the exotic dangers of the Mine-Type Dungeons.


    If there were people disconnected from Broteforge''s reality and situation, they would think today that Oukiwa had returned to its glory days.


    Many people filled the streets of the town, but no one even managed a smile. Everyone was very tense about the possibility of an attack, and everyone was stressed about not being able to cross anything from the gigantic walls. Most of the poption was insecure and afraid of what might happen, after all, there was a huge portion of people who did not have their origins in Oukiwa, but in other cities.


    Even with such fear, the people worked continuously to prepare for the day that the Melki Empire would attack.


    When the bells of the Central Pce began to echo in all directions of Oukiwa, it didn''t matter if people were in the Upper, Lower or Middle City, everyone felt the same fear. The moment people put their heads to look out the windows, they saw something huge flying towards the city.<sub> </sub>


    This thing''s body was egg-shaped and entirely white. If people could see it up close, they would notice that on the back of this thing there were three propellers, which were spinning at full speed, throwing the wind behind them and propelling themselves forward. On the sides, there were two pairs of wings on each side.


    No one had ever seen anything like this before, yet it was easy to tell that it was not a monster.


    "What''s that?" A soldier asked Alexis, who was looking at the thing from the Central Pce itself.


    The half-dragon shook her head negatively and smiled confidently. "That doesn''t matter. Luke warned us that it would happen, so we are already prepared. THAT was to work."


    The man with the helmet on awkwardly looked at him a little dumbfounded. He knew that his superiors were quiet, unlike the rest of the poption, but he didn''t understand why, so he just shut up and kept looking at the thing approaching the city.


    A few secondster, the bells of the Central Pce stopped beating. However, a loud vibrating sound lingered.


    The ordinary civilians ran into the buildings as fast as they could, for everyone was oriented to take cover when the bell began to ring. All the soldiers gathered at specific points in the city as nned.


    Suddenly a beam of light came out of the Oukiwa Main Guild building near the center of the city. This beam had the colors of a rainbow and when it reached its peak dozens of meters high, the vibrating sound became even louder. Then the beam pulsed and from its highest point spheres of light were thrown in six directions, in ces outside the walls.


    The soldier next to Alexis was fascinated by what was happening before his eyes, until the half-dragon pped him lightly on the back, smiled and inquired:


    p "What are you waiting for? We have to get together with the others."</anda>


    "R-right!" He put his helmet away and began to follow her down the huge staircase.


    It was obvious to him that the beam of light was not something from the Melki Empire, but from the Broteforge Empire. As much as he couldn''t say that with certainty, Alexis'' confident expression almost gave that away.


    The moment the six glowing spheresnded on the ground, the beam pulsed once again. Lines between the spheres the beams appeared, and then another pulse of vibration was heard. Thousands of magical circles began to fill the spaces between each of the lines, forming a dome-shaped shield around Oukiwa.


    The airship that was heading towards the city didn''t have time to change its course and crashed into the dome. When this happened, the townspeople heard the muffled noise of the explosion, and the debris from that flying machine was wiped out of existence, as were the people who controlled it.


    The soldiers roared with happiness when this happened and raised their hands upwards and it was at this moment that Alexis put her foot in the Central Square. She raised her right palm upwards and warned:


    "It''s not over yet!"


    Thanks to that warning, the soldiers saw that another six airships came out of the clouds on the city''s horizon, and thousands of flying monsters apanied them. Just like the First Wave, Melki''s onught this time would also be aerial.


    However, this information Alexis had Luke''s permission to pass on to the soldiers, so everyone expected it.


    Golden magic circles appeared beneath everyone''s feet, not only in the Central Square, but also in all parts of the city. Suddenly, the volunteer soldiers were teleported beyond the walls. When people opened their eyes, they were no longer just a few hundred, but tens of thousands of soldiers.


    The pilots of the airships rubbed their eyes thoroughly because they couldn''t believe their eyes. One minute ago there was no one near the magic barrier, and soon it seemed that the entire Broteforge army was present.


    And this impression was indeed true. In the fields east of Oukiwa were the Secrs, the Sensory Mages, Three gigantic Dragons, thergest Adventurer ns, and all the Adventurers from the Guild who volunteered. This was the United Army of Broteforge, an effort of organization and information that in the future would be regarded as a symbol of human strength. This was nothing more, and nothing less, than theplete strategy of the Scales.


    Looking at the panorama of this sea of people, Alexis smiled confidently and thought, ''Luke, as you requested we will hold out for as long as we can, protecting each of the cities with the coboration of Amelia''s rangedmunication skills and Mika''s teleportation skills. Now, you must do your part of the n.''

 Chapter 292 Two Years In The Future

    Stahurt is one of the five main cities of the Melki Empire. With the rampant expansion of itsnds in the north, thisrge city began to attract people from many different regions, whether refugees from the war or high-ss nobles, which further boosted the local economy.


    However, there were always many things going on under the Melki Empire''s cloths, terrible things that the poption itself would be disgusted if they found out.


    Six months had passed since the Broteforge Empire dered war against the Melki Empire, or at least that was how themon people learned about the beginning of the war. There were people who knew about the truth, like Wanney, a man who volunteered to be a corrupted one.


    Wanney had his trust manipted by the Melki Empire when they told him the truth, that is, the lie masquerading as green. Wanney was told that thanks to the culture of the Broteforge Empire adventurers ingesting Monster Cores would soon be monsters. Heter found out that this was a tant lie, but not only this, but many other things were preached as truths within the borders of the Melki Empire.


    Luckily, Wanney awoke from this maniption when he faced Luke Lange, an unreliable looking half-wolf with unmatched strength.


    Luke and his partner, Meredith, told Wanney the truth. At first, he was in disbelief and decided to just pretend to believe so that he could escape at some point from the clutches of the two half-wolves. This moment came up numerous times in front of Wanney''s eyes, he had many chances to escape. Still, Wanney chose to stay by Luke and Meredith''s side.


    Why did the man choose to stay? Perhaps because he was afraid, afraid, or maybe he just knew that the half-beasts were not lying to him.


    In the times that Wanney spent inside the Melki Empire, no matter how many times he tried, he never felt safe, he always felt like he was being watched, no matter where he went. So, when Luke and Meredith killed all the Orcs next to him, and he felt an indescribable sense of relief, he became curious about who the two half-beasts really were.


    Since then, six months have passed and the Corrupted One no longer has any doubt that these two half-beasts are the only ones who can free the Melki Empire from the evil clutches of the demons.


    *


    ¡ª Stahurt City, Melki Empire. Two years after Luke decided to start the journey. ¡ª


    During the morning, the streets of Stahurt were usually very busy. The local adventurers would often go to the quest boards to check what quests were avable to be done, and the streets would be crowded with merchants trying to sell all kinds of things to these adventurers.


    Much had changed during all this time. Luke had been training more avidly in the Sea Ornament, reaching the third stage without difficulty, but had been stagnating ever since.


    Meredith was also training with the help of the half-wolf, and now her archery skills were on par with those of an S-ss Archer. His aim was cool and unwavering, and it was a rare event to see him miss. However, there was something troubling the half-fox recently, and it made her lose focus whenever she went hunting.


    On top of a building, Meredith decided to finally press Luke and force him to speak the truth, because until then she was holding back.


    "Luke... Man, it''s been a year since we left Oukiwa, and you never told me the reason why we never went back."


    "I-I told you!" He replied after a few seconds, and then jumped off to the next roof. His jump was quick and his feet didn''t even make a sound as they touched the tiles.


    Meredith realized that he was lying, not only because she grew up with him, but also because Luke was not very good at sustaining lies for very long.


    She also jumped to the next roof, following him. "Eh?! Refresh my memory. What was the reason then?" Meredith crossed her arms and looked at the back of Luke''s head.<sub> </sub>


    He turned around, looked into her eyes for a second, and looked away as he began to speak. "I owe someone something."


    "To whom?" she prompted him in error once again.


    Meredith knew that Luke didn''t force her to apany him, he didn''t even ask for it. Still, she was confused during all this time that had passed, after all, Luke never revealed to the Scales'' ns, nor the instructions he passed to Ogne and the other half-dragons. He simply didn''t tell anything.


    Luke thought for a while before answering the half-dragon''s question. "Annn... It''s Matthew I owe."


    "Are you kidding? Matthew just had a son and he was your best friend. You also asked Amelia about himst week. Why would you run away from him?"


    ? "Because he was... an idiot...?" The half-wolf said as he stopped at one of the buildings near the main avenue. After this answer, Luke realized that there was no longer any point in deceiving his best friend.


    Meredith looked at him with a sorrowful countenance, as if she was disappointed.


    Luke didn''t look back, but he could sense the half-fox''s feelings through her aura. This was a new gift he had acquired when he reached the third stage of the Sea Ornament, and by acquiring this new ability, it became even harder to lie to the one he cared so much about.


    "Humph! All right, I will speak the truth... I can''t go back to Oukiwa, not yet. Ever since the Broteforge Empire fell, that ce is no longer the same for me. I''ll find someone first, and then we''ll go back there."


    Until that moment, Meredith couldn''t understand why Luke didn''t talk to her like he used to, why he so different from how he used to be colder. It seemed like everything had changed.... And well, all this change had finally been given a reason: the fall of the Broteforge Empire.


    The Broteforge Empire, which had once been thergest of the Empires in the entire world, was now shrinking into a few regions. The pressure from the Melki Empire at the beginning was very intense and forced them to do this.


    However, even though Broteforge had lost 80% of its territorial dominion, its poption, its nobles, itsmanders, its emperor, and 95% of its army were still alive. The Broteforge Empire had fallen, but it was not dead.


    "Thanks for talking, Luke." Meredith said with a dismayed tone of voice. It was a relief to her that she finally had a clear answer.


    The half-wolf looked back and seeing the tears building up beside her eyes, he blushed and turned his face forward again. ''Why do I have to hide this kind of simple thing from her? That sucks.'' He thought.


    [Luke, this was necessary. You don''t have long to live, we can''t take a break to visit your friends and then return to our journey. With each passing day, your soul bes more fragmented]. The voice of the scale resounded in his mind.


    ''I know, I know... I just hate having to lie to her so constantly. She cares about me.''


    [And me too, Luke, me too...]

 Chapter 293 New Targets

    The more Luke''s soul fragmented due to the curse, the stronger the bond between him and the spirit of the Scales harbored within his body became.


    And what was previously only possible when Luke was unconscious, was now possible when he was awake. Communication between the two became faster and easier, which certainly helped Scales when she needed to pass on directions, but it fatigued Luke even more.


    Several times a day, Luke would cough up blood and stay up nights because of acerating headache. He tried to hide this from Meredith, but she was smart and could tell.


    Even though she noticed everything that was happening to her best friend, Meredith didn''t stop him from continuing his journey, deciding for a while to just stay by his side. However, when they arrived in Stahurt, Luke''s coughs became even more frequent and she decided that she couldn''t keep quiet any longer.


    At this point, Meredith put Luke up against the wall, questioning him about why they never went back to Oukiwa, even after getting everything Luke needed.


    As usual, Luke tried to lie, but in the end gave in to the woman''s insistence. He told her that he still needed to find a person in the Melki Empire.


    The half-fox didn''t understand how Luke started overnight knowing exactly where to go and what to do. Still, she felt fearful and didn''t ask about it.


    Deep down, Meredith still felt a lot of guilt for abandoning the half-wolf with the Strogueher and running away so far away.


    However, even if she asked Luke how he knew what to do, he would duck the question. The truth was that he was receiving instructions from the Scales to get the best possible ending to this war.


    Scales'' n was minimally calcted, which meant that they had no time for mistrust. Should Luke tell about the voice, people would not believe him at first and say it was the curse that was messing with his head.


    Thanks to the trust that the half-wolf put in Scales over the past 6 months, he got a lot of information not only about the n, but also about many other things. The spirit infiltrating Luke''s soul was not only very old, but also very wise.


    Thus, the Scales informed Luke that there were many regions that oozed corruption in thends of Melki, and it was up to him to decide whether he would try to find a way to nullify this corruption or not. Before he could make a decision on this, Scales warned him that the first option might be time consuming, just not impossible.


    Luke left it to decide when he entered a corrupted region. When he finally entered, he saw many different things. Dead trees, dry grass, whole viges abandoned, ces that once should have been beautiful now had a soil that ck particles. They were dead and hopeless ces.


    ording to Scales, the corrupted regions held valuable information about the demons and that they were possibly the ones who released it.


    This made Lukee to the conclusion that the corruption was not a gue, but a kind of hostile energy, just that. Wanney was shocked when Luke revealed this theory.


    "So, if we need to find a way to get through the corruptednds without our lungs inhaling the particles, I will test something." That''s what Wanney said, looking into the eyes of the half-wolf and half-fox with determination.


    Well, it took Wanney a few days to learn how to teach the corruption inside him to disperse the corruption wherever he went, like two mas with opposite poles.<sub> </sub>


    In this way, Luke managed to get into some corrupted regions of the Melki Empire, and found the three specific types of items that Scales asked him to look for. When Luke finished gathering the items, Scales once again gave Luke two options, one stupid in his eyes and the other more strategic: Luke could head to Orkenby, a city at the southern end of the Melki Empire and face the demons head-on with the help of the items he stole from their vaults, or he could go to Stahurt, seek answers about Scales'' past and thus perhaps find a way for her to regain the strength she once had.


    Should Luke choose to go to Stahurt, there was still a remote chance that he would survive at the end of it all. However, there was also the possibility that his soul wouldplete fragmentation.


    p For him it was not a difficult choice, after all, going to Orkenby, the forgotten city between endless mountains, was a true suicide.</anda>


    "Right, right. So Luke finally decided to open his beak and tell us what we came to do in Stahurt." Wanney said, nodding his head repeatedly with his eyes closed as he kept his arms crossed. "But can we at least know who you are? You are full of your own mysteries~"


    With tired eyes across the table, Luke looked at the man to answer him. "It''s only fair you tell me that.... Yes I can tell you who we are looking for, however, try not to draw too much attention while looking for him."


    "Right, right. I would never do that." Wanney kept nodding.


    Meredith just stood still, sipping her mead with a thoughtful expression.


    "His name is Hazor." Luke announced.


    "THE COMANDAN¡ª!?" The scaly-furred man wearing a hood suddenly eximed, however, he couldn''t finish the sentence because Luke put a hand over his mouth.


    Still, Luke couldn''t be quick enough to avoid drawing the attention of half the people in the tavern they were in.


    The half-wolf smiled bitterly at them and said, "This is my cousin. He has tourette''s, so don''t bother with us, please."


    Since no one present even knew what tourette''s was, the people just grumbled a little and went back to eating, drinking and talking.


    "Why the hell did you talk so loud?" Luke inquired, looking Wanney in the eye.


    "Sorry, I was just surprised that you also knew Commander Hazor."


    "Commander? He''s amander?"


    "Are you kidding? He''s a legend in Melki, there isn''t a living being who hasn''t heard of him. They say he was the one who trained the former Emperor, who only earned that title by single-handedly clearing the Diamond Mountains."

 Chapter 294 Burden Of A Nation

    "How do we find him? If he''s so famous, it should be easy, right?" Luke asked Wanney, who quickly began to deny with her head.


    "No, I''m afraid not. Hazor was a legendary man...I haven''t heard his name spoken in many years. It seems he stepped down asmander when the former Emperor died. As far as I know, he never said where he was going."


    At that moment, Meredith noticed Luke''s gaze be downcast. "Wait a second, did you just deduce that this man you are looking for would be in thergest city nearby?"


    "N-no, of course not... My gut just told me that Stahurt might be the right ce." Luke lied without giving Wanney a chance to be suspicious either. "Anyway, walking around like I did this morning didn''t do much good. We have to be able to make contacts with locals and ask them."


    "Luke, we''re on camouge elixir right now and it takes away some of the attention we would normally bring, but going out asking if we''ve seen this man might draw unnecessary attention." Meredith pointed out.


    The half-wolf nodded. "You''re right."


    Just then, Wanney raised his right hand to the waitress who was taking down orders at a nearby table. Seeing someone''s arm rise in her field of vision, the young waitress instantly looked at him.


    The woman moved closer and tossed a lock of hair behind her left ear when she noticed the scales on Wanney''s face. "What do you need, soldier?"


    Stahurt was located only a few thousand miles from the mountain ranges, so most of its inhabitants knew the traits of the Corrupted, those who guided the hordes of monsters onto the battlefield.


    "Do you know Commander Hazor?" Wanney was direct and asked her.


    The two half-beasts apanying him to the table widened their eyes, believing him to be aplete idiot.


    "Of course, I know him! He was a phenomenal swordsman who lived in thesends not too long ago. There are rumors that he was possibly born here and was the master of a dojo near Great Eliezer, but those are just stories." The woman promptly replied without hesitation. It wasmon for people in the taverns to ask about all sorts of subjects, especially recently.


    Again, the half-beasts'' eyes widened. Thisck of reaction and notion on the part of the waitress was astounding even to the people of the Melki Empire, who used to not look down on everyone as the people of the Broteforge Empire had in recent years.


    Wanney was not satisfied with the woman''s answer, and continued to question. "And does this so-called dojo still exist? You know how it is, we who fight have a certain passion in our hearts for that sort of thing."


    The woman looked at Luke and then looked at Meredith, easily noticing that both were also warriors, both by the not at all bby appearance of their skins, and also by the looks on their faces. Then she put her right index finger to her mouth and said:<sub> </sub>


    "Hmm... It''s hard to say. These stories have been circting for a long time and I don''t know if the people who know up to Great Eliezer know about it. Maybe someone will look for the truth someday." She retorted, a little reflexively.


    "Hey, waitress! Another round of beer for table 6, please!" A citizen with flushed cheeks from all the alcohol he was drinking pleaded with the woman.


    "Okay! I''ming!" The waitress replied, turned to Wanney, Luke and Meredith''s table and bowed. "Excuse me, when you decide whether to order anything else, let me know!" She spoke politely.


    Watching the waitress walk away, Luke looked coldly at Wanney, causing the man with scales to feel a deep sense of terror.


    "I told you that you must not act without permission, not like this. You are not our friend, you are only coborating with us for the sake of your family, remember that." He warned Wanney, who broke into a cold sweat.


    Stretching his hands forward, Wanney quickly tried to ease the tension. "Easy there, easy there! I was just trying to help. Look, we even got some new information. The dojo thing is a good ce to start looking, isn''t it?" There was a faint smile on his face, which Luke hated.


    The half-wolf shook his head negatively and rose from his seat, leaving behind only three Melkian silver coins, enough to pay for the drinks. He then left the tavern without saying anything.


    Wanney was a little relieved and a little stressed by the half-wolf''s reaction. He was indeed thinking that he was seeding in helping Luke with his efforts, but even that didn''t seem enough. Then he looked at Meredith and inquired:


    "Really, what''s his deal? Why does he act like this every time I do something he didn''t ask?"


    The half-fox took onest sip from her beer mug and ced it on the table, finally looking at Wanney. "We''ve already talked about this. Cara, we allow you to apany us because we agree with your determinations and have the same enemies, but understand that the burden Luke carries is much greater than we can imagine. If we lose, you will at most lose your family, but we will lose everything we once had, an entire nation."


    As Wanney and Meredith left the tavern to meet Luke again, Wanney reflected on what the half-fox said. ''He carries an entire nation on his back, hundreds of thousands of lives...I can''t me him for being so paranoid about safety.''


    Indeed, the pressure on the half-wolf''s shoulders was enormous, yet he hardly noticed it. With the instructions he was receiving from the Scales, everything had be easier, and most of the time he knew exactly where to go and what to do. Also, after training the Sea Ornament, <Horus''s Eye>, <Yggdrasil> and <G> for so long, Luke felt he was practically invincible.


    Outside the tavern there were fewer people. It was afternoon, so there was less cirction in Stahurt, which, despite the gue ravaging many parts of the Melki Empire, was experiencing its best economic phase since its founding.


    Leaning against the tavern wall, Luke looked at Wanney and didn''t curl up to ask what he had in mind. "Do you know what this ''Great Eliezer'' is and where this is?"

 Chapter 295 Surrounding Forests

    The Great Eliezer was arge monument to an ancient warrior of the Melki Empire, named Eliezer. This monument was located north of Stahurt, more precisely in some very wild mountains, whose woods were so dense and the terrain so treacherous that few ventured to visit the monument.


    Since Luke and his presentpanions had not crossed the Acronym ins in the direction of Stahurt, they had not had the opportunity to pass near these mountains, so this was a totally new area for them. Nevertheless, Luke had no regrets about not going straight to Stahurt as Scales had asked him to do before they could have a chance to talk further. If he had gone on to Stahurt at that time, he might have missed the chance to get the information he obtained in New Yukiat.


    When Wanney was asked by Luke what the Great Eliezer was, he answered expertly. As a child Wanney was a boy fascinated by stories and tales, so he certainly knew the warrior Eliezer.


    However, what Wanney didn''t realize while talking about the monument was that Luke actually knew the answer to his own question before he even asked it. The truth was that Scales told him the moment he left the tavern.


    Although Scales had lost virtually all the powers she had once had, she was still an extremely powerful divine being. Just as it was already natural for the half-wolf to manipte the lines in Horus'' Dimension, it was natural for Scales to read the lines of fate and reality.


    Luke only asked Wanney what the Great Eliezer was because he wanted to confirm if what Scales had deduced was correct. When he finished listening, Luke nodded, uncrossed his arms and spoke:


    "All right, I will check out to the vicinity of that monument. If that dojo is there, it won''t be hard to find it."


    "You?" Meredith looked at Luke and asked. "Are you really thinking of going alone? Luke, we are not in New Yukiat anymore."


    "You are right and that is why I want to entrust the most important work to you. We know very little about Stahurt and what is going on here, it will be risky without knowing much more about. There is an inn around the corner, stay there and try to find out something from the staff." Luke said as he held out a bag of coins to her.


    The half-fox nodded and held out her right hand forward1.


    Luke ced the bag of coins in her palm, making her hand feel a little heavy, "I believe this will be enough."


    As Wanney and Meredith watched Luke walk away on that long street they were on, they had a bad feeling.


    Everything had been working out well for them for some time now and they were managing to achieve all the goals they set, but there was something different about Stahurt, something strange. They had been feeling a strange sensation since the day they arrived in this giant city, a feeling of uneasiness. It was at this moment that a questioning rose in Wanney''s mind, and he could not help but express it.


    "How will he know which rooms we will be staying in?" He asked Meredith.


    The half-fox looked at Wanney and then pointed to her delicate nose. "Haven''t you noticed? We have powerful sense of smell and Luke''s is far more trained than mine. I bet he would know if one day we grassed even though we were a mile apart."


    Indeed, the half-wolf''s sense of smell was very powerful and his focus exponentially increased the smells he could distinguish, and thanks to that Luke was able to smell blood as soon as he entered the forest in the mountains that Wanney pointed out. It was after five o''clock in the afternoon, so there shouldn''t be anyone in the forest, but the smell was still worrisome.


    "Is that something worth my attention?" Luke asked Scales about that blood odor.<sub> </sub>


    [I don''t know. The variables for a smell of blood in a dark forest are endless... Maybe it''s worth going to check, maybe not].


    "Okay, I better go check, maybe it''s some-" Luke couldn''t finish speaking, because at that moment a shrill, wailing scream echoed in the forest.


    The furry ears of the half-wolf picked up the sound easily, and at the same instant Luke began to run in the direction of the scream. His steps in the woods were very agile, so that he always seemed to know exactly where he was stepping and also where his next foot would step.


    ''Shit, shit, shit... That was a female scream.'' Luke concluded. It didn''t matter what Luke''s goal was, if someone innocent was being attacked, it was his duty to help as he was probably the only other human in that forest.


    It would be hard for Luke to be sneaky in a forest as steep and closed as the one he was in, so he just ran as fast as he could. A minuteter, he finally managed to catch up with the person who had shouted.


    The woman was stuck in the tree and had a gag over her mouth. The left side of her face was marked with the palm of a hand,ing from a strong p. She had a simple appearance, brown hair and dark eyes with a few freckles on her face that entuated her modest beauty.


    "Why did you let her scream so loudly?"


    "I was just arranging the cloth in her mouth, I didn''t imagine she was pretending to sleep."


    Two Caucasian men were talking in front of the woman. Both were wearing simple ck leather armor, a kind of leather that could only be obtained from dungeon boars, low level monsters of Dungeons.


    As the two men argued about whose fault it was that the woman had managed to scream, Luke noticed that the woman was looking directly at where he was standing, indicating that she noticed his approach. So it wouldn''t take long for the two men to notice her gaze as well and eventually investigate the area she was looking at.


    Luke took a second to think, activating <Eye of Horus>. Over the past few months, he had managed to avoid almost every conflict to avoid drawing attention, so why should he risk that safety to save a single unknown woman? Not to mention the fact that she was probably just an ordinary citizen of the nation that was at war with his, there was no reason to risk it.


    Nevertheless, Luke had changed a lot in thesest two years. When Thief, he would not hesitate to stay out of other people''s problems so as not to draw attention to himself, but now it was different, Luke had self-awareness of life and a name to look after.


    "Hey, brother. She''s looking up, she doesn''t even have the courage to look into our eyes, how did you let her scream so easily?"


    "I told you, it wasn''t my mistake. You should have tied a stronger knot, then I wouldn''t have bothered to fix the gag you made! Wait a second, is she looking up?"


    They were in a partially low area, so upwards there were only more trees and branches. So one of the men decided to look up.


    At that moment, a shadow jumped out of a bush and the glint of some sunbeams, which were piercing through the leaves of the trees, reflected on the de that was strapped to his right wrist.

 Chapter 296 Lament

    When the two men saw the glint of the de Luke was wielding, their eyes became as big as apples.


    Skillfully, Lukended in front of them and in the next movement already knocked them down with his right leg. The men fell awkwardly, but Luke allowed them to get up, so they would have some chance to fight back.


    As soon as they saw the opportunity arise, they both drew the silver swords that were in their sheaths and propelled themselves to attack Luke.


    ''They''re clearly not inexperienced, but the way they fight is messy.'' Luke concluded as he deflected and defended from the men''s attacks.


    It would be easy for the half-wolf to kill those two at that moment, they were nowhere near his level, in fact, they would possibly lose even to Wanney. Their fencing wasn''t some of the worst Luke had ever seen, but the way they fought interspersed was useless against Luke, who didn''t tire easily and was fighting with only one hand holding the obsidian sword.


    <o>,m At one point, the man with a thinning beard on his face broke the rhythm of the fight by attacking at the same time as his partner.</o>


    However, the moment their silver swords came within inches of hitting the half-wolf''s chest, he made a move so fast and powerful that it shattered the sword des into dozens of pieces.


    Stupefied, the men fell backwards simultaneously,pletely surrendered to that tremendous force.


    "B-but wh-what?" One of them couldn''t believe his eyes. Silver swords were not supposed to be broken as easily as it seemed.


    The waterfall of cold sweat that dripped down the second man''s face didn''t stop him from questioning Luke as well. "W-who are you?"


    The half-wolf looked at them and decided not to talk to them yet. Ignoring the two men, Luke calmly walked over to the woman trapped in the tree and cut the ropes that tied her hands on the other side of the trunk.


    When Luke also removed the gag from her mouth, she touched her own throat to check if she was all right.


    Luke looked at her and questioned, "Did they hurt you much? Where are you from?"


    The brown-haired woman shook her head negatively to answer the first question and then answered the second, still with her hand on her neck. "I''m from right here in Stahurt. I live and work in a diner near the coastal forest."


    From what little Luke knew, Stahurt did indeed have forests surrounding its beaches, but if what the woman said was true, she was a long way from home. It was not hard for Luke to assume that this situation was about a kidnapping.


    "All right, are you guys going to tell me what''s going on here? She doesn''t look like a rich family, why did you kidnap her?" He asked the men, who as they looked at the woman realized the look of anger in their eyes at them.<sub> </sub>


    "It was not our decision! We have been hunting a monster that has been in the vicinity for a few days, and when we returned without the monster''s head yesterday, our leader told us to use any methods to lure the monster, even if it meant using human bait!" replied the man with the unshaven beard.


    Ever since the Melki Empire started using the monsters escaping from the Dungeons for their own army as an endless weapons factory, there were thousands of monsters on the surface of the continent. Among the thousands, there were some with the special ability to resist the mind control of the Corrupted.


    Tracking down and killing these monsters became the job of the Adventurers of the Melki Empire, who received coin rewards for each monster killed. No doubt being an Adventurer was still as stressful as ever, but at least the spoils of monsters were not as difficult to trade and not as expensive, which certainly raised the Adventurers'' level a notch.


    Knowing all this, Luke rubbed his two temples with his right hand, stressed, and suddenly an idea popped into his mind. Luke walked over to the tree trunk the woman was tied to, ced his left hand on the wood and closed his eyes.


    Since his affinity with <Yggdrasil> had improved, he had learned new tricks with Gene''s Skill and now didn''t need to utter her name to activate it.


    First, Luke felt the texture of the wood, then the nectar on the flowers blooming near the top of the tree, where the sun beat down the most. In a few seconds, Luke could see with the sensory ability of the nts a safe and easy path for the woman to follow.


    The moment the half-wolf opened his eyes, he looked at the woman and said, "I''m sorry I can''t apany you into town, I''m looking for someone and I can''t go much further out of my way. There is no one else around besides us, so you should go straight on this path until you find a tree whose trunk looks like an L, then turn left and you will find a road. Go soon, you will get home before the moon appears in the sky."


    The woman listened to the instructions of the muscr man in front of her very attentively even though she had never seen him in her entire life. She then followed the indicated path, stopping only for a second to look at Luke onest time and bow, thanking him.


    Luke listened to the woman walking away in the forest with his hearing for a few seconds and then turned his attention back to the two men on the ground. However, this time they experienced a different look from the half-wolf, a look that was not as inexpressive as before.


    With his bright yellow eyes, Luke looked at them with disgust.


    "W-what are you going to do to us! Please don''t hurt us!"


    "Man, we didn''t even get to hurt her right, she confirmed that to you! Just let us go and we promise to keep our mouths shut!"


    "Ah~ But you will keep your mouth shut for sure, do you know why? Because you will spend the night right here, where you nned to use that woman as bait. Isn''t that wonderful?" Luke smiled sarcastically and raised his right hand slightly.


    This movement of his caused several branches of the trees to grab the men''s legs, finally causing them to be upside down. The men almost had time to scream at this moment, but as soon as they saw this spark of perspective, leafy branches covered their mouths.


    After this, the men were taken into the treetops,pletely trapped. The half-wolf didn''t really want to lure the monster using them, but rather to teach them a lesson in life, so he hid them well. Also, by using the sensory form of the <Yggdrasil>, Luke finally felt he found the reference point he was looking for, the Great Eliezer.

 Chapter 297 Dojo (Part 1)

    Luke quickly climbed the mountain after leaving the point where he helped the woman who had been kidnapped. When he got almost to the top, he found a stone statue that was little more than ten feet high.


    Ironically, this was a statue made to honor a dwarf, although it didn''t look that way, because the name of the statue was also loaded with irony: Great Eliezer. The human featured in the statue had a robust face and long, partially braided beards, not to mention his very detailed armor. However, what was most striking was not the name that contradicted Elizer''s real physiognomy, but the fact that he carried a typical Kendo sword in its side sheath.


    Kendo swords have always been little used by Adventurers, although they were fast and allowed many different movements, the fact that they were made of bamboo provided more negatives than positives for their few users.


    Even though Luke didn''t know the history of the Great Eliezer, he knew from the traces on the statue that the thing must be a few hundred years old.


    "Eh... At least the shape of the sword looked nice on the statue." Luke said to himself.


    The sun had set by that time and the forest was much darker, but at least the moon illuminated the small clearing in which the monument stood.


    "If the waitress said the dojo is around here, it shouldn''t be hard to find." Luke uttered and that practically cursed him to a much longer search than it normally would have been. Words have power.


    Luke spent so much time searching for the dojo in the dark forest that his stomach was shaking and making weird noises.


    "Why can''t I find the dojo with <Yggdrasil>? Maybe it doesn''t exist anymore? Maybe it''s buried? Maybe it merged with the forest?" He reflected, searching for an answer.


    [Luke Lange, look to the right, there is a trail] The scales warned him.


    The half-wolf at the same moment looked to his right and saw what Scales was talking about. There really was a trail, almost imperceptible to the naked eye in that dark forest because dry leaves covered its entire length, except for one small leaf, the one responsible for helping them. Luke approached the trail and dragged some leaves a little to the side with his right boot.


    There was a human footprint on the trail, identified by the marks of a shoe sole.


    Luke crouched down near the footprint and ced his right hand on the trodden earth.


    "The mark is deep, it was probably made by someonerge or someone wearing a heavy shoe. It''s also recent...from this morning. Aren''t there supposed to be a few peopleing here? I''ve already found three..."


    Since that was the only clue he had, Luke followed the trail, dragging the leaves to the side to remember how to get back and also to see if anyone else might have joined the owner of the first footprint. However, therge footprint remained lonely until it came to a stone wall, which made it look meaningless.


    "Unless this person knows how to fly, it''s not possible that he could have just suddenly disappeared. Even a teleportation would leave clear marks in the environment. What happened here?" Luke reasoned, looking at the stone wall. At that very instant, a conclusion arose in his mind and he whispered as he extended his hand forward, "<G>"


    Soon, the stone wall began to be distorted as it was drawn toward the half-wolf''s palm. In less than a minute, the stone wall had alreadypletely disappeared, revealing the entrance to an oriental-style dojo.<sub> </sub>


    "So, it really was a really an illusion... Huf... Using that still tires me." Looking down at his right palm, Luke felt quite tired. "There''s no reason to go back now... I really hope you''re here, Hazor."


    Above the wide entrance door was carved in veryrge letters: Dojo Leveill. However, Luke didn''t care about these details and just entered the building.


    The dojo had a wooden floor that creaked immediately with the first step of the half-wolf. The sound of the creaking echoed into the darkness that gued every corner of the ce. Luke bent his knees in order to take some of the weight off his heels to make less noise.


    Everything was very quiet and only the winding through the door could be heard. Luke couldn''t see very well, and his sense of smell identified nothing more than the musty, dusty smell of the room, but there was a sense of restlessness guing Luke''s chest that wouldn''t let him let his guard down.


    As Luke went deeper into the dojo, the more noise his heart made. He was sure he was calm, so why could he hear his heartbeat so clearly? The answer to that question came when the silence was finally broken by the sound of a cloak swinging and the ng of a swording out of its sheath.


    The half-wolf''s enhanced reflex was barely enough to dodge a cut that came from his right. Then another sh came from his left, aiming to cut off his head, but Luke was quick and made sure the de only grazed him.


    Luke considered summoning his Epic ss axe, only upon reasoning he realized that therge weapon as it was would only hinder him. Since the use of inventory was not instantaneous like evoking Weapons of Panspermia, he dared not pick up the obsidian sword he kept after the fight with the kidnappers.


    ''Alright, I will just use my fists this time.'' Luke concluded.


    The person attacking him strained in a diagonal sh at the height of his chest, evidencing that he was not joking and really wanted to kill the half-wolf. At this moment Luke turned a little to the side, letting the moonlight into the room, which was enough to show the de that was about to hit him.


    As soon as he saw the de, Luke saw the path it would take, and since he didn''t want to be defensive, he put his hand in front of the sword, stopping it.


    The mysterious assant sighed in surprise as his de was grabbed. A sudden glow appeared amidst the darkness, a blue glow that threw Luke several feet backwards.


    ''Ouch, shit,'' Luke thought, slumped on the wooden floor of the dojo.


    Now he was near the entrance, so it was well lit. He ced his right hand on his chest and then looked down at his own hand. There was quite a bit of blood on his hand and a cold chill rumbled through his ribs, indicating that the wound in his chest was quite serious.


    The wood of the dojo floor creaked heavily as someone approached Luke was, until a man with a thick voice stated:


    "You''re tough, kid. You managed to put pressure on me with only a few seconds left in the battle and at a disadvantage. Who exactly are you?"

 Chapter 298 Dojo (Part 2)

    "You''re tough, kid. You managed to push me with only a few seconds of battle and at a disadvantage. Who exactly are you?"


    Luke raised his neck slightly as he heard the question and saw arge man slowly emerge from the gloom. This guy had gray hair and beard, a nk stare, and a scar above his left eyebrow. The clothes he was wearing were rtively simple, but it was strange that he was wearing a beige cape if he was inside the dojo.


    Not satisfied with his defeat, Luke stood up as he wiped with his left hand the bit of blood that had dripped down the sides of his lips. "I''m the one who should be asking you that question." He said and held up the water, raising his fists.


    The man did not smile or manifest any expression other than his stern one. He then tried to jam his sword into Luke''s belly.


    However, the sword did note close to hitting the half-wolf and was surprisingly reflected by his own hands.


    Although he did not express his surprise outwardly, the mysterious man thought, ''What was that he just did? Is he with a knife hidden between his fingers? No, that''s a technique of mine, it''s impossible for him to know. So... how?''


    ''I''m a little rusty from not using that Yoelona technique in a while, but I''m d I haven''t forgotten how to do it.'' Luke considered.


    Now that Luke''s hands had be as sharp and cutting as des, this was a fair battle.


    Luke began to walk in circles around the man, making noise with each stomp. At the same time, the man was following Luke with his eyes even when the half-beast was actually at his back, his observation skills were incredible, not to mention that he was counting the sounds of Luke''s step, which he listened intently waiting for the silence that would precede the attack.


    What the swordsman didn''t expect was that the half-wolf was even more experienced than he appeared, and that he was letting all these signals go by on purpose, a trap.


    At one point, Luke walked so close to the darkness that he suddenly merged with it. The noises of footsteps ceased at the same instant, as did the sound of his breathing. The man suddenly began to feel that he was alone in that ce, although he knew he wasn''t really. This feeling was frightening, almost a psychological terror, and if the man didn''t have a lot of experience, focus and skill, he would surely have chosen to run away.


    "Now that we''ve both calmed down, can we talk properly?" Luke asked. The half-beast''s voice surrounded the man''s ears, so it was not possible to discover his location so easily.


    From the beginning, Luke''s intention was not to attack the man to kill him but to turn the situation in his favor, rescuing the initial scenario from a few minutes ago, except that he was now the one with the reins of the situation. Moreover, Luke used <Head of Horus> and realized that the battle against that unknown man would not be easy, even with the advantage of stealth.


    "You break into my house and still want to ask questions? Come out from where you are and fight like a man!" The man stated fervently.


    Luke decided to ignore the provocation. "Just answer my question, if you are not who I am looking for, I will leave."<sub> </sub>


    ''He can move so being silently wounded. Who is this guy?" the gray-haired man wondered. "In case you tell me who you are, I will tell you my name, the real name."


    With his keen hearing, the half-wolf could not identify any different palpitation in the man''s heart as he stated this. It was an obvious risk for Luke to say his name to a stranger, and since the man was quite strong, it certainly wasn''t just any civilian, meaning the risk became exponential. Still, Luke needed to confirm his suspicion and if it wasn''t correct, he would have taken down the entire dojo with <Yggdrasil> to kill the man.


    "My name is Luke Lange, I am a half-beast and I do not belong to any n."


    For the first time that night, the man clearly showed his surprise by widening his eyes and stopping moving. This reaction was something even the <Olho of Horus> had not anticipated, but Luke did not let the opportunity slip away and quickly ced one of his sharp hands on the skin of the swordsman''s neck.


    Luke''s whisper in the man''s ear, left the swordsman in shock and frustrated at losing focus for a single second. "Now, let''s go quickly and tell me your name. I will not hesitate to kill you if you are not who I am looking for."


    ''Who does he think I am? The First Servant? Damn, if he really is who he says he is, he may have been manipted by false information and believe I am a demon. Should I tell the truth?'' The man reflected as distress coursed through the veins of his entire body.


    "I will count to five... One, two, three, four..." Luke threatened.


    "My name is Hazor, I am not a demon, I promise!" The swordsman eximed as loud as he could before the count reached five.


    p Luke pushed him forward, dropping him. "Why did you suddenly im that you are not a demon? Do you know me?" Luke asked.</anda>


    Based on Hazor''s exaggerated reaction of surprise and the fact that he mentioned demons with no apparent logical basis, that was the only theory Luke could think of.


    "Erghh... There isn''t a person who doesn''t know your name. You are the one who started the war with the Melki Empire..." Like the crystal-clear water of a small saltyke, the man couldn''t hide his nervousness as he lied.


    "Really? Are you sure? I know I don''t hold you as hostage, but this ce is precious to you, isn''t it? What would happen if a 10-meter tree suddenly grew here?" Luke used a cynical tone to threaten Hazor.


    The swordsman put his sword away as he sighed in frustration. "All right, I will tell you everything. Just let me put themps on in this ce, we''ll need to look each other in the eye."

 Chapter 299 Dojo (Part 3)

    When Hazor proposed that Luke could light the light, Luke said nothing, and Hazor took this as consent.


    One by one, themps on the walls of the dojo were lit, as were the many candles on the floor, of all sizes. It took a few minutes for Hazor to finish lighting them all, but the warm, bright environment lightened the overloaded atmosphere that the battle had created.


    The ce was a little different from ordinary training academies. At one point in therge room, there were leather upholstery on the floor, obviously to cushion falls during training. There were also many wooden dolls for training swords, which were so worn out that many pieces were missing. On the walls, in addition to themps, were emblems with the symbol of a roaring tiger.


    Hazor saw the open wound on the half-wolf''s chest as she walked back to him. "Oh! I forgot that I attacked you with such hatred. Unfortunately I don''t usually carry healing potions, but I will look for the first aid kit. This must be around here somewhere..."


    Luke Lange couldn''t say why, but just looking at Hazor provided a literal sense of calm. Granted, the experienced swordsman''s eyes were taxing, perhaps it was the white not his beard and the age in the wrinkles on his face that provided that feeling of sloppiness, as if he were a single parent.


    While traveling in these thoughts, Luke was surprised by Hazor approaching with a metal box full of bandages. He looked down and saw that the wound was less ugly than at the moment he was hit by Hazor''s Skill.


    Determined not to waste much more time, Luke covered his wound with his jacket, pulling it aside, and stated, "It''s not necessary. Let''s talk, I believe we have a lot to talk about..."


    Hazor frowned, yet he chose not to intervene. Whether Luke wanted to be treated or not, that was solely his choice. "All right. Sit down, let''s talk."


    "First, can you answer my question from earlier? How do you know me?" Luke was inquisitive. Although he respected Hazor for being strong, he still didn''t really know him.


    "I council you from a council, from a group, where your name was a recurring agenda for some time, specifically over ten years ago." Hazor spoke, sitting down on the wooden floor with his legs crossed.


    Luke blinked twice quickly, not understanding what he was talking about. "Ten years? I was just a boy. How did you know me?"


    "Mr. Lange, ten years ago an event-crisis urred in Oukiwa. What is it? I''ll exin... A cursed item was discovered in a Dungeon in Oukiwa and was about to be sold on the ck-market to one of the most important criminal factions in Broteforge, something that definitely couldn''t happen..."


    "But a bunch of kids stole the item..." Luke continued.


    Hazor nodded and continued talking. "Fate is something that is bound to happen and repeat itself, like an eternal cycle. Weak souls will always be weak souls, and strong souls will always find glory... At least it was meant to be that way. However, when we, sitting at that far away table, saw you part one by one that day, we knew that something between the lines of history had changed... Luke, maybe you will hate me for this, but that is all I can reveal to you. There are secrets that I won''t be able to tell you unless I trust you fully."


    The half-wolf wasn''t understanding much of what Hazor was talking about, however, it was obviously rted to his past, so he couldn''t let go of this information. If Hazor knew something deeper about the day of the theft, he needed to know and also find out how Hazor was rted to the Scales, after all, she said Hazor might know the crucial information about how the Scales could regain their strength.<sub> </sub>


    "How do I go about gaining your trust?"


    "I appreciate the interest. First, I need to find out which side you really chose in the end, the one that will kill you or the one that will save you. However, I don''t need words, I want to see actions. Have you ever heard of the Sakan Religion?" Hazor asked, looking Luke in the eye.


    "Yes, it is that Religion that deifies a man named Sakan, who wandered the world during The Cmity delivering power to those who had none." To keep out of trouble, Luke needed research on certain subjects to make himself look more like a Melki local and not a war refugee.


    "Exactly. The Sakan Religion has an unknown origin and although it has been around for a few years, no one knows where the first churches came about or who wrote their texts. I have a guess as to who it was, but I won''t reveal it to you yet. For now, I will ask you to head south of Stahurt, before the wastnds there is a small coastal town where there is arge lighthouse."


    "What''s in that town?"


    "The Church of Sakan that is in possession of the original texts and that the Pope keeps a cursed Item, practically a relic from when the Dungeons began to appear. Should you bring that relic to me, I will know that I can trust you, if not, I will just add you to my enemy list."


    Luke was more than willing to get Hazor''s loyalty to get the answers he needed, but something still bothered him. "The cursed relics are important, aren''t they? Why don''t you go and get it for yourself?"


    "First, I don''t want it for myself, I want to protect it from falling into the hands of the wrong beings. Second, I cannot leave these mountains and leave them unprotected. There is history in this ce, history far more precious than I can price."


    "Okay, the south then. How will I know when I find that cursed item?" Luke inquired.


    "You will feel it. Besides, I need you tomunicate with me if anything worrisome happens. Use this if necessary." Hazor held out his palm and at that moment a small creature appeared out of nowhere.


    This creature had the size and appearance of a squirrel, except that its tail was not as bulky as usual. Luke stretched out his hand for the creature toe to him, that little thing looked at him, looked at Hazor and jumped happily into his right palm.


    "Looks like she liked you..." Hazor spoke, smiling slightly.


    Luke smiled back as he watched the little creature rub itself against his skin. "I will go get that relic and we will have a long talk, Hazor."


    "I look forward to it, Mr. Lange. I''m also curious how you know me, but I saw early on that you''re not willing to talk yet. For now, I''ll stick around at the Dojo, that ce can''t stay closed for a day." Then Hazor held out his right hand for Luke to shake, who returned the gesture eagerly.

 Chapter 300 Different Routes

    When Luke Lange returned to Stahurt and met up with his travelingpanions at the agreed upon inn, Wanney and Meredith couldn''t tell whether they were more surprised by the fact that the half-wolf had found them with his sense of smell alone, or by the information he brought back from his few-hour walk through the forest.


    "Hold off on the revtions a bit, buddy." Wanney said, stunned, stretching both arms forward. "Are you really wanting to help the unknown weirdo who lives in a forest and who you only know the first name of!?"


    "I''ve been traveling with you for six months and I only know your first name." Luke stated with a neutral expression.


    "I''ve told you a million times that myst name is Ronald, Wanney Ronald!"


    "Luke, he''s right. I won''t be able to trust a stranger''s information.... If he wants us to steal something from a Melki institution as important as this strange religion, I need to trust him." Counters Meredith, crossing her arms bnced on her hind feet on the small table the three of them were sitting at.


    The half-wolf ced his hands on the table, crossed his fingers and leaned forward slightly, looking Meredith in the eye. "You are not obligated to trust Hazor, but I ask that you trust me. This man may have the answers we have been searching for all this time, he may have the answers on how to use each of the three items we have been searching for the past few months, I know he can. Trust me and my gut."


    Wanney Ronald and Meredith Scully looked at each other at that moment and nodded with determined smiles. In a way, they felt a little guilty for not trusting Luke''s words the first time, and if Hazor really could know everything Luke thought he knew, he was the right person for them to trust, even with Hazor himself still not trusting them.


    In the end, even though Wanney supported the trip to the small unnamed town, he decided not to apany the half-beasts. ording to his words, there was something strange hovering over Stahurt and this needed to be investigated, which with the few days they had in the city was not enough. Although he wished to continue on the trip, he still felt he should ask Luke to do so, and Luke''s response was very sincere: he just shrugged, as if this was not his decision. Wanney was very pleased and remained Stahurt, apanying Meredith and Luke only as far as the wagon drivers at the entrance to town.


    Since Luke did not know exactly where the town mentioned by Hazor was, because it was not marked on the map he had, he just had to pay for a wagon driver to take him and hispanion to the ce. It was not a bad deal, the wagon driver would get a coin of Melkian gold, and the two half-beasts would save time.


    However, when they reached the town area, the wagoner suddenly pulled the reins of the horse he was driving. Luke and Meredith looked to the sides, seeing only bush everywhere.


    "Why did you stop so suddenly?" Meredith asked, a little confused. "Are you going to take a leak?" They had been traveling straight for over ten hours, so maybe he wanted to take a break.


    The wagon driver gave a nervous smile, looking at the two young people in the back of his wagon. "Don''t you guys know? There are legends about these parts, so no one goes beyond the forest toward the coast. The Deste Lands border that region, so it''s pretty dangerous."


    When he heard this, Luke grabbed the half-fox''s purse and climbed down from the wagon. "We knew, but we thought you would proceed to the end of the forest. We''ll walk the rest of the way, Meredith."


    The half-fox inted her cheeks, dissatisfied, and followed Luke.


    "Wait a moment! What about my payment?" The old wagon driver held out his hand to receive the money.<sub> </sub>


    "Oh? I almost forget..." Luke muttered low and opened the <Normal Inventory>. Finally, he tossed a small bag of money to the toothless old man, who with some excitement opened the bag of money.


    ''It has never been so easy to take money from rich people as it is in Stahurt. A trip that normally others would charge seven coins, I charged ten coins, and they still paid me...'' The wagon driver thought, almost letting a smile escape, however, he was surprised when he opened the bag with money. "Hey, hey, there are only five coins here, that wasn''t the deal!"


    Luke turned back with the half-fox bag slung over his left shoulder and stated, "You''re right. I asked if you could take us in the town to the south that has the lighthouse, you quickly agreed and gave your price. But look around, do we see any towns? Well, there aren''t any. So settle for these coins or none, you choose."


    The wagon driver had no arguments to rebut, not least because he purposely omitted the information that he wasn''t going to take them to the town, so he just hid his own lips at that moment and left muttering loudly to himself as he snapped the reins for his horse to walk.


    "You are such an asshole~" Meredith spoke up and punched the half-wolf weakly on the shoulder.


    "Ouch, that hurt!" He stated, immediately starting to rub the part that was hit.


    "A punch from me would never hurt you. An arrow would, a punch wouldn''t!" she stretched her arms up to stretch.


    "I can''t even tell you''re lying..." Luke muttered.


    Meredith turned back suddenly. "Hey! I heard that!"


    "What? I''m just talking to myself! Hahaha!" Luke turned his face to the side and pouted.


    The half-fox inted her cheeks and moved closer to him as she leaned her bust heavily in Luke''s direction. "Are you sure...you didn''t say anything?"


    Unlike all the other times Meredith had teased him, although Luke blushed he didn''t flinch and smiled mischievously. "Maybe I said something about how beautiful you look today." He stated and took her chin.


    This time it was Meredith who turned red as a strawberry and looked away. "Y-you got it wrong! I didn''t mean to tease you!" She eximed, waving her hands like the sail of a boat waving on the high seas.


    "Rx. I''m just teasing you... Let''s get going, there''s still a portion of the way to go." He said.

 Chapter 301 Guard

    Luke and Meredith had to walk for a while longer after the wagon driver dropped them in the middle of a dirt road. Together they drove through that long pine forest and also through ins untouched by corruption, to finally reach the area of the small town Hazor had mentioned.


    Even from afar they could see the lighthouse, which was the town''s reference point for travelers on sea andnd.


    It was not difficult for the half-beasts to soon notice that this town was different from the others they had visited in the Melki Empire. The huge, rich buildings were not present, and there were norge ntations around the city either, only small houses and a fewmercial buildings, all looking very old.


    As they approached the town, they noticed that the beams of the houses were made of wood, as were the roofs. Even for a quiet town, this was unusual. Construction had advanced quite a bit, especially in the Melki Empire for some reason, but this town seemed to be an exception to this.


    As it was about to get dark, there weren''t many people on the city streets. Still, the few people who saw the pair of unknown travelers, Luke and Meredith, were surprised at first, and then smiled receptively. This was something Luke hated about the citizens of Stahurt, they were so passive with strangers that he suspected some of the poption didn''t even know that Melki and Broteforge were at war.


    "Let''s find somewhere to spend the night. Even here there must be a hotel, otherwise we''ll head back to the ins and set up camp." Luke spoke to Meredith, who nodded immediately afterwards.


    "We have to make more camouge elixirs, everything we had ran out during the trip. If people see our ears and tails they''re sure to be scared."


    "I know, but we''ll have trouble finding boldo leaf."


    "People here love boldo tea, we''ll probably be able to find it at some store." Affirmed the half-fox, referring to Melkians in general.


    Luke tilted his head slightly to the left and nodded twice with a slight smile on his face. "You have mellowed, a little."


    The half-fox didn''t understand the suddenment. With frowning eyebrows, she asked, "I''ve matured? What do you mean by that?"


    While looking at a man near a post a few feet in front of them, Luke answered without much pretense. "Before you thought a lot before you said or did something, now you are more confident." He then turned to her and stroked her head. "I feel almost like a big brother~."


    The blush that appeared on the half-fox''s face as Luke spoke disappeared the moment Luke called himself a big brother. Meredith was angry, very angry to hear this, however, she was not angry at Luke but at herself, because she did not have the courage to tell the half-wolf the true feelings she held for him.


    Because of this, she just smiled gracelessly and agreed in a mild voice. "But I think I still have a lot of things to improve..."<sub> </sub>


    Suddenly, Luke grabbed her wrist and pulled her a little closer. Whispering, he said to Meredith, "There is a guard lighting the city poles. Go to him and ask where the nearest hotel or inn is."


    Meredith was confused, "Why are you so alert? We''re far from the front line, there''s no way they can recognize you without your ears."


    "There is no way to know if someone recognized me in New Yukiat or Stahurt, so we should be careful. There was no way for demons to act in big cities lest they create a catastrophe in their own territory, but now we are in a small town, if someone or some hidden demon recognizes my face nothing will stop them from acting."


    The half-fox thought it over and sighed deeply. "All right, I will go talk to the guard."


    Meredith approached the guard in a bluish formal uniform and took off her hood, leaving her beautiful reddish hair showing. "Excuse me, are you an army officer or something?" She asked in her delicate voice.


    The man, who was reaching out with his right arm to reach for the oil in themp with the match, widened his eyes when he heard the glorious voice of the girl behind his back. As he adjusted his ck tie, he turned to greet the stranger with a friendly smile.


    "B-good afternoon, miss. W-what can I do for you?" The beauty of the woman in front of the man was even more stunning than her voice, and it made him a little more nervous than usual.


    "My... brother and I are looking for a hotel to stay in. Are there any in this town?" Meredith asked, with a slight hesitation as she called Luke her brother.


    The guard looked at the hooded man standing a little ways away, but didn''t seem to mind his presence so much. "Um... There are two hotels in town, but one of them is under renovation. In case you were alone, I could give you a room in my house, which would leave my ex-wife gnashing her teeth, you know, our divorce wasn''t very nice... Oh, I''m sorry, I suddenly started talking too much."


    Since Meredith had long known the art of smiling and nodding to support people who talk too much, she didn''t even mind hearing about the man''s life. "Don''t worry about it. I hope your family recovers, there is nothing sadder than a family separated. Can you show us where the avable hotel is?"


    The empathy Meredith showed made the guard''s heart flutter at that moment, but he restrained himself, even though her sweet smell was so tempting to him. "It''s getting dark and I still have to light themps for a few blocks, so I won''t be able to apany you and your brother. But there''s no way to go wrong, just follow that street to the end and turn right, there will be a big house with a pointed roof, that''s the hotel there."


    The half-beast duo followed the directions of the city guard and managed to find the aforementioned manor house. However, the ce looked nothing like the hotels they were used to, and this was due to the facts that protecting the manor wererge stone walls, and that through the gate one could notice several graves in the entrance garden.

 Chapter 302 Hotelier

    "Luke, are we in the right ce?" Meredith asked. A trail of sweat ran down the right side of her forehead, and her eyes clearly expected a denial to her question.


    However, the half-wolf looked in both directions of the street to which the city guard had pointed them, and there were definitely no other manor houses. "We are in the right ce, but why is this hotel so different from the rest of the town?"


    No house in that town had walls, and there were few buildings that had any concrete part, which made the wall of that hotel even more rming.


    Since right in the entrance garden of the ce were old tombstones and weeds that were the same height as cornfields, Luke came up with a theory about the origins of that wall.


    "Is that a graveyard?" He asked the half-fox.


    Meredith turned to Luke with terrified eyes. "Now that you mention it, there were some in Stahurt like that...with walls. That seems to keep tomb robbers from breaking in."


    The half-wolf crossed his arms and began to nod with his eyes closed as he listened to hispanion. "Yes, yes..." He agreed.


    "Are we really going to spend the night in a graveyard?" asked Meredith.


    Luke leaned against her shoulder and looked determinedly at the bars of the gate. "That''s not a cemetery now, but a hotel. We can''t have prejudice. Let''s go in..."


    They opened the gates with their bare hands and walked across the garden to reach the door of the huge wooden house. Meredith was clutched so tightly in the arms of the half-wolf that he felt as if her strength arrested his blood cirction. When they finally reached the door of the house, Luke took the iron knocker from the door and knocked only once, as was his custom.


    For a few seconds the cruelest silence lingered, causing Meredith to press her breasts even harder on Luke. She wasn''t doing this on purpose, she just felt a deep fear of horrifying environments like this.


    "Hi! Is anyone home!? We want to spend the night!" Luke shouted loudly so that the people inside the big house could hear.


    Just then, the double door of the house opened, creaking loudly. Meredith and Luke exchanged nervous nces because it wasn''t them who opened the door and no one else was there to answer it. Still, they entered the hotel and then the doors closed by themselves like seconds ago.


    "What''s going on in this ce?" The half-fox whispered.


    "Be quiet, Meredith. There''s someone at the counter."


    When she heard Luke''s warning, she looked over to the counter ten feet from the door. There was an old man there with a friendly smile and very small eyes. He didn''t say anything, however, he was looking at them receptively, so he definitely wasn''t asleep, although his eyes were almost closed.


    The half-beast duo made their way through the small dusty reception room, which had two old sofas and a wooden coffee table. As soon as they finally approached the counter, the old man finally said something:


    "Hello, hello. Sorry for the dy in serving you, hehe... I was preparing a simple cup of tea for my sick wife. I am the Hotelier, will you want to spend the night with us?"<sub> </sub>


    "Yes, please. How much is the daily rate?" Luke was the only one with the courage to speak, because Meredith was still a little afraid.


    "Since it''s quitete, I''m afraid I''ll have to charge more than usual. Will you guys want a room or two?"


    As soon as the old man asked that, Meredith opened her mouth to answer before the half-wolf did. "One room, please, just one room." The tion of her answer surprised the Hotelier, but he just smiled shyly.


    "Okay, I have a room avable for the young traveling couple. This is one of the best rooms we have in this hotel, I''m sure you''ll be pleased. Come with me..."


    Although the Hotelier appeared to be well past seventy, he walked with sure elegance and agility. He stooped without difficulty to pick up one of the keys from under the counter and walked briskly to the hallway to the right of the reception room.


    "Aren''t you guysing?" He asked as he noticed that the two hosts continued to stand still.


    Luke pulled his right arm a little, bringing Meredith with him into the hallway. "You don''t have to be afraid, I''m with you." The half-wolf whispered to her at the beginning of the Hotelier''s stride.


    The half-wolf looked at Luke, finally noticing that he didn''t look fearful like she did. In fact, he wasn''t looking at her because he was afraid or anything, but rather because he was checking on her. That''s why his look at the Hotelier was so serious and confident, he wanted to show Meredith that she was safe and that nothing could hurt her.


    This made her heart flutter once again, and instead of loosening her grip on his arm, she tightened it even more. He was as warm as a firece, so she didn''t feel like moving away, not in an environment that made her shiver so much.


    Normally, the old man who appeared to be the only employee of the ramshackle hotel showed them the room they would be staying in. This one was neither too far from the reception desk, nor too close, being three room corridors away. There were many rooms closer to the reception desk, but ording to the Hotelier these were all already upied, which made Luke wonder if there were more travelers in town than he had thought at first.


    After handing the key to the door of the assigned room to the young couple of ''lovers'', the Hotelier said goodbye, warning that if they had any problems, to report them during the morning. They found this warning unusual, because normally problems were reported immediately, but they didn''t say anything so as not to make a fuss, if those were the rules, they would follow so as not to attract attention.


    "Look, the room is better than I thought..." Luke said with his arms crossed as he scanned the room with a nce.


    With her eyes clenched and her spine curved, Meredith spoke, "You swear? Well, it''s certainly better than many ces we used to sleep as kids, but it''s certainly the worst of all the hotels we''ve ever been to here in Melki."


    The wooden walls of the room had patches with wooden boards, exposed nails, the lighting was not of the best, as was the ss window shaking in the wind.


    "There is only one remaining problem... How are we going to do with this here?" Luke pointed to the small double bed, which the two of them would be extremely glued to if they slept together.


    Meredith quickly looked around the corners of the room and couldn''t find anything else to lie on, not even a couch, armchair or chair, because there was only the bed and arge trunk in the room.

 Chapter 303 Thin Wooden Walls (R-18)

    Sleeping in such a small bed together would certainly not be an easy challenge for Meredith and Luke, they knew that. As they always slept together when they were children, there was also the chance that everything would be very smooth. However, not even in his wildest hopes, Luke thought that such a challenge would be almost torture for him.


    Beneath the duvet, their heated bodies could not avoid touching. The bed was so small that avoiding it was impossible.


    For a few minutes after themp was turned off, Luke tried hard to find some position on the bed that wouldn''t be so awkward and, shall we say, exhrating for him.


    They tried to sleep with both of them facing the left of the room, but it was hard for Luke not to get aroused by his cock so close to the half-fox''s ass. Luke had always seen Meredith as a woman, at least since they were in their teens, and that hadn''t changed over time. In the past, fear and inexperience were the factors that kept him from moving forward against Meredith, factors that these days are non-existent in Luke''s mind.


    "No, this position will not work. Turn this way..." He said as he turned to the right side of the room.


    Meredith was even more nervous than he was, so she didn''t say anything, choosing to obey him.


    As the two of them reversed positions, Luke felt the half-fox''srge breasts touching his back, not to mention her breath caressing his ears.


    "That doesn''t work either." Luke couldn''t sleep with her breasts touching him like that.


    It was noticeable from the space of the bed that they couldn''t sleep with their shoulders parallel, so Luke turned to the center of the bed. The half-fox''s breasts stopped touching him, and her breathing wasn''t as loud as it looked before, nor would he be tortured by having his cock so close to her ass, this position was perfect. For the first second, he was relieved to have finally found afortable position, however, when the half-beasts'' eyes met, their hearts fluttered.


    Silently, the half-wolf''s eyes fell on the chest so close to the half-fox''s, and unconsciously, his left hand moved to the top button of the satin pajamas she was wearing.


    When Meredith noticed this, she took a deep breath. This detail was not ignored by Luke, who immediately stopped his own hand.


    "You do not want?" He asked. As much as he felt her desire through the emotional connection of the moment, he was assured by the enormous respect he had for Meredith.


    "I... have been waiting many years for this." There were tears in the corners of her eyes and a silly, passionate, relieved smile on her mouth.


    The half-wolf was clearly surprised. All this time he''d thought Meredith''s taunts were nothing more than that, taunts, so seeing her discreetly confess like that amazed him.


    As the polygamy in Luke, Alexis and Ayumi''s rtionship was already established, Luke didn''t hold back any longer and with his left hand he opened her pajamas button by button, exposing her skin even more. Naturally, Luke lowered his head to her breasts and while squeezing them with his hands, he sucked both nipples into his mouth.


    "L-luke, take it a little easier." She asked, but Luke refused her request, because he could feel her nipples getting harder and harder.


    With his deft tongue, Luke sucked on her breasts making circles around her nipples, stimting her even more. This was the first time anyone had sucked on Meredith''s tits, so she was feeling her mind grow farther and farther away, as if pleasure was gradually taking over.


    Meredith''s spark of conscience didn''t want topletely surrender to the half-wolf, it was a matter of pride. So she moved her hands to Luke''s chin and forced him to look up a little.


    "Kiss Me." asked the half-fox with apletely red face, in a mixture of shyness and excitement.<sub> </sub>


    Luke smiled teasingly and climbed on top of her, encircling her with his big arms and bust. He flexed his elbows and bent down until his lips were flush with hers.


    Being so close to each other, the heat their bodies exchanged could be appreciated, and when that exchange of heat happened through their tongues, they both felt the passion in their hearts burn more and more. Neither of them could even exin what happened in that moment, but their kissing felt like a great line had been crossed, a stage in their lives ended, like a dreame true. The sense of aplishment they both felt was delusional and fanciful.


    Suddenly, Meredith reversed their position using her legs, which surprised Luke, who had never seen anyone do this, much less in bed.


    She smiled confidently, and as she was now on top, she bent down to kiss Luke even more. Then she sat right on top of his cock, feeling that he was already very turned on by the volume in his pants. ''Am I making him so hard?'' Meredith wondered, a little taken aback by herself, but also apprehensive about how to proceed from that moment on.


    Luke noticed her hesitation but didn''t interfere, because the first time he slept with Alexis Dmitry and Ayumi Yamazaki he learned his lesson that the best way to get experience is to challenge yourself. Also, Meredith didn''t take as long to act as he thought she would, in a few seconds she lowered her bust further and further, until she was face to face with the half-wolf''s waist.


    Her hand entered his pants gently, took his cock and pulled it out of his pants. At that moment, she looked at Luke lewdly and took her first lick, then another, and finally put as much as she could in her mouth. The taste, the smell, the shape, all differed from how she imagined the cocks to be, so she didn''t stop until she heard Luke moan a little.


    Meredith was simply enamored of Luke''s small pleasure reactions, and that fact was predominant for her to take matters into her own hands even with zero sexual experience. In fact, it felt natural to her, because she''d fantasized about these acts so many times with Luke.


    However, Luke also needed to show that he was no longer the hesitant boy he was before. Then Luke lifted his back from the bed and looked seriously at Meredith, who instantly understood the message his gaze was trying to convey.


    She got up from the bed, said good-byepletely, and climbed into Luke''sp. Excited, they began to kiss even more passionately than before, and the next step came naturally. Meredith pushed Luke back and wedged his cock into her vagina. A little pain afflicted her, but that little pain was no big deal to the half-fox, who was already aroused and ready.


    "Hmm ?~" Meredith moaned under her breath as she was prated. It would be awful if the Hotelier caught them having sex, because this wasn''t a love hotel.


    With each thrust Luke made at the half-fox, the volume of her moan grew louder, so when Luke got carried away, he had to cover Meredith''s mouth with one hand, so the sound didn''t get past the thin wooden walls of the room.


    The possibility of them being caught excited them more and more. Not to mention it was their first time having sex, so they were both giving it their all, including Luke, who had secretly wanted to have sex with Meredith for a long time.


    After a few hours, Luke and Meredith were still having sex. Their bodies were tired, exhausted, but they still wanted each other, didn''t want to stop under any circumstances. The half-wolf had alreadye a lot, and the half-fox waspletely full inside, their virility was frightening.


    When they finally got tired, they cleaned up well in the bedroom bathroom and then threw themselves on the duvet.


    As he stroked Meredith''s silky hair, who had her head on his chest, Luke asked. "Did you imagine that one day we would be like this¡­together?"


    "Together? I don''t know... I''ve loved you since it was just the two of us, but I can''t say when I stopped admiring you as an older brother and started admiring you as a man. It was probably when you returned from Yoelona''s training. At that time, you became the central pir of the gang, someone everyone depended on." Meredith replied.


    The half-wolf silence that followed that sentence made Meredith turn her head to look at Luke. What she saw was enough for her brows to arch up and a teasing smile on her face. Luke was blushing and looked away to the corner of the room, shyly.


    However, suddenly the cute atmosphere between the two had its end decreed, because their keen hearing allowed them to hear a footstep on the other side of their room.

 Chapter 304 Crackling

    The moment the old wood on the hallway floor creaked, the duvet covering the two half-beasts flew up. Luke jumped out of bed and opened the door quickly. He knew that the Hotelier was stepping first with his heel on the floor and then with the rest of his foot, but the person snooping around the room was stepping on his toes, obviously wanting to make as little noise as possible.


    As soon as Luke opened the door, he looked up and down the hall, and saw a dark cloak turn the right corner. Luke didn''t know who it could be, whether it was some perverted hotel guest or a spy, so he immediately started running after the person, barefoot and shirtless, wearing only his ck pants.


    The hooded person was fast, very fast. With great skill and wit, the person moved easily through the long corridors of the hotel, which could easily be a maze if Luke wasn''t attentive to details.


    The half-wolf wasn''t bothering to make any noise, so he was even faster than usual. However, just using speed didn''t seem like it would work, because the hooded person had arge advantage, which increased more and more as they chose where to go, following the paths that made the pursuit more difficult for Luke, such as narrow corridors and lobbies voids. The hotel looked even bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.


    Luke needed to take action if he wanted to capture the person. At one point, he simply stopped in the middle of a corridor, letting the spy weave through the corridors until he was out of sight.


    The hooded person turned his head back when he stopped listening to the half-wolf''s footsteps, in order to make sure he had really given up.


    ''Heh, heh! That was... scary!'' The spy thought and smiled with excitement.


    However, Luke wouldn''t let someone who was stalking him get away so easily. He just let the spy get some distance. Luke didn''t necessarily need to see, his other heightened senses could do that too, so he used the distance the spy got to his advantage, predicting where he would go, and the oue of the chase''s end became obvious. Luke surprised the spy by suddenly appearing in front of him with a serious face.


    The person''s hood flew back as he tried to brake, revealing the face of a young woman with dry hair and rough skin.


    "How do you--" She tried to say, but before she could say more, Luke grabbed the cor of the ck cloak she was wearing and threw it against the wooden wall.


    The spy gasped the moment her back hit the wall hard, and her eyes widened. In her mind, only one question proliferated at that time:


    ''Who is this guy?''


    "Who are you? And why were you spying on us?!" The half-wolf questioned.


    The woman took advantage of the fact that Luke was using only one of her hands to hold her high by the neck and kicked him in the chest, managing to push him away and free herself.


    The half-wolf felt almost no pain from her blow, but from that kick he could deduce that she was no amateur.


    "I could ask you the same thing." The woman replied, backing away slowly with her right hand on her neck. ''He got kicked in the chest, and it didn''t even seem to affect him...'' She broke into a cold sweat.<sub> </sub>


    Luke raised the guard to eye level, avoiding her eye contact.


    Every great fighter can predict the way the opponent will move in the fight just based on the way the eyes move, after all, during a battle it is always necessary to be aware of the opponent''s terrain and weak points. So covering the eyes was a way of making sure it wouldn''t be read easily.


    When the spy saw Luke cover his eyes, she was surprised. ''This guy is skilled.'' She thought and drew the knife that was hidden behind her cloak.


    The drawing of the mysterious woman''s de indicated to Luke that she would not surrender without a fight, nor did they have any ns to say who she was. Although he didn''t mind battling, it was certainly a bad way to end the night.


    "I''ll give you onest chance. Tell me who you are and who you work for, and I will spare you." Luke promised.


    "There is! If I were willing to tell you anything, it would just be beautiful fuck you." replied the spy, harshly.


    The half-wolf smiled wryly. "Don''t go beggingter..."


    Deftly, the woman turned the knife a foot wide with her right hand, positioning the object in front of her face.


    When Luke moved forward, she threw the knife at him, who hadn''t expected this. Luke was taken aback and narrowly dodged, letting the de sh his left shoulder.


    ''Shit. Looks like I got too confident after the Hazor fight.'' he thought, watching the red blood run down his bare skin.


    Luke didn''t want to go full force to defeat the spy, as he did with Hazor, because he didn''t want to ask her questions, but this cut made him realize he couldn''t hold back much.


    Finding the critical bnce between killing the woman unintentionally or losing because he yed easy was a vision skill Luke still longed to achieve. Normally, he could only know the opponent''s real strength after a few exchanges.


    Focused on not losing control of his strength, Luke decided not to use any Gene Abilities that could cause structural damage to the house, nor the Sea Ornament, just his natural strength and <Eye of Horus>. In case that wasn''t enough, he could use <Vind> to make up the gap to defeat her.


    Hesitantly, the woman was the one who came at him after taking another long knife from her cloak. This was herst knife, and also the only way to have a chance of winning the battle, so she didn''t intend to throw that second de. With enough skill with this weapon, she swung the knife countless times against the half-wolf, who with practically perfect footwork managed to dodge all these attempts as if it were child''s y.

 Chapter 305 Piss And Mildew

    The woman wasshing out at the half-wolf tirelessly, looking for a way to try to hurt him. However, it seemed the more she shed, the easier it became for him to predict her next move.


    Several times, she swung toward his abdomen, aiming for a dirty, fatal blow. For her, this was the best way to end a fight against a stronger opponent, maybe she had a lucky moment among so many attempts and managed to hit Luke, it was like a chance in a million, however, she still had to try.


    Although to the spy it appeared that Luke was ying with her, as he was only dodging and not attacking her, the truth was much more technical. The way she held the knife and shed was strange to the half-wolf, a bit disorderly, which confused the <Eye of Horus>''s senses. Soon, he realized that this sporadic way of attacking was not because of her nervousness, but appeared to be more of a technique.


    In the midst of such a mess, there was order in the way she wielded the knife, so Luke was wanting to learn about that a bit.


    After dozens of stabbing attempts within seconds, the spy gasped and recoiled. "You''re¡­ strong¡­ I can''t go easy on you." she stated.


    "It doesn''t matter how many times you try to kill me, hundreds or thousands. The result will still be the same, haven''t you noticed that?" Luke ran his left hand over the cut caused by the de the spy had just thrown.


    The blood from the wound was already dried and his fleshpletely healed.


    As the mystery woman still hadn''t noticed that her one hit had not had positive results, she was stunned to see Luke''s healed right shoulder.


    ''Has he already healed? That cut happened just seconds ago... Shit, maybe he''s a corrupted one too.'' She thought.


    In order to perhaps create an identification with the opponent, the woman removed the long ck bush she was wearing, revealing the clothes of a real assassin, with very dark clothes and few metal details, which did not harm her stealth. The sleeves of the jacket, which she wore under her cloak, were turned up a little, and on each of her wrists were a pair of spikes the size of her thumbs.


    ''So she really is a corrupted one.''


    Luke was already expecting something like this, after all it was very unusual to find people who had the speed that this woman proved to have. Besides, this spy had the same rotten smell as Wanney and the corrupted regions.


    ''That doesn''t change anything. I still need to know why she was near my room.''


    When Luke was about to ask again the question about who she was, the spy raised her right arm and pointed only her index finger at Luke. ck particles came out of her fingernails, and then that finger began to necrose.


    [Luke, dodge this now!] The Scale screamed in the half-wolf''s mind, startling him.


    Suddenly, the mystery woman''s finger exploded into hundreds of pieces and a ck flesh sphere was flung towards the half-wolf. The force of this skill was so overwhelming that it set the entire area of ??the corridor through which it passed into ck mes, as well as causing the hotel''s foundation to shake.


    ''Huh!? Were you watching me this whole time?'' Luke asked the scale in his mind,pletely indignant even in that tight moment.


    [That doesn''t matter! Come on, dodge it!]


    ''Damn... are you sure you can really see all the probabilities of the future?'' He provoked her.


    His face quite flushed at the thought that the Scale watched his sex with Meredith without saying an A, he calmly raised his left arm and uttered,


    "<Gluttony>!"


    Before even touching the half-wolf, therge sphere waspressed, bing a cylinder that in moments simply disappeared. As this was such a powerful attack, Luke felt pain as he absorbed it, the muscles in his arm were strained to the limit and the blood circting in his veins nearly boiled. <Gluttony> was not a costless skill, and the price of absorbing each skill was for Luke''s own body, which was already worn out from within.


    The spy broke into a cold sweat as her most powerful ability was fully nullified.


    Luke stretched his left shoulder as he finished using <Gluttony>. The impact was strong and the damage to his body was greater than he expected, but Luke was calm because he managed to avoid the worst. He couldn''t tell what might have happened if he hadn''t had <Gluttony>.


    As he stretched, Luke looked at the mystery woman seriously. "That was your final card, your ace, wasn''t it?" He questioned her.


    Completely in shock at having sacrificed one of her fingers for nothing, she dropped to her knees on the floor. This was the answer the half-wolf had been waiting for.<sub> </sub>


    Luke looked around in the hallway and realized that the structural damage he was avoiding doing was, in the end, done by someone else''s skill. It was impossible for the half-wolf to tell, with what little knowledge he had on the subject, what kind of skill or magic the spy used. He certainly didn''t see a magic circle, but he also didn''t hear the woman utter anything, and she didn''t make any apparent special gestures either.


    It reminded Luke of a conversation he had with Wanney about the rtionship between Corruption and man.


    In that conversation, Wanney said he didn''t know exactly what the role of corruption was. Of course, he knew he could converse and control various species of monsters with this power, like a kind of hypnosis mixed with pain control, but the Corrupted''s powers weren''t limited to just controlling demons.


    Since then, Luke was very interested in this subject. He approached the woman who was on her knees and questioned, "Does the Imperial Melki Army know that a trained officer is so far from the front lines?"


    The Corrupted were a select group of officers, and if Luke was right about her being a Corrupted, it would save him from having to search the city.


    Hair falling in front of her face, head down, the woman chose to answer all questions bluntly. However, the moment she opened her mouth to speak, she heard a loud cracking sound. As she lifted her head to look at Luke, she saw him falling to her side.


    Confused and surprised by what had happened in the blink of an eye, she watched him fall t on his chest without saying. Luke fell hard as a stone,pletely unconscious. Then she looked at the shadow that had struck the half-wolf and the mes of themps in the hall lit up the face of a red-haired woman.


    Meredith was the one standing before the woman holding a piece of wood broken in half, which she dropped on the floor.


    "Why did you help me? Who are you?" The spy asked Meredith.


    "It doesn''t matter what my name is. I just want to use this man as an offering to Sakan. You''re a Sakan faithful, aren''t you?"


    The half-fox''s words initially made the corrupted woman smile, and that smile quickly turned into hystericalughter.


    The spy couldn''t believe how lucky she was, how ironic fate was.


    In fact, she had already epted death when she fell to her knees before Luke, because if she said anything to Luke, she died, and if she didn''t, she died at his hands. In other words, Meredith was a savior for her, an unlikely heroine, to whom she owed her life.


    *


    When Luke opened his eyes, he didn''t know exactly where he was. Everything was quite dark and silent. The resulting odor of the mixture of piss and mold in the ce where he was slowly helped him to regain a faint consciousness.


    For the first few seconds, it was hard to ovee the confused feeling of stun. The pain from the blow to his head was still throbbing.


    Gradually he noticed that the ce he was in had stone brick walls, a damp floor, and iron railings. It was definitely a prison, or worse, because it was so silent and dark, he was probably in a dungeon prision.


    Bracing himself against the wall with his right hand to get up, Luke looked past the bars of the cell he was in. There were a few other saddles in ce in the dungeon as well, however, they werepletely empty. At this point, he took a deep breath, not looking the least bit surprised.


    Suddenly, a familiar voice invaded his saddle. "Were you betrayed by your mate, half-wolf?" Hazor asked from the other side of the fence.


    Luke snapped the chain that held his left leg rather easily and looked at Hazor. "No, I arranged all this with her. We had a mission to steal the cursed item, and as we realized from the beginning that there was something wrong with this city, we decided to test something unusual."


    Hazor was quiet for a moment. "That was a smart move, very shrewd on your part."


    He clearly wasn''t expecting Luke to go so far as to use himself as a way to find members of the Sakan religion.


    "By the way, how are you here? You had told me you couldn''t get off that mountain." Luke confronted him.


    "I lied. I just wanted to use you to confirm the rumor about this town was true, and apparently I did." replied Hazor, with enviable normality.


    Eyes closed in disappointment and disbelief, Luke twisted the bars of the railing with his bare hands and opened a space for him to slip through.

 Chapter 306 Faithful

    Hazor took a step to the side, clearing the way for Luke to pass through the grate space without a hitch. At that moment, the little squirrel given by Hazor to Luke appeared out of nowhere on the ground, and Hazor bent down to pick it up with his right hand.


    "You once again did a great job." Hazor said, patted the little creature''s belly and ced it over his left shoulder.


    Luke stared nkly at this situation. He''d gotten the feeling the squirrel wasn''t there to help him, but to watch over him, only he definitely didn''t expect Hazor to use that to get to him.


    "So where are we?" Luke asked, rubbing his arms coldly. Unfortunately, he was still shirtless and barefoot, wearing only his pants.


    "I don''t know, probably in some Sakan faithful hideout."


    "What do you mean you do not know? How did you get here, to me?" When it came to Hazor, the Scale didn''t give much information, so for Luke he was a big unknown.


    "Huh? Isn''t it obvious? I know my summon to teleport. I ced a magic binding circle on his belly, which allowed him to travel long distances." Said Hazor simply, as if what he imed to have done was easy to believe.


    However, Luke was not a man who used to doubt when it came to magic circles, for he understood that the versatility of magic was far greater than he could have imagined. "Okay, okay, I get it. What will we do now? Do you have something in mind?"


    "I''m going to blow this whole ce up and search the rubble for the cursed item."


    "Right, right." Arms folded, Luke instinctively nodded as he listened and spoke. "Wait¡­ What!? You can''t destroy everything, Meredith is probably here somewhere."


    "That''s why I don''t work in groups. Jobs get harder when we need to protect someone. But it''s okay, I understand you... If my n doesn''t work for you, I''ll stay behind you." Hazor ced his right hand on Luke''s left shoulder and smiled sympathetically, trying to support him.


    The half-wolf threw his hand aside and snorted. Certainly Hazor''s appearance was a surprise factor, but if the man was going to go along with Luke''s n, there was no problem. Also, Hazor was incredibly strong, Luke wouldn''t need to protect him.


    "Alright, pay close attention. A few months ago I heard a rumor that came from the south about the Sakan Religion, apparently human sacrifice has be something practiced by some viges and small towns of Sakan faithful. So I proposed to mypanion that she use me as an offering when we found any suspicious Church members."


    "Huh? And how did you know this n would work? Sorry, but this seems like a very risky n with little chance of sess." Hazor spoke as he scratched his beard.


    "Among all the ns I thought of, this was the only one that would get me here as quickly as possible. However, you''re right, there''s a big problem with this n that you probably can''t even imagine: Meredith and I are half-beasts, and we drank thest vial of elixir yesterday morning, meaning the illusion effect should already be on about to end."


    Hazor''s brows arched as Luke revealed all this. Hazor was already surprised enough by the half-wolf''s calcted way of acting, but discovering that he was a half-beast seemed even more surprising.


    "This is not good. If her friend, Meredith, is by Sakan''s side by the time the elixir wears off, it doesn''t matter if she is a woman who is making an offering to their God or not, they will kill her in the cruelest way possible without thinking twice."


    The religious who followed the Sakan God were extremely prejudiced against half-beasts, because in the Tome of religion, half-beasts were considered nefarious and impure creatures, aberrations created by thebination of monsters and humans.


    "I know, I know. So there is no time to waste." Luke said, opened the <Normal Inventory> and took out Nebezial''s obsidian sword.


    Soon after, footsteps could be heard,ing from the direction of the wooden door that was in the dungeon. On the other side of the door, a pair of men in long white robes had just descended the stairs to the dungeon.


    "Did you hear that too?" One of them asked the other.<sub> </sub>


    "I didn''t hear anything. Are you sure you heard something?"


    The second man looked incredulously at the first, who smiled shyly. "Maybe it''s just mice, I''m sorry sir."


    "Okay¡­ Don''t warn me like that again. I''ve heard that the sacrifice of the time is a very strong man, so we have to be careful, but there''s no reason to fear him so much, the woman who defeated him did it with just a piece of wood from what I heard." The one who appeared to be the oldest, and highest-ranking, scoffed.


    <o>,m "Hehe!" The first held back fromughing out loud.</o>


    As soon as the older man pushed the heavy dungeon door inside, the light from thentern that the younger man held invaded the room, but that was not enough to illuminate almost anything in the chamber. Even so, the two faithful entered the dungeon without saying anything, however, they were not avoiding making noise, because their footsteps echoed all over the ce.


    The younger man walked over to the saddle they said the prisoner would be in, but the moment he raised thentern, illuminating the entire saddle, and saw nothing even in the darkest corners, he turned to speak to his superior. However, the older man had simply disappeared from his side, saying nothing. Immediately, he prepared to run as fast as he could, only suddenly he felt a cold de touch his lower back. He was going to scream, but his attempt was stopped by Luke, who covered his mouth with his hand.


    "Shhhh... It''s okay, I just want to ask you a few questions."


    As this was the first time this man had been in a situation like this, his legs went wobbly, and he dropped thentern on the floor.


    When thentern fell, luckily it didn''t break or have its me extinguished, but its cylindrical shape made it roll a little on the ground. At that time, the light from thentern illuminated the back of the dungeon door, revealing the scene of Sakan''s second faithful already on the floor with his severed head. His face was eternally haunted by an expression of astonishment. Hazor hadn''t shown as much leniency to his target as Luke.


    That man who was surrendered by Luke started screaming and biting the hand that covered his mouth when he saw his superior dead. Which gave Luke no choice but to shut him up forever. So that the man would not have a long and painful death, the half-wolf just plunged the knife into his head hard and withdrew.


    After that, Hazor and Luke Lange emerged from the dungeon, wearing the white robes that the two men wore.


    The stairs leading to the dungeon were long, but luckily for them there weren''t many doors that needed checking. This seemed to be a little-traveled area, as they didn''t see anyone until they found another door like the one in the dungeon, made entirely of solid wood and hinged with iron.


    "There are other people on the side of the door." Hazor warned, not needing to put his ear to the wood to hear.


    "Yes I know. It''s eight people, no... it''s ten now. Two armored people entered through a door on the right."


    "People in armor? This is unusual for a small town like this, adventurers stay where there are a lot of monsters, is it some guard who is on their side?" Scratching his beard, Hazor theorized.


    "I don''t believe it''s a city guard. I was able to talk to an officer as soon as I arrived in the city and he was not wearing armor, just a uniform." Luke said, but the one who spoke to the city guard was Meredith.


    "Is your mate on the other side of that door?"


    On the other side of the door, it looked like there was some sort of celebration going on, because people were talking loudly andughing. This broke Luke''s stereotypical thinking about members of cults like Sakan''s.


    "I don''t know, I don''t hear her voice. She''s probably not here, otherwise the men would be very bold and louder, Meredith is unusually beautiful." Luke replied, touching the door with his left hand to feel the vibrations. "It doesn''t look like a cafeteria to me and there are no sounds of mugs or tes, they are waiting for something outside."


    "If you''re right, it''s you they might be waiting for. You said earlier that your mate offered you as a sacrifice, it could be that the men we killed were the people who would bring you here." Hazor''s way of thinking was simr to that of the half-wolf. "What is the n? Are we going to enter this room and kill everyone who tries to stop us or do you have another idea?"

 Chapter 307 Purple Flames

    "What is our n? Will we enter this room and kill everyone who tries to stop us or do you have another idea?" When Hazor said that, his voice didn''t even shake.


    "I don''t know, that would be risky. We don''t know how many people are in that ce and how big it is, I don''t want to make a ughter just to get a cursed item." Luke replied.


    "Boy, do you have any idea what a cursed item is? In the wrong hands, any one of the ten items is capable of unimaginable things."


    The half-wolf''s brows arched. When the Scale instructed him to search for the three cursed items he now had, she didn''t warn him about such a power.


    Then Hazor snorted and took his right hand from the scabbard of his sword. "I see you won''t give in so easily. Do you trust me? There is a way we can get into this room without them attacking us."


    "I''m listening." Luke showed his interest right away. If there was a way for them to get past each other''s ten people without causing a fuss, this would be the path he''d choose.


    After exining to the half-wolf how they would proceed, Luke was stunned, but also very confident.


    "Okay, let''s do it your way." The half-wolf asserted, went behind Hazor and covered his head with the hood of his white cloak.


    Immediately, Hazor opened the heavy door that finally led them out of the prison dungeon.


    The mor of voices on the other side ceased as the door''s rusty hinges creaked. Over Hazor''s shoulder, Luke saw ten people gathered in two different groups in a small room with a column in the center.


    There were no windows in the ce, just a few torches on each of the four walls. The gloomy look continued, thanks to the weathered stone bricks and the agonizing musty smell. All this indicated that they were probably still underground.


    People looked suspiciously at the hooded pair who came out of the basement. Eight of those people wore white robes like the ones Hazor and Luke were wearing now, except for two tall, stocky men. These two were wearing a set of ck steel armor with spiked shoulder pads and ornaments in pure silver. In the middle of each chest was a symbol still unknown to Luke: an illustration of a hand whose palm was filled with a mouth full of sharp teeth.


    "Ridrah and Arjohn, did you not go to seek the sacrifice? Where is he?" The man in armor, who had blond hair, asked Hazor and Luke.


    The half-wolf was surprised that Hazor was actually able to copy the appearances of the men who were killed and mirror the two of them. Although for Luke to know that Hazor could do something like this wasn''t a huge novelty, as the dojo was protected by an illusion, it was still pretty impressive someone being able to do it so quickly.


    As requested by Hazor, Luke didn''t say anything and he took the reins of the situation himself.


    "The prisoner is not down there." Hazor said. In addition to his physical appearance, Hazor''s voice had also changed a lot.


    "What!?" Everyone eximed, astonished.


    "Alert everyone you can, the prisoner is on the run! Investigate all warehouses, rooms, and hallways! He can''t have gone too far, we can''t let that sacrifice get away!" Arm raised like a battlemander, Hazor gave the orders, then pointed at the two armored men. "You two,e with me!"


    All the people in white robes exchanged nces, confused by what was happening. The two men in armor were also perplexed, and they didn''t understand why someone who was a few ranks lower in the hierarchy would dare to give them orders.


    "What are you waiting for!? Do you want to make the Bishop angry?! Hurry up, start looking!" ordered Hazor.


    "Right!" The people in white robes eximed and went out together through arge wooden door on the right, already shouting for all to hear: "The sacrifice has escaped! The sacrifice escaped!"


    A great fanfare quickly spread, mobilizing dozens of people to look for Luke. As no one knew how long he might have been on the run, he could be anywhere, however, he was still very close to the ce where he was arrested.


    The two men in ck armor walked up to Hazor with a look of disbelief. The appearance Hazor took on wasn''t very respectable either, he had a huge paunch, a wispy beard and a bald scalp, while the two guards were strong, tall and young, not to mention holding a higher rank.


    However, Hazor''s gaze was enough to intimidate ordinary people and his ability to give orders was innate, as if he had been bornmanding an army. It was not for less that one day this talent was recognized by hundreds of thousands of people, to the point of turning him into a recognized figure throughout the Melki Empire.<sub> </sub>


    "Boys, where is the woman who brought the sacrifice? We can''t lose sight of her either." Hazor asked the two men.


    The way Hazor asked didn''t give the two armored guys room to sneer or retort.


    "Do you talk about Amara?" the blond man asked.


    Hazor looked back over his right shoulder, and Luke shook his head. "No, if I''m not mistaken her name is Meredith or something."


    "Oh! So, you must be talking about the red-haired woman who was following Amara everywhere. If I''m not mistaken, the two were in the Bishop''s room, awaiting the moment of sacrifice with him." The one with long ck hair replied.


    "Alright, show us the way. The bishop will want to question who it was that investigated the dungeon." Hazor had already seen from the people''s expressions that, although the person he had assumed the identity of was old, he didn''t hold much higher rank than most of the other acolytes.


    As there was logic in what the bald old man said, the pair of guards did not question him and guided Ridrah and Arjohn to the Bishop''s room.


    Soon, they emerged from the stinking underground tunnels, entering an environment that still carried the old prison aesthetic, but didn''t stink as badly. On the walls were old paintings, strange symbols, and torches whose fire burned not red but purple.


    "We''reing." The blond guard turned around and warned Luke and Hazor, who exchanged nces at the same time.


    The mood in the hallway they were following was weird. The sounds of the acolytes'' reckless footsteps faded away, and the crackle of torches seemed ufortable.


    "I feel something strange." Luke whispered to Hazor.


    "What are you talking about?" Hazor retorted. He knew his illusion was still intact, just as he was sure he''d managed to convince the two guards. What could be wrong?


    However, the half-wolf''s instincts were rarely wrong, because he grew up having to hone his survival instincts on the streets in order not to die. In a city like Oukiwa, where there are so many things going wrong, so much death lurking beneath the buildings, in the Dungeons, the half-wolf boy had the opportunity to develop the best of survival instincts, which didn''t let any of his surroundings go unnoticed.


    Confirmation of Luke''s suspicion came right after the whispers, when suddenly the metallic sound of unsheathing a sword echoed down that long hallway. The long-haired guard had drawn his sword, which was thin as a spear point and sharp as a dagger.


    He was smiling bitterly, and his hands were shaking. "I hope you''re not wrong about that, Norgold!"


    Then he swung towards the bald old man that Hazor had turned into. The wind generated by the swing of the sword made the mes of the torches flicker, however, contrary to what the blonde who was smiling confidently thought, the blow had no effect, Hazor was holding the sword between two of his right hand.


    At that moment, too, the illusion Hazor had created was shattered, revealing that the fat old man was actually a respectable-looking old man with stringy muscles.


    "Shit, you were really right!" The ck haired man said to the blond guard as he jumped back, dropping his sword.


    "I told you. There was no way the sacrifice could have escaped, we had been protecting the only way out of the dungeon all day."


    Hazor smiled and threw the thin sword at its owner''s feet. "There are two ways we can end this here. The first one, you die, and the second you will only be seriously injured. Which of the two options do you prefer? Of course, if you choose thetter, you''ll have to tell us a few things we want to know, about where the real bishop''s office is."


    The two armored men exchanged nces and chuckled. In front of them there was only one old man, and they believed there was no way an old man could face the two of them together, so the chance of beating them was even less.


    Hazor took the sword from the scabbard to the left of his waist with his right hand, while with his left hand he closed his eyelids. A momentter, he disappeared before the men''s eyes.

 Chapter 308 On Knees (Part 1)

    The eyes of the two guards widened after Hazor disappeared before their eyes. Both of them didn''t even have time to move to look for Hazor, because in the next instant Hazor appeared behind them both.


    ''Impossible! The hallway must be too narrow for that!'' The ck haired man thought.


    Hazor swung his sword quickly towards the ck haired man''s chest, however his attack was parried by the blond guard. As there was no time to draw his sword, the guard named Norgold had to use his own bracelets to defend his friend, which was not without cost to him. The cksteel of Norgold''s armor was pierced by Hazor''s sword, and the old man''s sword plunged deep into his skin.


    Then Norgold used his uninjured right arm to try to grab Hazor by the neck, but the old man jerked back.


    "Are you okay, Everton?" Nargold asked the ck haired man.


    Everton broke into a cold sweat with Hazor''s speed and agility. "Y-yes, I''m fine! Thanks!"


    Norgold gritted his teeth as he stared at Hazor. ''Damn, this old man is very strong, I can feel his battle experience terrifying my soul now. He turned into a totally different person after unsheathing his sword.''


    The two armored knights'' hands were shaking just from looking at Hazor. Deep down, they knew they didn''t stand a chance.


    The old man with the beard and gray hair swung his sword hard, hurling the drops of Norgold''s blood that soaked it to the ground. "It''s not just me you should be worried about, boys."


    Norgold and Everton had just a second to think and remember the person who was with Hazor before they started to hear the calm walk behind them. They turned around and saw Luke removing the white cloak, which he used to disguise himself.


    In Hazor''s eyes there was calm and experience, but in Luke''s eyes there was something that was above calm, there was certainty and understanding. Just looking the half-wolf straight in the eye was enough to make them feel totally invaded. The expression on Luke''s face was as if he was sure of the oue even before the swords met, as if he already knew everything about the enemy.


    Also, Luke''s battle aura was just as big as Hazor''s, if not even bigger, putting even more pressure on the environment. This was just terrifying.


    Everton and Norgold were unable to react as Luke Lange approached. Not because they didn''t want to, but because their limbs just didn''t move. Their minds were in a mess as they didn''t know which was the best choice to go for. If they attacked Luke Lange, this would definitely be their death certificate, and if they didn''t move he could still choose to kill them both.


    In the end, Everton dropped to his knees on the ground, dropping his thin sword.


    Norgold looked to the side, saw hispanion surrendered and didn''t think much more. He lowered his head and knelt as well.


    As Luke approached the two, he didn''t understand exactly why the two men had given up so easily when a few seconds ago they were so proud. Luke Lange looked at them simply and asked, "What happened? Won''t you fight to the death with the old man? That seems to be what he wants."


    <o>,m Voice trembling with fear and still head down, Norgold: "No, we will follow your orders from now on."</o>


    Everton, Hazor and Luke definitely didn''t expect this.


    "What? What are you talking about, man?" Luke asked.


    "Everton and I joined the Children of Sakan because we wanted to be stronger¡­ We thought that by reaching high office we might be Corrupted someday, but when I noticed that you two are so strong without using a drop of Corruption, I decided that I want to be just like you!"


    The ck haired man looked at Norgold and smiled briefly, proudly. ''Generally, Norgold is someone extremely arrogant and easily influenced, but this also makes him constantly evolving, not content with his current strength. If he perceives that someone is strong, he starts to respect that person.''


    The half-wolf clicked his tongue a few times, disappointed, and crossed his arms. "I can''t say for the old man, but I wear something akin to corruption, something that pushes me forward, something you Melki Empire see as taboo. I use Gene Ability."


    Norgold looked at Luke for a few seconds, and blinked his eyes constantly, trying to understand what those words meant.


    Everton noticed the blond haired man''s confusion and whispered, "He eats monster cores."


    "Wehw! Isn''t that a little gross?" Norgold''s first reaction was a distinct look of disgust.


    "In reality it is like swallowing a small stone. It sucks at first, but then you get used to it." Luke exined.<sub> </sub>


    "Khum!" Hazor pretended to clear the throat in his throat. "Mr. Lange, we were in an emergency situation, weren''t we? The cursed item will not find itself alone."


    "Yes, you''re right. Will you two want to continue with this already lost fight or would you prefer to help us?" Luke asked Norgold and Everton.


    "We will go with you!" They responded in sync.


    At that moment, Hazor smiled as he cleaned and illustrated the sword to put in the scabbard. This scene reminded him of a very ancient past.


    Luke shrugged, because either choice would have the same end result, one would just require a little more dedication than the other. "Oh, whatever. Show the right way this time to where the Bishop and the red-haired woman are. We don''t have time to waste."


    "Yes sir!" Norgold and Everton eximed.


    Luke was picking up the white cloak from the floor to pick it up again and was startled by the shouts of the two young men. "Shhh! Don''t make so much noise."


    "Yes sir." They whisper this time.


    Norgold and Everton looked to be no more than twenty years old, but they were tall, and their well-forged armor made them look more robust. They were definitely two strong for the average Melki Empire, and could be even stronger if they ever rebelled against the custom of not ingesting Monster cores.


    *


    Some people usually say that human beings are religious by nature, others say that religious and philosophical thoughts were born only from the moment that humanity conquered the top of the food chain. The truth? Well, it sure isn''t that simple.


    Since the dawn of human development, stories are told and through them ancient values ??are passed on to future generations. All religions use this technique as a way to spread the principles that must be followed. However, when power as frightening as the feeling of believing in something falls into the wrong hands, the truth changes, the world changes, and history takes a turn that cannot be changed.


    From the investigations that Luke Lange did during thest few months, he discovered many things about the Sakan Religion, including, he was sure that this was just another way for demons to try to manipte the masses.


    In arge chamber in which there was arge altar in its center, there were also three people.


    One of these people had a bizarrely strange appearance, as he wore a long ck cloak with hand-stitched details, apletely ck robe over his chest and also an iron mask that looked more like the long ears of an elf, the small eyes of an elf, and the memorable helmet horns of the k Kingdom''s warriors.


    This person was caressing the stone altar and meanwhile asked Meredith, "Are you sure you want to proceed with the sacrificial ritual?"


    The half-fox was on her feet, but the woman beside her, the one who had spied on her room the day before, was on her knees and her head down.


    "The Hotelier told me that you guys were having sex a few minutes before the match. If that''s really true, why sacrifice someone you''ve already dated? Again, the man under the mask asked.


    Meredith was prepared to be asked questions like that, but she was surprised it was the Hotelier who told her. "Your doubt is fair, however, I will have to disappoint you. The rtionships I had with the man were just a way to feel less guilty, I sought to reward him for his life with the best night I could dream of having."


    Amara blushed a little just hearing the half-fox say that.


    "Hmm¡­ If you feel guilty about offering ONE mere human sacrifice to Sakan, maybe you should reflect on your beliefs. Sakan is endless, insatiable. The only reason we offer sacrifices for him is as a way of showing our love for him."


    "Yes, you''re right. I still have a lot to learn."


    Suddenly, the Bishop turned toward Amara and Meredith and gasped. "Anyway, we will continue with the sacrifice. Amara, I requested the acolytes to bring the man a few minutes ago, where are they?"


    "They must be about to... They''ve arrived." The parched-skinned woman answered, stood up and moved out of the way.


    Then the iron door of the altar chamber was opened, and four men entered the room.

 Chapter 309 On Knees (Part 2)

    The moment the doors opened, and four people entered, the Bishop removed his left hand from his lower back and joined it with his right hand, which was holding his ck staff.


    "Sir, we have brought the sacrifice as requested." said Norgold, holding Luke by the neck.


    Behind the young knight was a tall person wearing a ceremonial white robe, and then there was Everton.


    From the altar, the Bishop looked into Luke''s face in silence.


    The half-wolf was still under the effects of the elixir of disguise, naturally its wolf ears were hidden, as well as its tail, but these limbs could still be felt if someone tried to touch them. Also, the only clothes he wore were ck pants that were already so worn that rips and loose lines could be seen.


    "Um¡­ You guys took a long time. Did something happen that I should know about?"


    Everton took a step forward, confident this time. Determined, he looked at the bishop and questioned him:


    "Sir, where are the other knights who normally apany you?"


    Before the bishop could respond, Amara took the lead. "As you were taking so long, I requested that they go look for you and the other acolytes."


    At this moment, Everton and Norgold exchanged nces. They realized they couldn''t get the time Luke asked for.


    In reality, the half-wolf had already finished the things he wanted to do without even having to move. He found out how many people there were in the chamber, verified that Meredith was all right, although she didn''t disguise her expression of concern for him very well, and he''d also learned a little about the way the bishop behaved.


    [He is strong.] The scale alerted the half-wolf.


    ''I know that. He''s the local leader of the Sakan Religion, there''s no way he''s weak or stupid. Also, I work with the idea that he''s a demon.'' Luke warned the Scale that while he could read his surface thoughts, he couldn''t read the half-wolf''s perceptions. ''However, there is still a chance that he is just someone being manipted by the demons. So I''m not going to kill him right away, I have some questions to ask.''


    [Luke, this is not our mission. We''ve already found Hazor, we just need to keep him alive for now.]


    ''I know, I know. However, if this cult grows more rotten, the half-beasts will suffer more prejudice in the future, even if we win.''


    The half-wolf had plenty of reasons to want to avoid direct conflict with the Sakan Religion, but because he was principled, he couldn''t totally ignore racists right in front of him.


    "You are the Bishop, am I right?" Luke asked the man in the iron mask by the altar.


    The Bishop sneered at Luke, who couldn''t be noticed by anyone in the room. "That doesn''t interest you. You''re someone who''s dead..." His words sounded like he was talking to an animal. "Men, where are the other acolytes who apanied you? You didn''t answer me."


    "They won''t get here anytime soon." Said the white-robed man who was behind Norgold and Everton. Then his cloak flew up, revealing the face of a middle-aged man whose gray hairs could no longer be disguised.


    "And who the hell are you? " The Bishop mmed his staff down, causing the walls of the ce to shake.


    Hazor drew his sword and brandished it in front of his chest. "That doesn''t interest you. You''re someone who''s dead." he said and smiled wryly at the half-wolf.


    At that moment, the two knights present also unsheathed their respective swords and pointed at the Bishop.


    Luke was the one who became more passive in that discovery situation.


    "Hm... So, you two did you choose to betray God Sakan? There are many words out there to describe what you have be, but I will choose a wise word over an offense. You are brave. Courageous for not fearing the strongest being in this world, but too foolish to understand the weight of their actions." Said the Bishop:


    "We don''t agree with everything you do here, although we can understand your religion. All we want is to make us stronger, only we discovered that Corruption is not the only way we can." Norgold spoke for him and hispanion.


    Even Everton, who was normally someone more withdrawn and hesitant, was staring at the Bishop.<sub> </sub>


    As Norgold answered the man in the iron mask, Meredith walked over to Luke to see if he It was fine. He was stinking a little from being in the dungeon for hours, and his skin wasn''t a scratch. Meredith didn''t know those two knights who were suddenly on their side, nor did she understand what Hazor was doing in that ce, but she didn''t interfere either, the more people to help, the better the situation was for them.


    When the half-fox approached Luke, he stroked her hair quickly and asked her to stay behind him. As soon as the Bishop noticed this scene, he couldn''t help but react,


    "Ha! So this whole mess was nned in advance. Now I understand... Amara, get up."


    The woman who was near the altar, still kneeling before the Bishop even after so much confusion, rose at hismand,


    "You know what to do." The Bishop had full confidence in his most loyal assistant:


    "Yes, sir." She replied withoutining, however, on her face there was not an empty and fearless expression, but the look of someone uncertain.


    Amara extended her right-hand forward, which was already with a bloody bandage where the finger should have been. Forefinger, and this time she extended her ring finger forward. As when she fought Luke, her finger exploded into pieces after ck liquid began to spurt from her fingernail. Suddenly, a ck sphere appeared in the chamber, weighing the surroundings down. , breaking the concrete around him.


    "Shit, what is this?" Norgold wondered, in a cold sweat.


    Everton took a step back, shocked by Amara''sck of outrage. He thought she would at least hesitate, but she promptly obeyed the Bishop''s orders. "Do you kill your friends too, Amara?"


    "Everyone, back off. I will withstand the st of this dark magic." Hazor spoke and instantly began creating a magic circle in the air with his left hand.


    Instead of following Hazor''smand, Luke sighed and took a step forward. "Just stay behind me."


    ''Huh?'' The Bishop thought as he saw the ck-haired, yellow-eyed man advance a little.


    Few people were able to face Amara''s most powerful blow head-on and still survive. What the Bishop didn''t know was that Luke Lange had not only already absorbing one of those blows, as well as defeating Amara. She didn''t tell him because she was embarrassed that she wasn''t killed just for having Meredith''s help, and now that she was seeing that Luke''s capture was part of a bigger n, shewas even more embarrassed.


    Therefore, as soon as the half-wolf Gene Ability <Gluttony> greedily swallowed Amara''s dark magic, she wasn''t even surprised.


    However, to the rest of the people in the altar chamber the way the Skill was able topress the ck sphere and dispel it masterfully was something unbelievable. Meredith still hadn''t seen the full potency of <Gluttony> live, consequently she was very impressed too.


    ''What was that? Did he use a magic circle? No, I didn''t see any shine. He''s not a Corrupted either, meaning... he''s a Monster Skill user.'' The Bishop thought, gritting his teeth inside his mask. "Damn you! How dare you step on holy ground with a body so¡­so¡­consumed!? Kneel!"


    The Bishop''s angry voice shook the structures of the room, and as if the weight of the world''s gravity were a hundred times heavier, everyone was literally on their knees, except for the Bishop himself. Nobody understood exactly what happened, their bodies just obeyed the order.


    Beating the base of his staff on the ground with each step, the Bishop started down the stairs of the altar, however, he was not heading towards the group that was on his knees, but towards the left of the entrance, where there was a dark tunnel.


    "He''s trying to run away!" Norgold struggled to scream.


    "Luke, we have to capture him. Only he should know where the Cursed Item is kept!" Still having the strength to move his head, Hazor asked the half-wolf.


    In reality, Luke Lange didn''t have many alternatives to do either. He tried to use <Gluttony> to stop the effect of what was forcing them to their knees, in case it was a spell or Gene''s Ability, but that attempt didn''t work.


    "Amara, get up and follow me. We have a lot to talk." The Bishop uttered, and the parched-skinned woman immediately followed his orders without speaking a word.


    When the Bishop was about to enter the tunnel, he stopped, looked back and said to everyone on their knees:


    "Don''t think that I''m afraid to fight, because I have the Sakan God protecting me. We''ll meet soon. See you soon..." He said and entered the tunnel. Only Meredith and Luke with their keen hearing could hear him whisperst, "Sacrifice Room, crumble."

 Chapter 310 Sakans Acolytes (Part 1)

    The columns of the wide chamber that the half-wolf pack was in began to shake fiercely, as if an intense earthquake was ravaging the ce. Soon, parts of the ceiling began to crumble and fall, causing crashes with each impact.


    Luckily, Hazor was able to act in time to create a magical defense around everyone and this was able to hold back the Altar Room debris that fell on their heads. Secondster, as the heavy stones piled up on top of the magic shield, the increased gravity effect finally stopped.


    Under the rubble of that room, Meredith, Luke, Hazor, Norgold, and Everton squeezed themselves inside the shield. After some time the shaking finally stopped too, but they couldn''t get out right away because there was a big heavy rock on top of the shield, and if the shield was deactivated, the rock would crush them.


    Luke Lange thought calmly and rationally, and had an idea. He opened the <Normal Inventory> and took out a bag of bread that was taking up itsst slot. Then he nodded to Hazor who, although he didn''t understand what the half-wolf''s n was, I trust his n and deactivated the shield.


    When the shield was undone, the shadow of the stone haunted the group, but the yellowish square of the <Normal Inventory> grew to over three meters in height and engulfed the stone.


    "Everyone is well?" Luke asked, sweating heavily. Using his inventory to store something this big was definitely not something he would normally try.


    "Yea." Reported Commander Hazor.


    Nargold was busy checking that Everton was okay, and from the way Everton was smiling in relief he was definitely okay.


    The half-fox didn''t move away from Luke Lange at all, so she was very close. "Are you okay? Not hurt?"


    Luke Lange put his right arm behind him. "Yes, I''m fine, don''t worry. Most importantly, we managed to get together again."


    Meredith stared nkly for a moment, unsure whether to scold Luke for his recklessness or his affection.


    ? "By the way, can you take your shirt off for a second? I''m cold." Luke teased her with a teasing smile.


    With her right fist, the half-fox delivered a good blow to Luke''s stomach. "Oh, you son of a bitch! Asking me to take my shirt off in the middle of this situation?! You do not have shame?!


    Even though the punch hurt a lot, Luke felt it was worth it. It had been a long time since Meredith had treated him harshly, perhaps because she was wondering about the change in Luke, the evolution of his abilities, or because she was confused. In any case, Luke felt that they were closer after their night at the Hotel, in fact, closer than ever.


    However, the group hadn''t even had to discuss what they would do next, because the sound of dozens of footsteps came from the hallway parallel to the Sacrifice Room.


    "Get ready, people! We havepany!" Luke Lange warned and summoned the Axe Behemoth.


    Norgold, Everton, and Hazor drew their swords from the ground, and Meredith summoned the Bow of Panspermia, which the half-wolf had given her as a gift a few months ago.


    Dozens of people in white robes entered the chamber, finding the ce utterly destroyed, beyond recognition. There were also five knights in ck steel armor like Norgold and Everton.<sub> </sub>


    There weren''t many strategic options to get around the situation other than direct confrontation. The stones from the ceiling had copsed onto the altar and into the tunnel through which the Bishop had escaped, so the main door was the only way the half-wolf pack could get out of that ce.


    The half-wolf didn''t curl up too much and ran towards the dozens of Sakan''s faithful, at the same time, the others looked for strategic positions because they understood that Luke Lange would y the role of decoy of the crowd''s attacks.


    Amidst Luke Lange''s run, his wolf ears slowly began to lose invisibility, as did his tail, which surprised all the religious.


    "If the Bishop had warned us that the invader is a half-beast, I would have brought some instruments of torture!"


    "Ughh! He has four ears, how do these things still want to be considered like us?"


    "He''s fast and strong because he''s a descendant of monsters, don''t underestimate him!"


    "Being disgusting! You will be punished by Sakan''s will!"


    "The God Sakan must be watching us right now. Allow me to fulfill your wish, sir!"


    The white-robed peopleunched a whirlwind of offense at Luke Lange, only it only made him go even faster than before. No matter how much bullshit these people said, Luke would never again hesitate in front of an enemy.


    During a burst of speed, Luke used one of the fallen rocks from the ceiling to propel himself upward. In midair, he hurled the Behemoth Ax toward the crowd, and the ax spun with such force that he applied it. At first, some people managed to dodge the axe, but soon it tore more than five people in half and left other acolytes injured.


    Luke felt nothing in killing these people, neither satisfaction nor pity. He didn''t believe these people were horrible, bad-hearted. Of course, the practice of human sacrifice was disgusting and the prejudice against half-beasts was quite disgusting, but growing up on the street, Luke learned that prejudice is more of a cultural issue than a personal one, so he didn''t necessarily hate it. these people, he just couldn''t let the hatred for half-beasts spread any further.


    After the Ax Behemoth fell to the ground, covered in blood, one of the knights tried to catch it. This person was a ruffled-haired woman of enormous stature.


    She had an excited smile stered on her face, but that expression changed as soon as she noticed the weight of the axe.


    ''What? Why can''t I lift this thing?'' As she listened to the acolytes scream on the front lines of battle, she wondered.


    The screams of the people quickly got closer and, desperate, she tried to grab the ck ax with both hands, and even that wasn''t enough for her to lift it.


    ''I am the strongest here. I''m sure about that. So why can''t I lift this thing?''


    What she didn''t know was that the Behemoth Ax had a crucial hidden effect. This weapon was a direct descendant of a powerful one named Beherith, and the more strength the person who tried to wield it had, the heavier it became. To wield such an axe, an almost perfect bnce between speed and physical strength was needed.

 Chapter 311 Sakans Acolytes (Part 2)

    With Meredith''s support, Luke was able to deftly prate the enemy crowd. Most of Sakan''s devotees wielded only knives, some wielded swords, some wielded bows and arrows, but none of them could even scratch the half-wolf.


    When Luke Lange thought that there would be no way to dodge a blow aimed at him, an arrow always appeared to save him in time, hitting the opponent in turn.


    Luke envied Meredith''s talent with the bow, and the Panspermia Bow had only contributed to this practically innate skill of hers. The arrows she shot made gentle curves in the air and their speed was such that they whistled moments before they hit their target.


    As Luke Lange was without the Behemoth Ax and the Obsidian Sword was in his inventory, he used his bare hands to kill people. At the same time, he practiced the third stage of Ornament of the Sea, making his movements more polished, urate and strong. His fists were smeared with blood and with each punch he threw the amount of blood on his clothes increased exponentially.


    Hazor was amazed at the scene of the half-wolf killing those people. ''He''s so young, and he''s already so cold... What has this boy lived through? What did he have to go through?'' he wondered.


    Even during the more than twenty years that Commander Hazor has served the former Emperor of Melki, not once has he seen anyone with as much murderous skill as Luke Lange. Soon, Hazor recognized the technique the boy used on his hands to make them so deadly, not the Ornament of the Sea, but the Fist of the Warm Sun. This was a technique exclusive to some members of the ancient nobility of the Melki Empire, a technique that was long-lost.


    Millions of questions he needed to ask Luke popped into Commander Hazor''s mind. He knew that the half-wolf was from the Broteforge Empire and some of the other facts Luke recounted that they had the opportunity to talk after the battle at the dojo, but Luke hadn''t revealed anything important about who he really was. Hazor only knew that Luke was some sort of spy or, more likely, an assassin who was sent to Melki.


    As there were so many questions for Hazor to ask, he didn''t under any circumstances want to let Luke Lange die in that ce. Therefore, Hazor also ran towards the crowd, brandishing his sword with the intent to kill after so many years of social exile.


    Luke Lange''s target among that nearly a hundred people were the knights in armor, because these were the ones who posed the most danger.


    Enraged at seeing a half-beast in front of them, the acolytes tried to attack the half-wolf blindly and were killed one by one.


    In a way, Luke knew he couldn''t prate the knights'' ck steel armor with his bare hands, for that he would need a powerful weapon. The Obsidian sword in his inventory was a great weapon, but it was nowhere near the level of Hazor''s sword, which managed to cut through Norgold''s armor, let alone the Behemoth Axe.


    Luckily, as Luke moved across the battlefield, he caught a glimpse of his ax''s gleam and began to advance towards him quickly.


    Making an X cut with his arms, Luke shoved the knight who was trying to pick up the Behemoth Axe from the ground. Soon after, he kicked the knight in the chest and somersaulted back beside the axe.


    As Luke was focused on getting the axe, he didn''t care about his positioning, which made him right in the middle of dozens of enemies, and they quickly started running towards them.<sub> </sub>


    Meredith tried to aim to support the half-wolf, but an arrow suddenly flew towards her. She managed to dodge it and looked in the direction the arrow came from. There were three archers aiming at her, and thanks to her reflex she managed to take cover in time to protect herself from two more arrows that came close to hitting her.


    ''Luke, wait a minute, I''ll help you!'' The half-fox thought, determined.


    Norgold, Everton and Hazor were busy fighting one knight each, so that left two armored knights.


    ''Think, Meredith. Think! Oh, I know!''


    As she was in the sights of three archers, she couldn''t deal with them in time to help Luke, however, there was a way for her to help him. She climbed down the rock she was standing on and walked through a natural trench that had formed with the copse of the ceiling. The archers were lost for a few seconds on where she was, which gave her time to pull the string and shoot an arrow in Luke''s direction.


    The half-wolf''s ears pricked up at the hiss of the arrow, but he stayed calm and didn''t even turn to look at the one who shot it, deciding to focus on the knight in front of him.


    Meredith''s arrow hit the second knight who was next to Luke exactly in the left eye and pierced her skull. Another time, she had to duck to prevent arrows from hitting her, but she was proud of herself for having taken a risk that was not in vain.


    The woman in front of the half-wolf took her sword from her back and smiled sadistically. Her eyes were wide open, demonstrating how focused she was on the battle.


    Luke naturally lifted the Behemoth Ax and twirled it in his palm. This caused therge knight to take a step back, a decision she immediately reversed thanks to the enormous confidence she had in herself. Brandishing her steel sword hard, she tried to hit Luke twice, and both times he dodged just throwing his body to the side a little.


    The half-wolf thought her physical strength was admirable, but her swordsmanship was a few levels below even the teenagers he taught at the Oukiwa Noble Academy.


    At one point, the knight tried to surprise Luke by increasing the speed and force of her attack. Without difficulty, Luke dodged her attack and saw the knight''s sword dig into the concrete floor. This was the perfect opportunity, and no matter how much Luke wanted to fight the knight some more, he was in a hurry, after all he couldn''t risk letting the Bishop get away, so he took the handle of the Behemoth Ax and ran it around her neck, decapitating her. -The.


    Instead of Sakan''s devotees being scared of Luke Lange after this scene, they just kept trying to attack him, until there was no one left alive.

 Chapter 312 Crimson Drops

    When the battle was finally over, Luke Lange was stepping on dozens of bodies. He was breathing heavily, the skin of his chestpletely covered in blood.


    Crimson drops dripped from the Behemoth Axe''s de and dripped onto the stone rubble of the Sacrifice Room''s ceiling.


    Meredith ran up to the half-wolf as soon as she realized that there were no more enemies. The battlested almost half an hour and Luke was at the center of it most of the time. This was definitely not good physically, nor mentally, they had just made a ughter, not of innocent people, but of people who believed in a false god, a god created by demons.


    "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" she asked as she approached. Without Luke having a chance to respond, she began to look at every part of his back, looking for bruises. ''Uh? I can swear I saw him getting some cuts...''


    "I''m fine, I''m serious." Luke gave her a nervous smile. Although he was more used to lying to Meredith, after another 6 months of practice, it was still a very difficult thing for Luke to lie to someone he loved.


    In reality, Meredith was not delusional during the battle, Luke was in fact stabbed a few times for carelessness. As there were so many people, the <Eye of Horus> couldn''t predict exactly how each one would move, and their reflexes weren''t powerful enough to be a god of dodge.


    In addition, Luke Lange had been experiencing an increasingly powerful regeneration in recent months. At first, he thought that this was a characteristic of his evolution in the Ornament of the Sea, maybe his body was training itself to heal faster, however, soon he felt that this was not the case, wounds that would normally take days to heal or kill you, were cured in minutes or even seconds.


    Soon, the Scale could no longer hold the secret and told him that this was a reaction to the curse that afflicted him. As his soul was fragmenting more and more, his body began to try to reverse the process by putting the regenerative system to work to the fullest. This process was practically useless, but it was dying the effect of the curse a bit.


    As Meredith looked relieved that Luke didn''t have any scratches, Hazor watched from afar. He could sense the half-wolf and with each battle this aura was growing stronger. Hazor wondered how strong Luke really was, what made him so strong, and when he would show the height of his power, or rather, if he would ever show his peak.


    "Guys! We have to go! The structures of this ce are still rotten and cannot hold out much longer." Hazor eximed to get everyone''s attention after finishing cleaning his sword.


    Norgold and Everton teamed up with the rest of the quintet. The ck-haired man was carrying the blond knight, who was walking in great pain after being stabbed in the stomach.


    "Is it deep?" Luke asked when he saw this scene.


    "N-no¡­ It''s okay, I''m just a little tired. This armor we''re wearing is heavy, isn''t it? Should be it." Norgold exined and then asked his friend.


    Everton looked away and replied, "His stomach is probablypromised. We have to go to a doctor urgently."


    "Which?! Of course not! I can take it a little longer! Rest easy, folks!" The blond man insisted.


    "Where are we exactly?" The expression on Luke Lange''s face was serious.<sub> </sub>


    "In the same city as before, only in the basement of a church." Meredith replied.


    "Right. There are doctors in this town, aren''t there?" The half-wolf asked the two knights, who among them all must have been the most familiar with the region.


    "I d-don''t know¡­ We knights could hardly get out of the tunnels. There is probably one."


    "What are you waiting for then? Go soon!" Luke said, which made Norgold and Everton raise their eyebrows.


    Then the two knights nodded and started walking towards the hallway to exit the ruined room. They both guided Meredith, Hazor, and Luke up a winding staircase, which both descended and ascended.


    "This is where we parted. You won''t have to look long for the Bishop, he should be in themon room. I don''t know why he ran there with Amara, but he must have an ace up his sleeve, especially since he chose to sacrifice so many of Sakan''s subjects just to buy time." Norgold warned them, speaking with some difficulty.


    "Thank you and good luck. Maybe we will see each other after we finish what we came to do, maybe not." Luke thanked her.


    "Okay, it was nice meeting you." The blond knight nodded.


    "Do not forget that you cannot underestimate the Bishop. He has unknown powers, but he is chosen for guarding the greatest vault of riches of the Sakan Religion, which is somewhere in these tunnels. Therefore, when you have to fight him, you must go all out from the start, and you must not fall for his taunts." Everton couldn''t speak by looking people straight in the eye for a long time, but you could see his sincere concern.


    "Don''t worry. I always fight seriously when I want something. Just let me ask you one question before we go: do any of you know where a Cursed Item might be kept?"


    "Oh, you mentioned that earlier¡­ I thought I heard it wrong. To answer that for you, I would have to understand what it is they are looking for, but if it is something valuable, it must be in the vault, but as I said before, the vault is somewhere, and we don''t even know." Norgold replied.


    After that, they finally broke up. The knights ascended the stairs, while the remaining trio descended.


    As time went on, going down the stairs became almost torture as there didn''t seem to be an end to the steps. There were half-extinguished torches in brackets on the walls, and the room was soberly quiet.


    No one knew what awaited them when they arrived at the ce, not even if they would be able to find the item Hazor wanted, just as Luke wasn''t sure he could get the Bishop to confess about the demons. Everything was very uncertain, and somehow they felt like they were running out of time.

 Chapter 313 Common Room

    When Hazor, Meredith and Luke finally reached the bottom of the stairs, they were met with arge, closed iron door. The door was at least four meters high, and just as wide. In the center of the door, there was the symbol of a circle with a triangle inside. A heavy door wouldn''t be enough to stop the half-wolf, so he advanced.


    "Hey, wait a minute, Luke." Hazor said just as Luke was about to knock on the door.


    The half-wolf could tell from his tone that something was wrong with the door, and he took a step back.


    The old man took a step forward, gripping the sword''s hilt firmly as he stared at the symbol. Illuminated by the purple mes of the torches on either side of the door, he sighed and touched the door with the same mother who was holding the sheathed sword.


    Suddenly, a single glow lit up the entire empty room and a ck magic circle appeared in front of the symbol on the door. However, Luke and Meredith noticed that this magic circle was different from the ones they usually saw in the times of the Oukiwa Noble Academy, or even during practices with Alexis. The clearest difference for people who didn''t understand much about magic circles, like these half-beasts, were the runes and the central symbol.


    Normally, runes must be well-designed so that the spell does not have a reverse effect against its user. In this case it was different, the runes were crooked and misaligned, but amidst so much confusion there was order, in a way. The symbol was also weird, because being a magic circle it wasmon for the symbol to be a circle too, but the one in front of them was a six-pointed star.


    Luke Lange perfectly remembered reading in a trivia book that magic circles were shaped to be stable and prevent explosions.


    "What is this, Hazor? You who made this¡­ thing?" Luke asked after the sudden glow had passed, leaving only the faint glow of the magic circle.


    "No, I didn''t. This is a magical seal of protection, probably made to buy the Bishop more time. I will destroy it in a second." He answered and picked up the sword hilt again.


    Then he drew his sword so quickly that Meredith didn''t even see the deepletely out of the scabbard before the de was hidden again. The magic circle split in half and exploded into shimmering white particles.


    With both hands on the door, ready to push it open, Hazor turned around, looked at the two half-beasts, and asked, "Are you ready?"


    Meredith took an arrow from the quiver that popped out of her back when she summoned the Bow of Panspermia, then she nodded confidently.


    The half-wolf already had the Behemoth Ax in his hand, and he didn''t seem to mind the fact that he was shirtless. He didn''t react to Hazor''s question, and thatck of reaction was what indicated to Hazor that Luke Lange was indeed focused on the battle toe.


    Then Commander Hazor opened the great door, revealing arge hall with a high ceiling and many pirs. On each of the ten pirs was a different statue, whose faces were different, clothes were different, and even the races looked different, with statues with pointed eyes and others with a more, shall we say, devilish appearance.<sub> </sub>


    The atmosphere was warm, almost cozy. There were thousands of candles scattered on the floor and the smell ofmon tavern liquor, which certainly surprised the trio that invaded it.


    Further back in themon room, past the hall of statues and pirs, there was a small staircase and above that staircase was a stone throne.


    However, the throne was not the thing that drew the most attention, but the man in ck on the stairs. Sitting on a step in the middle of the stairs was the Bishop, this time without a mask. His hair was curly and big, his skin was horrible, his nose was huge, and he had almost no lips in his mouth. Somehow, he was even uglier without a mask than with a mask on.


    His staff was naturally in his left hand, his most confident hand, and in his right hand was a bottle of alcohol, which he drank in long gulps. His face was red from the amount of alcohol he had already ingested, and beside him was another bottle of liquor that waspletely empty.


    "OH! You have finally arrived! I was waiting for you!" said the Bishop when he saw the three people who had entered the hall. His voice echoed through the room, and his diction was as normal as ever.


    "What do you think you are doing?" Luke Lange asked, slightly irritated. He''d killed dozens of people a few minutes ago, so he wasn''t in the best of moods, let alone taking bullshit from a drunk man.


    When the Bishop was questioned in this way, the light expression on his face disappeared. "Ah, get out of here, be disgusting!" He responded angrily.


    At that moment, Luke Lange was lifted off the ground by a mysterious force and flung several meters to the right and only stopped when he collided with a stone statue. The impact was so strong that the five-meter-tall statuepletely cracked, and the head fell to the side where Luke was lying.


    He got up without difficulty and lightly patted his hair to get the dust off the concrete. "That''s what I was talking about..." Luke smiled excitedly. "Guys, cover me!"


    The half-wolf started to run towards the stairs and meanwhile he threw the ax towards the Bishop.


    "Oh, what a bummer... What the hell did I do to you?" The Bishop spoke and stood up with the help of his staff.


    The ax continued heading towards him and at no time had its trajectory altered. Luke wondered how the Bishop would be able to stop the Machado. Maybe he used a dark magic, a magic circle or even an ability of the staff itself, however, what really stopped the ax was the fact that Amara had entered in front of him to save the Bishop''s life.


    The ax plunged deep into her chest, and together they fell to the ground. The Bishop looked to the side in confusion and, his face reddened, began tough beside his bestckey.

 Chapter 314 Pillars

    The unique scent of blood made the entiremon room drunk after the ax hit Amara.


    As the woman was not cut in half, shey dying on the floor. The stairs to the throne became like a great cache through which blood flowed without pause.


    Amara still had the strength, in the final moments of her life, to extend her right hand to the Bishop, who was watching her die andughing at this.


    "Hahahaha! You really are a jerk! You just killed the wrong person! Hahaha!" The Bishop, clearly drunk, said to Luke.


    At the same time, the woman next to him was choking on her own blood and received no praise for having served the Bishop''s wishes without resisting to the end. Momentster, what little vitality she had left finally ran out, and her hand dropped to the bloodied floor, indicating that she was already dead.


    Luke gritted his teeth in annoyance, closed his eyes, sighed for a moment, and when he opened his eyes, he looked determinedly at the Bishop. The fully focused yellow eyes made the Bishop back up a few steps.


    "Hazor, go behind the pirs, enjoy their cover. Meredith, use your bow to cover us and if you get the chance, kill him. I believe you''ve noticed that too, but I''ll say it anyway: his voice is his power, somehow." Luke said, not taking his eyes off Sakan''s servant.


    Then he disappeared before the eyes of the Bishop, who was startled.


    The Bishop swept his eyes over all the panoramic view he had of the ce where he was, and realized that the half-wolf was already close to the stairs. As the half-wolf was now close, finally his wolf ears were seen by the Bishop. The man widened his eyes as if he was seeing a monster in front of him and clicked his tongue.


    ''Is he a half-beast? Hmm! That exins why he''s after me, maybe he wants revenge?'' Lifting the ck staff in his left hand, the Bishop thought. "Fly!"


    Once again, Luke was pulled up by a mysterious force, but this time he was thrown against the ceiling and not a pir.


    The half-wolf would normally have been taken by surprise by such overwhelming force, but he''d already expected something like this. He spun around in the air, felt the moment the force released him and just as he was about to crash into the stone ceiling of the ce, he used <Vind>. Gene''s Ability that could release wind not only stopped him from crashing, it threw him back to the ground.


    Luke Lange had evolved in the way he used <Vind>, so he was able to manage in a more orderly way the strength of the winds generated through the signal, as well as the directions in which the wind went. In midair, he used <Vind> once more to fly towards the Bishop, who was startled by such strange movement.


    The Bishop was about to yell at the half-wolf once more, however, he heard a low huming towards him. Torn between looking for the buzz and protecting himself from Luke Lange, the Bishop only found the answer of what he should do when he noticed the arrow that wasing at high speed towards his face.<sub> </sub>


    The man swerved to the left in order to dodge the arrow that could be deadly, and he couldn''t go back on that choice.


    Lukended with both feet on the Bishop''s chest, pressing against the floor with such force that some of the man''s ribs snapped on impact. The steps of the stairs exploded, blood flew and a smoke of dust infested the ce next to the throne.


    "Yes! We managed to surprise you!" Meredith cheered as she watched the scene. She already had another arrow in her bow, ready to shoot in case the improvisation went wrong.


    Much to everyone''s dismay, things wouldn''t be that simple. Although Luke had the Bishop''s neck in the palms of his hand, he didn''t feel as if he had won.


    With the corners of his mouth bloodied, the man looked at the half-wolf and yelled, "Be as powerful as possible, body!"


    Then the Bishop''s neck grew and grew. The muscles in his arm tripled in size, ripping through his robes. In the end, he got so big and muscr that Luke couldn''t resist his strength on the ground any longer, and had to let go.


    The half-wolf was about to retreat two jumps back, but before that he grabbed the Behemoth Axe. He had already realized that the only thing the Bishop could order was for living beings, so he dodged the arrow and that''s why he almost didn''t dodge the axe.


    Now the Bishop was three times bigger, almost the size of a giant. The veins in his limbs were swollen, looking like they would burst at any moment, and his head became smallpared to the rest of his body. The man who was smaller than Luke became taller than Shiro and Zack could ever be.


    "Look what you forced me... to do... To use Sakan''s power on my own body... If this is the only way... Sakan will surely forgive me." The Bishop''s voice was now thick, ragged, breathy, and misshapen.


    Luke Lange twirled the ax in his right hand, then caught the handle with the other. Despite the Behemoth Axe being shaped like a two-handed axe, Luke almost never used it with two hands, however drastic situations require drastic changes. Soon after, Luke noticed a shadow move behind the pirs, and he smiled.


    "No matter how big and strong you can get, it just makes you easier to hit. Now, Meredith!" The half-wolf said and took another leap back, which cleared the options for the half-fox.


    Meredith shot three arrows in a row, all in the monstrous Bishop''s direction, and he didn''t bother to dodge. The arrows hit him squarely in the chest, but with so much swollen muscle they didn''t seem to have any effect. Still, none of the trio members counted on this damage, but only as a form of distraction.


    Hazor came up behind the Bishop''s back suddenly, and before Sakan''s servant had a chance to turn around, Hazor hit the back of the man''s knees and then his ankles. The Bishop couldn''t keep his legs steady and gave in, getting on his knees for the first time in his life to anyone other than his god.

 Chapter 315 Throne

    When the Bishop dropped to his knees in front of the half-wolf, his eyes were the size of apples. He became so focused on the enemy in front of him, on that half-beast that was disgusting and repulsive to him, that he forgot about the other threats.


    Since Luke Lange didn''t want to give the Bishop''s mysterious powers a chance to cause any more trouble, he punched the giant right in the jaw in front of him, as hard as he could. The man''s jaw crooked to the left with a single blow, in a way the Bishop could never chew again, let alone speak.


    The half-wolf wasn''t sure if something like this would be the way to stop the Bishop''s powers, but he was already so angry and the timing seemed so opportune for something like this that he just swung in without a second thought.


    Blood flew from the Bishop''s mouth straight to the floor, forming an arc from the mixture of saliva and blood. The Bishop''s arms were held by Hazor, and somehow that great strength didn''t seem to be giving him any trouble.


    "Looks like your muscles aren''t as tough as they seem." Luke said. In fact, his hand was throbbing with pain, as if he''d hit a rock.


    Head down, the Bishop''s face was dark. He was panting like an animal. His breathing was ragged and he was sniffling desperately.


    "Aren''t you going tough now? Look around you, everyone who had any appreciation for you has been killed for your arrogance, there is no one here." The half-wolf wanted to see the Bishop''s face of disappointment, or perhaps an expression of regret.


    The giant lifted his head and looked the half-wolf in the eye, yet there was not a single drop of regret in his features, only conformism, conformism that had been ovee, conformism was about to end. From the corners of his crooked mouth, so much blood was oozing and he couldn''t even close his mouthpletely.


    For a moment, he tried to say something, but only groans came out.


    "What are you trying to say? I''m not listening." Luke teased him and came a little closer.


    Annoyed, the Bishop turned to the side and spat some teeth that were practically loose in his mouth after the half-wolf''s punch. Then he tried to whisper one more time.


    <o>,m "What''s it? This is an apology, speak up." Once again, Luke moved closer to the man.</o>


    In a weak, limp, trembling voice, the Bishop finally managed to utter sybles that were more than a meaningless wail: "Die."


    That word prated Luke''s mind as deeply as it could and tried to reach his subconscious. This was the power of the Bishop, the power of the cursed word, a power his god had given him, without him needing to do anything. If he wanted something or someone to do something, he would get it and even death was no exception, or rather, it hadn''t been until that moment.


    The Bishop was waiting for the scene of that half-wolf starting to spit blood on the ground and then his own viscera, but that didn''t happen.<sub> </sub>


    "Oh! Did you try to kill me now?" Luke took a step back, his face serious. He didn''t expect the Bishop to be so insistent. "Sweesh! I think you''re wondering why I didn''t die now... Well, the truth is, I''m practically dead already, so this order won''t work for me. I am already under the death effect of a curse."


    The Bishop''s eyes widened, however, there was one person who was more surprised by this revtion than this man: Meredith. She decided to approach after seeing the situation being brought under control and was appalled by what Luke Lange announced.


    "L-luke, are you serious? You haven''t had a rpse in your health in months. What the hell are you talking about? Haven''t the symptoms of the curse calmed down?"


    "The symptoms never went away, but over time it became easier to disguise it, I''m sorry. I didn''t want to worry you, so I didn''t tell you before."


    "And when were you going to tell me? I hit you on the head yesterday because you asked me to. I guess it was my right to know if you were healthy or not before doing something like that, don''t you think?"


    Luke looked at Meredith with a sad look. "Meredith, curses aren''t as simple as diseases. At first the curse did affect my body, however, this has not been my biggest problem for some time. Although I still cough up a little blood at times, the curse is affecting my soul, not just my body." He tried to exin it on the way that he understood.


    Suddenly, footsteps from behind the throne entered the room. These steps were slow, which gave everyone time to react and prepare.


    Hazor used a half-ready magic circle to restrain the Bishop and firmly gripped his two-handed sword.


    Meredith quickly pulled an arrow from her quiver, ced it on the bowstring, and as she pulled the string, she aimed it in the direction of the sound.


    Luke bent his knees and got ready to charge at whoever appeared.


    "Are you guys talking about a mana curse? Oh, that''s very interesting, I haven''t heard from such a case in years." A soft, feminine voice came from behind the stone throne. "If I''m not mistaken, the only way to stop a mana curse is to kill the caster. This is really exciting, don''t you think?"


    Soon after, the figure finally stopped hiding and appeared at the top of the stairs. At first, it was impossible to distinguish whether that person was a man or a woman, because he was wearing white armor with bright red knuckles, and the helmet of this armorpletely concealed his face from it. The armor''s ornaments were pointed and gothic, evoking the beauty of therge shields of Tanker''s adventurers.


    However, Luke soon noticed that the armor was not made of white-painted steel as expected, but literally bone. Furthermore, the mesh beneath the boneponents was not a kind of tissue, but literally skinless muscle.


    "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself to you. I''m the one they call God Sakan though, I hate that false name. If you can, call me Khad." The figure said sympathetically.

 Chapter 316 God Sakan (Part 1)

    "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself to you. I''m the one they call God Sakan though, I hate that false name. If you can, call me Khad." The figure said sympathetically.


    That being''s helmet sported a pair of long, ascending horns, which were the only details on that empty-looking shell for the head. On the front of the helmet there were no eyes or any kind of hole through which the person could see, but that didn''t stop them from looking exactly in the direction of the trio.


    "Oh! Are you the famous Commander Hazor?" That asked, looking at the old man beside the half-wolf. "Seeing him is certainly a surprise. My people have been hunting you for a few years, but I''m d you were able to get along with the First Servant."


    This phrase from the being caused Luke Lange''s aura to increase exponentially due to his anger.


    The half-wolf red at Hazor with such hatred that he couldn''t help himself. Before Hazor could say an A, Luke appeared in front of him and swung the ax towards his face. Hazor dodged the sh by inches away, what he couldn''t have foreseen was that the ax attack was just a half-wolf feint for the real punch: a left punch right in the stomach.


    When Hazor took the hit, his eyes widened and he flew back several meters, bouncing to the ground like a smooth stone bouncing off a calmke.


    "Luke, what are you doing?! What if the thing is lying!?" Meredith could understand the half-wolf''s anger more than anyone else, but she was usually more rational than he was, especially in front of an enemy.


    Commander Hazor got up with the help of his de and his face was badly scratched, and you could see blood in some parts of his face. "Haa...Haa..." He was clearly breathless and surprised. "It''s okay, Meredith. He has every right to punch me as much as he wants, after all I partially know the story of everything that brought them to me because Luke told me and even then I chose to hide part of my past. It''s true, I know the First Servant, I know the hiddenmander who started the great war ravaging this continent."


    After throwing the punch, Luke Lange''s face was more peaceful, however he still had a serious expression. Luke was still holding his fist in the same ce and pose that hit the old man. "Are you an ally of his or were you hiding the fact that you knew him just to protect yourself?"


    "I hate that man." Hazor promptly countered.


    "Knowing that is enough for now." The half-wolf said and turned to look at the person in the bone armor on his right. "And you there? What is your rtionship with the First Servant?" He questioned, pointing to the Behemoth Axe.


    The mysterious being looked at Luke Lange, tilted his head to the left and let out a light sigh, looking surprised. "You''re Luke Lange, aren''t you? Hoho! I can''t believe I''m seeing Commander Hazor and Luke Lange in the same ce, this has to be my lucky day!"


    "Luke, this demon can''t get out of here alive. If the First Servant finds out you''re in the Melki Empire, he''lle with everything he''s got to kill you. You know it." Hazor eximed from afar. He had his left hand pressing down on his abdomen so he wouldn''t feel too much pain.


    "So this thing is really a demon? That exins a lot of things." Luke was actually wondering what that person''s armor looked like and suspected it was something mystical, so when Hazor imed it was a demon, Luke didn''t even seem too surprised.


    "Hoho! Don''t think it will be so easy to kill me, after all, I am the Tenth Servant of Chaos~."


    "Are you a Servant too? Good¡­ for me." Luke said and lunged towards De Khad.


    The moment the ax de collided with the demon''s bracelet, a solid ng echoed, indicating that the materials were of the same level.


    "You can''t defeat me!" Khad eximed.


    "That''s what we''ll see..." The half-wolf spoke and smiled.


    With the breathing technique taught by Yoelona, ??Luke Lange increased the rhythm of his heart beats, which also considerably increased the amount of oxygen that circted in his body, increasing his physical and mental strength twice. Then he started using Sea Ornament. As he had trained a lot in this martial art in thest few months, he was able to use it even with his ax in hand.<sub> </sub>


    The de locked by Khad''s forearms gradually began to pierce the bracelets of it, something she hadn''t expected to be possible.


    The demon suddenly opened her arms, pushing Luke back and kicking him in the chest, which should have thrown him away, however, he was wearing Ornament of the Sea. Khad''s kick seemed to hit squarely for a second, however, this was just an illusion created by Hazor, Luke was actually already on the demon''s back.


    "That won''t be enough." The demon leapt back, dodging the sneak attack the half-wolf was nning.


    Then Khad''s spiky-fingered right hand glowed, blew a thin reddish smoke, and the demon pointed its hand at Luke.


    "I know you won''t die so easily because you have the mana curse, but I can cause you some pain. Arm, twist to the extreme." said the devil.


    Luke Lange instantly felt a tearing pain in his right arm, which was holding the Behemoth Axe. His skin began to rotate in different directions, his bones creaked from the friction and his nerves exploded from the massive spinning effect that had been applied to the limb. For Luke the pain was just as great as when he had his abdomen pierced by a ymore, his conscience faltered, his legs went weak and his mind went fuzzy, dizzy.


    [Luke, I''m here. Focus on my voice. You can''t pass out!] eximed the voice in his mind.


    "Hey, man! Wake up, I''m here with you!" Meredith eximed too.


    As Luke Lange struggled to stay awake, Commander Hazor struggled to keep Khad away from him.


    Hazor was striking as fast and hard as he could, choking the demon with sweeping lunges so it didn''t even have a chance tough. If Bishop had the same power as the cursed word and managed to be that strong, Hazor didn''t want to gamble to see how strong Khad could be using the power efficiently.


    Meredith was next to Luke trying to talk to him, only he didn''t answer her, just staggered in the same ce. Desperate, she searched for Hazor, but found only two blurs fighting at lightning speed in themon room. She had rarely had the chance to see a battle of such speed as this one.


    Amidst so many attacks, Hazor could already feel that it made less and less sense to keep attacking. His sword was breaking, the de was already serrated and it didn''t look like it wouldst much longer.


    At a nce, Hazor nced at the half-wolf, noting that he still didn''t look well. At this point, for the first time that day, he got a little angry and eximed,


    "Luke! This is your chance, your chariot back to a peaceful life as an adventurer in the Broteforge Empire. Kill all high-level demons, starting with Sakan!"


    The half-wolf''s droopy gray eyes came to life at this. His arm began to tremble, suddenly twisted in the opposite direction it had been twisted, and the bruises healed almost instantly. At the same time that all this happened in one, Luke approached with a single Khad movement bursting move and struck the demon with a powerful punch.


    Khad flew high with the low punch, but even then she wasn''t sure. In another explosive move, Luke leapt up several feet and mmed into the demon''s belly using both of his hands like a hammer. Khad dropped like aet to the ground, which shook the structures of the vast chamber.


    "What a pain..." The demon said as he got up with only a slight pain in the back of his neck. Khad ced a hand on his neck and pretended to stretch as the dust settled.


    Lukended in front of Khad with a smile on his face for the first time in battle.

 Chapter 317 God Sakan (Part 2)

    Lukended in front of Khad with a smile on his face for the first time in battle.


    "Why are you so excited?" The demon asked Luke, confused.


    However, the half-wolf wasn''t even listening to the Khad''s voice. In Luke''s mind, the goal of killing that demon was the only goal he needed to focus on. Every movement in his field of vision was processed in his brain as a crucial variable that could affect the end result.


    In a state between full awareness and focus, Luke used <Eye of Horus> to see the various futures of the battle. He entered the Dimension of Horus and found Khad immobile there, in the same position he was in the real world.


    ''First, I have to think about what the possibilities are for Khad''s controlling power. As he is the Bishop''s master, his powers are clearly stronger, but what are the limits to that?'' It was the first thing Luke Lange thought.


    This was a valid question, because if the devil had omnipotence with his words, it would make him practically invincible.


    ''He doesn''t seem to want to enjoy a battle, but he''s clearly arrogant. Someone strong enough to be seen as a God by people, how far do the powers of this thing extend? I would like to have the Scale here with me.''


    Although Gene''s Skill <Eye of Horus> was inside the half-wolf''s mind, he couldn''t converse with the Scale that was in his soul for some reason.


    "To really get started, I''m going to exponentiate my ways of thinking." Luke said aloud and stretched out his hands in front of him.


    Hundreds of Luke''s appeared in the small space of themon room that was inside the Dimension of Horus. Soon after, a proportionate amount of Khad''s appeared as well.


    The half-wolf decided not to include Hazor and Meredith in his battle predictions because he saw them as good supporters who generally didn''t interfere at inopportune moments. He trusted them, so he thought that even if the two of them chose to interfere, there would be a good reason for doing so. Also, Luke didn''t have enough time to pass on a specific strategy to the two of them on the battlefield.


    For just over an hour in the Dimension of Horus, Luke Lange used all of his experience to find a way to sessfully counter the power of the Khad. It certainly wasn''t easy and hundreds of half-wolf clones died in the process, while less than a dozen Khad''s were seriously injured. In these simtions, Luke learned movement patterns from the Tenth Servant that he himself hadn''t noticed, but that were stored between the lines of the Dimension of Horus during their brief battle.


    Despite being a three-on-one fight, the advantage was with Khad. He had enhanced physical strength, cursed word, and also the fact that his name was unknown, so even if he lost, he wouldn''t die. This was making Luke a little worried, after all, why would Hazor ask Luke to kill the demon if he didn''t even know its name?


    The results at the end of the <Eye of Horus> simtion were open. It would all depend on how Luke Lange reacted to Khad''s choices and how he could stop him from doing whatever he wanted.


    As soon as Luke deactivated the legendary gene ability, the fog from the Dimension of Horus that enveloped the battlefield dissipated.<sub> </sub>


    At this moment, Khad noticed the half-wolf''s expression change through his eyes. Before, Luke''s eyes were focused only on the enemy, however, now they were focused on the entire environment, which made the demon feel the strange sensation of nervousness, or rather, fear.


    ? ''Who does this guy think he is? Just because the First Servant hates him, is he thinking the badass? I will teach him a lesson.'' Khad thought.


    The half-wolf started running towards the demon in the next instant, as fast as he could.


    Khad raised his right hand and red smoke rose, as well as murderous intent in the room. "Before I twisted just one of your arms, what will you do if I twist all your limbs?"


    "Luke, watch out for that!" Meredith screamed, startled.


    The reality is that Luke Lange already knew the demon would try something like this the moment he ran towards him. This happened in one hundred and fifty of the three hundred simtions, meaning there was a fifty percent chance that he would react this way, while the other ways were less than five percent. The eye of Horus could see this because Luke knew that Demons were proud and didn''t like to be faced head-on, without fear.


    To counter this cursed word, Luke leapt into the air and used <Vind> backwards, hurling himself at Khad. The two suddenly collided, giving no chance for the demon who was surprised to use his powers.


    From this moment on, Luke couldn''t go wrong if he wanted to gain the upper hand in battle. He used the fact that the demon was already on the ground to press it with an immobilization, like a snake Luke wrapped itself around Khad''s back and used Ornament of the Sea to strengthen his muscles.


    The demon was confused as to how to react to this, he was about to explode in rage. The fact that the half-wolf was trying to immobilize him was the biggest insult Khad had ever received in his entire existence.


    Luke used his arms to lock the demon''s shoulders, and when his hands found the back of the demon''s neck, he brought them together to press the opponent''s head down. The half-wolf''s legs passed over either side of Khad''s abdomen and down to the demon''s legs, locking them in ce.


    Thanks to the anger he was feeling, Khad only noticed the half-wolf''s intentions when he felt his limbspletely locked.


    ''But what!? As!? That''s not possible!'' The demon thought in despair.


    As Luke had already achieved his first objective, he immediately started on the second. Luke began to force the demon''s limbs backwards to the extreme. Due to the stiffness of the bones, Khad''s armor quickly began to crack as his joints were pushed to the extreme by a mere half-beast.

 Chapter 318 Ridge

    "What the fuck do you think you''re doing?! Urgh! You little shit, this won''t work." Khad eximed, grunting in pain.


    All of the demon''s limbs werepletely immobilized by the half-wolf, who appeared to have three times as many arms to hold him as efficiently as he was.


    In reality, Luke was using a basic immobilization technique he learned from Yoelona during his childhood. He used this same technique to defeat Shiro when the young knight challenged him to a match of Luck or Fight on the half-wolf''s first day at the Strogueher mansion. Luke had confidence in this immobilization, not only because of its positive track record, but also because it was the only way to make Khad give in.


    All the ways the demon tried to escape werepletely useless, as if Luke already knew about each of these attempts and knew exactly how to stop them.


    Khad''s bone armor began to crack at his shoulders, where Luke was applying pressure with his arms, and at his waist, where the half-wolf''s legs were gathering a lot of strength.


    The demon did not give up and at one point tried to get up. Luke didn''t allow him to do that, throwing as much weight as he could back onto the floor.


    Usually, immobilization fights end in the opponent''s giving up, but this time there was no such option. One of the two would die that day for sure.


    Soon, Khad could no longer contain his cry of pain. "Arrrggggh! You bastard!"


    Containing that demon wasn''t easy for the half-wolf either, who was using as much strength as he had. Thus, blood began to flow from Luke''s nostrils, his veins became visible and marked on the skin, his muscles began to tremble. Most of all, Luke was just a half-beast, and Khad was a higher-level demon.


    [Luke, I managed to find this demon''s name!] The voice in the half-wolf''s ear gave him a little hope. [The Blood Knight, Sakonoth!]


    ''You could have told me that a little more in advance, don''t you think!?'' A vein popped out of Luke''s forehead, and Scale couldn''t tell if it was because he was angry or because of the force he was pushing. ''Anyway thank you!''


    "Arrrrghh!" The demon continued to growl.


    Soon, the armor finished cracking at the points that were being pressed, however inside the armor there was not a human as Luke thought, but an endless void. This void adopted the matter of a dark mist, which began to leak out through the cracks.


    Luke was startled, but he didn''t dare release Khad''s hold, even as the mist filled the entire room around him.


    Theck of stamina and strengthing from Khad gradually became more pronounced as the mist spread, which made the half-wolf think, ''Is this his real body?''


    The moment Luke asked himself that, he remembered the first demon he''d ever fought, and he remembered a very important characteristic of demons, or rather, a power.<sub> </sub>


    "Luke, get out of there now!" Hazor''s voice reached the half-wolf''s ears. "Khad will use his domain!"


    Within a domain, demons are virtually invincible. They can control the environment, the monsters that spawn, and even thews of the real world get confused. Being within a demon''s domain was practically a trip to another universe, a universe in which they hadplete control and power.


    Luke listened to Hazor''s warning, but by the time he lifted Khad''s empty body, tossed it aside, and stood up, he was no longer in themon room.


    Suddenly, a little boy ran in front of Luke,ughing. "Haha ha! You can''t catch me!"


    "Hey, wait! I''m getting tired, let''s stop for a while!" A girl passed right behind him. Both appeared to be the same age.


    The half-wolf looked around him and noticed that he was on top of a small ridge, on which there was just him, a wooden bench and arge tree.


    "What the hell does this thing think it''s doing?" Luke wondered aloud.


    In that ce, there was a cool breeze that tossed his hair a little to the side, as well as making the leaves on the trees rustle. It was the middle of an afternoon, and the sun on top of the sun was warming the short grass on that ridge. It all seemed so real and so fantastical at the same time, because there probably wasn''t a peaceful ce like this in the whole world anymore, a ce where children could run and y freely.


    "Showing me all this will only motivate me more, you know that, don''t you?" said Luke. He knew that Khad, or rather Sakonoth, could hear him and could see him.


    Suddenly, a shadow appeared behind where Luke was standing. Sitting on the bench under the tree, this shadow did not have a face, it was semi-transparent, but mimicked the silhouette of a human. This thing didn''t have a face, but it still had holes for eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.


    "This is a beautiful ce, isn''t it? Believe it or not, this was once the setting for a small vige called Jorme." said the thing, calmly. The voice was the same as Sakonoth''s.


    Luke didn''t say anything, instead he sat beside the silhouette on the wooden bench and looked out to the horizon. In fact, there was a vige on the slope of the ridge, and this little vige had less than ten houses, a humble-looking ce, blessed by a small stream that provided water for the people and small ntations.


    "However, there was a secret slumbering beneath the foundations of V Jorme, something that not even thendowner, the Emperor of Melki, knew at that time. When this secret finally broke out of thend, none of the nearly one hundred people who lived there managed to survive. That day, the seal that had held me since the time of the Cmity weakened and I was finally able to break free."


    As Sakonoth told the story, the panoramic view of the vige grew worse and worse. The soil rotted, the leaves on the trees in the woods below went dry, the tree trunks went empty, and the little stream dried up.

 Chapter 319 Domain

    Luke watched the oldndscape of the vige rot for a few seconds and asked the demon, "What do you intend to change by showing me this?"


    For the half-wolf, that scene was one of the saddest scenes he had ever seen. A beautiful vige, healthy people, fertile ground, all this was spoiled by a single demon.


    "It is not obvious?" The shadow asked the half-wolf in aughing tone. "I wish the end of those who held me in that seal, who put this weight on my back, I wish the end of the Melki Imperial Court, their descendants did this to me."


    In the entire region within Sakonoth''s domain, the only truly untouched part was exactly the top of the ridge they were on. The leaves on the single tree were still very green and swaying hard in the icy wind.


    The half-wolf would normally think hard before making any decisions, but this time there was no reason. He rose from his seat, looked at the ck silhouette and held out his right hand with a smile. For a single moment, that smile looked truly ttering, but as soon as Sakonoth went to shake his hand, Luke grinned evilly and used <Gluttony>.


    The lines of the half-wolf''s right palm were the epicenter of a vortex that engulfed everything around it. First Sakonoth was swallowed, then the wooden bench, then the entire summit was gone, and finally, the walls of the demon domain were swallowed up as well.


    Drenched in sweat from the exertion and his mind unsteady, Luke opened his eyes as wide as he could, but his lids were still a little drooping. In front of him was a thin, small, feeble creature. This creature did not have a human appearance, nor was it animalistic, the elongated snout was parted in the middle, and where there would normally be whiskers there were, in fact, thin tentacles. In the socket holes, there were no eyeballs, indicating that the creature was blind. Its chest was the biggest thing, but it was no bigger than a foot, not to mention the ribcage that was fully etched into his ck skin. It was a boring monster, but not scary at all thanks to its weak appearance.


    p Luke looked at the creature with contempt and asked, "You used every strength you had to establish dominance. Why didn''t you use it correctly?"</anda>


    "I-it would be us-seless to order you have of monsters to at-tack you. Y-you are feared b-by al-all of our race, L-luke Lange." Trembling with cold, Sakonoth replied. "Y-you ar-are the reason the Religion of Sa-sakan hates ha-half-beasts."


    "So you preferred to trust me to be innocent and take your bluff? This was a brave thing, or rather, as the Bishop said earlier today: foolish."


    "Yo-you are mu-much stronger than anyone has told me, mu-much stronger."


    "It''s been a long time since Ist faced any demon ally who managed to escape, more than two years, actually." Luke countered.


    Meredith reached Luke at this point and instead of hugging him tightly, acted like a true adventurer and aimed an arrow at the monster.


    Hazor also approached and ced the sword de flush with the demon''s body on the ground.


    "You''re also... with strong allies... The First Servant won''t like to hear that, that''s what he feared the most..."<sub> </sub>


    "He won''t know about it, you''ll die here."


    The demon was silent for a few seconds. "... You can''t, I will be reborn... when you kill me."


    "Not if I say your real name, eh?" Luke opened the <Normal Inventory> and calmly took out the Obsidian Sword.


    Again, the demon was silent, which was more than enough for Luke to hear the weak creature''s heart race. "There is no way you would know my name, there are no human records of me, none of the Servants can be killed by an ordinary human, much less such a mediocre being would know our true names."


    At the moment, Luke Lange didn''t know exactly how to respond. He didn''t know exactly how the Scales discovered the Tenth Servant''s name, so finding a suitable answer wouldn''t be easy, but he found an answer faster than expected. Luke looked at the twopanions beside him, and saw that neither of them doubted that he really knew the demon name, neither of them even questioned him when he said it, and that was the greatest proof of confidence he could get.


    "As you know, I''m not a normal human, I''m the reason devotees of the Sakan Religion hate half-beasts, and look now, I''m about to kill their God." Luke said and drove the obsidian sword into the creature''s head before it could say anything else. "Farewell, Sakonoth."


    From the de of the sword, the Tenth Servant''s body began to disintegrate and turn to ash that scattered on the ground. Luke forcefully pulled the sword from his body and looked at it for a few seconds in silence, then he turned to Commander Hazor and said,


    "You wanted to know where that cursed item was, huh? Sorry, Ipletely forgot about that until a second ago."


    Hazor furrowed his brows, confused by this sudden statement, as he too had already forgotten. Then heughed a little, which made Luke confused.


    Meredith quickly startedughing too, both for the same reason Luke wasughing and for the strange expression he was wearing.


    "What? What are youughing at?" He still didn''t understand.


    "N-it''s nothing!" Meredith stated, tried to regain her serious posture, but the moment she looked back at Luke, she couldn''t take it anymore and startedughing again.


    "Luke, I didn''t even remember we came here to get an item, I understand you." Hazor managed to contain the urge tough more easily than Meredith. "However, things are not over yet, look..." He pointed at Sakonoth''s corpse.


    In the middle of a small pile of ash, there was the core of a demon, a sphere a littlerger than normal andpletely ck. It had been a long time since the half-wolf had seen one of this type up close.

 Chapter 320 Chest

    [Higher Demon Sikonoth was in, Demon Core Obtained.]


    Luke knelt down, threw some of the demon''s ashes aside with his right hand, and picked up the core. In his big hand, that thing felt so small and fragile. He looked at Hazor and then at Meredith, they both seemed to agree that it belonged to him, after all, he was the great protagonist of the battle.


    ? As Luke didn''t expect to get the core either, he thought better of it and put it in his pocket to ingestter, after all they were still in the presence of an enemy.


    "Later I''ll see what I''m going to do with it. Now, before we talk, let''s finish our main quest." Luke said and looked at the Bishop, who was still being held back by a magical barrier created by Hazor.


    Deeply wounded and looking scared now, the Bishop might try to beg forgiveness with his crooked mouth, that the half-wolf would still choose to kill him. However, Luke had other ns in mind before executing him. Luke approached him with an evil grin, grabbed him by the cor and lifted him with one hand like a bag of vegetables.


    "Point the direction of the safe." Ordered the Half-wolf.


    The Bishop swallowed some saliva and pointed to his back, where the stone throne was. Immediately, Luke looked at Hazor, who got the message and went to the throne to check.


    As Hazor approached the throne, he realized how old it was. The stone was already a little chipped due to age, the mold had already dominated the feet and the smell of sulfur was impregnated in the ce. Despite all this, there was something even more striking about the throne, something that could only be seen up close. There was an almost imperceptible square-shaped bump on the back, and Hazor felt he wouldn''t have noticed it if he hadn''t been looking for something.


    The old man ran his hand over the relief and it moved a little, but nothing happened. ''Maybe I have to apply a little more force?'' He theorized and pressed the relief well.


    The moment the relief on the throne was pressed down, the entiremon room shook, and something began to drag in the open area of ??the throne. As dust fell from the ceiling, Luke and Meredith approached the throne after seeing Hazor''s signal calling them.


    "What did you do? Triggered a trap?" the half-wolf asked, walking up the stairs.


    "Something much better." Hazor promptly responded.


    As the two half-beasts reached the top of the stairs, their eyes widened. There was a hatch to a ce where there was so much treasure that the golden glow of the coins practically blinded them. Immediately, the three looked at each other and jumped into the safe without much thought.


    Inside, the vault was evenrger and astounding. There were mountains of gold coins and various other treasures, such as crowns, jugs, swords, chalices, nes and various valuable objects.


    "Oww!" Meredith eximed excitedly. As she was a former wagon thief, facing a treasure so vast that it could easily have belonged to an entire nation made her feel like she was in a dream. "Luke, is this all ours now?"


    The half-wolf didn''t even bother to answer that, he crossed his arms, nodded and repeatedly said, "Without a doubt, we''ll take everything we can carry."


    Soon, Luke removed the bags of food from his inventory, handed one to Meredith, and together they looked at the piles of money with so much love they could drool. However, before they could start grabbing everything they could, Hazor grabbed them by the cor.


    "Wait a second... You''re going to help me look for the Cursed Item before anything else." he said strictly.


    "Alright..." The two had to agree.


    Hazor smiled in satisfaction, though the two half-beasts were dismayed, and continued, "You must look for a shy item. The ten cursed items are very different from each other, but there is none that is a sword, nor a coin, nor a ne, otherwise, it may be all there is here. Pay close attention to the energy that each thing emits, through that we get to know the history of each object."


    Luke and Meredith didn''t quite understand the old man''s exnation, but they agreed and they split up. The Bishop was still trapped by Hazor''s containment, so there was no risk, after all, the Church''s underground was already empty.


    Inside the vault, the entire floor was lined with gold coins and Luke was stepping on them with great pity, at the same time looking at things of interest and putting some in his bag without letting Hazor notice. The ce was shaped like a circle, and there were some really nice columns supporting the ceiling, which was actually the floor of themon room.<sub> </sub>


    ''What did he mean by feeling the energy of objects?'' Luke reflected after taking in his hand a crown decorated with sapphires and emeralds.


    Certainly, there was something different about the cursed items, Luke felt it each time he picked it up and touched each of the three he collected in the vaults protected by corruption. However, each time he felt something different, sensations simr in some ways, but definitely very different.


    ''I''ll definitely notice when it happens.'' Luke shrugged and concluded. He was tired and not in the mood to think for long.


    A minuteter, he found something that caught his attention, a trunk. This chest was iron andrger than most, not to mention there was a lizard around the keyhole. The moment Luke found this chest, his pupils turned to two gold coins, and his heart raced.


    ''A cool chest inside a vault full of riches, this can only mean extremely valuable treasure.'' He thought and bent down to see the lock.


    The half-wolf was never lucky enough to find a chest in such a mysterious ce, not even in his days as an adventurer in Vasconcelos Dungeon.


    After meticulously looking at the lock, the former thief realized that it wouldn''t be a challenge for his skilled hands, however, he didn''t have a lock pick at the moment, so he would have to force it open. He ced one hand on the trunk lid, the other on the lock and began to pry both sides simultaneously.


    As the lock on the iron chest burst, the sound alerted Hazor and Meredith, who ran towards the burst.


    "Hey, Luke! What was this?" Meredith had her purse full of gold coins and objects.


    Hazor looked at her, looked at her bag, shook her head and also looked at Luke for an answer.


    The half-wolf was practically with his entire back inside a metal trunk, so his voice was muffled when he answered them. "I''m looking for the Cursed Item inside, but there''s nothing, go back to your business."


    Both Meredith and Hazor frowned but understood that Luke wanted to be alone and respected that.


    After hearing hispanions leave, Luke took the body out of the chest and with this same movement he removed a part of the items that were in the chest. The item he took out was an enormous jacket whose ck steel shoulder pads merged magnificently with the bracelets, using steel tes ordered in size to ensure a more refined finish. The fabric of this jacket was also very good, it was thick, but Luke managed to feel soft to the touch, indicating that it was also cool for warmer times and would warm up in colder times. There was also a kind of wolf fur scarf around the neck and shoulder pads, which served to protect during cold weather.


    Luke was impressed by the beauty of that reinforced jacket. During intense battles like the one against the Tenth Servant, the half-wolf usually missed the security of armor and that jacket perfectly fit the requirements he wanted, moreover, it was quite a stylishponent.


    Lucky for Luke, inside the chest was also the rest of the armor set. The lower part had an all-ck pants whose fabric was even more reinforced than the jacket, knee pads, boots, belt and thigh protection all made of ck steel, one of the strongest ores avable for forging.


    The moment Luke thought about putting it on, he felt a sudden shiver and he immediately knew the Cursed Item was nearby. He looked into the dark chest and noticed that there was a thick ring with a dark green jewel glowing at the bottom. It was not possible to see such a ring before because it was under all the clothes.


    "Meredith and Old Man,e here!" he eximed.


    "Without a doubt, this is what we were looking for." Hazor dered upon seeing the item in the half-wolf''s palm.


    The aura of danger that the ring emitted was unique and gave all people who approached it the order not to approach.


    "Okay, we found it, but what do we do with this ring? Can we put it on?" asked the half-fox and boldly reached out to take it.


    "No, never do that." Hazor warned her, then he sighed and looked at the half-wolf. "During the battle you learned about my rtionship with the First Servant, didn''t you? I will reveal not only this to you, but everything I know."

 Chapter 321 Untold Stories

    In the past, four heroes had to fight separately to end the end of the world. Their names were: Demiurge, Hera, Arani and Leto. Each of them contributed in their own way to end the rapid advance of the end of all life on the, whose crops were dead, and the sea level was as low as you can get after a day of rain.


    However, behind The Cmity there are many untold stories, many lies, and an event capable of uniting these two things.


    The truth is that the heroes fought together, yes, only once. In reality, this meeting took ce unnned, a fluke of fate, or rather, a stroke of luck, after all, since the first irruption there is no defined destination for the world, only billions of paths that lead to an even unknown end by the most powerful being in the world. Anyway, their meeting took ce at the Citadel of the End, the home of the demons, and together they managed to decimate the demons, or so they thought.


    Humans and half-beasts live between fifty and sixty years if they are healthy, Elves live a little longer, between seventy and eighty years, but have you ever wondered how long a demon lives? Well, most Cmity heroes never asked themselves that and lived happy lives until they finally slept one night and never woke up.


    Thest hero of the legendary quartet, Arani, was a Temr knight very devoted to his beliefs and also to his repudiation of the existence of demons, so for him it was especially humiliating when he discovered that not all demons were killed or sealed during the attack on Citadel of the End and fled from annihtion. There were demons that lurked in the shadows, and these were certainly the weakest and most cowardly demons of any kind, but their fear wasn''t really a bad thing. They waited for dozens of years, cultivating the desire to one day regain their ce at the top of the world, and slowly they grew stronger, through the lessons that the strongest demons, now dead, left them.


    When Arani found them, he knew that he no longer had the strength he used to have, much less the influence to mobilize an army against the demons, who were still very weakpared to all the power they once had. Arani knew that a fight between them would be futile and that it was probably not the demons'' intention to reveal themselves so soon.


    As thest hero and only an old temr, Arani knew he had to do something to stop the future advance of demons against humanity. Therefore, he decided to use the strongest item the Four Heroes found in the Citadel of the End: a sphere of condensed mana that emanated a power as great as an entire horde of superior demons. He knew that this would be the only way future humans could defeat the demons.


    Still, he couldn''t entrust that much power to anyone, not even his own kin, so he divided that power into ten items and added dozens ofyers of curses to each one so that only the truly worthy could use such power. Eventually, he scattered such items across the continent of Skoll, inside dungeons, caves, and many other famous ces.


    Over time, some of these items were found, but both the demons and the demons couldn''t tell what those things were. Legends emerged saying that the Cursed Items gave wealth and power to their bearers, on the other hand, rumors emerged that said such items also brought death.


    Soon, five of the ten Cursed Items were gathered by the demons and then hidden in a way that only the specific demon that hid them could know where they were. As those things had unknown powers and origins, of course they feared it would fall into the wrong hands, as did Arani.


    "Wait, are you saying this thing holds great power?" Luke asked Hazor after hearing the whole story.


    "Yea." Hazor said.


    [Yes.] The Scale agreed too.


    Luke Lange was totally in disbelief, as finding three of the Cursed Items wasn''t such a difficult task with Warlley by his side, it just took a bit of time.


    "And how do you know all this? Wasn''t it supposed to be a secret that only Arani would know?" The half-wolf crossed his arms and looked suspiciously at Hazor.


    [He has a centenary degree of kinship with thest hero to die.]


    "The blood of Arani circtes in my veins, and it is clear that a part of my n passes from generation to generation all his teachings, including about the creation of the Cursed Items. He didn''t trust us with the items, but we know of the existence of such a power. This is a weight I have carried for over twenty years alone, and which I now entrust to you both." Hazor exined to the half-beasts.


    ''Your expository way of talking is considerably more efficient than the old man''s.'' Luke spoke to the Scales, mentally. "Thank you for telling us all this, but I still have questions. You will answer everything, won''t you?"


    "It is clear."<sub> </sub>


    "I understand that you said to find the peace the world needs the Ten Servants must die, and that in order to have the power to defeat the other Nine Servants I will need the strength of the Cursed Items, I understand perfectly and do not disagree. However, you still haven''t answered me about your rtionship with the First Servant." Luke was looking serious and waiting for an honest answer.


    Hazor took the liberty of taking a few seconds to think, and in the end he sighed. "I am ashamed to say this, but there is a kind of Council that I belong to, this Council is called the Twelve Thrones."


    "Twelve Thrones?" Meredith asked, because Luke had once mentioned it to her during a conversation about Lescar.


    "Forget it, it''s just the name of a game we had as kids." The half-wolf quickly disguised the half-fox''s question.


    Although Luke was surprised that Hazor was on the same council as Lescar, he didn''t want to reveal that he knew someone else who was in the Twelve Thrones.


    "Continue, please." Luke asked the old man.


    "It''s all right. We of the Twelve Thrones are the people who watch the events of the world and decide which way the world will go. Though I''m the weakest of them all, I''m still the only person in the world who carries the genes of thest of the heroes, so I have a seat to myself. Also, most members of the Twelve Thrones are shadows in society, but there are no stronger people in the world than they are."


    Luke kept a straight face and said, "The First Servant is a part of this, so you know each other¡­"


    "Exactly. He is the Seventh Chair, the only demon in history who has ever sat in a meeting with humans." Hazor revealed.


    <o>,m A little stressed by the revtion, the half-wolf huffed and started to stretch to better focus his thoughts. Now, some pieces were finally starting to fill in the gaps and strange happenings were starting to make sense.</o>


    Lescar, the boy who helped Luke find his friends and who also helped him save Ayumi Yamazaki''s life during the Council of Nobles, was also a member of the Twelve Thrones, which made the half-wolf wonder who in fact was that boy and why he had decided to help Luke.


    "Okay, now tell me. If you are all human and you know the history of the demons of desire for domination and chaos in the world, why have you never done anything?" the half-wolf asked.


    "Not all members think demons are a threat. Unfortunately, for the Twelve Thrones to act, a majority must agree, that is, seven members must agree. There have been two meetings in thest year, at the first the request for continued investigation into the actions of demons was denied by 8 to 3 because a Throne did not attend. At the second meeting, we got one more vote, but it still wasn''t enough."


    "Perfect. I just need to go to one of those meetings, punch the opponent in the face and it''s all over, right?" Luke asked after he finished stretching, this time squeezing the fingers of his fists.


    "Do you have the confidence to do this? There are people in the Twelve Thrones who are even stronger than the First Servant." The old man said.


    Hazor knew Luke was saying it without thinking, but he didn''t even like to imagine what would happen to the half-wolf if he tried to act so carelessly.


    "There is one who knows how to stop time, another who can suck your soul with a single kiss, and also people who can split mountains in half. The members of the Twelve Thrones have never fought each other because this would be the end of the world, so find evidence about everything the First Servant aims to do, weaken his influence and his army by killing the other Servants, and that way we''ll get what we want. ."

 Chapter 322 Starry Sky

    Commander Hazor exined for a few minutes about the circumstances surrounding the members of the Twelve Thrones.


    ording to him, there was a condition that prevented the members from interfering in major world events without most members agreeing to it, which meant that both Hazor himself and Lescar could not prevent the start of the war between the two. Melki Empire and Broteforge Empire, neither could stop it.


    However, as Emperor Cant was about to dere war on the Melki Empire seconds before the First Wave broke out, there was still living proof that demons were directly involved in the war. The names of these living proofs were Masink and Marie, the two demons who had sunk Latgor City into disgrace. When Luke and Meredith told this to Hazor, as well as the rest of the story that Hazor still didn''t know, Hazor was stunned. The turn of course was already visible before his eyes, which excited him.


    Even so, the n was the same as before. Luke Lange should first focus on weakening the First Servant before taking him down, killing the remaining Eight Servants of Chaos and collecting the cursed items. This was the surest way to win, however, everyone knew that Luke might not have much time left to achieve such a feat.


    The half-wolf looked at the embers of a fire as he thought about all this. The amount of thoughts in his head felt like a stormy sea, and he daydreamed countless hypothetical scenarios about the future.


    The sun was already at rest and the moon excelled in the star-filled sky. The night in that small town with the lighthouse on the shore was silent, and you could easily hear the crickets in every bush.


    As everyone was tired and thoughtful after they left the underground of the Church, they decided to have a better conversation about which paths they would take only the next day. This arrangement helped Luke Lange have time to think for himself after a while, after all the half-wolf has never been alone with his own thoughts since the day he passed out in the Half-Dragon Isles and the Scale managed to ess the core of your soul.


    Don''t misjudge him, Luke was very grateful to have an entity as wise as the Scales guiding him, especially since she was the one who made him meet Hazor and turned the end of the war from a dream to a perfectly possible reality. However, the Scale still hid a lot of information for an unknown reason, which made the half-wolf always suspicious of its true intentions.


    After all, if the Scales knew about the real power of the cursed items, why didn''t they ever tell Luke the truth?


    If she knew the connection between Hazor, Lescar, and the First Servant, why didn''t she ever reveal it?


    On top of all that, why did she say that Hazor would help them about the curse when, in reality, Hazor knew next to nothing about the mana curse?


    There were so many questions that popped up in the half-wolf''s mind, such that he couldn''t find the answers on his own.


    To make matters worse, the Scale did not respond to attempts at conversations and questions after the Tenth Servant was killed, which was making him even more nervous. The Scale''s silence was certainly excruciating for him, but also a little relieving.


    Hazor was already asleep, propped up in the corner of a tree away from the fire.


    The half-fox was already very sleepy, as she had not slept the night before, fought the Sakan devotees, the Bishop and also looted tens of kilos of gold from the Church''s vault. It had been a long day for everyone, but she couldn''t sleep peacefully watching her best friend look so thoughtful.


    "You want to talk?" Meredith asked Luke as she sat beside him on the grass.


    At first, Luke Lange didn''t answer her and was silent, but soon asked her: "Aren''t you mad at me?"


    "Brave? Why would I be mad? Is it because you hid that you have a curse that has no easy cure and that you''ve been killing for over two years killing the only man I love?" Meredith hugged both bent legs and puffed out her cheeks.


    "The man you love?" Luke blushed, smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, hugging her. "I''m sorry for hiding this from you, I just didn''t mean to worry you¡­"


    The hug made her feel weed and understood. Meredith turned her face away and asked looking into his eyes, "Does it hurt a lot?"


    Luke Lange looked to the horizon when he heard that question and, at that moment, decided that he wasn''t going to hide anything from Meredith anymore. She was the woman who had been following him around for a long time and lying to her only made him feel more guilty about himself.


    "Meredith, to speak I feel almost no pain after that day I passed out on the Flying Inds. This curse is not killing my body, as you know as I am fully healthy now, but the curse will slowly erase who I am, my soul." exined Luke, choosing his words carefully.


    "Like this?" Meredith was confused, she didn''t understand exactly what he meant.


    "Someday, I will be an empty, mindless body."<sub> </sub>


    The half-fox''s eyes gradually widened, and she understood how cruel the fate of the bearers of the mana curse was.


    All this meant Luke Lange would still be alive, but he would be in a vegetative state, without a consciousness to move his own body, this would be what the healers called brain death. His body would age over the years, his hair would turn gray, his whole body would function fine, but Luke Lange would cease to exist.


    Meredith thought about this and rested her head on the half-wolf''s right shoulder. "We''ll be able to heal you. You need to live long enough to decide what your wives order will be¡­"


    "Wives order!?" Luke was startled by her words.


    "Exactly, you will need to take responsibility for me, Alexis and Ayumi. We''re all women and we want to marry you, I don''t mind sharing you as long as I can have your love."


    The half-wolf could tell by the look in her eyes and the confidence in Meredith''s voice that she was being very serious. Therefore, he passed his right arm from her shoulder to the back of her neck and then kissed her. Initially, Meredith was surprised by the attitude, but soon realized that it was his way of showing a little hope too and kissed him back.


    The two half-beasts kissed passionately under the starry sky, showing off to the entire universe the great love that was between them.


    "Khmmmm! Sorry to disturb the couple, but if you guys are still awake, how about we discuss a n I thought of?" Hazor said, standing behind them, avoiding looking directly at the scene of the two kissing.


    Meredith was clearly embarrassed at being caught, broke the kiss immediately and looked down at the floor. She was still very inexperienced and shy when it came to romances, and showing her feelings still embarrassed her.


    Smiling shyly as well, the half-wolf hugged Meredith with his right arm and nodded at Hazor. Luke intended to end up telling her about the Scale as well, but he didn''t want Hazor to know about the entity.


    When Luke Lange allowed it, Hazor seemed topletely lose his difort and sat down next to the couple. "I couldn''t help but overhear some of your conversation, more precisely the part about the curse¡­ Your next step will be crucial, Luke. Soon, the First Servant will know about what happened in this city today, and he will know that someone is sabotaging him."


    At that moment, Luke looked at Meredith, who looked back, and together they nodded simultaneously.


    "There is something we must tell you, Hazor." said the half-wolf.


    The old man was hesitant and asked, "Wh-what would that be?"


    "Better than telling, you better see." Luke opened the <Normal Inventory> and took out a reinforced leather bag, which appeared to be heavy.


    Then Luke opened the bag and took out each of the three objects that were inside it. On the grass in front of the trio were now two metal bracelets with intricate runes carved into them, and also a sword whoserge de was curved at the tip, like a saber. These were the cursed items Luke had gotten hold of in thest six months.


    The question they would normally ask would be what those objects were and what was different about them, but Hazor could feel the aura emanating from those things. An ominous, frightening aura that constantly told him to stay away.


    Consequently, knowing what those objects were, the question Hazor asked was, "How did you¡­get this?"


    "I stole from vaults protected by corruption in the Yukiat and New Yukiat region. The bracelets were four months ago and the sword two months ago. I just wanted information about the demons and how the corruption worked, but I had to get these items because they are, shall we say, different from the others." exined Luke.


    "That changes absolutely everything¡­ With the power of four cursed items you can defeat the Ninth Servant and Eighth with one hand if you want, but first we need to return to Stahurt, I won''t be able to break so many curses in a ce like this." Hazor looked more excited than Luke about the revtion. "By the way, the cursed items not only increase physical strength, they also increase vitality, aura and mana, which means that we will be able to dy the final symptoms of the mana curse a little bit."


    The half-beasts looked at each other when Hazor said this, and they were overjoyed.


    "Okay, we leave at dawn."

 Chapter 323 Trust

    The distance between Stahurt City and Lighthouse City was a few days'' drive, so before Hazor, Meredith and Luke had to go into town the next day to buy food, water, and a wagon. As they had a lot of money after the looting of the Church, buying all this was very easy.


    Luke Lange also wanted to thank Everton and Norgold for their help, but he couldn''t find them. As there were already rumors about the city''s underground rumblings being spread across the city, Luke decided he wouldn''t have time to find the knights who chose to betray Sakan to help him and set the road ahead. Everyone in the trio was exhausted from the fights, so it would be a problem to have to deal with reinforcements from the demons.


    As they were in the summer, they didn''t have any problems at the beginning of the trip. During the day they covered as much of the way as possible, and when night came, they let the two old horses rest.


    Timing was crucial to their grand n, and the half-wolf was very excited too. If the cursed items could indeed increase his vitality, this could probably be the only way to dy the final effect of the mana curse, which would be the death of his soul. Meredith prayed this would work out, for it would give them momentary relief.


    One day, after breakfast, everyone was breaking camp and putting things back in the carriage, and Luke asked Hazor,


    "Old man, how did you get into the Twelve Thrones? Like, do they throw you a little surprise birthday party or is it like a tea party?"


    Meredithughed a little at the way Luke asked, as did Hazor who smiled as he answered. "No, it wasn''t any of those ways. To be a member of the Twelve Thrones, it is necessary for you to defeat a member and take that person''s seat, in other words, his Throne."


    "Did you need to win a Throne too?" asked the half-fox, interested in the matter too.


    "Yes, I defeated my father. He was old and I was young, but it wasn''t an easy battle. We Hazors have special gifts for spells. My father had the gift for mana control, to the point of materializing it, while I have the gift for creating illusions."


    The two half-beasts were quiet for some time, and just as Commander Hazor turned to look at why they had been quiet, he saw them dumbfounded looking at him.


    "What''s it?" Hazor asked, not understanding.


    "Isn''t your first name Hazor?" Meredith and Luke asked simultaneously.


    "No, my first name is Kenrie."


    "But the hero Arani''s name was hisst name, wasn''t it? I thought your full name was Hazor Arani." It was clear to the half-wolf that the old man''s name was Hazor from when the Scales first mentioned him.


    "Arani is my father''s maiden name. However, since I was just a child he knew that the world was changing, and that carrying the Arani surname and the genes of thest hero in my blood could someday kill me, so my mom and dad decided that I would inherit the title herst name: Hazor."


    *Thuff, Thuff!*


    The old man patted the cloth tarp he''d ced across the back of the wagon twice, in order to protect the food from the wind.


    "We are ready, we have to go on our journey." said Hazor.


    The half-wolf climbed into the front seat and took the horse''s lead. Hazor and Meredith sat beside him, because the bench was spacious.


    "So what''s the story with you two? What brought you to the point of fighting demons in another nation?" Hazor asked as the horses started pulling the cart.<sub> </sub>


    "The story is a little long, are you sure you want to know?" replied Meredith. She knew Luke didn''t much like to talk about the past, not because he was embarrassed, but because their pasts revealed their weaknesses.


    "We have enough time, I believe. Stahurt is still two days away because this is not the main route." The old man was really interested in the past two half-beasts.


    "Right¡­Luke and I and a few other friends used to be thieves on the streets of Oukiwa. We started out stealing fruit at the fairs¡­"


    At the same time Meredith was counting, Luke Lange remembered those old memories with a heat in his chest, and he remembered perfectly the day in question that Meredith was talking to Hazor. Typically, they followed a tactic to steal food from marketers, which involved distracting them to steal food directly from the marketers'' blind spot.


    Meredith was a pretty little girl with a face, but her ears and tail drew a lot of unwanted attention, so Luke always tried to leave her out of the ns, however, that one day she insisted so much that the half-wolf eventually gave in to her will.


    "So pay close attention. Luke will go behind the stalls to steal as much of the fruit crates as he can. Me and Meredith are just going to be whispering in front of the target tent, it will make the potbellied old woman suspicious of us." Matthew exined with poise and determination. "After Luke manages to get everything he will whistle, this will be the signal for us to walk calmly away from the tent, all right?"


    "Understood!" Meredith and Luke nodded and walked out of the abandoned house they called home, near a dirty stream in Undercity.


    Shiro and Sarah watched as they left and began to pray for them to return home safe and with food. Of course, this time they had Meredith on their side, who was the shrewdest person in the group when it came to imminent danger, so they would probably be fine.


    As expected, the whole n went very well in the beginning. Matthew and Meredith approached the hooded tents and stared at the fat, cross-eyed old woman in the tent while whispering whatever words came to their minds. The half-wolf crept behind the tents and as there was a lot of noise in Middle City, he was not heard.


    Luke Lange stuck his head inside the apple, pear, and guava stall and saw that the woman''s eyes were fully focused on Meredith and Matthew.


    The owner of that tent had never seen the half-fox before, but the brown-haired boy with white streaks was someone her eyes were already wary of. Whenever this boy appeared, fruit disappeared. As she recognized Matthew, as soon as she saw him, she made the final move for her eldest son, in the front tent, to act.


    <o>,m Meredith noticed the big-bellied old woman''s gaze, especially the sign the old woman made, and warned Matthew, who didn''t believe her words. They always made that same n and nothing ever went wrong, it wouldn''t be all of a sudden that everything would fall apart, after all, the woman had no evidence to call the guards for the children.</o>


    However, the old woman''s son was not a guard, not even an adventurer, he was just a veryrge, idiotic man whose brain was so small that he would do whatever his mother told him to do, and that included pushing some children away. The big man ran towards Meredith and Matthew as soon as he noticed the old woman''s sign, at the same time he screamed like a ferocious bear, which caught the attention of everyone on the street, especially the children.


    Instinctively, Matthew shielded Meredith, stepping in front of her and opening both arms wide. Matthew didn''t even think much about what was happening, nor did he try to fight or flee, because the man was huge and he was already very close. However, Matthew was very lucky that Luke was more attentive than usual as it was Meredith''s first time in a robbery with them.


    Inside the fruit stand, the half-wolf picked up an apple and threw it as hard as he could. The apple exploded in the idiot man''s face, causing him to fall backwards from the impact.


    Thendy looked at Luke, and Luke looked at her. The half-wolf could see the woman''s pale face turn into a pepper in a single second. She tried to grab him, but Luke was naturally fast even before Yoelona''s training, so he jumped up and used the woman''s own head as a springboard to jump even farther. Consequently, they managed to get away easily after that, as both the disgusting mother and the idiot son had been totally bewildered.


    Hazor smiled listening to this story from Meredith''s mouth, who told it with care and affection.


    Yes, it was sad that they had to steal to survive, but this was a reality all over the world, people had risked their lives for hundreds of years to advance in the Dungeons, but street kids couldn''t try their luck in the Dungeons, so just they only had to steal from others to survive.


    On top of that, Meredith didn''t stop at that one story, throughout that day she told about many things about them and Hazor also shared some of her stories. As they set up camp that night, Hazor no longer felt like he was alone, and it had been a long time since that feeling left him.

 Chapter 324 Return To Stahurt City (Part 1)

    A warm atmosphere with loud music, beautiful women and lots of beer is just what most adventurers need to motivate themselves to continue in the monster hunting life. No matter how bad the day has been for them, or how unptable the food is, they will still smile and sing in a good mood.


    Walley, a traitor to the Melkian army, always liked to use all that joy to get people talking. To him, there was no one who could hold his tongue after a few pints of alcohol and a cute whore sitting on hisp.


    As the melody of a lively song echoed throughout the hall, Walley chatted with a famous knight from the town of Stahurt.


    "So, big guy! What did you do after you heard the roaring from the cave?" Walley asked, his smile also slightly flushed after too many bodies of beer.


    "What do you think I did, man? I warned the guards! It doesn''t matter what''s in that cave, but it sure isn''t a mad deer like the owner of the property said! HAHA HA!" Elster replied andughed like there was no tomorrow.


    Walley huffed and grumbled, "You''re useless too..."


    "What did you say!?"


    "I said I''m useless, ha-ha! I can''t find a contract that looks easy enough to make ends meet¡­" Walley quickly shrugged it off.


    Walley was certainly stronger than Elster because he was corrupted and because Melkians didn''t use Gene Abilities, but he didn''t want to attract attention by creating a big fuss.


    However, Walley''s response only put him back against the wall.


    "What do you mean you can''t pay your expenses? You said you''d pay for everyone''s whores and beer, didn''t you!?" Elster opened his mouth so wide to scream that Walley could see the cavities in his teeth.


    Covering his nose with his right hand, Walley tried to think of another lie, but just as he thought of a good farce, someone ced a bag on the table whose metallic ng was recognizably coins, lots of coins. Walley looked at the person and saw that this person was Luke, but the half-wolf was hooded, which probably meant he didn''t want to be recognized.


    The famous knight named Elster opened the bag before he even looked at the person who had put it on the table, and found hundreds of coins, but they were all just bronze, which wouldn''t even cover the bill of things he had spent. Indignantly, Elster looked forward to charge the rest of the thin white-haired man sitting across from him, but the Walley was already gone. Instantly, Elster turned red with rage and roared.


    Outside the tavern, Walley tried to hold the pose for a few seconds, only he couldn''t help but ask, "Did you really deliver a purse full of money to a person you don''t know?"


    "They were just bronze coins. By the way, is this how you treat an acquaintance who just saved you from a mess?" asked Luke, removing his hood. The streets weren''t very busy and it was very dark, so it was safe for him.


    Walley felt guilty and gave the half-wolf a weak pat on the shoulder. "Did you get what the guy asked you to look for?"


    "The story is a little long, not much time for that now. Did you find what you were left to look for in this city?" Luke started walking away from the tavern.


    At the same time, people inside the tavern were trying to open the door, but Luke had locked it with the key he stole from the manager''s pocket at the counter. This would buy them enough time to get away.<sub> </sub>


    "There''s a rumor." Walley responded after the half-wolf''s question.


    "What kind of rumor?"


    "A scary rumor."


    The half-wolf paused for a few seconds and then asked what the rumor was about.


    With the sounds of dogs barking in the background throughout the city, Walley revealed to Luke that there was a rumor floating around among the adventurers about fake contracts that led to the Stahurt side, which was very close to where Hazor''s dojo was.


    "Fake contracts? What does that mean? People take the quests and the monster they kill is not what the quest says?" Luke asked.


    "Errr¡­ more or less that''s right. Usually the quests say the target is a rabid deer, mad deer or something, apparently this is a monster that started to appear regrly around here." exined Walley.


    "Alright, let me understand better. As you told me a few months ago, monsters break out of Dungeons breaks and are taken into the ridges, controlled by other corrupted ones, right?" Luke was just recapping.


    "Right, I think. At least that was the n I knew before you kidnapped me. Powerful corrupters can overpower hundreds of weaker monsters, I can control a few, like the ice Orcs you killed when we first met."


    "Focus, Walley. I want to know about the routes, you already told me about the corrupted." The half-wolf massaged his temples.


    "Ah yes, the routes... At the time I was in the Melkian army, most of the monsters wereing out of the Yukiat Dungeon Break and a Dungeon near Orkenby."


    "Orkenby is the closest town to Stahurt other than Ptine Hill, isn''t it?" Luke could open the map in his pocket, but he was more busy covering his head, so a bunch of drunks wouldn''t see his ears.


    "Yes, you''re right. Why these sudden questions? You are very mysterious, much more than usual." Walley noticed the half-wolf''s mood.


    Luke Lange stopped and looked up at the cloudy sky. "You were right when you thought there was something strange about this town. Hazor told me that a demon lives here, which coordinates the local economy at the request of the First Servant. Hazor was in exile at the dojo so as not to create too much trouble, but I don''t have the same intentions."


    "Oo First Servant?! Wh-what do you want with him, Luke?" Just hearing that name, Walley''s voice shook.


    Up until this point, Luke Lange had never told Walley much about his story, but the glimmer of hope that he could actually kill the First Servant and end the war excited him greatly.


    Smiling, the half-wolf turned around, smiled at Walley, and said, "I will kill Stahurt''s demon, and bring the war here. If the Adventurers here are looking for so many monsters to kill outside of the Dungeons, they will have one."

 Chapter 325 Return To Stahurt City (Part 2)

    The preparation that Hazor had to do to break dozens of Cursed Items curses would take at least three full days. So too, he asked Meredith to help him with this, because it was necessary to harvest many different herbs in the region and Meredith mentioned during the trip that she had an in-depth knowledge of herbs.


    Of course, the half-fox was hesitant to ept at first because it was such a huge responsibility, but when Luke told her that he trusted her, she readily epted.


    Since the half-wolf would have to wait three days for the ritual, he didn''t want to sit around, so he thought about heading into town to sell some valuables he''d looted from the church vault. At that moment, Hazor called him and warned him about the possibility of a demon in the city, but this warning about the possibility became practically a decree for Luke.


    "So there''s a demon here in Stahurt? Shit¡­ I knew there was something weird about this ce." Walley said and kicked a small one that was in his way. "And what is this talk about bringing the war here? What do you have in mind this time?"


    "It''s simple, months ago I promised the Emperor of Broteforge that I would tear apart the Melki Empire from within and during the trip I decided that I would start here. Stahurt is perfect, there must be people outraged by the presence of the many monsters that lurk in the city just as there are adventurers interested in the rewards of these monsters."


    Walley was a little in shock. The half-wolf often talked to Walley about the war that was afflicting the Skoll continent, but Luke never revealed his true intentions, although Walley did investigate the Yukiat region well with the half-wolf and Meredith.


    "I''m in. What do you have in mind for sure?" asked the white-haired man, stopping in the middle of the street.


    The half-wolf smiled upon seeing the determination in Walley''s eyes and replied, "I want to identify who are the people satisfied with the current situation of the Melki Empire and who are not. This will be the second step of my n: to create a revolutionary army."


    Open-mouthed, Walley stood at the sound of words he''d never even imagined hearing, and then suddenly came to his senses. "Wait a second, did you say ''second step''? And what about the first?"


    "I already did it. I killed the leader of the Sakan Religion in the region. It wasn''t quite a step I had in mind previously, but I couldn''t refuse to do it when I found out that Sakan himself was a superior demon."


    "Superior demon? What the hell are you talking about, Luke? Wasn''t Sakan a God or an entity or something?"


    This statement from Walley made Lukeugh briefly. "Higher Demons are stronger than Lesser Demons, this is the only difference between them. However, their strength is not in physical strength itself, they are good at mind games, they use shells to hide and get stronger, they are practically immortal and can put you in a dimension where they control everything."


    "How do you manage to defeat these things then? I can''t imagine how to get my nation out of the war of these¡­ these disgusting things, these sentient monsters."


    Luke snorted. "I confess, it wasn''t easy at first, but I had the right help from a very close friend, who protected me while I wasn''t strong enough. Today, I have my ways of knowing the names of demons, of predicting their attacks, and of getting rid of the Domains they create. The First Servant must fear my current self with all his might, but I do not fear him."<sub> </sub>


    Hearing the half-wolf''s words, any doubts Walley might have had about Luke''s intentions were decimated. To the corrupted, it was clearer than ever that Luke really wanted to rid the Melki Empire of the demons'' clutches and end the current war.


    Also, from the sincerity expressed in the words Luke used, Walley felt he could die for Luke if it would help him stop the war.


    "Okay, if you want to earn the trust of adventurers, you must first be one and create a revolt among them, highlighting well who are those who like to kill monsters that invade other people''s properties and who don''t." Walley exined.


    , "I know, and I don''t intend to do this in secret. If the First Servant himselfes in person, I''ll be d to face him outside hisir, so we can spare no effort. What is the hardest contract avable?" asked Luke and stopped walking.


    At that moment, Walley noticed that they stopped right in front of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    It was obvious Luke''s confidence was sky-high, but that was also good, it would encourage people to follow him, and if he was going to start a revolutionary army, this was exactly what he needed. Walley smiled, took a crumpled paper out of his pocket, and handed it to Luke.


    "Even though you are so determined, you must think rationally¡­ About the rumor from earlier, there is a mysterious monster in northern Stahurt. Many of the groups that took this contract to hunt this monster did note back alive, and those that did im with certainty that the monster is not the raging deer as the contract says." said Walley, at the same time Luke opened the contract paper.


    "Okay, it says here that the property the monster is on is a vineyard. What is it? The word is strange to me." The half-wolf almost didn''t know how to pronounce it correctly.


    "I''m not the best person to exin this to you, but a vineyard is where you grow grapes and make wine, probably, I think." Walley spoke and took the paper from the half-wolf''s hands to read it better, for some reason. "Yeah, it must be just that."


    "Wines? In Broteforge it is a requirement at parties of the nobility and importantmemorative parties of the middle ss. However, I haven''t seen wine for sale anywhere since I arrived in the Melki Empire." Luke pointed.


    "If we haven''t seen it, it''s because there aren''t any. Melkian Wines were quite famous in the old days, but nowadays, it is something that only belongs to noble daggers as well. Thousands of grape crops have died from the Corruption, and the Emperor customarily donatesnd in Stahurt to the owners of these destroyed vineyards. The Vineyard mentioned in the quest is new, but has not produced anything, so the reward is high, and many adventurers take the risk."


    In fact, the 30 Melkian gold reward described in the contract was an exorbitant amount for any type of adventurer, and the monster named in the contract was just an ordinary mid-level monster, a raging deer.


    The contract was obviously a trap, but if Luke managed to kill the mysterious monster, he would not only gain the people''s trust by ying the monster that all adventurers in Stahurt feared, but he would go on to get into the likes of the city''s nobles by giving them back the vineyard.

 Chapter 326 Father & Daughter

    The same night he returned to Stahurt and found Walley, the half-wolf prepared to go hunting the mysterious monster that haunted the lives of adventurers in this great city. Luckily, the location the monster was in was a region that Luke Lange was merely used to.


    The region in question was north of Stahurt, where there were some mountains and arger one, where the Monument and Hazor''s dojo were located. This locality had a mountainous part and a very t part, thetter bordering the forest and love.


    As Luke Lange didn''t know where to start looking for the monster, he asked Walley to apany him on this mission.


    In great fear, the corrupted epted, a sentiment that Luke noticed and couldn''t help but question as they walked to the site.


    "Walley, you control monsters and you''re still scared? What''s up?" Luke was surprised by Walley''s behavior. "You weren''t even afraid to enter the regions full of corruption."


    The white-haired man gave a nervous smile and began to scratch the back of his head shyly. "I know, but I get goosebumps just thinking that this monster managed to escape the controlled hordes. You know, if this monster managed to evade the dozens of Melkian Soldiers that control the hordes, there must be a reason for it."


    "Well, you''re right. If we''re lucky, we won''t find an ordinary monster, but the demon itself that is here." Luke said and pped Walley on the back to cheer her up.


    If Walley was already fearful before, the half-wolf''s words only intensified that anguish. "D-don''t say something like that with a smile on your face!"


    "Alright, alright. I''m sorry." Lukeughed at the man''s reaction.


    Watching the half-wolf smile so naturally, Walley sensed that there was something different about Luke tonight. Luke''s mood wasn''t as bad as it normally was, nor did he have a reflective look on his face, in fact, he looked happy for the first time in a long time.


    ''Killing a demon made you feel so relieved? He must really hate these guys.'' Walley thought, staring at Luke.


    "Walley, can I ask you something a little more personal?" asked Luke. They had just left the region with buildings and entered a wood whose trees had no leaves.


    "Guys? It is clear! We are mates after all!" Walley''s eyes lit up as he listened to the half-wolf.


    "What is it like to be a father?"


    Luke Lange''s question hit Walley''s heart like a swift, silent, deadly arrow. This was a subject Walley avoided thinking about as much as possible, but no matter how hard he tried, the world always reminded him of it.


    "What is it like to be a father? This is a difficult question. In the beginning, it''s very difficult, very difficult, having to take care of a baby''s needs was not easy. Bathing, eating, caring, teaching, all these things areplicated, and I tried to give everything I didn''t have to my daughter."


    Walley stopped in the middle of the woods and looked up at the sky, just as Luke had done a few minutes ago. The clouds were slowly dissipating, and the sky was already brighter than before.<sub> </sub>


    "But despite all the difficulties, there is certainly nothing better than being. When I first held Fhanys, my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to protect that little girl, I wanted to see her happy more than anything else in the world. Her hair was exactly the same as my wife''s, her eyes too, but her gaze was like mine, I think maybe the way I see the world is today too." Walley said and then looked at Luke.


    "Do you think she is far from her father?"


    "Our vige is small and is on an ind isted from all routes of hordes of monsters and corrupted regions. My wife and daughter were definitely fine when I chose to leave them."


    "Do you regret leaving this peaceful ind then? I mean, you betrayed your own nation."


    Walley looked down and then looked at the half-wolf with determination. "Yes, I regret every night that I left them behind to fight a false war, for a false leader, and for false ideals. However, I definitely do not regret having betrayed the Melki Empire, I believe that only when this is all over will I be able to return to my home with a smile on my face."


    When Luke heard those words, he smiled and turned around again. "Alright, when this is all over, I''ll ask Ogen to take you to his vige, so you''ll look nice in front of your daughter."


    "Hey, my daughter already thinks I''m really cool!"


    "Alright, alright."


    "Seriously, man!" Walley had to trot a little to catch up with Luke.


    It took Luke Lange and Walley fifteen minutes to reach the vineyard, but when they did, they were presented with a truly beautiful backdrop to the Melki Empire. The region was very t, full of grape ntations, which were not natural trees, but wooden supports that followed in a straight line for tens of meters, and on top of these supports the roots from which the grapes sprouted grew.


    In the background of this rural setting, it was possible to see the small mountains of the region and a strong wind came from them that night. To the right was a forest of tall, pine-like trees, only the leaves were orange, as if it were always autumn.


    In the center of the vineyard was arge white house, surrounded by low walls and small wooden buildings.


    Walley and Luke walked to the entrance of this house, because they wanted to talk more with the person who had proposed the contract, after all they had no concrete information, just some prominent rumors and tavern conversations. Also, the wind from the mountains blew away all the smells the half-wolf could smell.


    Even though it was night, it wasn''t thatte yet, at least that''s what Luke thought. It had been less than two hours since sunset, so it must be less than nine hours at night, so there must be someone awake.


    All the lights in the house were off, and Luke thought about just heading into the nearby woods to investigate without talking to anyone about the monster, but as soon as they got far enough into the property, the dogs heard the sound of Walley''s footsteps and started barking frantically.

 Chapter 327 Proposal

    When the dogs began barking energetically, Walley jumped in fright.


    Inside the house, the half-wolf was able to hear a man and a woman talking.


    "Honey, the dogs started barking. Is it because of some thief?" the woman asked. Her voice was weak, which made Luke conclude that she was an old woman.


    "No, it can''t be, I put guards around the ntations all night, it must be them and the dogs found it strange." The old woman''s husband replied with a certain tone of irritation. "Oh, oh! It''s okay, Honey. If it makes you feel safer, I''ll go downstairs and check it out, okay?"


    As the vineyard owner descended the stairs from the second floor to the first, he heard someone knock on his door three times.


    *Knock, knock, knock*


    knock The old man immediately stopped halfway up the stairs, because the guards he''s hired are normally not supposed to knock on the door unless something has happened, and if that was the case, the guards wouldn''t knock so calmly.


    Immediately, the old man''s heart began to beat fast and he forced himself to ask aloud, "Who is it?!"


    Outside, Walley regained hisposure after being startled by the dogs and answered the old man. "My partner and I are adventurers, we came to talk about the furious deer contract that is on the loose in the region. You were the one who issued this contract in the guild? The reward says here that it is 30 gold coins." Walley''s voice gradually lowered at the end, as the owner opened the door to the house.


    Looking sullen at having been disturbed just as he was about to go to sleep, the old man looked at Walley from head to toe, then at the hooded man behind Walley.


    "Is this your partner?" the old man asked, pointing his chin at Luke.


    "Yes, he''s a little dark, but don''t worry about it, we''ll be able to kill the monster. Can we talk about the monster?"


    Still frowning, the old man asked: "What do you want to know? Yes, the reward is 30 gold coins, that''s not a lie."


    "Why, sir, I don''t doubt that one bit." Walley said as he looked at that newly built house in the core of the vineyard. "What we want to know is about the monster, what it looked like, where people first saw it, stuff like that."


    The owner of the vineyard raised his neck, looked around the area his eyes could reach, looking for the three men he had hired to protect the property, but he didn''t find even a faint glow of a torch in that dark environment other than themp on the door of the house. .


    "Oh, whatever! Come on, you twoe in, I''ll tell you everything I remember about the monster." The old man said and walked out of the way for the two men to enter the house.


    At the old man''s request, Luke and Walley followed him inside.


    Inside the house, the old man lit all the candles he passed to the way to the living room, where there was arge sofa and an armchair. The owner sat down in the armchair, then opened a wooden box on a small table beside it, took one of the cigars from the box, cut off the end, finally lighting the cigar with a match.<sub> </sub>


    Walley and Luke patiently waited for the old man to start talking.


    The old man took a swig and looked at the men. "You can sit down." He pointed to the couch.


    As requested by the owner, the two false adventurers sat down.


    "Okay, where do I start? Ah, yes... The monster''s first appearance was two weeks ago. During the day, many townspeoplee to our vineyard to work and leave at dusk after receiving their pay for the day. Normally, my wife counts in the morning how many people came and sets aside the money to deliver in the afternoon, but during one day the numbers of workers did not match, there was one less woman." exined the old man.


    "Did this womane to work for you often?" Walley asked.


    "Yes every day. Therefore, the first thing we thought was that she had been lost in the ntations, or lost track of time, but after intense searches we did not find her. We concluded that she hade home early and we paid everyone as usual. However, the next morning one of the dogs had a human leg in its mouth."


    "Let me guess, did you think it was the dog that killed the woman?" Luke asked, watching the smoke from the old man''s cigar rise to the ceiling.


    "Of course we thought so, but the dog himself led us to the woman''s remains, and we found a corpse so disfigured that there was no way the dogs could have done that..." The look of annoyance on the old man''s face was clear as he said this.


    "Care to say what the figures on the corpse looked like?" Luke soon asked.


    Raising his eyebrows, the owner asked, "W-why?"


    "It''s easier for us to identify the type of monster that killed the woman. Different types of monsters have different ways of killing their prey."


    The half-wolf was being inquisitive, but he was asking questions that a true adventurer would ask before setting off in search of a monster, which shouldn''t be as rming to the old man as it seemed. The owner began to sweat when faced with a question that had not been asked by any adventurer until that moment.


    "H-huh? What are you talking about? I said it was a mad deer, I put that in the contract." said the old man.


    Paying attention to the old man''s heartbeat, Luke noticed that the pulses were irregr, indicating that he was lying, or that Luke was close to discovering something. At that moment, Luke huffed and ced both feet on the coffee table in the living room,ter crossing his legs.


    "We are here to do the work and we want to finish it. Therefore, I will propose something to you, sir." Luke said, his face practically expressionless.


    "A proposal?" The owner and Walley asked at the same time.


    "No need to be scared, it''s just business we''re doing. My proposal is as follows: if the monster in the region is really a raging deer, I will kill it and will not demand payment of the 30 gold coins, however, if the monster is not a raging deer, this entire vineyard will be mine." Looking into the old man''s frightened eyes, Luke proposed.

 Chapter 328 Confirmation

    "The entire vineyard? You can only be crazy. What kind of proposal is this?" The owner asked indignantly, stretching his back forward.


    The half-wolf smiled briefly and replied, "That''s a fair proposition, for a liar. If you are sure that the monster in the region is a furious deer, there is nothing to fear."


    At that moment, Walley realized how far Luke was going with this matter, so Walley ced his right hand on his chin and nodded. "Yes, I believe this is a fair proposition as well."


    The old man gritted his teeth, noticing that he was against the wall in that situation. Secondster, he finally gave in to the pressure and huffed.


    "Okay, you beat me¡­ The monster is not a mad deer, the monster is actually much scarier." said the old man, opening the cigar box once more.


    Luke took his feet off the coffee table, propped his elbows on his knees, and looked seriously at the owner. "Tell us everything you know."


    "After we found the woman''s bodypletely torn apart, we were immediately able to deduce that what killed her was veryrge. All over her body there wererge scratches, not to mention the fact that she was missing half her skull."


    "Did anyone analyze the skull or did you just bury it?" Luke asked.


    "The adventurers we called the same day to hunt the creature looked at the corpse, and they said that by the way the woman''s skull was cracked, it had certainly been a bite, because the teeth marks were still there¡­


    " It is a big monster, after all I learned that most adventurers who epted the quest did not return." said Walley.


    The old man was about to light another cigar, but he noticed the serious looks of the two adventurers on the sofa and changed his mind. Then he smiled nervously. "You also want to know why I kept the same contract description even though I knew I wasn''t a mad deer, don''t you?"


    "It is not necessary¡­ We know that you won this property from the Emperor a few months ago and that as one of the few vineyards in the entire nation you aim earn a lot of money in the next few years, and that having your crops destroyed by battle would be bad for you the business." Luke answered him.


    Walley thought the opportunity was perfect toplement the half-wolf''s response. "If you stated in the contract that the monster is actually high-level, gangly, powerful adventurers would show up and wouldn''t hesitate to destroy the entire property to kill the monster. Or even the army could show up to capture the creature."


    The understanding of the two adventurers helped the old man to calm down, and his wife, who was waiting on the stairs holding a dagger with trembling hands, put the dagger away and returned to the bedroom.


    "Does that mean you are going to kill the monster for us?" the owner asked hopefully.


    "Yes, we will kill your monster. Normally, which part of the vineyard did the missing adventurers start hunting for?"<sub> </sub>


    With a huge smile on his face, the old man pointed from the door of his house to the region where the monster was supposed to be. The appointed spot was on a boundary between the forest, the mountains and the vineyard.


    Luckily, Walley that same night had talked to Elster, a famous horseman from Stahurt, and Eslter told him that the monster was in a cave and that the monster roared whenever it heard anyone approaching.


    Merging these two pieces of information, it shouldn''t be difficult to find the monster''sir, and in fact it wasn''t, but the reason for their sess wasn''t actually the information they had, but Luke''s sense of smell. In the woods beside the vineyard, the wind from the mountains had its force reduced considerably because the leaves on the trees were thick and because of the size of the trees, which allowed Luke to sniff out a strong odor of blood.


    After the half-wolf warned Walley about the new lead, they began to follow the scent, which became more and more prominent as they got closer.


    When the blood odor got so bad it bothered Luke, they spotted the cave.


    The sight of the cave entrance reminded Luke of something that had happened a few months ago, he remembered the monster he had killed in Latgor. Furthermore, the current situation was also very simr to what was happening back then in the small northern town of Broteforge. In Latgor, people also disappeared practically without a trace at first, and there were demons in the city too.


    Whether this was a demon pattern, having a mysterious local monster disturbing the peace, Luke couldn''t say, but he hoped this time the monster wasn''t as big as Latgor''s.


    The moment Walley and Luke stopped in front of the entrance to the cave from which the scent of blood came, the monster inside roared loudly, and the roar of that thing was so powerful it threw back the half-wolf''s hood and long hair. from Walley too.


    "Urgggh! What rotten smell is that!?" The corrupted expressed.


    Luke pointed to a pile of human bodies thaty just beyond the entrance to the cave and replied, "This is his breath, he fed not long ago."


    Looking at the bodies the half-wolf pointed out, Walley could see even in the darkness that blood was still flowing. "Are these the guards you said the man mentioned to his wife?"


    There were at least five corpses there, four men and a middle-aged woman. The men wore robes of different styles, levels of protection and durability, while the woman''s body wore a wizard''s cloak.


    "I don''t know, probably. If word of this contract spread around town, there shouldn''t be many interested groups, so if these bodies are recent, it''s quite possible they''re the guards thendlord hired." said the half-wolf as he entered the cave. "Stay out here, don''t let anyone in."


    "Hey! You don''t want me to try to control the monster!?" Walley asked.


    Luke just ignored him, bent down to pick up the dead mage''s staff and headed towards the darkness of the cave.

 Chapter 329 Green Glow

    As Luke went deeper into the cave, he could hear a growl that echoed from his eardrums down to his bones.


    The monster''s evident aloof demeanor was something new for the half-wolf. Generally, monsters didn''t think much and attacked their prey head-on or were sneaky and cunning, trying to corner prey with intelligence.


    ''I wonder if the monster is hurt and why is it hiding in this cave?'' Luke wondered.


    If what the half-wolf theorized was true, that would exin why the monster was trying to fend off anyone approaching with growls and roars. Also, Luke kept in mind that if the monster was injured, it could still be dangerous, because the corpses at the entrance to the cave were fresh.


    However, none of this for Luke, who was determined to kill the creature to gain recognition from Stahurt''s adventurers, Luke followed the growl without hesitation. After some time, the monster stopped growling, but the path was only one and the half-wolf continued on.


    After three minutes of walking in the dark, Luke entered an area of ??the cave that was wider, where there were many natural rock pirs and running water. The ce was redolent with the smell of blood and guts.


    As soon as he entered, Luke also saw the monster. That previously mysterious being was actually a Lich, an extremely rare type of monster that Luke had only seen in books.


    The Lich was an undead creature with a cadaverous face and body made of tree roots. This monster sported a pair of long horns, which more closely resembled moose antlers or the branches of a tree. The monster''s eye region was also striking, as there was a deep green glow in each of the empty eye sockets.


    However, this Lich wasn''t a normal Lich either, because around him was a pack of wolves, which made Luke think,


    ''Shit, I miss Bastet so much!''


    After that, three of the ten wolves started running towards Luke while barking.


    Luke immediately summoned the Behemoth Axe, spun it around and sliced ??two wolves in half. He dodged the third, which flew towards him with its mouth open. The Lich remained standing in the center of the cave.


    Then three more wolves rushed at Luke, who although deep down he felt sorry for killing them, was more interested in finding out how the Lich was controlling them.


    In the book Luke read about the weirdest types of monsters that can be found in Dungeons, the Lich monster was a high-level monster that usually appeared on floors filled with forests or lots of woods, but there wasn''t a single sentence mentioned in the books mentioned a Lich capable of controlling animals.


    Anyway, Luke didn''t want to be bothered with this for too long either, so he focused on the battle and killed all four wolves that were trying to attack him. All the animals'' bodies were cut in half or had their heads severed in a single blow.


    Luke looked at the Lich, and it still didn''t move. ''Why is this monster different?''


    The situation was awkward, and Luke''s instincts were constantly warning him to keep his attention doubled if possible.<sub> </sub>


    With a simple use of <Eye of Horus>, Luke found the most effective way to kill all the wolves and he did so, delving in the Lich''s direction without stopping. The wolves wanted to protect the monster and the best way to lure them to Luke''s de was to attack the Lich himself.


    After getting rid of the entire pack, Luke stopped in front of the Lich, who finally opened his wooden arms.


    Luke watched the Lich sink both arms into the ground and suddenly a wave of roots shot out of the ground straight towards Luke.


    "That''s what I''m talking about! That''s what a Lich does!" Luke eximed, cutting the thick roots into hundreds of pieces.


    However, this first attack was just a distraction from the Lich, because when the roots were cut, the Lich appeared again multiplied by three.


    ''Now there are three?'' thought the half-wolf, astonished. ''No! Remember, Luke! Lich''s can use small illusions too.''


    As it didn''t matter to Luke whether it was three monsters or one, he allowed himself to use Gene''s Skill called <Gluttony> early in the battle.


    A small vortex appeared in the palm of the half-wolf''s hand, which sucked up all that was magic from the environment. Luke was surprised that minute, because not only were the two Lich clones absorbed, but the wolves were as well. Seeing this, Luke smiled resignedly, for in the end things were simpler than he thought.


    Still, it was impressive to Luke for a monster to be able to create illusions so realistic that Luke couldn''t tell that they weren''t real.


    ''Hazor said he''s very good at illusions, I''ll tell him there was someone better in the region!'' Lyke said and ran towards the Lich, who was slowly backing away.


    Although this monster had a very thin appearance, it was very slow. Maybe that was because his legs were made of wood, including the joints as well, or maybe he was just in shock from <Gluttony>''s overwhelming power. Anyway, the Lich still hadn''t given up.


    Like a true monster, the Lich roared at being cornered by Luke in a corner of the cave. When it opened its mouth, Luke noticed a singr glint in the back of the monster''s throat. This glow had a greenish tinge, simr to the Lich''s own eyes, but was also shaped like a crack.


    "So, are you really hurt? Fighting so many adventurers must have been tough... Alright, I''ll put an end to your agony!" Luke said and swung it towards the Lich''s head.


    The monster tried to block using both arms, but the panspermia ax was too sharp. The arms that looked more like logs were broken in half, then the de hit the humanoid skull that the Lich had on the head, and finally the Behemoth Ax when it reached the level of the monster''s abdomen.


    [Lich was killed, Monster Core not obtained.]


    Although the half-wolf didn''t get the Lich''s core, he was d that the monster''s head remained intact after the rest of the body turned to ck particles. That would be enough for Luke to prove to everyone that he really killed the monster.

 Chapter 330 The Song Stop

    With the Lich''s head in one hand, and the unused staff in the other, Luke Lange exited the cave 20 minutes after he entered.


    Amazed, Walley looked at the half-wolf and asked, "What is this thing?"


    "A Lich." Luke replied matter-of-factly.


    Luke''s response only surprised Walley even more, who had never seen a Lich look like, not even in books, he had only heard stories about this type of monster.


    Lich''s were very famous for causing fear even in high level Adventurers who formerly explored the Dungeons. These monsters were carriers of an intelligence unique among monsters, and usually just a nce at the gleam in the eye sockets of these things gave off a chilling sensation, as if the Lich was also looking back, knowing what you are.


    As Luke and Walley made their way back to the vineyard owner''s house, Walley couldn''t take his eyes off the Lich''s head, which Luke held by one of the pairs of horns.


    The half-wolf noticed the white-haired man''s curious gaze and immediately asked, "What do you want?"


    Walley looked away like a child, and slowly turned back to look at Luke. "Errr! So you noticed..."


    "Yes, of course I did. Do you want to touch, charge or check if the Lich is still alive to try to control it?"


    "IT''S NOT THAT, DON''T GET ME WRONG, PLEASE!" The corrupted desperately denied it. "I''m just curious what a Lich was doing here."


    "Aren''t Lich''s part of the attacking hordes?" Luke asked.


    "I don''t know, that''s why I didn''t say anything to you. I only had ess to the first ns to attack Broteforge, and my unit was supposed to be the first to cross the ranges. I don''t know how things were in the other units, but I''m pretty sure there wasn''t a unit with Lich''s. Of course, this one could have escaped from a recent unit." replied Walley and shrugged.


    Luke grinned at Walley and tossed the Lich''s cracked skull for him to catch. "If there''s one thing I learned today, it''s this: don''t overthink it."


    Walley had to stretch and juggle to catch the skull without dropping it to the ground. Then he looked at Luke, who was already following along and asked himself:


    ''What happened inside that cave during those minutes?''


    Generally, the half-wolf was the one who least acted on impulse and liked to control everything so nothing could surprise him. This controlling and methodical behavior was certainly what saved them at times, but it was also quite annoying in other situations. Anyway, Walley was a little pleased to see that this streak of Luke was starting to settle down.


    After the pair returned to the vineyard, they showed the Lich the skull to the estate''s owner, who was surprised and promptly paid them the 30 Melkian gold coins, which wasn''t much for Luke after looting the vault''s vault. Church. Naturally, Walley and Luke left the man''s estate after that and went into town with the intention of showing the skull at the local guild''s tavern.


    As they approached the venue, Luke asked Walley toe in first and pretend to be a regr customer. After all, Walley had been in town for a few weeks now, while Luke didn''t stay long, for the other adventurers it could be intimidating to see a strange man arrive with a Lich''s head, but if Walley helped him unwind the story and lied well , people''s suspicion would turn into deep admiration.


    Of course, Walley epted the n right away. Although Walley wasn''t a great liar, he loved the idea of a€?a€?being the first person to wee a revolutionary hero with open arms, well, that''s how he imagined Luke would be described in future books.


    *<sub> </sub>


    "e??? The blood on your scars will dry, and the path of the never-fading stars will guide you!e???" As usual, a bard was singing in the guild tavern.


    As it was only a Thursday night, everything was calm. There were many adventurers tense with the rumors floating around the city, some of them were literally scared. Usually, monsters that fled from the hordes could be killed by groups of five to ten people, but the Vineyard Quest monster had already annihted at least fiverge groups, not to mention the groups that tried to hunt the monster but returned. so terrified.


    In a big city like Stahurt, fear proliferated easily and controlled people''s hearts, and it was this fear that Luke wanted to use.


    At one point, the bard suddenly stopped singing, which made the entire guild tavern look like a graveyard it was so silent. Before anyone could yell at the bard, everyone had figured out why he stopped.


    There was a hooded man standing at the entrance of the tavern and he was holding a weird skull, yellowed, cracked and with wooden antlers.


    Without a second thought, many of the men drew their swords and pointed at Luke, but the only one who really had the courage to say something was the man with the strongest aura in the room outside Luke.


    "Who are you? And what do you want?" asked the man with blond hair, cut to shoulder-length, with a cigarette in his mouth.


    Luke looked at the man and then looked at Walley, who was at the back of the tavern and who would be the one who would question the half-wolf. The strange man''s leadership surprised him, but it was for the best, at least he wasn''t attacked at first, which was a good thing.


    The half-wolf threw the Lich''s skull to the floor, and it was so hard it broke some of the tavern''s wooden floor. Soon after, Luke removed his hood, showing the wolf ears to everyone.


    "What is it? Is he a half-beast?"


    "It''s a monster!"


    "Be disgusting, how dare you enter ours?"


    "So you were the one attacking people... Did youe to kill us too?"


    "Let''s attack him before he does that!"


    Many people shouted curses, others shouted in revolt. Luke listened to that without even showing a reaction and indicated with his eyes for Walley not to react yet.


    To Luke''s surprise, one more voice from the man with blond hair was the one who acted. He put his left arm in front of one of the men who was about to lunge at Luke, stopping his advance.


    "Let''s not be hasty, boys. You would call me a monster too if you didn''t know me, wouldn''t you?" The blonde asked the other adventurers and with both hands he pushed tworge strands of hair back, revealing two pointed ears.


    ''An elf!?'' Luke''s eyes widened. He had never seen an elf in all the months he spent in the Melki Empire or any city he visited.

 Chapter 331 The Elf And The Half-Wolf

    "Now answer, who are you?" the elf asked.


    "Just a half-wolf." Luke replied, raising his hands to show he was harmless.


    "Half-wolf? Is this your name or is it your race?" Taking the cigarette out of his mouth to speak, the elf remained inquisitive. Then he sighed, and some smoke came out of his mouth. "Sweeesh! So I''ll start by introducing myself. My name is Leonan Morcyne, I am the leader of the ''Scythe of the Forest'' group."


    "My name is Luke Lange, and I just killed the Vineyard Contract Monster." The half-wolf pointed at the Lich''s head lying on the floor.


    A few men were already studying the thing closely and backed away when Leonan looked. Then Leonan approached, touched the tip of the horns that protruded from the skull, and saw how sharp they were.


    "Hmm! After all, it was indeed a Lich." Leonan said and stood up.


    The other adventurers in the tavern exchanged frowns, but before Luke could ask, Leonanpleted his own sentence.


    "Many reports havee to me, most of them about a monster with a pair of antlers. Fury deer don''t have antlers. I thought about it and remembered a book I studied when I was a teenager: ''Fantastic and Dark Beasts''. It wasn''t a good book, but it made me learn a lot about the monsters I hunt today. In this book, there was a creature with long wooden horns that resembled the antlers of a moose, the monster''s name was Lich."


    Everyone in the tavern was impressed by the elf, because most didn''t even know the real names of most of the basic monsters, but Leonan not only did, but he knew several others.


    "You didn''t like this book? I read it and enjoyed it a lot, I think whoever wrote it really ventured into the Dungeons." Luke replied as he took off the cloak he wore over his tunic.


    Leonan was obviously surprised, took a drag on his cigarette and asked, "This is exactly the problem. The book was written by a Broteforgian who entered the damned Dungeons, but the monsters'' behavior changes a little when theye to the surface."


    Arms crossed, Luke nodded as he listened to the blond man speak.


    People in the tavern were still stunned, unsure how to react. For a nation as prejudiced as the Melki Empire this was the only possible reaction. An elf and a half-beast talking before their eyes was something neither of those people had ever imagined.


    "Friend, are you a traveler? I''ve never seen you around here!" Walley, from the back of the tavern, questioned. "How about a drink?"


    Walley had mingled with the people at the tavern a few minutes earlier as he knew some of them from other taverns.


    "But of course I ept! My shoulders are heavy from killing the Lich!" Luke pretended a more outgoing personality after all the tension dissipated, after all, it''s this kind of person who is easiest to talk to, especially when ites to adventurers. "Are you with us, Leonan?" Luke asked the blonde.<sub> </sub>


    "How could I refuse? Tell us how the battle with this monster went!" Leonan immediately agreed and took his chair away from the table he was sitting at.


    Within minutes, the entire table architecture of the tavern had moved and Luke was at the center of it all being heard by nearly forty people. Everyone around him listened intently to Luke''s story of the fight against the Lich, and he spared no detail, exposing everything from his conversation with the vineyard''s owner, particrly how he made him confess that he wasn''t a deer-furious, even the part where he noticed the crack in the monster''s dark throat.


    In the course of history, many people raised several questions, which the half-wolf answered without problems.


    Of course, he had to lie and withhold information at some points in the story, especially in the parts where he used Gene''s Abilities, but in the rest he was truthful. Some adventurers asked about fellow adventurers who went hunting for the creature and returned, and Luke replied that he saw five corpses at the entrance to the cave.


    Leonan replied that he would notify the local guards to go collect the bodies and thanked the half-wolf for the information.


    In the end, everyone was impressed with Luke, especially with his strength in being able to single-handedly defeat a creature that entire groups had problems with. The half-wolf didn''t let his ego inte with so much praise, as those people didn''t use Gene Abilities, so killing monsters for them was a difficult task, despite that the Melkian poption cared much more about training in martial arts, swordy and other types of techniques, which most Broteforgians forgot.


    At one point, the conversation took a slightly more political turn after a member of the ''Scythe of the Forest'' groupined:


    "Every winter it seems that things get worse around here. At first, it was just a few Goblins that appeared, now a Lich appears. What will be the next monster?"


    The man whoined was huge, his voice was thick and he carried a big hammer on his back, so as soon as he opened his arms in indignation, he got a lot of attention.


    Luke took a sip of his beer, as well as mming the mug down on the table shortly after. "You''re right, Brook. Far worse things await this city, so I don''t n on staying here for long."


    Immediately, Leonan rose from his seat and mmed his hands down on the table. "Luke, or rather Mr. Lange, please stay a little longer!" He asked.


    The half-wolf feigned amazement, looking at Leonan with narrow, serious eyes. "Why are you asking this of me?"


    "You are incredibly strong and we need someone like you around here. There are practically no guards left in the city, the insecurity of the civilians is growing, and the people are afraid." Leonan said and stretched his arms out to his sides like his partner had before. "What we need is someone to reassure us, and if you take our side, I''m sure most won''t even remember that you''re a half-beast."


    The leader of the ''Scythe of the Forest'' group at first seemed like a serious person and would be difficult to talk to, but in reality Leonan was just another citizen concerned about Stahurt and the Melki Empire.

 Chapter 332 Phiaro, The Pugilist

    After Luke overheard Leonan''s request that the half-wolf remain in Stahurt, Luke pretended to be hesitant about the proposal.


    "I don''t know. Stahurt is a big city and the nobles won''t ept a half-beast like me. In a few days, there will be dozens of people standing in front of this tavern wanting my head." Luke responded to Leonan''s request with a wary face.


    "If someonees after you, we''ll protect you!" Walley lifted his mug and spoke aloud.


    "That''s it!" Most of the men had roared with enthusiasm.


    Luke''s wolf ears twitched, and his eyes widened, which made people who didn''t agree with Leonan''s decision at least a little more uncertain.


    Suddenly, a man stood up to Luke''s right. This man was ck, had a shiny bald head and had his chest exposed.


    "I won''t be able to agree to targeting my ass with the nobles until you prove that you really are as strong as you say!" This man eximed.


    At that moment, Leonan stood up, outraged at the bald man''s audacity. "Phiaro, what are you talking about? Can''t you feel the tremendous strength emanating from him? Also, Luke brought the Lich''s skull."


    Phiaro, the ck man who was standing, lowered his head a little in respect to the leader of the ''Scythe of the Forest''. "I know, Leon. But I don''t understand monsters, I don''t understand this aura thing. What I really understand is fists, so before he decides to stay in our town, he will have to fight me first!"


    Immediately, Leonan turned back to see the half-wolf''s reaction. Leonan''s goal was to convince Luke to stay and help them protect the city, but Phiaro''s challenge could upset Luke tremendously, making him not even consider staying in the city.


    "I ept your challenge. Phiaro, isn''t it? Fighting one of you will be a good measure of the level of adventurers here. If I''m going to stay, I want to have partners I can trust. However, I will only give my answer at the end of the fight." Luke replied, causing Leonan to be momentarily relieved.


    Within minutes, the adventurers had already found a ce for Phiaro''s fight against Luke.


    Stahurt was a huge city, full of adventurers, but whose dungeon was sealed, even so it was not umon to find arenas scattered around the city, because this was a type of investment that attracted a lot of money.


    The chosen location was a private arena called ''Cradle of Legends''. A tacky name, certainly, but it also stuck easily in everyone''s heads, so this was the most famous arena in all of Stahurt. The floor of the huge arena was stone fortified by iron crystals, and there was water all around the vast battlefield. The water was deep and inside the water were hundreds of hungry piranhas.


    Luke didn''t give a damn about all the details that night. As it was already dawn and Luke was tired from the long day, all he wanted was to finish all this to proceed with his n.


    The number of people gathered to watch the fight from the stands was somehow greater than the number of adventurers in the tavern. Stahurt was a very nocturnal city too, so many people were drawn to the sea of ??people who flocked to the ''Cradle of Legends''.


    The half-wolf looked at his opponent with the eyes of a dead fish, while Phiaro looked at Luke with determination.


    Phiaro repeatedly punched the air while jumping in ce. Which made Luke think Phiaro was underestimating him, because Phiaro was wasting energy so uselessly.<sub> </sub>


    "If both fighters agree, I''ll be the judge, okay?" Leonan asked, approaching the center of the arena with a cigarette in his mouth.


    Being the referee meant that Leonan would determine when the fight should stop and who would win in the end. Neither fighter had a problem with Leonan, so they both nodded.


    "It''s all right. The fight will start when my cigarette hits the ground." said Leonan, who took the cigarette with his fingertips and then flicked it in the air.


    The cigarette twirled and twirled in the air, causing spectators to stand up to see in detail the start of the fight.


    Luke looked at Phiaro and then at the cigarette, realizing that a thousandth of the cigarette hit the floor, Phiaro got ahead of the movement and lunged quickly.


    Before this start, Luke promised himself that he wouldn''t use any of Gene''s Abilities, not out of respect for his opponent, but because he wanted to keep these things hidden, at least for a while.


    Attentively, Luke dodged Phiaro''s right punch and wasn''t fooled by this first punch, which concealed a left punch. Phiaro''s fists were incredibly fast, and it seemed that with each blow the speed increased each time.


    The half-wolf dodged Phiaro''s every strike with just his natural reflex, gradually getting used to his opponent''s speed.


    Seeing someone so weak have such an impressive punching technique bothered Luke a little.


    The more Luke saw truly talented people like Phiaro, Norgold, and Everton, the more annoyed he became at the brainwashing about people not being able to use Gene Abilities to not turn into monsters in the future. Of course, in the past he himself suffered from this brainwashing and even his master Yoelona still hadn''t rid herself of such a belief even after seeing up close how rotten the Melki Empire was.


    However, the fact that adventurers from the Melki Empire didn''t ingest Monster Cores was also what was keeping him confident enough toe up with ns like this one, in which he divulged his identity in public without fear of anything.


    With all that was going on with Luke, the only question that didn''t get out of his mind, even as he dodged Phiaro''s punches, was what was the Scale doing to avoid talking to him for so long.


    Phiaro''s blows looked more like fast arrows flying towards Luke, which made him sweat a little to dodge. Even so, with each attempt to hit Phiaro, there were numerous openings in the posture of the body, which Luke could certainly take advantage of to defeat him easily.


    However, Luke thought that just defeating Phiaro was not enough, because many people would still see him as suspicious and unfriendly, despite him having spent some time drinking and talking to the adventurers.


    Somehow Luke had to show he was in Stahurt to help everyone. Gaining everyone''s full trust was as important a step as generating revolt in creating a Revolutionary Army.


    Watching closely, Luke noticed that with each punch Phiaro delivered, the bald man opened his guard a lot, exposing his chest and belly to blows. Definitely, if Phiaro fought a professional assassin, he would die within seconds of battle, but on the other hand, the pressure he applied with the blows, as well as his size were perfect for fightingrge monsters.


    ''If I start warning him out loud about his faults, he''s sure to hate me and feel humiliated. The best way to do this is to proceed with the battle normally, teaching him calmly.'' Luke thought.

 Chapter 333 Over Pride

    The half-wolf knew well how proud adventurers used to be, and Melkians were mostly conceited with their martial techniques, so caution was needed when dealing with people like that.


    Therefore, Luke started his actions after so much dodging only by blocking one of Phiaro''s punches with his right arm and then punching Phiaro''s face with his right fist.


    The bald man''s reflexes weregging after drinking so much that night, so Luke''s punch knocked him back and blurred his vision. Coincidentally, the same alcohol that made Phiaro slightly cloudy also boosted the adrenaline coursing through his veins.


    For a second, Luke thought he''d knocked out Phiaro with just one punch, then he was d when Phiaro hit him even harder than before.


    Luke continued to dodge the attacks and asionally threw punches in the opponent''s abdomen area, which only encouraged Phiaro to continue.


    Gradually, Luke began to increase the power of his punches, making the moments of rest that Phiaro took to himself shorter than before. After the fight was over five minutes, the big bald man was alreadypletely drenched in sweat, bruised on his abdomen and panting. The half-wolf, on the other hand, had an intact appearance, not even the strands of his hair seemed to have shifted position.


    At this moment of rest for Phiaro, it was the first time that most spectators had noticed the scandalous difference in the conditions of the two fighters.


    Although Phiaro was alreadypletely convinced that Luke was indeed a man of terrifying strength, he was too proud to admit it out loud while still standing. After raising his fists, Phiaro ran towards Luke onest time.


    Luke took a step back when he saw the man with the stringy muscles running towards him, but he didn''t do it out of fear, he did it just to fix his positioning on the battlefield. Thanks to that small move, Phiaro had to stretch farther to try tond a right punch to Luke''s face. This punch must have been faster than it actually was, which Phiaro internally regretted.


    The bald man''s blow was nowhere near a speed Luke couldn''t dodge, but Luke chose not to. At the time, Luke grabbed Phiaro''s wrist with his left mother, pulled Phiaro down hard, and kneed Phiaro in the face so hard he flew two meters up when he was released.


    As Phiaro fell to the ground on his back, the thud echoed in the silent arena.


    For the adventurers, Luke''sndslide victory was proof that his strength was indeed greater than normal, but it was still a shock to see Phiaro, one of Melki''s most experienced adventurers, look like a child fighting an adult.


    "Ended! Luke is the winner!" Leonan decreed, raising his arm and pointing to the right side of the arena.


    All the people fell silent, as did Walley, who silently celebrated.


    "I''m going to the hotel, I''ll be between 13th and 4th, in that rickety hotel. If they need me, ask the receptionist with my name." Luke said and walked out of the arena.


    After the half-wolf retreated, the adventurers gathered to check on Phiaro. Well, in appearance he was really deplorable, but for some reason he was smiling.


    "Why are you smiling, idiot?" One of Phiaro''s groupmates asked him. "You know you have a broken nose, don''t you?"


    "HAHAHAHA! And what''s so great about having a broken nose? I''ve already broken my nose like 10 times!" Phiaro eximed after chuckling at the question.


    Everyone looked at each other, not understanding that bald man''s spontaneous reaction.<sub> </sub>


    "Aren''t you mad at that half-beast?" A swordswoman asked.


    *Crack*


    Phiaro fixed his nose in ce with his bare hands. "Why would I be?" He asked, his voice a little faint.


    "Why, because Luke humiliated you!" Someone else countered.


    "Humiliated me? What are you talking about? He could have humiliated me if he wanted to, but in reality he was showing every one of my weaknesses." Phiaro answered with sincerity after all the fight was already over.


    "Like this?" asked Leonan, interested in the matter.


    "Haven''t you noticed? I''m sure he was holding back. He constantly attacked my weakest points, but with the speed he showed to dodge my punches, I''m sure he could have hit my chin or throat at least ten times. Not to mention his reflection." Phiaro replied, remembering every second he could see his mistakes, but Luke didn''t take advantage of them.


    Generally, a punch to the throat or chin is an urate knockout, although strong punches to the throat cause suffocation and are practically taboo in the Melki Empire.


    All the adventurers who listened to Phiaro''s exnations were surprised that Luke seemed even more of a force to his opponent than to the onlookers. Undoubtedly, Luke had trained so much that these days normal people looked like children fighting him.


    *


    The next day, Luke woke up to a loud knocking on his door.


    "Luke, wake up! Something urgent has happened!" Walley, on the other side of the door, eximed with some despair.


    The half-wolf opened the door while still yawning with sleep and with his hair totally disheveled. "Good morning, Walley. What happened this time?"


    "I was sleeping at the Headquarters of the ''Sickle of the Forest'' because you forgot about me, and a messenger from one of the Marquises appeared. Apparently the Marquis Stahurt wants to meet you in person." exined the white haired man.


    Frowning, Luke asked, "What is a Marquis?"


    "I exined to you before how hierarchies work here in Melki, didn''t I?"


    "If you exined it, I don''t remember." Luke said simply.


    In the past, the Melki Empire was just a small Kingdom at the southern end of the Skoll Continent, that is, the hierarchy used to have the King as the highest position, and soon after came the Dukes, Marquises, Counts, Viscounts, Barons. , Imperial Guards andstly themoners. After the Melki Kingdom expanded a lot, it became an Empire, but the positions of the nobility remained, because all the nobles already had power and if the Emperor tried to take it away from them, there would be several separatist wars.

 Chapter 334 The Marquis

    Three young men stood before the Marquis Marley.


    The first one had dirty blond hair, a sloppy goatee, and a well-behaved look.


    The second of the men had a confident look, highlighting his handsome white hair, but his robes were extremely bad.


    Thest one was a half-beast with a pretty face and skin, but the two ears on top of his head caused the marquis enormous difort.


    One of his faithful servants had previously warned Mr. Marley who each of those boys were, being Leonan, Walley and Luke, respectively. The first and thest were invited by the Marquis, but Walley was only there as an intruder. Luckily for Walley, the marquis wanted to look confident and talk to the guests, so, and for that alone, he didn''t immediately kick him out when Walley stepped into his house with his dirty shoes.


    "Good morning, men. It is very good that they listened carefully to my invitation and epted." said the Marquis, raising his arms.


    Mr. Marley was like most of Melki''s nobles. He had a huge paunch that nearly popped the buttons on his shirt, a bald head, and a porridge as big as Phiaro''s muscles. Also, this marquis had disgusting, oily skin.


    "Good morning, Your Excellency." Walley gave a typically noble bow, positioning his right foot back, then bending his knees until he was fully bent over with his head bowed.


    "Very good to see you again, Lasthor." Leonan responded intimately.


    "Hey, Marquis." Luke decided to follow Leonan''s type of presentation rather than Walley''s, because it was more his style.


    Walley immediately whispered to Luke, "What are you doing? He''s a marquis! We have to treat him formally!" He looked more scared than when he''d apanied Luke into the corrupted zones.


    On Walley''s left, Leonanughed a little. "Walley, there''s no need for such a fuss. Lasthor is not a noble like the others."


    The Marquisughed a little too and got up from the chair he was sitting on, picking up the cane that was beside him to keep himself upright.


    This cane had a great look. Usually, canes are straight and ck, with just a sphere to fit the hand or a hook shape, but this one was all white, it was a little curved to one side and the tip that touched the ground was very pointed. Luke realized right away that this cane was actually a giant tooth reformed to be used as a cane.


    When Walley finally noticed that the cane was a tooth, he didn''t even have time to say swim, because Leonanpleted what he was saying earlier.


    "Lasthor is a man with a passion for monster collectibles and a schr, as well as a noble recognized throughout the city." said the blond man.


    The Marquis opened his hands once more, raising his cane as well. "Yes, this one is. Now that the introductions are over, let''s get down to business."


    Luke and Walley frowned and braced their ears. Any proposaling from a noble from a fully demon-controlled Empire could be false.


    "Mr. Luke, that''s your name, right? I''d like to ask you about the Lich Skull you exposed yesterday in the guild tavern. Is this for sale?" Lasthor asked with a smile on his face. His fingers were partially ck and there were some gold teeth.


    The half-wolf thought before giving an answer, after all if a Marquis was really only three positions away from the Emperor, he was certainly powerful. When Luke made up his mind, he took a step forward.


    "No, he''s not for sale¡­ to normal people. Something as rare as a Lich Skull is not something that can be disyed at a fair. However, as you are certainly not a normal person, I am sure we can negotiate." Luke replied.


    The smile on the Marquis'' face widened from ear to ear. Dealing with a half-beast was a nuisance for Lasthor, even more so if the half-beast was as powerful as the rumors were, so Lasthor understood that it was best to have a healthy rtionship with Luke at first.


    "What is your price?" asked the Marquis, sitting down again.


    "How much are you willing to pay?"<sub> </sub>


    "Hmm~ I like this stance, it tells me that they have experience in trading, but that they don''t usually study much about monster items. What do you think of 15 gold coins for the head?"


    "With all due respect, Marquis, that amount is ridiculous. I received 30 gold coins for killing him, selling the trophy for this achievement a dayter for half would be stupid." Luke said eloquently.


    With a bitter and unconvincing smile, Lasthor proposed, "I understand¡­ So how aboutbining the reward value with my first proposal? 45 gold coins for an empty skull is a good deal."


    Luke Lange had understood in this one that the Marquis was someone who used words to his advantage, trying to manipte the other side of the negotiation into giving way. However, a loophole like this was exactly what Luke had been hoping for once he learned of the noble''s interest in the drop.


    "Want to know something? That head is not that important to me. You can keep it for yourself, as a gift for my having the honor of meeting you." Luke said, opening his arms just like Lasthor had done before.


    All three other men in the room were startled by the half-wolf''s conclusion. 45 gold coins was like a small fortune that no one turned down so easily, but for Luke it seemed like a natural thing to do.


    The Marquis couldn''t help himself and burst outughing. "You rock! I liked you, you have fucking guts!"


    Of course, Lasthor Marley, unlike Walley and Leonan, understood that the half-wolf''s ''gift'' was not free, but rather a debt the Marquis would have to repay someday by performing a favor for Luke. Of all the conclusions this situation could have, Luke decided the one that would benefit him the most in the long run.


    If Marquis Marley really had the power he was said to have, Luke wanted the opportunity to use it for himself when he got the chance. Not to mention that to Luke the Lich''s skull was worthless, and that the ''trophy'' was lying under the hotel bed all night.


    In the end, Luke gave the Lich''s skull to the Marquis and was even invited to lunch. In Lesthor''s thoughts, this was a great deal as at the next Marquise''s tea he could brag about the skull to others.


    It was also a good thing for the half-wolf to form a rtionship with a local noble so much quicker than he''d expected, the only downside was that it was certain to attract attention even faster than he''d measured it.


    *


    For the next two days, Luke and Wayn apanied Leonan and the rest of the ''Forest Scythe'' group on some monster hunts, none were especially difficult, just small groups of Goblins, Kobolds and Prum''s. During this time, Luke met many different people and ces in Stahurt, not forgetting to constantlyin about how bad Stahurt waspared to Ptine Hill.


    Thanks to Luke''s constantints, people joked about how he looked like a grumpy old man, but he always replied the same thing:


    "It''s not that I want to be boring, it''s just that it''s frustrating to see such a rich and prosperous nation with an as talented to crumble as is happening to Melki."


    People couldn''t answer him properly, and they always replied with the same futile argument.


    "If we don''t fight the Broteforge Empire now, in the future they will turn into demons and plunge the world into chaos."


    "We? I didn''t know you''re in the war. As far as I know, we are sending monsters to wage this war for us." Luke responded with discontent.


    For Luke the argument about Monster Cores being like curses foring from monsters was so easy to refute precisely because it was a hypocritical argument. It was a fact that the use of Dungeon Breaks as a weapon by the Melki Empire was what was infesting the entire surface of the southern side of the Skoll continent with monsters. Furthermore, the human power to control these monsters as weapons was rotten, corrupt, and was spoiling Melki''s fertilends.


    Luke''s indignation was not pretense. Somehow, he empathized with the people of Melki during the nearly seven months he traversed half of the Empire. However, Luke knew he could not save Melki alone, he needed the very people of this great nation to open their eyes to the truth. The first step towards that goal was Sakan''s death, which didn''t mean his religion was dead, but it would surely lose strength with time until he found a leader.


    Anyway, thest three days had been productive for Luke, but what he was really interested in was the ritual with the Cursed Items.


    When Luke stepped onto the wooden floor of Hazor''s dojo on the night of the third day, he smiled as he sniffed the sweet scent of Meredith, who when she saw him ran to hug him.

 Chapter 335 Ritual

    When Luke stepped onto the wooden floor of Hazor''s dojo on the night of the third day, he smiled as he sniffed the sweet scent of Meredith, who when she saw him ran to hug him.


    "Where have you been?" She asked, her voice muffled from having her head buried in the half-wolf''s chest.


    "I told you I would put some ideas into practice. If I''m really going to have more time to live, I want to end this in the best way possible." Luke answered her.


    He then exined to Commander Hazor and Meredith everything he had seen and heard over the past three days. It was of paramount importance that they listen so they could advise Luke on how to proceed. The half-wolf knew he was not a master of public rtions or social rtions, but if his goal was to gain the trust of many of Melki''s people, gaining influence was the first step.


    Obviously, because Luke had killed the Lich, the monster that terrified the dreams of adventurers and the popce alike, he had gained the respect of many. However, respect differs from support, someone who respects you will not necessarily support you. What Luke really had in mind was to make people see him as a sword they could use to attack the great figures of the Melki Empire.


    When Hazor heard this idea from Luke, Hazor promptly intervened. "Luke, it''s okay that you''ve earned some people''s respect, that''s great for both us and the half-beasts. But I do not agree with this idea of ??offering yourself as a weapon for these people."


    "Why not?" Luke understood that this was how he would win more people to fight by his side, literally assembling an army.


    Hazor tried to find an answer and suddenly had an idea. Thus, Hazor stretched his hands forward and in the palm of each hand appeared a magic circle.


    "Magic is a lot like how society actually works. The runes in a magic circle are the people and together they have more power than they do apart. However, depending on how the runes are arranged in a magic circle and the type of energy that goes into it, the result varies between negative and positive."


    As Hazor exined, the small runes on the two magic circles moved, varying in ce and cement.


    Not only was the half-wolf confused by Hazor''s example, Meredith was too. As soon as Hazor noticed this, he undid the magic circles and said,


    "What I mean is that the people of this nation are afraid, uncertain about the future. Luke, if you let these people use you however they want to destroy everything, Melki will be anarchy."


    The half-wolf had already learned from Ayumi Yamazaki that anarchy is a form of government where there are no political, social, economic or cultural authorities. In fact, one of Ayumi''s biggest fears is that Broteforge will be anarchy if they lose the war against the demons. Living in anarchy would be like living in awlessnd where nothing matters too much.


    Thanks to Hazor''s experienced way of thinking, Luke was forced to think of a more reputable way to attract people.


    Luckily for the half-wolf, Hazor himself was seen as a legendary national figure because of his aplishments as a former leader of the Melki Empire''s armies, so he had a good advisor. The only downside was that Luke couldn''t use Hazor himself to his advantage, because of the Twelve Thrones'' no-intervention rule. This rule Luke didn''t understand very well, he just respected.


    After the conversation was over, Hazor and Meredith began preparing the final details of the power transfer ritual.


    The half-fox ground several herbs with water and an advanced healing potion, mixing everything together to form a viscous, wine-tinted liquid.


    Hazor drew a magic circle with charcoal on the floor of the dojo. There were runes that Luke had never seen in other magic circles before, but these weren''t crooked like the runes found on the pentagram that protected themon room.


    When Luke asked why the magic circle is drawn physically rather than magically, Hazor replied that drawn circles are more resistant to the user''s mana fluctuation. Although Luke didn''t understand what exactly this meant, he nodded and sat in the center of the circle, knees crossed as requested.


    Meredith took the bowl of viscous liquid to the half-wolf very carefully and handed it to him.


    Luke Lange drank what tasted faintly of healing potion and green tea, an entric concoction, but one that Luke didn''t think was nearly as bad as it looked.


    "Now, close your eyes." Hazor asked for the half-wolf.


    Before obeying, Luke looked around. There were severalmps on, illuminating the entire dojo as well as Meredith''s worried face. ording to Hazor, there was a small risk of the curse interfering, but no matter what happened, nothing would stop Luke from using the power of the cursed items, so he didn''t back down.<sub> </sub>


    Before closing his eyes, he said to the half-fox, "If I faint, don''t despair. I will definitely return to you."


    Meredith smirked and nodded. "You''re not crazy to leave me alone in this world."


    Luke looked at the old man standing in front of him, and nodded too, as a way of saying he trusted Hazor. Then he closed his eyes.


    "Meredith, please ce the cursed items as I taught you before."


    The half-fox stood up, picked up the cursed items, finally positioning the bracelets in line with the position of Luke''s arms, the sword in front of him and the ring behind.


    "Ready." She said when she was done.


    "Thanks. Now that all the preparations are done, let''s get started¡­ The curses on all these items have already been broken, but Luke, keep your eyes closed at all times, the energy of these items is still very strong and the will built into each one is intoxicating. Keep focused on your own inner self, only in this way will you be able to return to us without any problems."


    "Okay, I''ll try to do that."


    Secondster, Hazor began to utter phrases in a strangenguage that none of the half-beasts had ever heard. Each stressed syble was low and the consonants were indescribably vibrating.


    This was the lostnguage of the Hazor, anguage the Hero Arani invented for a single ritual, a ritual that would return the full power of that condensed mass of pure mana to a human capable of containing, suppressing, and controlling it. . Arani already knew that one day a member of the Hazor family would have to use it, he just didn''t foresee that this ritual would be used on a half-beast.


    As Hazor uttered the phrases embedded deep in his mind, the charcoal magic circle glowed white, a paranormal wind invaded the dojo, and red energy spilled from the Cursed Items towards the half-wolf''s aura.


    In Luke Lange''s mind, all external events were excluded from his thoughts. It was a little difficult for him to keep his consciousness stable, because somehow he felt he was being pulled further and further away from where he should be.


    All of Luke''s memories were fragile. At times, he actually forgot almost everything about himself, his name, race, goals. However, even while everything was easily forgettable, the peaceful smile of the people he loves the most was unwavering. For a second, when all the mana from the first bracelet finished pouring into Luke, he felt those memories flicker, but at this moment someone came up from behind and hugged him.


    "Do not worry. I''m still with you." The soft voice was easily recognized by Luke.


    "Bnce?" Luke asked, feeling the woman''s gentle touch on his back.


    "Yes it''s me. However, now I remember my real name: A. At least, that was the name I gave myself when I was born." She replied, letting go of the hug.


    The golden-haired woman floated in that infinite white world, which gradually began to take shape from the inside of Luke''s soul. A vast blue sky with few clouds, and a floor made of water so calm it looked like an endless mirror.


    "Why didn''t you answer me when I tried to talk to you earlier?" Luke asked indignantly. Theck ofmunication with the Scale really confused him.


    Anded in front of the half-wolf and her toes made the water shimmer a little. "The future we are in was inevitable after all that has happened. At some point, you would ask about the Cursed Items and Hazor would plug it all in, ending up in the dojo with you guys doing the ritual."


    The half-wolf stopped to think when she answered that and his eyebrows shot up as he connected all the pieces.


    The first thing the Scale asked Luke, even before he was able tomunicate with her daily, was for him to head to Stahurt. She probably knew that Hazor had been investigating Sakan''s Religion for a long time and that this would eventually lead to the fourth Cursed Item, the ring. However, Luke''s situation worsened and the Scale instructed a time-saving path, so he spent six months searching for three more cursed items before heading to Stahurt.


    After understanding all of this, Luke only asked A one question: "It''s the Cursed Items that will give you back your powers, isn''t it?"

 Chapter 336 Mana Mass

    "It''s the Cursed Items that will give you back your powers, isn''t it?" Luke asked.


    A, who was in front of him, with both arms behind her, turned her back and began to walk forward, towards infinity. Luke promptly and for a few seconds said nothing, until the deity broke the silence with his answer.


    "Yes, you''re right. These items are capable of providing arge amount of Mana, and this was exactly what I sacrificed to stem the Irruption."


    The Irruption is what brought Demons, Dungeons, and Monsters into the real world. When this happened, the Scales, the divine being responsible for keeping the world in bnce, had to sacrifice all his mighty power to stem this collision of two worlds. In the end, when A was fully weakened, she found shelter within the half-wolf''s soul.


    "But Luke, don''t get me wrong, I don''t intend to steal that Mana from you. I just kept quiet since the battle with that Sakan because I thought maybe my words could affect your decisions." A exined herself.


    "Alright, I don''t me you. I was just worried." Luke said as he looked her straight in the eye. "And now? What do we do? If you regain your powers, you can kill the First Servant, right?"


    "Of course, I can kill you, but if I take all the Mana that''s pouring into you right now, I''ll be taking away your chance to survive at the end of all this." dered A, cing her right hand on her breasts with her eyes looking at the floor. Then she looked back at the half-wolf. "You are the one who must use this power, at least for now. I''ll help you control it, understand it, until we finally find who cursed you."


    Luke shook his head in indignation. "If you can end all this now, why don''t you take that power at once? The more time that passes, the more chance we give to the demons. I don''t mind dying if it''s going to create a future where my friends can be happy."


    "Things aren''t that simple, Luke." A refused again and turned away from the half-wolf.


    "Like this?" he asked, confused. "If it''s not that simple, exin it to me so I can understand."


    After sighing, the Scale replied, "Feeling the power of the Mana that is in these items, I discovered why it is so powerful. Luke, the Mass of Mana discovered by the heroes in the Citadel of the End is like a cluster of hundreds of thousands of human souls, which the demons managed to gather throughout the duration of The Cmity."


    The half-wolf''s eyebrows shot up, and his eyes were terrified. "T-does that mean¡­"


    "Exactly¡­ There''s a chance there''s one more Mana Mass. I can''t say for sure how the demons gathered so many souls, but all these voices echoing from Mana are angry and disturbed, as if they had died in battle."


    "Hazor said that the Hero Arani believed that this umted power would be able to stop the demons in the future, however, what if there is another Mass of Mana?" Luke asked, a little flustered by the possibility.


    "Luke, we have to hope there isn''t. However, if there are, I alone will not be able to stop them, so the ideal is that you recover the Cursed Items and form the best army you can, even if it takes years. This time, we have to purge all the demons from the face of this world, without giving them a chance to keeping back like fleas on the rug."


    *


    After the energy of the four Cursed Items stopped overflowing, the metallic sound of the four items falling echoed throughout the dojo, and everything wentpletely still.


    Meredith and Hazor wondered if the transfer had been sessful as they stared at Luke, who still had his eyes closed.


    The half-wolf was conscious, however, he was cautious. Luke could feel a rapid, continuous energy coursing through his entire body, mainly circling his heart. This energy was so fierce and calm at the same time that it made Luke''s finger points tingle and his muscles ache as if he''d just been working out for an entire week.<sub> </sub>


    ''A, this thing I''m feeling running through my whole body is Mana, right?'' Luke asked in thought.


    [Yea. I know it might take a little time for you to get used to it and get it under control¡­ Have you ever mastered it?]


    ''It''s like controlling anger, emotions. My master taught me this some time ago.''


    All the strange, fierce energy inside Luke was calmed as he began to control his breathing. Initially, the sensation was literally like holding back an impulse of rage, but as the seconds passed it became easier to control, as if Mana was also getting used to the half-wolf''s body.


    ? When Luke opened his eyes, Hazor and Meredith saw that the yellow glint in his eyes was even stronger, and somehow they sensed that something had certainly changed in the half-wolf''s gaze since the transfer had started a few minutes ago.


    "Luke, are you okay?" Meredith crouched to the side and asked.


    *Grrrrr*


    The half-wolf''s stomach growled at once, which made himugh a little awkwardly. "For some reason, it feels like I have a hole in my stomach. Did you happen to have dinner?"


    The half-fox ced his right hand on his face, relieved, and inevitably smiled. "I''m going to roast some of the boar meat I roasted this morning. Do you want the leg or the chest?"


    "Both!"


    Once Meredith had pulled away a bit, with her arms crossed, Hazor asked Luke,


    "What happened?"


    Luke looked him in the eye seriously. "Did you know that the power that is contained in the Cursed Items is thebination of human souls? Thousands and thousands of them, relentlessly begging for revenge."


    Immediately, Hazor looked surprised. "No, of course not. Like this? How could demons do that?"


    "I don''t know, but if they still know how, there might be another huge amount of Mana with them right now, taking advantage of the great war taking ce on the Hati Continent to collect souls as well as the souls of those who die in the war here on the Skoll Continent. ."


    "No, that doesn''t make sense. If so, why would they put monsters to war in ce of Melki Empire soldiers?"


    "This is a current question, so now that I''m stronger than ever, I feel safe to go to one of these Dungeon Breaks and check out what happens in those ces." Luke stated as he watched Meredith gather some logs.

 Chapter 337 Next Stop

    Luke was sitting in the Hazor residence, looking up at the starry sky. Various thoughts began to sink the youth, like a strong tide on a rainy day. "Bnce, can we talk?"


    [Of course, did you feel any difort with mana?]


    The Half-wolf suddenly activated the <Eye of Horus> skill, and within that sh, he could again see A, who turned around showing surprise at the young man''s attitude.


    "I figured that since you are in my consciousness, I would be able to have more time to talk in the<Eye of horus>."


    The Goddess smiled at the boy''s insight. The two then sat down and Luke proceeded to speak:


    "That mana inside me, controlling it was not a problem, but it''s like my life is being held down by the suffering of so many people. That''s so... horrible and confusing."


    As the half-wolf looked down at the ground, Bnce entwined her arms around Luke''s head, reclining him on her chest. Her touch was as real as any pain in the Horus Dimension, though without heat.


    The Goddess then began running her hand through Luke''s hair, patting him.


    "Death is a critical point in this world. It needs bnce, even though it was away from their will, the mana that now resides in you is no more the souls of those who left, but just the energy that remains after they are gone," said A.


    Then, she let go of him and looked deep into Luke''s eyes giving then a kiss on the man''s forehead


    "It''s okay my kid, you don''t need to feel guilty about it." She continued.


    Luke was just looking, and from a confused face, he gradually changed into a peaceful expression, feeling reassured and weed.


    "I will guide you through the world on your journey. If you find a high-level mage, who specialized in curses, you shall be able to create an item to cope with the side effects of your divided soul. It won''t be enough to surpass it thought, you still need to find the rest of the Cursed Items, or kill the nasty demon that made it to you." A then hugged Luke, who was visibly tired, even in the <Eye of Horus>.


    Hey under the thighs of the Goddess, who continued to run her hand through the young man''s hair


    "If I were a mortal, I could also fall in love with you." She spoke.


    Luke with his eyes closed, gave a smile, and slowly began to feel a strange warm sensation in the Goddess''sp, then he fell asleep.


    A few hours passed, it was still night and the weather was a little chilly, Luke slowly opened his eyes and realized that he was in Meredith''sp.


    She had a nket around her body and one of her hands was resting lightly on the young man''s chest. Luke was wearing casual clothes, and his body was also covered.


    "You can go back to sleep honey," said Meredith, realizing that Luke had woken up.


    A small puff of smoke came out of the half-fox''s mouth, which again affirmed how cold that night was.


    Luke then looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and asked:


    "Do you remember what we used to do on days like this?"


    Then, the girl smiled. "I could never forget, I tried to warm you with hugs and the warmth of our tails."


    The man noticed how distant she seemed, probably reliving the moments of the past.


    "You''ve always been by my side Luke, I want to reciprocate that. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if you had stayed on in Oukiwa, if you would just be mine."


    So, Luke slowly stood up and hugged Meredith. "I will not disappear again, and just as you missed me in my time in Vasconcelos, now there are other people who wish for my return as well."


    The girl then looked at the young man with a smile and said: "I trust you, Luke. You have always been the man I love."


    From the fox girl''s eyes, tears began to fall, slowly.


    Luke reclined his head and brushed his ears against Meredith''s, just like in the old days, "I will protect you and every one by my side, and if you so desire, you may always remain with me."


    The two then got up and went to lie in bed together, remaining in each other''s arms all night long, exactly like the old cold days.


    The next morning, Meredith woke up to find herself alone in bed. She got up and looked around the room, but there was no sign of Luke. The half-fox then went to look for him outside, but he was nowhere to be found. Meredith then felt a strange feeling in her heart, but just as she was about to go back inside, she heard a voice calling her name. She turned around and saw Lukeing toward her, he was sweaty and was carrying a wooden sword.<sub> </sub>


    "I was training; I''m starving right now. Do you want to eat breakfast?"


    Meredith then felt relieved and happy, and the two of them sat down to eat together.


    Then after eating breakfast, Meredith and Luke met Hazor in his office.


    The Young half-wolf had talked again with Bnce, who directed him to discuss the proposal with Hazor.


    "I need your help, I know you can''t infer to the revolution, but I want to know, where can I find a high-level mage who understands curses."


    For a moment, Hazor pondered, until he looked into Luke''s eyes with a serious expression. "Near Yukiat, there is an ind called the Diamond teau. There resides the First Academy of Magic of the Melki Empire, specializing in the training of battlemages. There are many capable mages there, even though it is a facility intended to teachbat magic, it is the only ce where you could find mages without direct contact with the empire."


    Meredith then held Luke''s hand, who was now demonstrating that he was thoughtful.


    ''Bnce, I just need a mage good enough to help me with the curse, so it doesn''t have to be a Sensory Mage right?''


    [Exactly, and if we go to the academy, we might be able to recruit more soldiers for your revolution.]


    Luke then pondered a bit, and then confirmed with his head, that he would soon be leaving again for Yukiat, heading to the first Melki Magic Academy.


    Hazor thought for a while, feeling confused about how to go on, his heroic blood wanted to take a direction he knew he couldn''t choose. So, he looked at the two of them and continued.


    "I know one of the teachers at the academy, he can take you and ce you as students."


    Luke could not hide his surprise at Hazor''s decision "Is it really okay for you to help us so directly?"


    The swordsman then smiled and looked again into Luke''s face. "I''m just helping two promising youths get into a simple magic academy. I cannot imagine what you intend to do there."


    Of course, Hazor already knew what would happen, he was sure that Luke would take this opportunity to recruit more followers, young people have a much harsher sense of justice. He knew that guiding the two of them to the academy would directly influence the future of the empire, but that didn''t take away the feeling in his chest of the need to act as a hero should, the duty to do the right thing.


    Luke continued to train at the Dojo for the next three days, while he recovered and tried to stabilize the gigantic amount of mana inside him, Hazor guided him with sword practice.


    Training with the sword made Luke realize that it was time to change equipment, his Behemoth Axe was no longer such an exceptional weapon. A de was needed, so the young man pondered and decided that he would look not only for a mage but also for a cksmith.


    The young man was practicing the forms passed down from Hazor, when he then stopped and began to think.


    ''Bnce, what do you think is better, an ax, a katana, or a dagger?''


    [Don''t waste your energy talking to me for such futile questions, I care about you, okay?]


    ''And why do you care about me? I''ve been thinking about it since that yesterday.''


    [When I walked through your soul and reached your consciousness, I could also see parts of your memory. I think it brought me a little closer to you, I created a kind of affection or something like that].


    Lukeughed at this vague answer and went back to striking blows with the wooden sword.


    Then came the morning of the leaving day, Meredith and Luke were ready with their packs and equipment. Hazor then finished drawing a magic circle, that made both the half-wolf and half-fox were expressing their confusion. Both imagined that they would be taken by carriage or that they would go on foot, making a long and exhausting journey.


    After finishing the circle, Hazor looked at the two.


    ''''Professor Zhanid has arranged to receive you both at a teleportation circle in New Yukiat, leaving from there you will have a week''s journey to catch a port.''''


    The two epted and climbed into the magic circle, which then began to emit a faint blue light.


    Luke looked at Hazor and said: "Don''t forget to keep an eye on Walley for me. He is a Corrupt who betrayed the Melki Empire, but he is very perceptive. At the moment, he hates the Demons as much as we do, except he may still want to do things by himself."


    Hazor waved to them and then a glow covered the vision of the two half-beasts, just like when Luke was teleported to the Skd?dsgen Forest for the Tournament of Legends.

 Chapter 338 Mage

    When the light dimmed, the two found themselves facing a man who looked a lot like Manilyn, with a long white beard and a shiny bald head, Mr. Zhanid was looking at his wrist, which had four identical watches.


    "Hohoho, so you''re the kids that caught Hazor''s attention" Meredith was showing her typical surprised face, in Luke''s case, he already imagined that the professor could be someone entric. In the end, he was really right. Professor Zhanid had the typical features of an old wizard, on his back he carried a wooden staff that at the ends had a kind of bell. His outfit was a suit and tie and over that, a wizard''s cape. On the belt of his pants was a leather book with gold trim, in the old wizard''s arms there were also four clocks on one side and fourpasses on the other. All these traits just showed how entric Zhanid was, something that at first nce had Meredith worried.


    "My name is Luke Lange, this is my mate Meredith" Zhanid then turned his back and started talking, as he walked out of the room they were in.


    "This one is a teleportation area of ??the melki academy, this one isn''t used much, but it''s really something very useful isn''t it? The magic circle present in this magic circuit is interesting, it has an activator and a microcontroller capable of destroying in case of a mana destabilization. If you think about it, this kind of technology is crucial when thinking about a hypothetical war scenario." Zhanid continued talking without stopping, his voice echoing through the stone room in which the three found themselves. The temperature in New Yukiat wasn''t that cold, but you could still feel the humidity in the air in that room. The elder then guided the two of them to a sofa, in what appeared to be a lounge at the beginning of arge tower, with bookshelves stretching to the top. At the end of the tower it was possible to see a stained ss window with a book and an eagle.


    "Regarding this library, this is a transition center for the collected files to the region of the teau de Diamante, it is like a kind of secondary library where we store some books that must be added to the academy''s book system. This process is quite tiring, I imagine that Hazor must have alreadymented on therge body of content regardingbat magic." The old professor didn''t stop talking in any way, Luke was visibly annoyed, but he just ignored him and started trying to talk "You know Mr Zhanid, I''m looking for some way to mitigate the effects of a curse, a way to control the coteral damage of a curse," the old mage''s eyes began to glow with excitement, Zhanid gestured and a tea tray came flying towards him, the lord then began to brew some tea while answering the boy''s question "When ites to curses, the best way would be through a magical artifact, for that you would need a cksmith mage and someone who specializes in the area of ??curses, I believe the Living Library can help you with that when we get to the Academy" Meredith and Luke then exchanged nces confused, "The Living Library? What is that?" Luke asked.


    "Hohoho yes, you don''t know then, forgive me. The Academy adopted a girl 15 years ago. She remembers all the books in the academy, both those in this roast and those kept at our headquarters. She is probably the most versatile mage in our academy." This news shocked the two young men, who again looked up to the top of the tower that waspletely crammed with books and that was not the entire collection known to the girl.


    ''Bnce, are we really going to need a cksmith?''


    [What he said is correct, wearing an amulet is the best way to correct the side effects of a curse. Creating active and constant magic, this can only be achieved with the support of more than one experienced person]


    Luke then scratched his head apprehensively, "Mr Zhanid, could this sensory help us?"


    The old man then started tough "hohoho, Megan is not a sensory my boy. Though surely her strength is much greater than mine."


    This news made Luke less worried, if he was a sensory mage, it would probably be even harder to add her to the group. Now the only thing missing would be a cksmith, however Luke could look for thatter. Zhanid kept talking nonstop about the trip, stressing Luke and Meredith a little. After the gentleman finished packing some books, he put them in a cloth bag that began to levitate behind him. After that, the three left that long stone building. Arriving in an extremely empty forest, when Luke looked back he noticed how different it was, the gigantic stone building out of the way of the forest that looked like it had never been touched. Zhanid guided the two to a vige near the academy facility, when the group arrived there, everyone in the vige began to apud and thank the old mage. Leaving Meredith with an expression of confusion on her face, but she no longer dared to speak, already wondering how he would go on and on. Gradually things started to make sense, Zhanid used his magic to help that vige, both in harvesting in times when there was not much rain, and even with healing magic when someone was extremely sick, in the end, you were a necessary support for the vige. After a few more minutes the group was facing a carriage. Two ck and apparently strong horses were waiting, standing beside them were two men in simple farmer''s garb. "It''s a pleasure to guide you again," said one of the men, who was muscr, perhaps from working in the fields. "I was already missing your stories" Said the second man, who was less muscr and thin. Something that surprised Luke was how no one in that vige cared about their race, he felt like he was covered. This made him wonder if it was because of being on Zhanid''s side, or if simply that humble vige didn''t have that kind of prejudice. The group climbed into the wagon, Luke borrowed one of the books that were in Zhanid''s backpack, while Meredith started trying to sleep. The thin driver also got back into the back of the wagon and began to sleep, while the stronger one stayed in the front talking to the old mage. The stories of that gentleman were impressive to Luke, something thatpletely changed the boy''s view of how Magic could be used. Even though Zhanid was a battle magic teacher at the academy, he was still able to use earth and fire magic to create a water pipeline to the vige''s fields, synthesized medicine for a flu epidemic that arose among the children, fixed the only grinder in the vige and still applied healing magic to the heaviest wounds of the field workers. The old wizard then ran his hand through his beard and asked "How is little Tommy?" the muscr man then smiled and started to tell about his family, his wife and their new born son "He''s my second boy, we''re still choosing a name for him" this conversation left some questions in Luke''s head, he still didn''t want to being a father, but he missed his wives terribly.<sub> </sub>


    ''I''ll finish the revolution and go back to see them...'' The trip remained quiet for quite some time, some cows appeared in the middle of the way, making Luke have to get up to remove them from the front of the wagon, other than that, there was no major problem . Which made Luke relieved, he was already thinking the worst. However, just before they arrived in New Yukiat, the group was attacked by robbers. Luke was about to jump towards them, when with simple hand movements, Zhanid buried the five thieves easily, leaving only the thieves'' heads out. Zhanid then made small clouds that began to rain down on top of the group.


    "You idiot mage! You will regret not killing us!"


    "How are we going to get out of here boss?!"


    "Be quiet, I''ll get up and finish them off"


    The Carriage passed smoothly through the group, this made Luke startughing non-stop. The simplest solution is not always a straight battle. When the group arrived in New Yukiat City, the wagon stopped at an inn where they would spend the night. Just before going to sleep, Luke felt a huge pain in his chest.


    ''Shake what is this?!''


    [Breathe Luke you can do it! Just calm down]


    This gigantic pain was about Luke''s soul splitting again, the more this fragmentation happened, the greater the damage Luke received.


    The Carriage passed smoothly through the group, this made Luke startughing non-stop. The simplest solution is not always a straight battle. When the group arrived in New Yukiat City, the wagon stopped at an inn where they would spend the night. Just before going to sleep, Luke felt a huge pain in his chest


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 339 The Travelers Pain

    [Luke calm down, you need to breathe.]


    The pain the half-wolf felt was something indescribable to him. Even after so many life-or-death duels, so many scars, this agonizing sensation was something the young man had never felt before. It was as if the man''s heart was being ripped apart, mixed with a gigantic pressure in his chest.


    His breathing quickly became heavy, and his consciousness waspletely white.


    For the first time in his life, Luke literally started screaming in pain, which alerted Meredith, who was staying in the next room.


    She opened Luke''s door quickly and, in desperation, knelt down to ce Luke''s head on her thighs.


    Shortly afterwards, Mr. Zhanid and the two chariot drivers.


    The old wizard calmly walked up to Luke Lange, removed the staff he carried on his back, excused himself to Meredith and began silently reciting a spell.


    The spell, which Zhanid was reciting, lit the entire room with an emerald green light. Gradually, flowers with blue petals appeared around Zhanid, all flying. They then formed a circle above the half-wolf, and slowly began to rotate, maintaining a single speed.


    The boy''s chest began to glow white, pulsing at the speed of his breath. Gradually the pain that the half-wolf was feeling was lessened, but from enduring so much pain he ended up unconscious.


    Meredith had tears in her eyes when she saw Luke''s face finally calm down. Her fear disappeared, and she was relieved.


    Now she no longer had such a negative view of the mboyant mage Zhanid, but rather a kind of respect, albeit fear, typical of the half-fox.


    With a more serious face this time and without his characteristicugh, the mage said,


    "I think it should be fine for now. I figured something like that was happening to him after he showed so much interest, but, sheewwsh, That curse of his is really heavy."


    "Thank you very much!" Meredith immediately thanked him, bowing to the old man as a gesture of her immense gratitude.


    The old wizard red at Luke as he put his staff back on his back and then walked out of the room after giving Meredith a friendly wink.


    The two wagon guides then looked at each other, not sure how to react, and started talking about how amazing Zhanid''s magic was.


    The voices gradually faded from the room, as did the footsteps on the wooden floor.


    "Luke, you''re here again, my dear. It must have been so agonizing¡­ I''m sorry to put you through this one more time."


    The half-wolf was back in that stark white world where the Scale imed to be the core of his soul. The Goddess was already waiting for him, so she approached with a smile and opened her arms to him.


    Again, the man was confused by what had happened. The two sat down and started talking about it. For Luke, that pain brought him there, was what confused him even more. Even at the beginning of the curse, he didn''t feel such pain.


    "I died?" asked the half-wolf with a confused face, and an almost ironic smile, already expecting a negative answer.


    Y then gave a smallugh and covered her mouth with her right hand.


    "Haha! Obviously not. Hazor''s friendly mage managed to treat the Curse''s effect. You just can''t remember everything because you were passed out."


    "This will still get a lot worse, won''t it?" He asked.


    For some reason, that question made the Scales look ufortable.


    In the Goddess''s mind, these effects were only getting worse because of her presence, and she med herself for that. Theoretically, the manaing from the Cursed Items was trying to cure the mana Curse, but the Scales'' presence was being recognized as part of that curse because it was taking advantage of Luke''s soul fragmentation.


    All this caused conflicting feelings in her. On the one hand, she wanted to help the young man, but on the other hand, she didn''t want to see him suffer any more.


    "Yes, it will get worse. That''s why we need to create an artifact for you. The mana you now have may stabilize the curse for awhile, but as long as we don''t have an artifact, these effects will continue to ur, because the mana is trying to cure the curse at all costs, even if you die in the process..." A showed her insecurity.


    Luke then sighed andy on the floor, hands behind his head.


    "In the end, there''s not much that can be done, it''s already a relief to know that I''m not in paradise right now."<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf''s rxed manner lightened the mood a little.


    The two continued talking for a while longer, and the friendship between the Goddess and the ex-thief grew stronger every day.


    After a while, Luke fell asleep as before, and A watched him sleep.


    Just like a few days ago, when the boy woke up, it was already the next day.


    Meredith arrived in front of Luke''s room and knocked twice on his door, but didn''t wait for an answer and just went inside.


    A huge smile appeared on her face as soon as she saw Luke''s eyes open.


    "You really are a tough guy..." She said.


    Luke smiled. "Can you tell me what happened yesterday? You helped me, didn''t you?"


    The half-wolf knew that people had entered his room because of the residual smell that lingered in the room.


    "You got me really worried, you know? If it wasn''t for Zhanid here, I don''t even want to imagine what could have happened. We need to find a way to deal with it."


    This phrase created a certain difort in Luke. He had be so strong in recent years, but now he was unable to react to this curse. The feeling of being unable to find an agile and coherent solution was too stressful for Luke, which was making him more anxious to get to Melki''s Academy of Magic.


    After some time of talking, the two came down from the second floor of the inn and went to breakfast.


    As a toast, the inn they were staying at prepared a small meal for each overnight guest.


    On the table was bread, jam and butter, as well as some tea and hot milk.


    The group ate, listened to Zhanid give more details about how magic was used inbat, non-stop as usual, and then left the house. The subject of what had happened the night before was not a topic that anyone wanted to touch on.


    Luckily, the two brothers had already fed the horses in the morning, so it was only necessary to continue the journey.


    To distract himself along the way, Luke continued reading a book called "Elemental Magic Techniques" which consisted of a series of basic elemental magicbinations with sword and bowbat. Through that book, he managed to get good ideas for using <Vind> and <Yggdrasil>, which were considerably stronger than any elemental magic mentioned in that book.


    However, the idea of ??developing in the magical arts was something that couldn''t get out of the half-wolf''s head. Alchemy and mana heal minor and major problems, but they are not always infallible. As a former thief, Luke knew that the more different abilities he gained, the better his chances of victory against the First Servant and the other demons. Besides, Luke felt he was carrying a burden now, the burden of thousands of human souls.


    The trip went on smoothly for most of the time, and before anyone in the group noticed, half the day had passed.


    When the group arrived at the outskirts of Yukiat, Zhanid chose to stay at an inn far from the center of Yukiat. He was a famous figure in the region, so if he were recognized it could create quite a stir.


    The group could head to the port the next morning, take an exclusive ship from Melki''s Magic Academy to the ind where the school was located.


    Despite Zhanid''s fame, the very existence of the academy was not something that was talked about in the region.


    Typically, students at this ce were recruited for feats, relevant skills, or special talents, making it a difficult ce of study to infiltrate. The academy''s own region, which was located on an ind a little far from Yukiat, made it difficult for visitors to appear outside the school year.


    As soon as the group arrived at the inn, Meredith went to her room to take a shower, because she was exhausted.


    The two brothers who had apanied them for the entire journey this time chose toplete the rest of the Yukiat path, as they had some unfinished business to resolve.


    Thanks to all of them, Luke and Zhanid were left alone, and so the old man made an unusual proposal to the half-wolf:


    "Help me collect some mushrooms, boy?"


    Luke was curious about the reason for the invitation, but epted without question. The two left the inn and entered the woods next door.

 Chapter 340 The Abilities Of A Weird Mage

    It was dusk near Yukiat, and the purple sky that gleamed on the ocean horizon was the sign that autumn had arrived.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve been to this region at this time of year. The good part is that this grove has some of the best mushrooms for various types of potions on the entire continent." Zhanidmented, but when he looked back, he realized that us was just watching the rustle of dry leaves on the tops of the trees. "Can you imagine the reason for that?"


    As if returning from a mind trip, Luke quickly shook his head.


    Though his mind was far away, he was hearing the matter at a nce. He always listened to all the side issues, even on busy streets, that''s how he survived so long in the Undercity of Oukiwa.


    Zhanid smiled. "This region is rich in underground crystals, and somehow fungi can pull these minerals in more easily than trees, but it''s not much different from how a Mana Wood is born. Although in this case, it doesn''t happen by directly inserting mana into the active tissues..."


    These words didn''t make much sense to Luke, which once again made the young man irritated at his own ignorance. It hadn''t been that long since Luke learned to read, but even so, he felt guilty that he hadn''t fully understood the magic book he''d borrowed to read during the trip, as well as Zhanid''s endless speeches.


    Even after walking through the forest for some time, Zhanid didn''t stop talking, until Luke finally found an area full of white fungus, which glowed blue.


    Luke decided not to use his Skill <Yggdrasil> to manipte the roots and remove the fungus, because that would reveal to the old man that he had Gene Skills.


    In turn, Zhanid used his magic to manipte the area''s wind, removing the fungi with precise cuts, and quickly creating a pile of mushrooms.


    "Shessshw! I''m going to use some of these mushrooms to produce a Light Step Potion. This will be necessary for tomorrow. Have you heard anything about this potion?"


    Luke couldn''t even imagine what a Lightfoot Potion was, so he just shook his head and said, "I have no idea."


    "Hohoho! I don''t like riding on boats so much, I get seasick. So I thought along the way and we''re going on horseback to the ind."


    "But how?" Luke then asked the most obvious question, why don''t horses walk on water.


    Zhanid thenughed excitedly as before. "Hohoho! Well, that''s what the potion I mentioned will do. We will give each of the horses a dose of the Light Step Potion so they can freeze every molecule beneath their feet, including the water."


    At the time, Luke was impressed because he never imagined such a thing existed.


    After that, the old man began to concentrate all the mushrooms, which were flying, into a single point, using what appeared to be wind magic to generate a small tornado that followed him through the woods.


    Quickly, Zhanid gathered a mass of mushrooms into a hand-sized sphere. When he finished, the hundreds of mushrooms were gathered in just a two-foot ball, which still emitted the characteristic glow of these fungi.


    "Um... We''ll still need two more of these spheres like these." stated Zhanid and continued walking while running a hand through his beard, nning something.


    Luke couldn''t imagine what the old man was thinking. He had just finished clearing the forest mushrooms, why did he want even more?


    Also, all these disys of Zhanid''s magical abilities made Luke wonder more and more about the Living Library, Megan.


    Although Luke had never had the honor of fighting a Sensory Mage, Zhanid''s abilities could be on par with one of them. The half-wolf began to think this not because Zhanid showed extreme strength or skill, but rather extreme naturalness with the use of magic without magic circles. Thanks to that, imagining that a young girl would have a magical ability superior to Zhanid, as he himself stated about Megan, was surprising.


    ''Probably, I''ll have to drag that mage out of the Academy, at least to build the artifact. I''m sure the teachers won''t let something this powerful be built under their roofs, even with Zhanid supporting me if they find out. And I don''t want to cause the girl any trouble either... Aaaahh! Thinking about it sucks!


    Zhanid backed away from the young man a little while Luke was lost in his own thoughts, so Luke hurried to get to the side of the old mage who was talking to himself as he stared intently at the forest floor. The floor was now clean, it no longer had that different shine, just keeping the grass and some red flowers.


    "Mushrooms are gone here, how are we going to find more?" Luke asked.


    Zhanid then turned to the boy and, as he smoothed his beard with his hand, replied,


    "We don''t need to look for anything, boy. Can''t you see where we are?"


    Luke frowned.<sub> </sub>


    The old wizard then took his staff from his back, closed his eyes and began to recite an incantation. The tip of his staff began to glow, a vivid yellow. Around the two of them, several bright spots appeared, as if fireflies were magically appearing around them. This glow gradually intensified as small spheres appeared around them.


    The words the mage recited were nothing like thenguage the entire Skoll continent spoke. In reality, the words sounded like a song, but in a differentnguage.


    Luke didn''t remember at the time, but thisnguage was Elvish, a practically lostnguage, spoken only by Elves, shall we say, more different than usual. In the past, he had heard thisnguage once, on the busy streets of Oukiwa, but it had been so long since that memory had been somewhere dark in the half-wolf''s mind.


    Zhanid''s enchantment was ended by a phrase that Luke could understand.


    "Please bloom!


    Then the glowing spheres descended to the ground, illuminating the grass, flowers, and roots of the area. Gradually, the necessary fungi grew in an instant.


    It was extremely simr to Luke''s Skill <Yggdrasil>, but what Zhanid used was not a Gene Skill, but magic.


    Luke''s eyes widened, showing his surprise, and then he asked,


    "What was that?"


    Zhanid then put his staff on his back again, ced one of his hands on Luke''s shoulder and patted it lightly while smiling.


    "This is a Sacred Spirit Magic, I just made a trade with the spirits and the world bnce. My mana for a couple of mushrooms."


    The floor was now littered with those glowing mushrooms, much more than there had been before, there was no point in this being just the ''couple of mushrooms'' as Zhanid said.


    Luke started to think about how big Zhanid''s mana would be, and again, how surprising the mage Megan would be, who surpassed him.


    A lot of flowers ended up appearing next to the mushrooms and even the grasses were bigger and looked more alive.


    The uses of magic were actually much broader than Luke remembered. Seeing the region change in such a few seconds only put more questions in the half-wolf''s head.


    The two again collected the mushrooms, Zhanid with his strange levitation magic, while Luke manually collected the mushrooms, cing them in a pile. It didn''t take long for arger amount than the previous sphere to be gathered. Thus, Zhanid again concentrated the mushroom mass and created the two other necessary spheres.


    After that, the old man took from his belt a strange little vial of blue liquid, which the wizard drank in one gulp and made a sound of satisfaction after finishing.


    "Do you want some? Energetic Potion of Manticore Eggs. It helps me stay awake" he offered.


    Luke promptly denied it with a disgusted expression. He''d seen a lot of disgusting things in his life, countless of them, but using a monster''s eggs in a potion was a first.


    Before long, the old mage created aboratory in the small woods behind the lodge to start making Light Step Potions.


    Luke tried to keep up with him for a while, but after a few minutes of incessant exnation about alchemy, the boy got tired and went into the inn to sleep.


    Various sounds of ss and liquid could be heard throughout the night, which did not disturb the sleep of the half-wolf, who was still tired from the effects of the curse. Luckily, there were no other guests at the inn, apart from the two half-beasts and the weird professor, so the noise didn''t bother anyone.


    As the sun rose on the outskirts of Yukiat, birds began to sing in the woods near the inn. Thest day of the trip was about to begin.


    As soon as the half-fox awoke, she stood up and reached in front of Luke''s bedroom door, knocking twice. The sound of wood alerted her arrival, along with the questioning of a quiet voice afraid to wake Luke.


    "May Ie in?" the girl asked while already opening the door, without waiting for an answer.

 Chapter 341 The Third

    Facing the door to Luke''s room at the inn was Meredith, hesitant to knock for some reason. After sighing, she finally knocked on the door.


    *Toc, toc*


    "May Ie in?" The girl asked as she already opened the door, not waiting for an answer.


    As soon as she opened the door, she saw that the half-wolf was doing push-ups. He wasn''t even showing any concern for his supposedly failing health.


    Luke''s body was sweaty, and the sweat that slid down his skin also reflected the lighting in through the window. When he saw and heard Meredith, he stopped exercising and sat on the floor, slightly out of breath.


    "Luke, you need to rest!"


    As much as seeing him shirtless was extremely tempting to the foxdy, the girl''s heart filled with concern at seeing him panting. She immediately forced Luke to stop his exercises and promise that he would rest.


    In the end, both the half-wolf and the half-foxughed lightly at her tremendous concern.


    After Meredith calmed down, they talked for a while, and finally the two then went down the stairs of the inn to eat in the dining hall on the second floor.


    The dining hall was silent, and as expected, totally empty. There was a single table in ce, and on top of that was a basket of rolls, a jug of milk, and two bowls of mushroom soups.


    By the absence of people, Luke was able to eat alone with Meredith after a while. However, this tranquility was interrupted by hurried footsteps that came to the door of the empty inn. Luke and Meredith didn''t even alert themselves, because in addition to smelling old age from afar, they heard theughter of the old mage on the other side of the door.


    "Hohohoho! I''vepleted the preparations, now we can walk on water!" Zhanid said as he opened the door with force.


    At first nce this suggestion seemed impossible, however, Luke had already considered the possibility to be real and epted this idea, after all he wanted to see more demonstrations of Zhanid''s magical abilities. However, Meredith was bothered by the possibility of this going wrong, because pulling the salt from the seawater out of her tail hairs was extremely irritating.


    Zhanid sat down at the end of the breakfast table, next to Luke and Meredith. The old man served himself some soup and a slice of bread, while talking animatedly about how excited he was. With movements of his hands, he naturally used his magic to serve himself, causing both the cutlery and even the piece of bread toe to his mouth.


    The old man used magic so naturally, showing that he did not care about the mana expenditure. In fact, the many uses for magic demonstrated by Zhanid made Luke more and more interested in the subject. His focus in going to the Melki Academy of Magic was not exactly on learning magic, but the idea of venturing into the magical arts was bing more and more real in the man''s mind.


    The book that the half-wolf was reading during the trip was left on the table and was called: Techniques of Elemental Magic.


    This book had details of how to use the five basic attributes of magic, which were Fire, Earth, Air, Water, andst and most importantly, pure Mana maniption.


    While to Manipte wind using a Gene Skill you would need <Vind>. However, with magic manipting wind was a matter of concentrating your elemental ability and a little imagination.


    For Luke, the idea of testing how far he could advance with magic had been on his mind ever since he started reading this unusual book of spells.


    Looking down at the bowl of soup before him, Luke slowly began to try to perform a basic incantation, mimicking the directions he read in the book.


    "Silph Concentris." He whispered.


    Without much dy, a small swirl of wind appeared on top of the soup, which caused the thick broth of the soup to begin to swirl as well. The floating mushrooms naturally joined in this centrifugal movement. After this, the boy raised his hand a little and made the small tornado disappear.


    Controlling the wind with mana was extremely simr to using skill <Vind>, but it took a little more focus.


    ''Maybe it just needs practice.'' thought the half-wolf.


    [Try to imagine the shape of the element next to the incantation, it will make it easier to master the spell].


    Bnce''s unexpected voice caught Luke''s attention by surprise. However, he didn''t have much time to talk to her, because soon Meredith held the young man''s hand, surprising him.


    "Luke, eat at least some of your food. We don''t know how far away the ce we''re going is. Eat while we still have time." She warned, not seeming to notice that he had used magic.


    "Right..."


    Since Zhanid was also engrossed in his own thoughts, he didn''t quite understand what the two were talking about. After finishing his meal, he turned to Luke and said:


    "I will put you in my research group at the Academy, but ording to Hazor you are not very experienced with magic right?"


    Luke nodded as he put a spoonful of soup in his mouth.


    "Okay. Your area of expertise will be magical zoology. I believe I have a project that will suit you."


    There were three ways to enter the Melki Empire Academy of Magic.<sub> </sub>


    The first would be as a student, a process in which candidates are selected for their magical proficiency and ability, as well as important achievements or aplishments.


    The second, as a teacher. In this process, it would be necessary to have a deep knowledge of a magical discipline recognized by the academy, and to take tests to prove one''s knowledge.


    Finally, there is the research branch of the academy. This is the main branch of the academy and, ording to Hazor, Luke could go undercover with no problems alongside Zhanid if he chose this category.


    The man''s goals at the academy were simple: to find a way to reduce the effects of his curse by treating the symptoms, and to recruit as many capable mages as possible for a possible revolution against the Melki Empire.


    Currently Luke''s main focus would be to gain the help of Megan, dered the strongest mage in the academy by Zhanid himself. If he rmended her, that meant that she should probably be the best person to help him in this situation.


    After finishing their morning coffee, Meredith and Luke got up from the table.


    "Finish packing up your luggage guys. I''m going to dismantle thebs I built." Zhanid said.


    The two of them then went upstairs and packed their backpacks. Meredith didn''t take long to finish, and then she arrived at Luke''s room, knocked on the door, and entered without waiting for an answer once again.


    "Can we talk?"


    "Sure, is there something bothering you?" Luke asked, looking at the girl.


    "Yeah... I mean, there''s something I wanted to ask you Luke." Meredith''s voice showed that she was afraid.


    The man then finished packing his backpack, but stopped and sat on the bed to listen to her. Then Meredith sat down on the side, touched her hand with both of her hands, and said looking into his eyes:


    "I love you, Luke! I want to be your third wife!"


    Luke arched his eyebrows, surprised at such sudden words after so long.


    "I just can''t stop thinking about everything that happened, please ept me. I-I just can''t forget that night."


    Meredith began to cry a little, and it all moved the heart of the half-wolf beside her. Luke then hugged her, feeling her sweet perfume up close.


    "It''s Okay, I just need some time to think about it."


    Even with that answer, Meredith''s heart was soothed by Luke''s calm voice. Something that was noticeable from the embrace. Her Pulse gradually calmed down, until the girl then stood up in a hurry, dried her tears and turned to Luke.


    "I''m fine. Let''s go?" She held out her hand to him and smiled.


    The young wolf then smiled and kissed her hand.


    "We have a long journey, right?


    Again, Luke found himself drowning in thoughts as he walked down the stairs of the inn. No doubt he wanted to ept Meredith, for he loved her. But the real question would be how Alexis and Ayumi would react.


    Besides, he was feeling submerged in problems, the amulet, magic, his wives, bnce, demons. There were many different issues and problems to solve. Having a closer rtionship with Meredith would help him think better.


    Luke could imagine Ayumi and Alexis epting Meredith, but part of him wondered how they would react to his return apanied by yet another wife. This made him more apprehensive than battling demons these days.


    [I don''t imagine you''ll have a problem, happy wolf boy].


    ''Why do you say that Bnce?''


    [At the time, I wasn''t free to talk to you, but I watched what you did. Ayumi epted Alexis with ease, and I don''t think she is the type who will deny a wish of hers. Alexis was so afraid of being rejected that she wouldn''t do it with another girl. I''m sure that after youplete your goals, your wives will wee you with open arms, and won''t even mind sharing you, as long as they each get a little of your attention].


    ''Until you are a good love counselor for a celestial entity.'' Luke joked with her.


    [Do you think so?]


    ''I know you''re an existence or something, but still, it''s beenforting to have your support, Thanks for being here with me, A.''


    In Luke''s soul, Bnce was sitting on the ground as she ran her hand through her blonde hair, and she smiled because of the half-wolf''spliment.


    [I thank you for keeping my hopes in humanity, Luke].

 Chapter 342 Ting!

    Zhanid had finished packing his things. The three now outside the inn were heading to a nearby area where the old mage imed he could hire the three necessary horses. The bright morning sun lit up the horizon, and the sound of small birds echoed across the sky. A few clouds covered the strong blue a little, creating a beautiful view.


    With each step of the teacher, it was possible to hear the sound of several pieces of metal hitting each other, it was not a sharp sound like a de, and with a certain attention, it was possible to perceive that there was also the sound of a liquid in his backpack .


    *Ting, Ting, Ting*


    The sound followed the rhythm of the wizard''s footsteps.


    Luke turned to Meredith who immediately understood the look of strangeness, the two were trying to understand what was inside the wizard''s backpack. But knowing the old mage''s behavior, the two knew that questioning would create a long exnation, the journey would be long, and so it was best to keep Zhanid quiet. The sound of the mage''s backpack was ufortable for the two half-beasts, but it was still much better than trying to understand what he was going to say.


    The walk didn''t take long, after going down a slope, the group arrived at another house in front, it was possible to see a sign written "Horses and Cells". On the left side of the property was a small field with a crop of what appeared to be vegetables. On the other side of the house, a barn with several horses. The Old Mage Zhanid then came to the door and rang a bell in front of the property. After a few minutes without an answer, Meredith knocked loudly on the door twice.


    "I''m going now" Said a boy''s voice.


    After a few minutes, the door was opened by a gasping red-haired young man. He appeared to be between 14-15 years old. His clothes were typical of a farmer in the region, baggy pants soiled with dirt and a pair of leather boots. Aside from the boy''s striking red curly hair, his innocent face was marred by freckles.


    "Sir! Long time no see. Have youe to rent horses again?"


    Zhanid then reached out his hand and ran it through the boy''s hair.


    "Hohoho, how long Adam. Exactly, I''ll ask the academy to return them as usual."


    The little farmer was excited about the old wizard''s visit. This made Luke give a small smile, which Meredith noticed, and began to smile maliciously. However, the wolf boy''s eyes soon turned serious, which surprised the girl.


    "It''s for the lives of these people I need to fight for" His tone of voice showed his heart full of determination, no matter what he was doing, the feeling of need to act always returned to luke, making him unsease.


    "It''s going to be all right Luke" said the foxdy, while holding one of youth''s hands.Little Adam started asking Zhanid several questions, he was talking more than even the mage himself. However, the gentleman said he needed to hurry back to the gym. Taking the message, the little farmer led the group to the barn next door. Several horses walked through the grass, with different colors and coats from one another. The boy then took a rope andssoed three horses.


    "These here are rested, the one with the white fur is Tormentor. The gray is called Matsukaze and the ck is called Caravaggio. Take good care of them please sir Zhanid!" The Youth then tied the horses to a fence. But then he pped himself a little across the face and ran back to the house.


    ''This kid must be kidding'' thought Meredith, who was already a little annoyed with the time taken to rent the horses.


    After a few more minutes, the boy came running back with three cells.


    <o>,m Gasping, he threw them to the floor. He took a little breath and put them on the horses</o>


    . "That''s it, the rent will be 30 pieces of silver"<sub> </sub>


    The Magus then took a bag of coins from his pocket, counted out the necessary and handed them over.


    By the time Zhanid had finished paying, impatiently Meredith had reached the white horse Tormentor, pulled it from the fence, and mounted it. With a speed that showed his annoyance. After that, Luke mounted Matsukaze and Zhanid in Caravaggio. The Group then said goodbye to little Adam and set off on their journey. Following the road in front of the house where they were, a decline continued, by the height, it was possible to see the sea in a rtive distance. Meredith then ran the horse down the road, Luke followed and Zhanid followed at a slightly slower pace. The strong breeze ruffled Luke''s hair, it was an invigorating sensation, which for a brief moment took away all the problems that were going through the young man''s head. The two half-beasts kept their distance from Zhanid, avoiding the noise of the backpack that was now synchronized with the horse''s footsteps. After a few minutes, the three were facing the beach. The moment Luke''s eyes caught sight of the literal memories of the port of Oukiwa, making the half-wolf feel homesick, and again start to miss his wives.


    The first off the horse was Meredith, after which both Luke and Zhanid descended to prepare. It didn''t take long, the wizard removed the three potions and asked the two to take a small sip, Meredith made a disgusted face after tasting the bitter taste of the potion. After the mage removed three apples from his backpack, he poured the potion''s contents into them. So they fed the potion to the horses.


    Zhanid then recited a spell, and several small blue spheres appeared around the group. Climbing onto the horses, Luke was the first to walk forward. As soon as the animal left the sand, a kind of ground was formed, the sea was calm. When a slightlyrger wave appeared, the lights the mage summoned calmed the waves, maintaining a course of water like arge stillke.


    Moving forward with the horses was a little difficult, it was as if the animals knew that this ce was not ideal for them. However, Luke managed to control it with ease and keep the pace, the horses behind still followed with trepidation. As the group moved away from the shore, it was possible to see fish jumping, or even just below the group. In a moment, the 7foot water snake appeared below the group. Zhanid quickly caught it with a spell that reminded Luke of Nathalia''s <Grappling Hook>. The Mage then threw her away from the group.


    "It won''t take much longer, soon we''ll be able to see the Diamong teau" Zhanid said. In total, the group should have walked for at least 30 minutes.


    After the news, the group began to see several bright lights just below their feet. The horses started to get scared, raising their feet in fear of what looked like a shower of shooting stars,ing from the bottom of the ocean. The sound of Zhanid getting off his horse startled Luke. The old man then looked down at the bottom of the sea, and put his hand into the water.


    Facing his own reflection the mage said "No doubt, I think today is fishing day"


    Luke and Meredith were confused, but Zhanid then continued


    "This is a group of Mana Wyrms, their scales are quite useful for alchemy"


    The Mage then withdrew his staff and began to cast a spell, again in the strangenguage from before.


    When Zhanid finished reciting, the water in front of him quickly concentrated on what looked like an iceberg, controlling the magic with his staff, the old mage was drawing a basin of ice.


    <Telekinez Manadin Ikemaz> Quickly


    the shoal of Mana Wyrms flew into the sky, blue snakes with skin that glowed white light, their eyes emitted a golden light that flying across the sky, looked like a shower of fiery arrows. Zhanid was controlling the school as if they were arge snake flying through the air. The sunlight reflected off the scales of the creatures as they made a group sound that sounded like hundreds of raging snakes with rage.


    While with his staff he moved the creatures, with his other hand he was drawing in the air. Suddenly, a purple magic circle appeared on the Mage''s left hand, after which, the glow in the serpents'' eyes gradually faded, until all the monsters in the air were frozen to death.


    With a wave of his staff Zhanid then gathered the pile of Mana Wyrms into the ice basin. It was a gigantic pile of creatures that appeared to be extremely dangerous. Luke and Meredith couldn''t believe the scene they saw, the mage just executed dozens of monsters like it was nothing.


    This disy of skill left Luke in disbelief, reinforcing in the wolf boy''s mind just how necessary he needed to learn magic, and fast. In the fight against the demons, any new weapon would already be of help.

 Chapter 343 Melki Academy Of Magic

    After Zhanid exterminated the group of Mana Wyrms, the wizard put his staff back on his back. The first question that crossed Luke''s mind was how the wizard would bring this pile to the Academy ind.


    Luke then turned to Zhanid and inquired:


    "How do you intend to carry it?"


    "We don''t need to carry it now. When we get to the Academy I''ll have some students collect it," replied the old wizard.


    Zhanid climbed back on his horse and the group continued their journey, riding through the waters on horseback, as in a great blue field, the waves were light and the water reflected the sunlight. After a few more minutes the view to the horizon was still empty, as if nothing but watery ahead.


    However, Zhanid then took the lead of the group. And out of that endless horizon mysteriously appeared a boat, which appeared as if invisible. With its bow appearing slowly as if it were appearing in smallyers, it was a scene thatpletely confused the eyes of the onlookers. Little by little the boat came out until it was possible to see itpletely.


    The boat was small, with a closed cabin. It was made of a dark wood that resembled oak, with gold and blue details. On the side of the boat was a coat of arms with a golden owl and a book, a symbol that also appeared on Zhanid''s luggage and books.


    The ship stood still for a few seconds, until Luke could hear footsteps rushing out of the ship and onto the deck. The panting figure then kept running until he put his face out.


    The panting Boy then took a few breaths and looked at the group, waving he called out, "Wee back Mr.Zhanid!"


    The young man possessed blond hair and his aura, in general, was elegant. He was wearing an outfit that resembled a social outfit, he possessed a blue tie and a white zer buttoned with gold and blue details.


    "The boy said as he ran to the side of the boat.


    The group reached the side, which had a rope to climb up. The three then got off their horses.


    Zhanid walked to the back of the boat and bridled the horses with a rope. ording to the magician, they would ride to the ind of the academy and then their students would return the horses to Little Adam''s house.


    Luke did not understand Zhanid''s mind, but apparently this was already routine for the old wizard. In the end, he preferred not toment and just went with the flow. Luke and Meredith climbed into the boat first,ing face to face with the blond-haired young man.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Adrian Hortfield. I''m one of Master Zhanid''s students." The boy then made a gesture by lowering his head and one of his knees and bowing a little and putting his arms by his sides. It appeared to be a sort of bow, but it made Luke and Meredith ufortable.


    "Luke Lange."


    "Meredith Scully."


    The two replied with a little trepidation.


    Just then, the mage Zhanid climbed aboard.


    "I just saw a Maritma Carmesin Serpent, they are quite eye-catching. Adrian make a note for the research group to try and capture one of these alive, I''ve thought of a new project to do." Said the old mage as he ced his staff and luggage on the ground.


    "Yes sir" replied the young student promptly.


    When the boat returned turning around, the question of how the boat appeared was answered on the spot. After crossing what appeared to be a mana barrier, it was possible to see the academy that waspletely hidden behind the barrier. The sensation of crossing it was like a surging wind with speed for a few seconds.


    Behind, the view was the same, the giant empty sea with birds in the sky. On the other side, it was now possible to see the indpletely. The academy building was gigantic, following the relief of the ind, there was a gigantic tower on the highest part of the ind.


    Several buildings covered the ind, it was like a small camouged city. In the ind''s port you could see several boats with the same coat of arms, the owl from the book.


    On top of a tower in the center of the ind it was possible to see a clock and just below it the same coat of arms, and there were two otherrge towers on the ind. In the sky it was possible to see two people flying overhead with swords, which frightened Meredith.<sub> </sub>


    The boat docked near several simr boats, the beach had extremely beautiful white sand and a wall of rocks that elevated the area already supporting constructions.


    After getting off the boat, the group''s presence was noticed by several students who were dressed in an outfit simr to Adrian''s. The moment Zhanid appeared in front of the students, everyone bowed in respect to the mage, he was indeed a figure of importance in the academy.


    "Adrian, give me a report please" Zhanid said turning to the blond haired boy.


    "Yes sir! The research regarding the use of spells blended with the spirits of Zhao has been a sess. The experiment you left of mana crystallization was also a sess. The gravity reversing circle Stabilizer broke in your absence, we were able to recreate a functional one by adding a fifth magic circle by varying the Telekinez spell."


    Luke and Meredith could not understand what the boy was talking about, however, Zhanid nodded as he listened. This reportsted a few minutes, the young man was exining about several different experiments that the wizard was conducting.


    After the report was finished, Zhanid led the group. After climbing some stairs, they quickly left the beach and came to an open area that seemed to be the academy''s main square, in the center was a sundial, but the tower with the clock was just in front of the square.


    It was possible to see several students in their academy costumes. Several more mature faces appeared as well, however, with more golden details. Sometimes people in robes would also pass by, and at other times older magicians in ck or red clothing.


    The academy looked like a city, it was lively and bustling. But what surprised Luke the most about this whole trip was how quiet the area was, there were no people shouting or selling products. You could see students talking, but always in a low tone. It was an entire city with the manners of a library. At least, that''s what he thought at first.


    Luke suddenly began to hear a strange sound, it seemed to be a sword cutting the air. When suddenly, the group spotted a man walking on arge sword, towering over the four of them.


    The young man was dressed in the robes of a student. His hair was ck, and he possessed a ponytail. His face was slender and his appearance was also very elegant. He was around Luke''s height, after approaching, he jumped off his sword.


    "Wee back master" The ck haired young man said as he bowed to Zhanid. This time, not with the usual bow, but by kneeling on the ground and putting his head down.


    "Hohoho, it''s not that much! Stand up, Orion," Zhanid replied.


    The sword that had been floating, then returned and fixed itself on Orion''s back. It was a gigantic Greatsword. Its handle was red, but the sword waspletely ck, only the de had a white detail that made it stand out.


    Orion had the features of a citizen of Zhao, something that Luke and Meredith noticed immediately because of his resemnce to Ynosuke. Orion then stood up and greeted the two visitors to the academy.


    "My name is Orion Hitsukaze, I am a student and researcher at the academy"


    Again, the two introduced themselves, Orion needed to leave soon after. His sword came out of his back and suspended itself in the air, standing at a certain height from the ground. After climbing a step, Zhao''s mage said goodbye and flew off.


    The moment Luke saw the sword take off, one thing became certain in his mind


    ''I need to learn to walk on this''


    And that''s exactly what Luke asked Zhanid. Without fear this time, for his will was greater than the fear of a long answer from the old mage.


    "How can I get a flying sword?" Luke inquired to Zhanid


    "Hohoho, they are actually quite useful. You can ask in the craftsmen''s area, and then go train in the flying group."


    This was engraved in Luke''s head, who mentally was already imagining himself flying with a sword.


    After the brief conversation, Zhanid asked Adrian to guide the two of them to the dormitories.


    The dormitory area was reallyrge, with several spacious rooms. The academy had one more building for amodation, which made Luke and Meredith wonder how many people there were in that area. There was no gender separation between male and female, at least not in the researchers'' dormitory. So, by choice, Luke and Meredith stayed in the same room.

 Chapter 344 Walker

    There was no gender separation between male and female, at least not in the researchers'' dormitory. So, by choice, Luke and Meredith stayed in the same room.


    The reason Luke and Meredith were in the same room was simple.


    The two didn''t know anyone else at the academy, even with Hazor''s rmendation and the time spent alongside Zhanid, the two still didn''tpletely trust him. So the most logical decision was to stay close to each other.


    At first Luke was wary of this option, which was proposed by Meredith. But he soon epted because he understood these reasons. After that brief conversation between the two, Adrian guided the couple to a spare room in the dorm.


    Entering the researcher''s dormitory area, it was possible to see a marble floor and the structure finishes in a white stone and oak wood. The ce was lush and appeared to be quiterge. However, it still wasn''t as surprising as the Strogueher mansions.


    After walking through the dorm door, there was a receptionist.


    "We need to register these two new researchers," Adrian told the receptionist. She was an elf with brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in an outfit simr to those seen before.


    The Elf agreed, got up and went to a door behind the counter. After a few minutes, she returned with arge leather book. Aside from the book, she also held two white cards.


    "Just sign the book and apply some mana to the ID cards. After that you need to register at the academic center" Said the Elf, letting out an extremely friendly smile. That smile made the half-foxdy extremely jealous.


    Cards in hand, Luke and Meredith promptly signed their names in the book. He had a table next to the names with an academy registration number. The list of names was extensive, which showed that even though it was a secluded ce, it still had an activemunity.


    Soon after, the two channeled mana into the card, which had a small magic circle engraved on both sides. With the application of magic, the card pulsed in a red light, slowly it stopped emitting light. The ce where the magic circle was now glowed with a faint blue light when charged with mana.


    "These cards are used to get around the academy, they also unlock some magic circles" Adrian exined


    . They worked like a key, depending on your academic year, or even how many permissions you had to ess the school''s information. It worked like a key. For example, if you wanted to borrow a book for research, it would first confirm that you are entitled to take the book out.


    The same was used to open doors, both in his own room and in parts of the academy or research centers. It was a sort of general key and a clever mechanism for organizing the academy.


    The three then went to the rectory, the building was one in the big clock tower in front of the main square. Adrian exined that most of the sses were held there, as well as the headquarters where the three main ones managed the academy divisions.


    The architecture was much better finished than in the dormitory, after entering, it was possible to see several oak doors and long corridors supported by white concrete arches. The building''s numerous windows kept the atmosphere bright and made the space seem muchrger.


    In front of the front door was another receptionist, this time it was a much more shy woman. She was a half-bunny, something extremely unusual. Which made Luke thoughtful about the academy''s norms.


    "Now that you''ve registered in the dorm, you just need to finish registering at the academy as researchers. Mr. Zhanid should approve the registrationter" Adrian exined, pointing to the front desk.


    This time, both Meredith and Luke ced their hands on a stone panel. They were asked to apply some mana and were given two pendants like an adventurer.


    They had one of silver, with a small detail of a green stone. Upon noticing this, Luke began to identify the same type of pendant around the neck of everyone who walked nearby.


    "This is the area identification pendant. It only serves to exin whether you are abat mage, magical researcher or teacher. It''s cute isn''t it" Adrian said with a smallugh.


    Meredith nodded, while Luke was trapped in his thoughts.


    All these magic circle utilities were making the young man more and more excited to learn magic. Now, he would focus on learning as much as possible at the academy and then applying his knowledge to the outside world.


    After walking out of the rectory building. Luke started questioning Adrian about some thoughts that couldn''t get out of his head.


    "Why is there that barrier off the ind?"


    Said Luke, in a calm tone, however, his thoughts were much more aggressive.


    ''I''ll take advantage of the fact that he''s a little careless and see if I can get some information''<sub> </sub>


    "It''s not much of a secret, the Academy is a neutral field away from Melki. The first principal was a noble who dedicated himselfpletely to building the academy, it makes more sense to have a ce of study if you''re far from such a confusing empire."


    Adrian''s answer startled Luke.


    "Like this?" Said the half-wolf.


    "Oh, you know. Melki is not the best of realms, well that''s my view. I think most people have the same opinion. There are many foreign students here, like Orion from Zhao and I myself was born in the parato inds" Said Adrian while nodding his head.


    "Hmm, so for example, are genes used here?" Luke said, still trying to get information out of the boy.


    Adrian then opened his eyes and looked at Luke


    "Genes are useless and expensive, you can get a lot more by studying elemental magic and learning how to use magic circles"


    This answered the Half-wolf''s doubts. In the end, the Academy, even though it was a distant ce of the Melki empire, still had its restrictions on the use of Genes. As long as Luke was at the academy, he would be unable to use his abilities freely.


    "Mr Adrian, can you help me with this?" Said a younger student holding a notebook. The two began talking about theoretical magic.


    In general the Academy''s thinking was against the Melki empire. After discovering this fact, Luke realized that his goals were closer than he thought. Throwing the Melki empire''s elite mages into a revolution was easier than he thought.


    In Luke''s mind, his n should be two-step. The first, recruiting a team to start the revolution. After that, he would try to exterminate the dungeon being used by the demons.


    Afterpleting the second part, he was supposed to create a revolt in the capital of Stahurt, likely killing the Emperor and driving away the region''s elite.


    Several thoughts ran through the young man''s head. His face was thoughtful, a fact that was noticed by Meredith.


    "Don''t be so nervous Luke" She said as she held youth''s hand.


    Adrian then approached the two again


    "Sorry, I was helping another freshman. Well, today there is not much you can do. Grab your bags and tidy your room, tomorrow you will start helping Mr. Zhanid"


    The two agreed and returned to the boat. It was already starting to fall in the afternoon. The sky was glowing orange with the setting sun, which reflected off the horizon illuminating the calm sea surrounding the Diamond teau.


    After nightfall, lights began to shine across the city. All imbued with magic, having the appearance of amp, but with a small white glowing stone inside.


    On the academy relief, now in the rock of the mountains it was possible to see where the name "Diamond teau" originated. Along with the purple ones, now several crystals and diamonds shone around the ind.


    Making looking at the region''s mountains not so different from looking at the sky. The crystals gave off a blue glow, which was reflected in the many diamonds in the uneven terrain.


    After Luke and Meredith arrived at their rooms, the Half-wolf headed for the bathroom. He opened the door and the moment the door opened, a light came on. Surprising the young man. The technological innovations of the academy seemed to have no end.


    After undressing, Luke got into a bathtub and turned on the faucet. Hot water began to flow, relieving all the stress going through her body. Looking at the ceiling, he again started to think.


    ''I wonder what Ayumi and Alexis are doing''


    As his head began to ponder about his wives, the bathroom door opened. It was Meredith with a towel covering her body.


    "Do you mind if I keep youpany?"

 Chapter 345 Greatswords

    Luke''s heart was beating hard, now, behind him. There was Meredithpletely naked. The two were sharing a not very spacious bathtub, Luke''s strong back was touching the Half-fox''s soft skin.


    The young man''s senses werepletely confused by the situation, the contact with her, the heat of the water, her scent and the steam from the water, everything was making Luke go crazy. Amidst so many sensations, he focused on staring at the bathroom wall, while ignoring his desires.


    However, Meredith broke the silence


    "When we get back to Broteforge, I''m going to ask Ayumi and Alexis to ept me."


    The silence continued in the bathtub. But Luke could hear his own heartbeat and also that of the young woman behind him.


    Meredith turned around, sshing water all over the bathroom. She embraced Luke, pressing her breasts against the youth''s back. After it, Luke was now able not only to hear her heartbeat but also feel it. He was starting to lose control of his own mind, the feeling of her huge boobs, and her nipples pressing against his back, all of it were nking his mind.


    The Half-fox then moved her mouth closer to Luke''s neck and said softly


    "Wait until then, big boy"


    The young woman then got up and got out of the tub, wrapped herself in a towel and went out into the bedroom. The moment the bathroom door closed, Lukey down in the tub and began to stare at the bathroom ceiling.


    "What the fuck was that, Ahhh! I almost lost control" He said as he propped one of his arms in front of his face.


    Now he waspletely decided, he was going to make Meredith his third wife. But now in the young man''s mind, a greater doubt arose, a challenge that he didn''t know how to handle. Probably the most difficult battle of Luke''s life.


    "How the hell am I going to be able to wait for it?"


    One of the greatest fruits of maturation is self-knowledge, learning to recognize your weaknesses and evolve with them. To be able to face the challenges posed by life every day ande out stronger. All this concluded in a single answer, Luke knew that it would be difficult to wait until he returned home.


    After much thought, he got up and got out of the bathtub. His decision was also straight up.


    Luke and Meredith had chosen to sleep in the same room, but in different beds. But that night, they both had the same urge to put both beds together and wake up the whole dormitory.


    Both possessing keen hearing, they both knew how fast their hearts were racing. The two slowly began to avoid thinking about the bath, and just chose to sleep.


    The sun was elegantly illuminating the mornings at the Academy. The crystals of the Diamong teau glittered reflecting the sun, a beautiful sight to enjoy from the bedroom window. Luke was now watching the sea glistening with sunlight and beginning his first real day.


    As usual, he started his morning with his daily exercises. First he did push-ups, then sit-ups. He then went outside his room, and since no one was awake, he started doing barbells with one of the support arches in the hallway.


    His body was feeling the effects of the curse, which weakened him and made it difficult for him to perform the exercises. Even though he was weakened, the young man managed toplete the exercises without any problems. Luke then went to the bathroom, took a quick shower to rinse himself off, and was ready for the morning.


    [You almost didn''t make it yesterday, did you? said Bnce, in a sarcastic voice.


    You''re pretty mean for a goddess.


    [Now that you''ve finished your training, I have a suggestion for you.]


    I''m all ears


    Bnce then directed Luke to practice his wind magic with a ball. His goal was to try to levitate a small paper ball as long as possible. To do this, the half-wolf again imagined some sort of wind whirlwinding out on top of his hand.


    Controlling the wind really wasn''t that different from using his Gene <Vind> ability. But it was still a much more challenging task than the young man imagined, in particr, keeping it in the air was much more difficult.


    If the ball fell forward, he had to advance the tornado and swing it in the air. If it turned to the right, he had to move the wind flow to bring it to the left. The mana expenditure was not a problem, but these continuous adjustments gave Luke a headache.


    Gradually he got the hang of it, and managed to keep the bowline in the air for five consecutive minutes. His grip on the wind was bing greater and greater. In Luke''s mind, he was already wondering how he could apply this inbat.


    For example, what would happen if he made all the air around a person go away? Leaving the target unable to breathe. What he might do if he were able to control the wind-throwing of a dagger, or even an arrow.<sub> </sub>


    The uses of magic were limitless. And even better, Luke didn''t have to worry about mana regeneration. Which made the boy continue training spells and basics of wind magic for hours.


    After a while, Meredith woke up, finding Luke trying to keep a knife flying in the air. The weapon was spinning around itself. The Half-wolf was now able to keep light objects flying. The throwing face was not as heavy, which was ideal for being able to keep it in the air.


    "How are you doing this?" Meredith asked, in a sleepy voice.


    "I''m using two basic wind magic spells" Luke replied.


    When the half-fox actually awoke, she was startled noticing the knife spinning near Luke''s throat. The young girl then asked him to stop ying with magic, even more so after never having been instructed about it.


    Imagine what would happen if the knife came flying out at his neck. In the end, they both started tough about the situation, which lightened the mood and prevented the awkward silence of the previous night from repeating itself.


    The main reason for Luke to focus on wind magic now, had been its proximity to the Skill <Vind>. It had be the ability to fly that the mages of the academy were shown to possess. The moment Half-wolf saw Orion of Zhaoing down from the sky flying on a sword, he knew he would need to learn how to do this.


    So, Luke decided to gather information about it. He would have to meet with Zhanid at noon to receive the information about his new activities. But since it was still 8 in the morning, he had enough time to explore and learn at the academy.


    The First thing the half-wolf did was go to the receptionist, since she knew he was a new member of the academy, it shouldn''t be thatplicated to ask some questions.


    "How do students manage to fly around the campus? I was interested to learn that."


    The receptionist then took out a piece of paper and wrote down some information for Luke.


    "Every day there are basic flight training sses. They are run by the Air de Group. You can look for them at the training center.


    As he still had some free time, he then followed up on the information given by the receptionist. The boy took a map from the academy and went to the other end of the ind, to a beach.


    The walk across the ind was long, he still didn''t feelpletely refreshed to go running. Hisck of knowledge of the terrain made it impossible for him to take shortcuts, which made Luke feel slow for the first time in a long time.


    The beach area was protected by a series of mountains that formed the relief of the academy, however, what most caught Luke''s attention were several arches that were flying across the sea.


    They formed a kind of circle, and some mages were flying on top of Greatswords. There were few who used shorter swords, and even fewer students were flying on staffs.


    Seeing this surprised Luke, they were following flying through the arches at a speed that was surprising. The boy then approached some people who were standing on the beach.


    "Good morning, I was told that here I can ask some questions about how to start flying.


    The two girls who were chatting then turned to Luke and noticed that he did not yet have an academy uniform.


    "You''re new here, aren''t you?" The blonde-haired girl asked.


    "Obviously he''s new," the red-haired girl added.


    ? "You must already have advanced experience with wind magic to have a chance to join our group" The blond-haired girl continued.


    Then a strong sound stopped near the group with a gigantic speed. The Wind was cut off in seconds.


    "Congrattions on the course boss! It''s a new record!


    "Congrattions leader!" said the red haired one.


    Luke then turned around and realized that the one behind him was the same mage as the day before. The ck-haired young man from Zhao, the head of the flight group.

 Chapter 346 Spells

    Then a strong sound stopped near the group with gigantic speed. The Wind was cut off in seconds.


    "Congrattions on the course boss! It''s a new record!" said the one with blonde hair


    "Congrattions leader!" said the red haired one.


    Luke then turned around and realized that the one behind him was the same mage as the day before. The ck-haired young man from Zhao, the head of the flight group.


    The long ck-haired Mage then looked at Luke. "You... what do you need?"


    He then followed walking to a table, his sword following him and stopping in front of him. Orion began to sharpen the edge of his great sword.


    Luke then answered?


    "I became interested in learning the academy''s flying techniques"


    Without turning to Luke, or even stopping his sharpening, Orion replied.


    "We can''t teach someone who doesn''t have at least intermediate level in wind magic. The Dean would hinder our activities if someone got hurt,"


    The Reason was coherent, but it bothered the half-wolf. He wasn''t going to give up now.


    "I may not have advanced level at the academy, but I know I have an ability in magic maybe even better than yours" Luke replied.


    This was obviously a bluff, his intentions were clear. Everything depended now on whether Orion would take the bait.


    "I am the greatest wind mage in the academy, possibly the best in thest 20 years. You''ll need more than that to make me angry" He replied as he soaped a cloth with a light green liquid.


    Orion then began to wipe the cloth over the de of his sword, it was gray with some emerald green details, which matched part of the mage''s clothing. Arge jade stone encrusted the handle of the sword, which matched the warlock''s bracelet.


    Luke was not going to give up so quickly, but still, he decided to leave. Turning if, he would make his way home. Until a proposal came into y.


    "I like you" Orion said, "We have a way to assess whether or not someone is fit to enter the flying sses" the mage continued.


    The Half-wolf then returned in slow steps.


    "Tell me more" he said.


    Orion then turned to Luke, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    "Silph Magnum Reversi Ikratos!" After speaking the incantation, three green spheres appeared around the Zhao mage. Shining in a strong green light. The spheres then began to slowly rotate.


    "Mah ah Shariak Yunjira Silph" The moment he finished the second part of the incantation, his entire body began to be lifted by the wind. Which was now levitating a little above the ground.


    Orion then opened his eyes and looked at Luke.


    "This is an advanced wind enchantment, if you can keep yourself levitating for 15minutes by tomorrow, you will join the flight group and I will be your advisor myself"


    The Zhao mage''s proposal was interesting, after all, Luke liked a challenge.


    "I''ll do 30minutes tomorrow" Luke said, turning his back on Orion and making his way back to the academy.


    Luke''s keen hearing managed to pick up how the two students from before were hitting on the head of the flying club. But soon only the sound of the sea could be heard.


    [Do you really think you''ll make it?]


    ''Of course I will, it''s only two sentences''


    [Anyway, that boy''s sword was really amazing. All the equipment in that group was surprising, actually].


    ''I didn''t see anything major in that.''


    [Ah yes, well, they all had a magic circle carved into them. That must be how they can keep themselves flying for so long]


    ''So they don''t use the spell from before?''


    [That spell has too high an energy expenditure, they should just use it to test the candidates'' abilities and magical understanding]


    Bnce''s answer made Luke more interested in the academy''s technology. Since he was already looking for a new weapon, maybe getting one with a magic circle engraved on it wouldn''t be such a bad thing.<sub> </sub>


    The Way back to the academy was even more exuberant. After climbing a long white concrete path, Luke could see the entire academy from the top of a small mountain. By now it was possible to see some students flying in spades back and forth, as well as the birds in the sky. The view from that sort of academy city was incredible.


    ''What will it be like to see thatndscape from up there''


    [Surely beautiful, good luck, big boy]


    When Bnce repeated Meredith''s line the night before. Luke''s ears turned red with embarrassment.


    ''So, you were watching''


    [It''s Fun to make you embarrassed, I understood why Meredith was doing that].


    Bnce said, while letting out a lowugh.


    After a few more long minutes of walking, he finally arrived back at the dormitory. Walking for so long only made one thing cross his mind.s


    ''I really need to learn to fly''


    Climbing the dormitory stairs and arriving in the hallway, Luke noticed Meredith''s sweet scent as soon as he stopped in front of the bedroom door. That sweet scent was still light on the door. Luke then slowly opened the door.


    Meredith''s scent was now stronger, spreading throughout the room. Luke''s heart was beating more strongly now. There was sounding from the bathroom, which had its door closed. She was again taking a shower.


    [You said you were going to concentrate, big boy].


    Stop it Bnce'' [I''ll try! I''ll try!


    [I''ll try! I''ll try! Hihihi!]


    Luke knew that he would not be able to control himself if he stayed in the room, so he decided to leave the room and go to meet Zhanid. The clock on the second floor said that it was already 10:00 in the morning. Luke then thought that it wouldn''t be too much trouble to meet the wizard a little earlier.


    Luke walked to the main building of the academy, which was located in the same main square. When he arrived, he asked where he could find Zhanid.


    The receptionist directed him to go to another building that was a little further away from the center of the ind. There was the old Wizard''sboratory.


    A little closer to the beach were threerge concrete domes. Starting in a field of low grass was a stone walkway leading to the unusual instation. Just as Luke approached, a sound of breaking ss could be heard.


    The young man ran out to see what had happened. He opened the firstrge door of the facility, the whole facility was with the lights closed, the young man followed to the right and passed through a corridor. After two rooms the noise intensified and a strange blue light began to illuminate the room.


    ''What the fuck is happening here'' thought Luke for a moment.


    When he then arrived at the door that was emitting this light. Zhanid was standing next to Adrian, both of them using a table as a shield, wearing goggles as they watched a metal box glow in a blue light as it spun across the room.


    The Box was emitting lightning and moving the wind in the room. It looked like a thunderstorm. That strange object was not spinning at a very fast speed. When Adrian noticed Luke''s presence, he was startled and shouted


    "Come here! I have an extra pair of sses!"


    Luke then ran to the table where the two were standing and put on the same type of sses that Adrian and Zhanid were using, it was round, made of leather and metal, having ss lenses.


    "It shouldn''t take long to stabilize" Zhanid said as he wrote down a few things in a notebook.


    "What the hell are you two doing" asked Luke


    "This is a power generator that we are turning into a gravity reverser, we have been developing this box for some time" The moment Adrian finished speaking. Arge scratch scratched the wall of the room burning the paint. You could see the ck mark where it passed.


    "We are still testing it" Adrian concluded with a startled face


    However, after only two more minutes, Zhanid''s idea was proven. The Box stopped spinning and stabilized as the old mage had imagined. Now it remained floating, but was no longer emitting strange lights or letting off rays.


    Zhanid then pped his hands together twice, which caused a light at the top of the room to illuminate the closed area. It gave a better view of the room. You could see many crystals and ores. As well as pieces of branches of various trees, roots and vegetables.


    Some of the ss jars on the shelves closest to the box had broken, which created the noise Luke had heard. Adrian began to clean up the ce while Zhanid was analyzing his notebook.


    Luke began to hear some angry footsteps, at a somewhat brisk pace. When kicking open the door came a girl with brown hair and blue eyes. Her outfit was the academy suit with blue and purple details. Beside her skirt was arge magic grimoire with a golden M symbol.


    "What were you messing with again Mr. Zhanid!" It was Megan, the youngdy known as the living library.

 Chapter 347 Variation

    Luke began to hear some angry footsteps, at a slightly quickened pace. When kicking open the door came a girl with brown hair and blue eyes. Her outfit was the academy costume with blue and purple details. Beside her skirt was arge magic grimoire with a golden M symbol.


    "What were you messing with again Mr. Zhanid!" It was Megan, the youngdy known as the living library.


    The girl was definitely pretty, her height resembled Nathalia''s, and from the physique both looked the same age. The pupils of her eyes were blue, in an extremely unique color, which shone brightly. On her chest was a red pendant with a golden outline. It was the only thing that came out of the blue and purple colors of the young woman''s ensemble.


    Even the grimoire she was carrying had small blue details. Something that caught Luke''s attention was the girl''s right ear, there was a pencil resting on it. As far as could be understood, the girl was on the other side of theboratory when the noise interrupted her.


    Megan continued talking to Zhanid, giving severalints while Adrian asked her in vain to calm down. Although the girl was not screaming, she was showing her frustration.


    "I''m almost done with the analysis of the four books of Zhao Runes! You know I''m busy and yet you make so much noise from the side of myb!" The Girl cried out for silence. But her words seemed to have no effect on the old mage who was cautiously analyzing his notebook.


    "Ahh Yes, Megan, the boy over there needs your help with a curse." Zhanid saidpletely changing the subject, as if he really wasn''t listening to the girl.


    "I don''t care! I''m busy! Anyway, just stop making noise!"


    She then walked out again tapping her feet, and with a gesture with her hands, closed the door abruptly as she left. Luke could hear the girl''s footsteps for a few more seconds, until they disappeared down the hall.


    Adrian promptly approached the Half-wolf and exined "Don''t worry Luke, she gets like this when Master Zhanid gets noisy. If you ask another time, she''ll understand."


    Several possibilities were already going through Luke''s head, including the worst-case scenario, receiving no help at all and having his trip to the academy be just wasted time. He then looked at the door and sighed.


    At that very moment, the blond-haired young man put his hand on the half-wolf''s shoulder "All mages at the academy like challenges, you just need to remember that when you want something."


    Those words made a lot of sense to Luke. In the same instant he remembered his dispute with Orion, the Zhao mage had no reason to support or give a chance to someone who wasn''t even a beginner in wind magic. But just the fact that Luke had challenged him was reason enough to create an interest in the head of the flying club.


    While Adrian and Luke talked, Zhanid stood up excitedly and dropped his notebook. At that moment it was possible to see several drawings of circles and runes in the old wizard''s notebook. He then began to watch the floating box carefully. Then the magician turned to the two young men across the room.


    "I believe I got what you wanted, Adrian, you can note that in your research report." Said the mage, as he picked up his notebook again. After finishing writing a few more sentences, Zhanid finally turned to Luke.


    "Regarding the research we are conducting, follow me, I will of show you theb where I have assigned you." The old mage then picked up his staff and walked out the door, Luke went right behind.


    "We are developing in the thirdb a system for unifying the coding of Zhao magic, with ssical runic magic and the system of magic circles. I noticed your high energy potential, so you will perform by testing the mana management of some equipment." Zhanid''s sentences didn''t make much sense to Luke, but he saw this as an opportunity to try to learn more about magic.


    "Mister Zhanid, may I ask you a question?" Luke said, a little cautiously.


    The moment the old mage heard that sentence, he quickly turned around with a smile on his face "Hohoho Of course my young man!"


    As much as the old man totally ignored the real world when he was stuck in his thoughts, he possessed a genuine love for teaching. So, Luke scratched the back of his head, thinking about how to begin the question.<sub> </sub>


    "I want to learn to fly like in the flight group, how can I perform the float enchantment for the entrance exam?" The moment Luke finished speaking, the mage began to run his hand through his long white beard.


    "If I recall, they use a variation of the basic Silph Telekiniz spell. But the conjurer''s mana channeling is used to summon three Sylph artifacts and handle the wind in the area, generating the fluctuation. The Second part of the incantation facilitates the permanence and control of the air masses..." The Mage waspletely lost in his thoughts, until then he concluded what he was talking about and looked into Luke''s eyes.


    "The best way to perform this magic is by visualizing your mana lifting you. Practice this while reciting the incantation and it will be enough to slowly manage the wind. Practice my boy hoohoho." Zhanid then turned and continued walking, waving his staff.


    The process of using magic was not so different from using a Gene skill, at least that''s what Luke concluded. His will to be stronger was so great that, even though he knew it was unlikely, he still wanted to win his bet with the head of the academy''s flying club.


    After walking down, a not so long corridor, the two of them were in front of arge metal door. It had a kind of wheel in the front, and you could see several key entrances to the door. Following two rows down the side and going around in locks the circle.


    The Wizard then ced his hand in front of the door, and turned it. Each of the locks opened little by little, creating a rhythmic and concise sound. The door was very thick, and the very wall that enclosed that room was thick.


    In the room it was possible to see several open books, note sheets, and magical material on the right. Crystals, pens and inkwells were everywhere. On a round table in the center you could see several different objects, each one proving to be extremely distinct from the other.


    There were tworge bracelets of some kind of ck metal, the size of both was sorge that perhaps not even Luke''s two legs would berge enough topletely enclose the equipment, the bracelet has details of an orange color that glowed in an exuberant tone. Next to it was a curved ck ded Katana with red details engraved on it.


    There was also the chestte encrusted with precious stones and extremely eye-catching blue details. The reflection of the metal of this armor was so pure that it looked like a mirror.


    Next to the armor was a pair of sses simr to the ones Luke used to protect himself in the next room. However, the lenses of this goggle were opaque, with two magical circles appearing where the ss should be. Andstly, a ck helmet with two red horns and a magic rune written in a scarlet red.


    As they both approached the equipment table, Zhanid asked Luke to extend his hand. The young man promptly did so, and at that very instant. Zhanid gently held Luke''s arm.


    A blue light began to emanate from the palm of the half-wolf''s hand. It was not so strong, but its color in a strange way reminded him of Bnce. Until slowly he understood what was happening. His mana was leaving his body.


    Soon, three small spheres of energy were appearing in front of both of them. Zhanid then made a gesture that ced the three spheres on top of the equipment on the table.


    With a sharp downward movement, the three mana spheres burst like soap bubbles on top of the items. Revealing several intricate symbols on each of the equipment.


    The ck Katana had a bright red engraving on Zhao''s tongue. The bracelet and helmet were in anguage that was simply not recognizable, although the symbols vaguely resembled a rune. The sses wore several magical circles, all over their surface. And in the case of the armor, it was a mixture between runes and magic circles.


    "These items are magical relics from various peoples of our world." Zhanid then turned to Luke, and put his hand on the young man''s shoulder. "Please help us with your mana reserve."


    Then Megan opened another door that led to the room where the two of them were.


    "Zhanid you can''t show such a secretive room to some stranger. Hunf¡­"

 Chapter 348 Again In A Bath

    Then Megan opened another door that led to the room where the two of them were


    "Zhanid you can''t show such a secretive room to some stranger. Hunf!"


    The Girl approached the two again with heavy steps. She put both hands on her waist and asked Luke?


    "Who are you?"


    Before the young man could answer, the old mage already entered the middle of the conversation.


    "Don''t worry, little Megan, this young man is reliable. He hase to help us in the project of unifying the magic code" Zhanid then reached out his hand and patted the head of the youngdy.


    "Old Zhanid... If you say so then fine" said Megan, with an annoyed face that at the same moment reminded Luke of Nathalia. In the end, the two were really alike. Not in appearance, but something in the way, in the way the girl acted, reminded Nathalia.


    The young mage then turned to Luke, cing one of her hands on her chest, she said:


    "My name is Megan Windcrystal, what is yours?" After that she looked up attentively waiting for the answer. In her voice there was a certain air of superiority.


    "Luke Lange" The young man said trying not to show the slight irritation he was having.


    ''This girl is already bothering me''


    [Not that much, she really looks like Nathalia, you guys will get along fine].


    ''There''s not much that can be done.''


    After the introductions, the old wizard Zhanid called the half-wolf back to the central square. It was necessary to finalize his and Meredith''s registration. Luke said goodbye to Megan, almost calling her Nathalia by mistake.


    As the two of them were reaching the exit. The old mage made an unusual proposal.


    "It might be easier for you to visualize the spell with a little experience." said Zhanid as he removed his staff from his back.


    "What do you mea-" without even being able to finish what he was talking about, they both began to levitate, the feeling was something Luke had never even imagined. His whole body felt like it was being carried by the wind. And so, their feet were levitating higher and higher.


    After they both reached an already higher height, Zhanid turned and began to speak.


    "Let me deal with controlling magic today, just try to remember the wind on your feet." After that, Luke understood what he was talking about, a strange sensation began to push him in the direction the old mage was guiding.


    It was as if his body was being pulled by Nathalia''s <Grappigling Hook>, however, in a gentler way and all over his body. Luke concluded that the only difference he would have when it came to training this magic, would be having to make the decision of where to go.


    ''But what would happen if I tried to control the route now.'' By the time Luke thought about this possibility, he was hundreds of feet up, a little farther from the beach, above a forest. Already the main buildings of the academy could be seen.


    ''Just imagine your mana moving and the wind moving you, okay.''


    When the half-wolf focused a little more on this, he began to levitate and get control of the magic, which quickly excited him.


    "Zhanid I think I got it." When Luke said this, Zhanid felt the variation in his mana and spell control, but it was toote.


    The young man plummeted with nowhere tond, turning around he saw the tree branchesing closer and closer. It would be an imminent death, but suddenly the speed of the fall was slowing, until Luke was levitating again.


    "Hohohohoho Leave it to me this time boy! I found your ability to overwrite my magic amazing." Zhanid then turned around and continued to take the courses of the flight.


    The view of the academy was indeed much more beautiful in the sky. The various buildings, so crafted in marble and white concrete, now looked much smaller than from the ground. The people walking through the streets were now also seed-sized.


    The crystals of the Diamond teau emitted their beautiful light, which created several small sparks noticeable by day from above. Luke could also see other people flying, some on swords, others on staffs. But what caught the boy''s attention was why no one was simply flying like Zhanid.


    "Lord Zhanid, why don''t you need to use a sword to levitate?" Luke questioned the old mage.


    The mage then replied "Hohoho, you have good eyes." running his hand through his beard, he continued. "I have a good amount of mana and a high mastery of wind magic and gravity magic. So, I don''t need an artifact to help me direct and save mana."<sub> </sub>


    This only demonstrated how the old mage possessed a much greater ability than the other students and teachers. And now that Luke had met Megan, he began to wonder if she really was as capable as they talked about her.


    ''Bnce, you sensed something different about that girl.''


    [Her magic level was higher than Zhanid''s, and the book that was stuck in her skirt... It had a series of extremelyplex magic circles].


    ''An enchanted book then''


    [Exactly.]


    Then the two of them arrived in front of the main building of the academy. The sound of their feet stepping on the ground showed that both of them already possessed weight again. It was a strange feeling for Luke to stop worrying about gravity and minutester it returned.


    This gave a different feeling to the young man, who looked up to the sky thinking about how to control the wind magic. Then he turned around and continued to follow Zhanid.


    As soon as the old magician reached the entrance of the building, the receptionist bowed with a gesture of respect. The students standing nearby did the same movement. Bowing their heads and slightly lowering their knees.


    The two then approached the receptionist. Zhanid held out his hand and handed her his card, which was a different color than Luke''s, white with blue and gold details. After this, Meredith and Luke''s registration wasplete. This was the confirmation they needed to be researchers at the academy.


    The receptionist then walked away and went through a door behind the bench. After a few minutes, she returned with two uniforms, one for Luke and one for Meredith. They had the same style as the rest of the academy, white with blue details. But since the pendant on both of them was green, it had highlighted some green details on the clothes.


    Now that Luke saw the two uniforms, Adrian''s directions the day before made sense. There were four types of pendants and uniforms. The green ones represented the researchers of the academy, the red ones represented the students. The only exception were the gold ones that showed that this was an important member.


    The uniform was in a white pattern with blue details, but in the case of reverent students like Megan, it was possible to have it altered as one wished. This also showed how special treatment there was for those with even more extraordinary feats and abilities.


    Zhanid then said goodbye and flew off back to hisboratory. Luke walked to the researchers'' dormitory, taking his uniforms with him. It would be better to walk around the academy dressed as a member, so as not to attract so much attention.


    When Luke reached the dorm and climbed the stairs, he heard a different sounding from inside the room. As he got closer, he could tell it was Meredith''s voice, she was singing.


    The young man didn''t hesitate to open the door; he saw a beautiful sight. The girl waspletely naked, singing whilebing the hair of her tail.


    "You took your time Luke" Meredith said giving an embarrassed smile.


    Luke threw his uniform on her bed. Turning around so as not to look more than he should.


    "Get dressed, I want to see how it looks on you" Luke said.


    Then the young man could hear the sound of the half-fox putting on her clothes. This sped up the half-wolf''s heart, who chose to go into the bathroom and change.


    [My heart is beating pretty hard huh, big boy].


    ''You don''t intend to stop talking about it, do you?''


    [Not even a little hihi.]


    Luke got dressed, put on his pants, then his sock, then his shirt and zer.


    The clothes were a little baggy, but after he finished getting dressed, they started to suck up some of his mana. At that moment, the clothes began to adjust to the half-wolf''s size, standing at a point that seemed to have been made exclusively for his use.


    ''This is actually quite useful; it''s not bothering my tail either.''


    Luke turned around a bit, and then opened the bathroom door. He found himself facing Meredith.


    "You look beautiful." The words came out almost automatically from Luke''s mouth. At the same moment, the half-fox became a little embarrassed and her cheeks reddened.


    Then the two of them put on their shoes that were next to the door. Meredith would go to her first sses at the academy, she would delve deeper into the magical arts. While Luke would again go to theb to talk and study with Megan.


    ''I need her help.''

 Chapter 349 Choosing A Weapon

    The way back to theboratory was long, which gave Luke a lot of space to think about what he wanted to do in the days ahead. As much as it was an effect of the curse, he felt weak, and this feeling was bothering the young man. As he walked along, an interesting question popped into his head.


    ''Bnce, I wanted to ask you something.''


    [Sure, go ahead and ask it.]


    You have a much broader view of the world than I do. How can I be stronger?


    After this unusual questioning, a few seconds passed in silence. Luke kept walking, waiting for an answer. Until the Goddess began to speak:


    [To be strong is to know how to use your abilities to your advantage, both negative and positive. But more than anything, it''s knowing how to develop yourself and always seek to surpass something greater. To ovee something greater].


    What do you mean?


    [You won''t be stronger without being able to look at what you already have, and what you want to have. It''s no use thinking about how many people you''ve beaten in a fight, without thinking about whether you would be able to beat those you need to beat].


    ''Would I be able to beat the first servant?''


    [The better question is: how to defeat the first servant?].


    <o>,m To beat the rest of the minions, Luke will need to evolve much further than he already has. This question began to ponder in the young man''s mind, and at that moment, only two answers appeared in his mind.</o>


    Apart from the artifact, Luke needed a new weapon, one that would be versatile and useful for an assassin, a rogue like himself. So, since he was already going to study weapon enchantments. It seemed logical to the young man that within the academy, there was probably an area focused on creating magical weapons.


    ''Bnce, if you were to choose a weapon for me, which one would be best?''


    [Hmm, thinking about yourbat style... I think a Katana would be ideal].


    ''What makes you conclude that?''


    [You have a stealthbat style, but you also go into melee battles quite often. It''s the weapon that seems right for you].


    This analysis by Bnce made sense to Luke, who continued during the walk reflecting on his decisions. After a few minutes, he was back on the beach, in front of the three giant concrete domes where Zhanid''sboratories were located.


    As soon as he opened the front door, Luke could hear the young magician Meganining in a slightly raised tone. The Young Man followed the noise, walking through the corridors until he found a sort of living room with chairs, tea, cookies, books and arge sofa.


    A giant red and blue carpet covered the floor of the space. Above it was Adrian curled up in an armchair while Meganined about him.


    "You can''t touch my private research material, not even to dust!" She said as she stared at him furiously.


    The frightened Boy replied "I-I''m Sorry" and then got up and ran outside running away.


    He ran past Luke without bothering to greet him. When the young man reached the hallway, he ran even faster exiting the building.


    "He doesn''t have a concert anyway," Megan said, huffing and fixing her hair.


    She then looked at the half-wolf and started giving directions.


    "You are going to work with me, I need you to get the books on this list I am going to pass you. Two of them are in Zhanid''sb, one of the books was with Adrian. The rest you will find in the research collection in the third dome." The girl then handed the list to Luke and sat down at a table.


    Her desk was cluttered and full of open books. Next to a notebook with a pen was the ck Katana with red details that Luke had seen.


    He turned around, and began his search. Which took much longer than he imagined, finding Zhanid''s desk was easy. He was able to recognize the equipment used by the old wizard, all thanks to the trip he had until he reached the academy.


    But where Adrian''s desk was was a challenge, after getting tired of looking through so many open books, Luke decided to climb the stairs to therge dome. In the first dome, there were test rooms, but nothing that was really interesting or connected to what he needed.<sub> </sub>


    Several things caught Luke''s attention. There was a room that focused exclusively on the study of several different nts that the young man had never even imagined existed. Some had signs saying they were from Zhao, others from remote parts of Melki.


    A small bonsai caught Luke''s eye at the same time.


    "Cherry trees of endless mana."


    The moment he said those words, Megan coughed behind him.


    "You took too long; I''ll help you look. I''ll introduce you to the office."


    Luke was amused by the nt, which surprised Megan. She then approached the two of them.


    "That''s tree has my favorite flowers. The monks of Zhao have cultivated this species for hundreds of years, channeling mana into the leaves. They are one of the few trees capable of reacting still alive to the presence of mana." The girl as she began to recite her knowledge, demonstrated her broad notion of magic.


    The girl then began to exin about the uses and functions of the nt, told a little about the long history of the Zhao empire. And how one of the students got this bonsai from one of the main monasteries in the continent.


    When the academy received the news that it could receive such a rare nt, Zhanid promptly went with a group of researchers to search for the nt on the other continent. Traveling for several days by boat, just to retrieve this single nt.


    By now there were several endless mana cherry trees scattered around Melki''s academy. Each one allocated to one of the important research centers. But the original one remained there, in Zhanid''s mainboratory.


    Luke quickly understood how he could approach Megan. The girl liked to receive questions, and she loved even more to be able to answer those questions. In this brief conversation, from the way the girl reacted to Luke''s interest, he concluded that he could use this to his advantage.


    Learning by taking questions from her and, at the same time, building confidence through these conversations. The girl looked a bit like Zhanid when it came to exining, she spoke a lot ofplex information about magic, without realizing how extremely high the level of her answers was.


    The two of them walked through the threebs, as Luke asked about magic, she answered him and exined the functionality of each of the areas in the research center.


    "Megan, is there a division that specializes in the study of magical weapons?" Luke questioned, already having in mind to look for a skilled cksmith to assist in the creation of his artifact and weapon.


    Megan then turned around, "Of course we do, my sister is head of that division as well." She then pointed to the table with the equipment. "Our focus now is to figure out a way to unite the different magic codes into one, the goal is to create a more efficient way to enchant equipment."


    The items on the table were extremely distinct from each other. The main reason for this was the very origin of each one. They were equipment made in different regions, with different focuses and types of magic.


    The rune system of one waspletely different from the rune system of the other. The magic circles on one were drawn in a different way than on the other. Zhao''s equipment, for example, had a gigantic focus on healing and mana transfer duringbat.


    "This bracelet belonged to a giant from the far north, the runes within it have the ability to amplify the wearer''s strength. This Katana of Zhao, on the other hand, each cut made by the wearer begins to steal mana and use this energy to heal the wearer. The focus of our research center has been to develop a manual for the academy''s cksmiths to be able to freely use these different types of magic."


    As the girl spoke, her hair swayed in a soft way. She was thoroughly entertained exining it, it was something fun, it was her life''s goal.


    Magic had variations depending on each region, this was something Luke never even imagined could ur. And unifying this different knowledge was an extremely arduous and interesting task. It was a challenge that he became interested inpleting.


    "Do you know how I can master the air control spell? I wanted to learn sword flight; I have an exam tomorrow to get into that group." The moment Luke questioned Megan about this, she smiled and held out her arms.


    "Hold here, this kind of magic is pretty simple to master."


    Luke then stretched out his arms holding the young woman''s arms. She then began to recite the incantation, and slowly Luke began to fly. Repeating the feeling of lightness, he had felt earlier. Then the girl''s feet began to rise as well.


    They were both flying. She then looked at Luke and said:


    "Now, concentrate and try to override my control. Imagine the wind passing through your feet and lifting you up."


    This time, with Megan''s guidance, Luke was able to keep himself in the air. He was one step further on the path to mastering the wind element.

 Chapter 350 Persuading Megan

    This time, with Megan''s guidance, Luke managed to keep himself in the air. He was one step further on the path to mastering the wind element.


    However, not even a minute passed before he fell to the ground. Hended on his feet, without losing his bnce, but it was frustrating how a small wobble in his concentration was enough to knock him to the ground. Megan continued in the air looking at the boy, until she ced one of her hands on her chin and began to think out loud.


    "Hmm, the control wobble should improve with training." realizing she was starting to focus too much on her thoughts, the girl shook her head and walked down to Luke.


    "What did you feel differently?" She said.


    "I could understand a little bit how the wind was lifting me up, but there came a time when it just stopped making sense" Luke said as he thought about what had just happened.


    However, soon a new idea popped into the head of the young mage, who ran to her desk, opened a drawer and took out a small white crystal. She then walked back to Luke and handed it to the young man.


    "Sit down on the floor and hold this." said the young woman. Luke then sat down in a meditation position. Following Megan''s directions.


    Megan then continued the exnation of her idea "Focus on making the crystal levitate, that should be easy for you."


    Luke then with his eyes closed, began trying to imagine the small crystal being levitated by the wind. Receiving support at its base from various sides, just as he received levitating with Megan. He also remembered the feeling he experienced flying with the wizard Zhanid, when all the weight of his body was gone.


    Luke''s mana was then concentrated in the crystal, and as the crystal began to float, a white light appeared within it. This faint glow was the half-wolf''s mana materializing inside the crystal, while the magic was happening.


    Megan then approached Luke "Now, keep yourself in that state for five minutes."


    The moment Luke heard this, he felt determined to continue. The young magician then timed the time, while reading a book.


    The minutes passed and the task of keeping the crystal floating was arduous for Luke. It was like a continuous mental effort, a test of determination. But after the five minutes, Megan approached the boy and with a smile announced his victory.


    "You managed to keep the stone levitating for five minutes, do you want to go to the next stage?" Luke then opened his eyes and let the crystal fall into the palm of his hand.


    "Sure, but what''s the point of all this?" He inquired, curious.


    Megan then put her index finger to her lips, showing that she was thinking about how to answer "Hmm, I guess it will make more sense in the next stage."


    Luke then again returned to his old position,ining he said:


    "If you say so"


    Again the crystal began to levitate, emitting a light this time even stronger.


    The young magician then gave the half-wolf his next directions "Now, imagine you are the crystal. Put yourself in the ce of the crystal, as if you had arger version of yourself levitating you."


    Within the half-wolf''s mental image, he began to visualize arger version of himself holding him levitating. It didn''t take long for the young man to actually begin to float. Now he was in the air and the crystal, began to emit an even stronger glow.


    Megan then decided that she would not warn him about the weather, and just left the boy to meditate. She went back to reading her book and making some notes as time passed. Inside Luke''s head, that arduous task slowly became rxing, and he managed to find bnce and stay at that point of concentration with gentleness.


    After about forty minutes, Luke finally opened his eyes. It was as if he had juste out of a long hot bath, his body was rested and his mind clear. All the effort of keeping himself flying now seemed automatic.


    "How long has it been?" Luke asked, confused as he noticed the different window light.


    "Hmm, I haven''t even seen it" Megan said, who promptly looked at her watch. The girl''s face reacted on the spot with amazement "You went for forty minutes on this, I''ve never seen a rookie do so well on this test before."


    The girl hadpletely forgotten about the time passing while she was focused on reading. Megan''s startled reaction made Luke start tough, he wasn''t annoyed but surprised at his own ability.


    "So now if I want to levitate, I just have to replicate that idea."


    The Young Man then tried to redo what he had tried before. Floating again, but this time with his eyes open while talking to the girl in front of him. Slowly the half-wolf''s feet were levitating.<sub> </sub>


    "Yes, but this magic takes a lot of your mana. Plus it''s hard to control where you want to go" the girl noted as she poured herself a cup of tea.


    "But what about Orion and Zhanid? They seem to use that idea without any problems" Luke replied.


    "Zhanid merges this concept with gravitational magic, whereas Orion uses spirits to manage where he wants to go. It would take a lot of mana and a lot of magic mastery to control with just wind" The moment Megan said this, she then turned around, only to see Luke going back and forth, floating in the air.


    "I don''t think it''s as hard as you said" Luke replied, unassuming.


    Again, Megan made an expression of genuine surprise, she was dumbfounded at a visibly beginner mage mastering flight with wind magic so easily.


    "H-how are you doing this?!" The girl asked, excited about the novice.


    "I just imagine that I am not only being lifted upward, but pulled to the side I want to go."


    Luke remembered how Nathalia used the <Grappling Hook>, after so much training alongside the elf, it was impossible not to remember the sesation of being pulled freely through the air.


    If he wanted to go right, just by remembering his old training he was already able to control the wind to go in the desired direction.


    "If you learn that fast, I have a proposition for you!" Megan said, pointing at the young man.


    "Sure." Answered Luke.


    "Follow Me" Megan said, moving one of her arms calling to Half-wolf.


    The two walked through the corridors of theb until they exited through the main entrance. It was a little close to dusk, but the beach was still well lit. You could hear the waves of the sea getting a little stronger with the dusk.


    Now the two young men were a few steps apart, facing each other on the white sand that reflected the sunlight. The girl then began to concentrate and levitated without any problem. She then looked into Luke''s eyes and challenged him.


    "You controlled the wind pretty fast, but I''m sure you can''t levitate without scattering the sand on the beach.


    Luke then thought for a moment, and began to concentrate. Just as he predicted, the beach sand began to fly off in all directions, following the circles of wind that Luke created beneath him. A circle-shaped mark appeared below the young man, and a wave of dust went swirling around him.


    Realizing that he had failed the challenge, he then stopped, falling on his feet to the ground. Spreading even more sand. Megan''s face showed sincere anger.


    "You threw sand at me!" She shouted, soon after, with one of her hands, the girl created a sphere of wind that spread all the sand on her body.


    "I''ll try one more time, take cover." Luke said, now even more determined that he would be able to win his new challenge. The young man then focused on imagining the wind pulling him from above, not lifting him by his feet.


    The current of air lifted Luke by the shoulders, and when his feet were off the sandy ground, the half-wolf opened his eyes. Again his body weight was gone, and he was levitating in the air, not far from the sand, but no longer creating the vortex that spread dust everywhere.


    He then again tried to move back and forth, controlling the wind flow on his sides and keeping himself in the air.


    In front of such a clear demonstration of pure talent, Megan began tough.


    "You really are skilled, I liked you."


    Luke gave a small smile. The Half-wolf then reached down and approached the young mage.


    "I''m sorry for getting you dirty." He said, but before he had time to bow, the mage replied:


    "Oh no need, no need! I''m the one who challenged you to it anyway." She said, her face flushing a little.


    Now Luke was ready to show Orion his skills.

 Chapter 351 Temperature

    Now, Luke was prepared to show Orion his abilities.


    After the flight training, Luke helped Megan with the research. The young mage kept asking for books and files, and the half-wolf had to run back and forth between the three domes of the Zhanidboratory. A few hourster, Adrian arrived on the scene.


    As soon as he entered the room, Luke stared at him with a deadly stare.


    "Ehee! Is everything all right Luke?"


    If Adrian was around, the search for the files would probably go faster. Even with Megan''s guidance, helping the research progress was something much more difficult than he had imagined. The least of it was giving up his mana for the objects, all the work of searching and sorting through documents was extremely stressful.


    The Young Mage then turned and began to take slow steps outside. When Luke''s hand touched the boy''s shoulder. At that very moment he could feel the giant killer instinct of the half-wolf behind him.


    "You''re going to help me, here!" said Luke, his eyes showing all his anger.


    Adrian then turned around, and stood beside the young half-wolf as another research assistant for Megan. The Young Magician was extremely demanding and methodical, and in a moment of sloppiness, Adrian ended up knocking over some of the books that were on a table. Little did he know, that the books were arranged in a scheme of the girl''s reasoning.


    "You did it again!"


    Megan was furious and began to give the young man a long scolding. She only ended the lecture when Luke questioned her about how she organized the books. The Girlpletely changed her mood when questioned with an interesting question.


    "You... You are a genius." said Adrian, his eyes watering with happiness.


    ''Atst, I finally understood how to deal with her. Thank you, Master Luke.''


    These thoughts went through Adrian''s head. When Luke turned around, he saw the kneeling boy swearing allegiance.


    "Please ept me as your disciple." said the blond-haired young man, his forehead glued to the ground.


    "Well, sure..." Said Luke, who soon went back to proofreading the texts Megan asked him to transcribe.


    The Task in theb was long and extremely tiring, but only with the fragments of books that Luke needed to transcribe, and the questions he asked the girl known as Living Library. Luke''s knowledge of the magical arts increased with surprising speed.


    Adrian proved to be extremely useful as well, the boy had a very good notion of magic and waspletely familiar with the collection of the threeboratories. When Megan asked for some material for the transcription of scrolls, Luke would go straight to Adrian who knew the location of any necessary item. This made it much easier that day.


    As night was approaching. Theb activities closed. However, Megan, Luke and Adrian continued on the beach chatting. The two mages, although younger, were obviously much more experienced in the magical arts. They both decided to support and give short instructions regarding the most basic magics.


    "The maniption of basic magics, in general, is simple. You just have to take it from one ce and put it in another. For the intermediate level spells, you put what you have together to generate what you want." said Adrian, looking up to the sky thinking about what he was talking about.


    Obviously, this exnation was very bad, which left the half-wolf full of doubts. But soon Megan cut the blond boy off, giving a much more specific view of the use of magic.


    "Let''s suppose you want to create fire magic, you need to turn mana into heat. Both to burn something, and to keep the me going by itself."


    The young girl stood with her index finger up. At the top of it, a small me appeared. She then pointed her finger with a certain speed. The small ember flew out.


    "The amount of mana you put in, and how you visualize the ending happening, determines how the spell will happen. If I, for example, add more mana and manipte next to the fire some air to be used as fuel."


    Megan then made the same gesture with her hands, but this time, the me was much stronger. As the fire came out of her finger, arge fireball appeared, speeding towards the sand.


    *VUUUSH*


    The Fire then collided with the sand, going out at the same instant. The young woman then spoke again.


    "If you add more fuel and control the end, the effect of a simple magic bes much stronger."


    The Ease with which the girl-controlled magic was something that left Luke extremely surprised. Her knowledge was also extremely vast, but unlike Zhanid, Megan''s exnations made sense and were easy to understand.<sub> </sub>


    "But, if we have Fire, Earth, Air and Water as basic attributes. How would it work to create an ice magic like Zhanid''s?"


    Luke''s Question made the young mage''s eyes sparkle. She then excitedly began to exin:


    "You do know what a wet pike looks like, right?" Megan asked.


    "Yes... He has more water in the air than normal." Answered Luke.


    "The thing is that every ce has some water in the air. When we use water magic, we use our mana to gather this water and concentrate it. When the purpose of the spell is to turn the water into ice. The Conjurer just starts concentrating more and more of the water, while using an auxiliary spell to lower its temperature." Young Megan then held out her hand, creating a sphere of water in front of the three of them.


    The sphere of water then began to rotate, increasing its speed. Gradually it became a massive sphere of ice. Luke''s ears showed his surprise at the spell.


    "To turn the sphere into ice, I just used the wind to lower the temperature of the water. Until it became ice."


    Megan then made a gesture with her hand, which threw the ice ball with extreme speed into the sea.


    *WUUUSH*


    "Sure, there is how you can create basic elements by manipting mana. But that already goes into a much more advanced level of magic, and requires much more understanding and mastery."


    Megan then held out her hand in front of Luke. Slowly, small blue crystals appeared, forming a small bird. The sculpture grewrger. Then it stopped growing.


    "I just condensed some of my magic into a mana crystal. Some experienced mages, like Zhanid, are able to create fire, water and even electricity with their own magic."


    Then the young mage looked at the horizon with certain remorse in her chest.


    "I am still far from bing such an amazing mage. I can do high-level spells, but I''m still far from surpassing the old man or even the advanced ss students."


    She felt guilty. Which made no sense to Luke. Megan was an amazing mage, she could master so many difficult subjects that he, until recently, couldn''t even imagine were possible.


    Luke then put his hand on the girl''s shoulder and began to speak.


    "To be stronger, you only need to look at what you already have. Understand what you don''t have, and see how to reach your goal. The one you want to ovee or the one you want to conquer. Don''t feel weak for still being far from where you want to get to, everything is a process, it''s a path."


    Half-wolf''s words were extremely weing to Megan, who then smiled at him, controlling herself not to fall into tears. The girl worked harder than anyone else at the academy, which was even why she got that nickname. She was only known as Living Library, after years of continuous effort reading, learning, and memorizing various books at Melki''s academy.


    Megan was an orphan girl, having only her sister to keep herpany at the academy. She took books and knowledge as her main focus in life. Her goal was to be a mage capable of improving and revolutionizing the world. With such a great desire came a much greater self-charge.


    The three then said their goodbyes, Megan went to the girls'' dormitory while Adrian and Luke continued walking together to the main za. The young mage''s respect for Half-wolf grew quite a bit the day of.


    "Dude, you can say some pretty thing buddy." Adrian said, giving Luke a little punch on the shoulder.


    "I''m just trying to help, haha!" Lukeughed as he continued walking.


    The two then talked about the research in theb and what should be done for the next day. When they reached the main square, Adrian went to the rectory building and Luke headed for the dormitory.


    [You stole that phrase from me, big boy].


    ''Your message helped me; I think it was right to share it with Megan.''


    [You really are quite the romantic.]


    Luke walked up the stairs to his bedroom door, when he heard the sound of the bathtub filling from outside.

 Chapter 352 FireBall

    Luke walked up the stairs until he reached the door to his room, when he heard the sound of the bathtub filling up from outside.


    Without hesitation, he put the key in the door and entered, only to find his room empty. In the bathroom was Meredith, singing. The room was exactly as it had been in the morning, but now, Meredith''s uniform was on her bed. But on the young man''s bed, was a bra and panties, which were purposely left on top of Luke''s bed.


    Half-fox heard the noise of the door opening, and with a smile on her face she shouted for help to the young man on the other side of the wall.


    "Luke! Help me, I forgot my underwear on your bed!" She said, just then thedy startedughing alone in the tub.


    Luke looked at his bed, grabbed the two pieces of clothing, and fearlessly opened the bathroom door. Meredith was then visibly surprised by the young man''s reaction, who did not show the slightest bit of shame.


    He then left the clothes in the bathroom and turned around, pretending not to have seen anything. Both then were unable to say even one word, both their hearts were beating extremely hard.


    ''Get a grip Luke, I just need to get a grip until I get back to Broteforge.''


    [You can do it kid!]


    You know I''m about to lose to her.


    [I know well enough, but why don''t we go out on the balcony and wait for Meredith to get out of the shower.]


    Luke then opened the ss window that led to the balcony of the room, he leaned on an iron railing. The view from that ce was straight out to sea, the moon was reflecting on the water, showing how the waves were quietly dancing.


    ''Would I be able to cast magic like that?''


    Luke thought, remembering when Megan had thrown a gigantic fireball. The Young Man had not even tried to use fire magic, in fact, he had not yet tried to use any magic that was not rted to the element of wind.


    [Why don''t you just try? maybe just a little me! hehe!]


    ''But how should I visualize? That book said to turn the heat sensation of my hand into fire, but that''s so vague...''


    [Okay! I''ll give you the instructions and you''ll try to perform the magic, all right?]


    Luke nodded.


    [First, put your hand in front of you and snap your fingers].


    The half-wolf then followed themand.


    *c*


    [Now, notice the heat from your hand when your fingers collide. Concentrate on that heat and try to put some of your mana into it.]


    The boy''s eyes were extremely focused on his hand. Analyzing every detail of that sensation. The contact of his fingers, his mana flowing down his arm to his hand. The way the cold of the balcony enhanced the warmth of the young man''s body.


    He waspletely attentive to the sensations. Until with the snap of a finger, a small me came out, like a flint hitting, the friction of Luke''s hand channeled the mana out generating that small fire.


    [Hahaha! Good boy! Now try again, but concentrate on using your mana for fuel].


    Again, Luke focused on his fingers, he was going to try to mimic that same action he saw Megan performing. He felt his mana concentrating again in his hand, until imitating that gesture, a small ming sphere appeared on the half-wolf''s fingertips.


    That small me was slowly consuming Luke''s mana, but it made no difference to him. He then started to concentrate more and more energy, and that little sphere of fire was getting bigger and bigger.


    Until Luke, with a gesture of his hands, threw it away. That fireball flew off into the sea, where it was extinguished.


    Behind the half-wolf was Meredith, who began to p her hands. As she approached the young man. She was already dressed in her sleeping clothes.


    "You really are a fast learner," said the half-fox.<sub> </sub>


    "I just need to learn this. You know how everything gets easier when you have no other option." replied Luke.


    Both of them knew what it was like to need something, to need to get money and food, to need to learn how to get by. In Luke''s heart, this situation was the same as in his childhood. He was learning magic out of necessity, he needed any means to be stronger, any means to beat the first servant.


    "The introductory magic sses were pretty heavy today..." said Meredith, extending her hand out from the balcony.


    "Ikuran Firebolt" A fireball a little smaller than the one Luke cast appeared a little in front of the half-fox''s hand. She then cast the spell the fireball forward, but it slowly disappeared before it even reached the water.


    The girl turned to Luke with an annoyed face.


    "How did you manage to master it so fast?! You didn''t even conjure the spell!"


    Luke began tough as Meredith punched him in the chest with small punches.


    "Let''s see, I''ll try to conjure it this time," Luke said. Now he put his hand out in front of him and repeated Meredith''s action, doing the same visualization as before, but this time, reciting the spell.


    A huge fireball appeared a few meters in front of them, and its sudden appearance startled the half-fox, who fell sitting on the ground. Luke then channeled more and more mana into the fireball, which grew and expanded.


    Until he made a gesture with his hands, causing the huge fireball to fly upwards. Traveling at a high speed until it fell into the water. Even from afar, it was possible to hear the sound of the water evaporating with the heat of the spell.


    At that very moment, the door of the room received three knocks.


    *Knock, Knock, Knock*


    Meredith ran to answer it, it was the dorm''s receptionist. She was dressed in a more casual outfit, with a visibly annoyed face.


    "Please don''t cast any unauthorized spells so close to the dorm. I''ll ignore it since it was the first time it happened, but if it happens again, I''ll give you both a warning." She said in a slightly sleepy voice.


    Luke and Meredith both apologized. Soon after, the two decided to go to sleep. The half-wolf was looking at the ceiling of the room, he didn''t expect magic to be something so easy to control. In a few minutes he was able to master an attack that could be very useful inbat, the various possibilities of using magic were now running through his head.


    Now unafraid to use the other types of elemental magic, Luke decided to train the next day in as many basic spells as possible. In the book he had read during the wagon ride, arge part of the spells was totally focused on manipting basic elements. If he had already mastered wind and was now beginning to understand how fire magic works, his conclusion was what would happen if he used both at the same time.


    When Luke woke up, the sky had just risen. Today would be a different day for him, around noon he was to go to the beach to meet Orion. After that he would go back to the researchboratory. But while there was time to spare, Luke went on with his morning routine.


    As soon as he got up, he went down to the cafeteria of the dormitory. He fed himself, came back, and began a series of exercises. He was trying not to wake Meredith, but continued with his normal workout. He did a series of push-ups, squats and sit-ups.


    When Meredith woke up, the first sight the half-fox saw in the morning was of Luke performing sit-ups, his body waspletely drenched in sweat. His breathing wasbored and his forehead was hot. The half-fox soon pretended to go back to sleep, embarrassed and trying to control herself not to kiss the half-wolf.


    The half-wolf took a shower, put on his academy uniform, and ran to the beach where the flight training group should be.


    Already on the way he could see several students flying over the academy on top of their swords. This created a certain doubt in Luke''s mind. How could he get one of these swords and where is the cksmith area of the academy. Megan said she had a sister who made artifacts at the academy, so he decided to ask herter.


    When Luke reached the beach, he heard the sound of angry punches and shouts. He then sped off. It was the group of students from the flying club, a fight was going on between two students.


    A red-haired boy was on top punching a ck-haired boy several times, around the two of them was a circle of nervous girls who didn''t know how to intervene. Orion was not around, so Luke quickly concentrated and used wind magic to separate the two.


    The Red-headed Boy flew away, falling into the sand. The Red-headed Boy followed, rolling away as well. When this was over, the sound of a typhoon appeared.


    It was Orion, who had just arrived.


    The wind mage then asked:


    "What made you attack my students, Newbie?"

 Chapter 353 Endless Green

    The Red-headed Boy flew away, falling into the sand. The Red-headed Boy rolled away as well. When this was over, the sound of a typhoon came. It was Orion, who had just arrived.


    The wind mage then asked:


    "What made you attack my students, newbie?"


    The girls who had been distressed watching the fight now surrounded Orion who had just arrived. It was like a fan clubpletely devoted to the leader of the flight team.


    ''Will I get into a fight?''


    [I dont think so.]


    The girls around the mage began to tell what had happened. Until then the magician''s annoyed face changed back to the usual handsome pokerface. A red-haired girl grabbed the wizard''s arm.


    "Eiii the wolf boy helped us, don''t fight with him!"


    Another girl with long blond hair threw herself at the wizard. "You don''t need to teach him a lesson, boss."


    In reality, it was obvious to Luke that they were just taking advantage of the urrence to rub off on Zhao''s mage. Now Orion''s face again went from typical pokerface, back to a face that showed his annoyance with the girls around him. Scratching the back of his own head, he stepped forward to Luke, ignoring the group of girls around him.


    "I''m sorry, I misunderstood. I didn''t mean to disrespect you." said the young man from Zhao, who soon bowed slightly.


    But Luke did not answer the young man, and just concentrated on channeling his magic. Just as he had done the day before, the tidal breeze around him was joining with the wind flow. Until the half-wolf began to levitate in front of Orion. The Wizard of Zhao gave a small smile, understanding Luke''s response.


    ''He cannot ept my apology if he has not yet proven himself worthy to receive it,'' Orion thought.


    But in the half-wolf''s mind, there was somethingpletely different.


    ''I really want to get a flying sword,'' thought Luke.


    The Wizard of Zhao then turned to the group of girls who were standing behind the two.


    "Get a timer, if it drops before 30 minutes, I want you to remove the half-wolf from here!"


    But to the surprise of everyone around, the boy began to move in mid-air. Lying with both hands behind his head. Luke''s whole body was being levitated by means of a much less efficient wind magic than the one used by Orion. This disy of audacity left the entire flying group in disbelief.


    Some of the young men who were watching from afar gritted their teeth as they looked on in fury. The girls who previously had Zhao''s mage as their main attraction, were now whispering as they watched Luke. But Orion just startedughing, something that further surprised everyone who was present.


    "The Boss isughing?"


    "The Boss canugh?!"


    "Nhaa! Hisugh is so beautiful!"


    It was the first time anyone had directly challenged Orion, this disy of confidence only increased the respect and admiration the Wizard of Zhao had for Luke.


    Amidst all the noise, the half-wolf''s head remained calm.


    ''I must take care not to sleep.''


    [If you lose by trying to sleep in the air, I will disturb you about it forever].


    ''But it''s kind offortable, just the feeling of the mana going out so fast is weird.''


    [If you possessed an ordinary mana reservoir, you probably would have copsed on the floor from exhaustion by now].


    As Luke quietly chatted with Bnce, just mindful in his thoughts and waiting for the time to pass. The entire flight group was watching the half-wolf attentively. Even Orion was attentive admiring the rookie''s ability.


    Time was passing and with each minute that concluded, the group around Luke became more and more surprised and euphoric. Everyone was whispering about it, talking and evenparing the head of the flight group and the half-wolf rookie.


    "He really didn''t use an incantation?"


    "Yes, he didn''t even conjure a spell."


    "Would the Chief be able to maintain such an odd flying position?"


    "I don''t think so, he always needs to channel spirits."


    It didn''t take long toplete the fifteen minutes required to enter the flight group. And even though he was warned that he hadpleted the challenge, the half-wolf continued to lie in the air. His goal was greater than justpleting the minimum requirement, he wanted toplete the 30minutes he proposed in challenge to the mage of Zhao.<sub> </sub>


    Orion Hitsukaze''s heart was beating fast, it was the first time in a long time that he felt challenged. But more than the thrill of seeing someone who couldpete with him, was wondering what feats Luke could aplish with the right guidance. Even if the rookie failed toplete the goal he challenged himself to, in the young Hitsukaze''s heart, the young man in front of him was already an ally.


    So, after these long minutes. The clock hadpleted 30minutes. The moment Luke heard that he had reached the finish line, he climbed down. Without showing that he was tired or even worried, he kept walking to Orion.


    "It''s nice to be in the team," Luke said, holding out his hand to the Zhao Wizard.


    "It shall be a pleasure to teach you, my friend," said Orion, shaking the half-wolf''s hand.


    All the students around the two began to shout with excitement. That demonstration of magical ability was somethingpletely amazing. After this, several members of the group arrived to introduce themselves to Luke.


    Everyone was eager to learn more about that mysterious new researcher. When the members had finished introducing themselves and talking to the half-wolf, the training began.


    The Wizard of Zhao was now again polishing his long greatsword with olive oil. Passing that green liquid on a cloth and illustrating the long sword. But when he noticed Luke''s footsteps approaching, he stopped whatever he was doing to talk to the novice.


    "How can I get a sword like that?" said Luke.


    "I can order one for you, but for now, try to train with one of our test equipment." replied Orion


    The flying swords were handmade, and when a member was promising enough, he could request exactly how he would like his equipment to be made. This was the case with Luke. Orion then invited the half-wolf at an opportune moment to go to the forge of the academy, where he could specify what type of equipment would suit his taste.


    This type of flying equipment was made by artisan mages. A skilled cksmith mage would forge the equipment, then a magic circle master would engrave the enchantments necessary for flight.


    Orion''s sword, for example, named Endless Green. It had four wind magic circles attached to it. Each one made it easier and improved the mastery, speed and mana expenditure of whoever used it.


    ''Just what we needed.''


    [Things are really moving forward].


    Orion then finished preparing his long sword. And extending his hand, another gigantic red Greatsword came flying in front of him.


    "Do you ept a challenge?" asked Orion.


    "Do you really want to lose twice?" replied Luke.


    All the members of the flight group stopped when they realized the event that was about to ur. The training track waspletely empty, there was no noise on the beach, apart of course from the sound of the sea. Everyone was paying attention to that friendly race.


    "I''m sure the boss will win."


    "It''s obvious he will win; the rookie has never piloted a sword."


    "But he had a greatmand in wind magic."


    Luke then channeled his mana into therge red greatsword that was in front of him. It was levitating a little above the ground. The moment he stepped on it, his foot caught on the weapon, as if his mana was keeping him steady on the de.


    Orion took the same course, climbing on his emerald sword. But unlike his normal runs, this time he had a smile on his face. Something that was really not at allmon to seeing from the head of the flying club.


    Everyone wasmenting and analyzing who could win that race.


    *Vuft*


    The sound of a Fireball shot flying upwards announced the start of the race.


    The half-wolf created two wind vortices behind his hands, controlling not only the winding out from under the sword but creating strong propulsion through his hands. The Sound of the twopetitors advancing was echoing across the beach.


    The Wizard of Zhao wasunching himself forward using only the airing out of his sword. The Sound of the de cutting the wind could be heard from afar. An emerald magic circle appeared on Orion''s back, creating a vortex of wind that elerated the magician even more.


    The two of them went back and forth across the beach circuit, both at an extremely brisk pace. Until at a certain moment, the path was approaching the waves of the sea. Orion''s sword was creating a wind so strong that even at a distance, it was cutting through the sea itself.


    Luke was not far away, but when they were both close to returning to the sand. Orion used all the energy he possessed, the smile on his face was gigantic. And so, he came in first ce.


    All the members of the group were speechless, Luke''s skill and ability were amazing. On his first day of training, he narrowly missed beating the leader of the flying group.


    Orion when he arrived at the beach threw himself on the sand, bursting intoughter.


    "Hahaha Finally! It''s been so long since I''ve had fun like this."


    The news of this race quickly spread through the academy.

 Chapter 354 Uneasy Heart

    News of this race quickly spread throughout the academy.


    When Luke arrived in front of theboratory, it was already possible to see several people walking around the area. Normally that beach was extremely empty, but from the academy''s news and gossip, the beach now had dozens of curious students.


    At first Luke found so many people strange, but he didn''t imagine that he was the reason that brought the curious visitors. Only a few hours had passed since this had happened. The moment Luke opened the main door of theboratory, Megan pulled him by the arm, closing the door immediately afterwards.


    "Uff! I didn''t quite understand what you did, but they''ve been asking about you for a while now," Megan said, breathing heavily from pulling the young man along.


    "Humph! What do you mean?" Luke asked, confused.


    "They''re talking about you beating someone important in a duel. Everyone is curious to see who the wolf boy is who defeated a golden pendant." replied the girl, turning and heading down the hall.


    ''That looks a little different from what happened...''


    [There''s not much that can be done, you attracted quite a bit of attention earlier. Just wait a bit, this group will get bored].


    Luke then followed Megan, they both still had work to do.


    Megan began to conduct some experiments rted to the use of magic on nts. As Adrian hadn''t arrived yet, the half-wolf and the living library were walking back and forth between theb.


    The idea of Megan''s main project was to connect the different types of magic that exist in the world; to aplish this, it was necessary to understand how each type of magic rted to mana and to living organisms.


    And this is where ntse in. Zhao''s healing Magic channels the conjurer''s mana to treat the wounded, in the case of Far North Magic, the wounded''s mana is used to heal themselves. These small changes in how a group of spells work was something that needed to be studied and noted.


    So, most of Luke''s work, up until then, was to pick up books and bring them to Megan. But today would differ, the two were now in ab room, Megan was holding a notebook with several spells written down. Each line in the notebook seemed to be in a differentnguage, some were even in different letters.


    "Breezing Heeling Ikeradis." Conjured Megan, cing her hand in front of a red flower. The flower then changed color, glowing white.


    The branches of the flower began to grow, the little flower doubled in size. It kept growing until it gradually stopped. The flower''s glow then faded, but its petals remained white.


    The young magician then cut a small branch from the flower. She left it on a table next to some books and turned to the vase again.


    "Ikyuradinyz Zhaynkokuryuga Wanyokyuoda." Conjured Megan, now, with her hand on top of the flower. Now the flower was shrinking in size. The white color of the petals returned to red, but the spot where the girl had cut it off, grew back.


    "If you notice Luke, the two spells have the same function. To strengthen living things. But in the first one, my mana was used to feed the nt. In the second, the mana the nt received was used to heal the cut branch." Megan concluded, noting the effects of the experiment.


    "You really know quite a bit; it makes sense that they call you Living Library." Luke replied.


    The moment the half-wolf said this, the young mage''s face blushed at the same instant. She ended up messing up what she was writing with her fright, dirtying the page with ink. The girl then sidestepped Luke, turning away.


    "But where did that nicknamee from?" The half-wolf continued.


    "It''s not a nickname, it''s a title..." Answered Megan


    She left her notebook on a table and turned to the half-wolf. cing one of her hands on his chest, she continued.


    "I received that title because I memorized all the books from the advanced session of the academy. No matter what the question is, I know the answer!" The Girl was confident, this sudden change in attitude only made Luke more confused about the situation.


    "Hmm! So, how can I make an electric spell? Adrianmented about them, but I couldn''t find a way to create that." Luke said.


    "Later we can test that on the beach..." Answered Megan, again bing embarrassed. She had never had very close contact with men before, so just the possibility of being alone with Luke was enough to make her scared and embarrassed.


    After the brief pause for conversation, they both continued on with the experiments. Luke had to erect and position several small potted nts on theboratory table. With each test, small changes in the spell took ce.


    The half-wolf could not understand clearly what was happening, but with his ears alone it was already possible to perceive that each spell had a different sound. They sounded likepletely differentnguages. The tests continued to go well, until Megan got tired of standing and sat down on a chair.<sub> </sub>


    "With that we finished the strengthening and healing spells. Now all that''s left to do is check the variations of the putrefaction spells." Megan concluded, in a noticeably tired voice.


    Luke had read about Rot Spells in the introductory book ofbat magic that he had borrowed from Zhanid. These were spells intended to cause an injury or wear and tear to the target. Because they are not elemental spells, they are ssified in the group of mana maniption spells.


    After a few minutes rest, Luke ced three pots on the experiment table. Megan was visibly tired, which made the half-wolf curious. It was impossible that such a skilled mage would have problems with mana.


    "You look tired, did something happen?" Luke asked.


    "I didn''t sleep a winkst night, I''ve been re-reading the research references." Answered Megan, who was almost asleep leaning on the table.


    Watching the tired girl, Luke had an unusual idea. He then turned to the mage and made a suggestion.


    "Let me do the spells, you just need to guide me and make the notes. You must be tired from standing around for so long." Said the half-wolf.


    Megan then put her hand on her chin, thinking about the idea. After a few seconds, she picked up her notebook and a pen. She positioned herself on the table and directed Luke to go to the first flower.


    "Let''s start with this ss rose. Imagine your mana channeling itself into your hand, then imagine the flower rotting away. Repeat the spell with me, while keeping the idea of the nt wilting." Megan concluded.


    "All right." Answered Luke. cing his hand on top of a flower with a pink appearance, but with a blue coloration.


    The two then began to conjure the spell. As soon as Megan spoke the phrase, Luke repeated it in sequence.


    "Zenitryx."


    "Zenitryx." repeated Luke.


    "Manyokirak."


    "Manyokirak."


    "Apokryoda."


    "Apokryoda."


    The moment Luke finished thest word, the flower immediately began to wilt. Decreasing in size, losing its blue color and having its petals crumble. A strange sensation came over the half-wolf''s hand. It was as if a sort of chill was rising from his fingertips to his wrist. That feeling reminded him of a moment not so long ago. He had just stolen the mana from that flower.


    After finishing the spell, the half-wolf was visibly pensive. But he decided to just continue and finish the necessary tasks. He repeated the same process three times. The second time, a very small amount of mana came out of his hand, but the effect was the same. In the case of the third time, almost no mana was spent.


    It was a challenge for Luke to repeat the casting of the spells, even more so because of the difference innguages between them. Even with this small problem, the tests ended there. It would still be necessary to check how other putrefaction spells, but Megan was already too tired to remain productive.


    Luke then picked up a book to read while Megan made her notes, after she finished and put the notebook beside her, it didn''t take a minute for the young mage to fall asleep on the table.


    The half-wolf was now beginning to understand the basics of magic, how it urred, and how mana could be used in so many different ways. It was surprising to him how even nts have a very small amount of mana.


    It seemed that every moment there was some new information for Luke, some new knowledge or concept. But every time he had some free time, when he wasn''t reading or talking with Meredith, only one question was on his mind.


    ''How are they doing?''


    This question was making the half-wolf''s heart troubled, even though the academy ind was isted from the world, there was a war going on in the outside world. As calm as the days were for Luke, he needed to keep focused on why he had gone to the academy.


    Just the possibility that something bad had happened to Alexis or Ayumi made the young man''s heart worry, even with the protection of bastet, this question still remained present in Luke''s heart.

 Chapter 355 Unusual Offer

    Luke kept trying to read for several minutes, but with each paragraph that he finished reading, he kept thinking about Alexis and Ayumi. Thisck of concentration was bothering him. His heart was restless, worried about what might be happening outside the academy. Several thoughts were echoing in the young man''s head.


    [Calm down Luke, it''s getting hard to live here.]


    ''Ah, sorry Bnce...''


    [No problem, I understand the reason for your concern. But thinking about it now won''t do any good! Try to go out for a while, breathe, and put those thoughts aside.]


    The goddess''s Proposal made sense. An hour had passed since Luke had started reading. But even after so much time, he didn''t seem to have enjoyed reading as much. Lying on the table, Megan was still sleeping soundly. Then the half-wolf concluded that today''s research was over.


    He had decided to go out and rest for a while on the beach. At theb door, Luke peeked out cautiously, but there were no more curious students outside. Relieved, he went outside.


    The moment he opened the door, he immediately saw Adrian walking far away toward theb, down a sandy path that led to the concrete stairs that went down to the beach sand. It was not yet sote, the sun was still up, illuminating the sea that sparkled with each wave, the strong wind from the beach was swaying Luke''s hair, bothering his ears a little.


    The half-wolf then walked across the sand until he sat down on thedder that leveled the descent to the sand. Looking out to sea, he enjoyed the wonderful sound of the waves, letting the melody wash away any thoughts he had. It was a sense of peace that invigorated Luke''s restless heart.


    [Now you''d better find some peace boy].


    ''Hahaha, it''s true. I''ve really been quite troubled.''


    [Try to focus on the now, let''s think about the future at a better time. For now, this fear and trepidation won''t help you at all].


    ''You''re right bnce, I just need to stay in the now.''


    [You know, it''s not wrong to keep worrying about them. But don''t let it hurt you!]


    A few minutester Adrian arrived, who sat down next to Luke. The half-wolf didn''t like his presence very much, he still wanted a little more time alone. It was possible to see the look of annoyance in his eyes.


    "Busy day?" The blond boy asked.


    "Not so much, but it seems they looked for me quite a bit." replied the half-wolf.


    Luke chose not to send the boy away and the blond boy did not understand that the half-wolf''s annoyance, was his presence there.


    Adrian then put his hands behind his head, looking at the horizon he began to speak.


    "Today I was running around helping Zhanid. From what I could tell, in every corner of the academy they werementing on you."


    "Really? Strange, Megan told me very little about what happened. Looks like it was some kind of misunderstanding," Luke replied.


    "Still, be careful, drawing that much attention is never beneficial. With the skill level you have, I''m sure they''ll soon start challenging you to some duels." continued Adrian


    "It wouldn''t be so bad, I''m already feeling rusty from staying here without being able to hit anyone," continued the half-wolf


    The two startedughing and continued talking about what had happened. Luke exined the story of his confrontation with Orion, telling what really happened and understanding a little better the rumors that spread around the academy.


    "They are saying that you beat Orion in a duel, he is a golden pendant and you are just a novice researcher. You''ll need to avoid attracting attention for a while or you''ll only gain trouble." Adrian exined.


    However, Luke liked the idea of drawing attention at the academy. If he demonstrated his ability and strength, he might be able to more easily gather potential members for the rebellion against Melki''s empire. Since several students were from outside the academy, it would be easy to gather those with high ability who were opposed to the empire. As, for example, Adrian himself, the boy was from Paratto, this alone was reason enough to count on his possible support.


    The conversation continued until, from afar, they both noticed the arrival of a small boy running on the sand. The young man was short and had extremely blue hair, and eyes that were also blue.


    He was dressed in his academy uniform, but in front of his body was a leather apron. Beside his waist a small hammer was attached swinging from his belt. It took the boy a few minutes to get in front of the two, who looked at him in confusion.


    Gasping for breath, he stood in front of them both. After pulling in a good amount of air he bent down in front of Luke.


    "Let me make your sword! Please!" He said, looking down.<sub> </sub>


    The half-wolf was obviously confused by the unexpected offer. Apart from the apron and hammer, nothing about the little boy showed that he was really a cksmith. The blue-headed boy''s body was small and slender, his arms were thin, and his hands had no calluses or signs of manualbor. In general, he appeared to be just an inexperienced child.


    The little cksmith then continued to speak exining himself:


    "I am part of the academy''s cksmith group, I overheard that Orion was going to take you to order a sword. The whole academy is talking about your duel with him, it''s my only chance to promote my work. So let me make your sword! Please!"


    Because of the doubts of the boy''s ability, Luke didn''t take long to think of a response. He didn''t want to hurt the feelings of such a dedicated young man, so he thought he would give it a chance, so that this child would at least learn from this story.


    "First, what is your name?" The half-wolf asked.


    "M-My name is Ezra! Ezra Bluesmith! And I will be the best craftsman of the world!"


    Adrian began tough at the boy''s name and goal. But the half-wolf took the boy''s wish seriously. Extending his hand to Ezra, he said:


    "Nice to meet you Ezra, I''m Luke Lange, the best rogue of the world.


    Luke replied,ughing. Then he continued:


    "I ept your proposal, I needed a glider greatsword. I''m still going to be busy today, but what do you say tomorrow, we meet up and you show me some of your designs, Is that okay?"


    Little Ezra''s eyes began to water, with a smile he thanked him, bowing again.


    "Thank you very much for the opportunity Mr. Luke! I will contact you again tomorrow then!"


    The Young Man then ran out of there, taking small leaps of animation. In Ezra''s head, only one thing was going on.


    ''I will show him the quality of my weapons!''


    At the boy''s unexpected exit, Luke and Adrian looked at each other in confusion. The blond mage then questioned:


    ''Are you really going to trust the design of someone so young? He looked like he was about 12 years old."


    "Tomorrow I will go early to meet with Orion again, I don''t want this misunderstanding to continue. He had already told me that he could guide me to the forge, so I''ll just take the time to talk to this boy.


    Luke then looked at the sea, which even in daylight still had a darker color than the boy''s hair.


    "Maybe he can surprise me, who knows," continued the Half-wolf, getting up with his book and heading for the researchb.


    Adrian followed Luke, they both entered theb again, went up the stairs and found Megan still sleeping. The girl was talking very quietly, in a deep sleep.


    "You just need to reverse the room circle mister banana, but don''t die please mister banana." The girl was drooling a little on the table.


    When Adrian saw that scene, he startedughing very loudly, waking Megan up. She stood up slowly, with her hair in a mess. Until she opened her eyes and faced the two of them, when she realized she was asleep, her cheeks turnedpletely red with embarrassment. The young blonde then tried to joke about the situation.


    "You look kind of cute in your sleep." replied Adrian.


    Megan then clenched her hands together, looking down in irritation. She then held out one of her hands and began to whisper a spell.


    "Ikeradis Water Cannon."


    A ball of water flew out of the girl''s hand, heading towards the blonde mage''s face. Adrian fell to the ground with the direct hit to the head. Megan then stood up and continued to shoot water spheres at the boy''s face.


    The attack was not strong enough to hurt, but Adrian was certainly not enjoying it. It took a while for Megan to calm down, so she walked away stepping hard on the ground. With each step, a loud thud shook the floor.


    Adrian was lying on the wet floor, looking up at the ceiling exhausted and sorry. Luke was holding himself back fromughing at the whole situation, but when the young magician left, hepletely fell overughing.

 Chapter 356 Its Your Turn!

    Adrian was lying on the wet floor, staring at the ceiling exhausted and regretful. Luke was holding back fromughing at the whole situation, but when the young magician left, hepletely fell overughing.


    When Adrian stood up, he quickly made himself avable to clean up the mess. Drying up the ce. With one of his hands, the young mage created a sphere of wind, which acted like a vortex. Sucking the wind in and blowing it out in an infinite cycle. The energy that small sphere had was gigantic.


    With his other hand the young man created a small fireball. Concentrating his mana, he created that massive sphere of mana and heat. It was notrge enough to be dangerous to hold inside theboratory, its size should be that of a grape or an olive. Anythingrger would be dangerous and could burn the extremely important books and research materials. The heat that this small sphere of fire produced was very great, radiating an extremely strong energy. Although it did not produce mes, it was extremely hot.


    Adrian then carefully put the two spells together, joining both hands. The small fireball stood in the center of thatrger sphere of wind. Creating a hot air that flowed out in all directions. Since that sphere produced no mes or sparks, the wind was not feeding the fire. The sphere remained the same size, just heating the wind from the wind vortex. Adrian then ran that spell through his clothes and over the floor.


    The water that was scattered on the marble floor of theboratory, was slowly evaporating, sucked up by the wind sphere or disappearing with the hot air. The young mage''s clothes were also drying with the hot wind, although still a little damp, they were no longer soaked. Adrian''s hair swayed in the wind from the sphere, and it didn''t take long for it to dry, although it was extremely messy.


    Adrian began to tidy his hair with his hands, trying to leave it parted as he always keeps it.


    This disy of magic, although it seemed small, opened Luke''s eyes. The versatility that a magician had was amazing. Imagining the various possibilities that would appear to him with a greater understanding of the different types of elements was something that made the half-wolf extremely excited. There were, apart from wind magic and fire magic, three more basic types of magic, and the young man''s new goal was now to master the basic groups of magic.


    Luke''s eyes were shining, with a will that showed his determination.


    ''Before I leave the academy, I will master the basic elemental spells.''


    Thought the half-wolf.


    Although he knew that this task would be difficult, and was aware that his stay at the academy would not be that long. Proposing toplete a challenge was no doubt something beneficial to him, his mind was so turbulent with thoughts that even Bnce was beginning to be bothered by what was urring.


    With the skills Luke already possessed, hisbat ability was extremely high. If it weren''t for the curse, he would easily be able to conquer many dungeons by himself. But the possibility of being able tobine his skills with spells and de mastery would make the half-wolf invincible.


    Various ns and possibilities began to pop into the half-wolf''s head. He began to remember how Zhanid was able tobine several different types of spells, and how useful it would be for him to control this together with the use of his skills.


    Amidst all these thoughts, an idea crossed Luke''s mind.


    ''What would happen if I used Vind with wind magic and fire magic?''


    [You would have two ways to control wind and one way to control fire. It would be hard to keep stabilized, but it would probably give you more freedom in how to determine the wind''s path].


    Bnce''s response left Luke excited, putting a smile on the half-wolf''s face. Which left Adrian with a confused face, watching the boy as he tidied up his hair.


    "Are you okay, Luke?" The boy asked, still trying to fix his hair.


    "I just thought of a good idea," replied the half-wolf, who walked off to look for Megan.


    In order to be able to test the use of magic with his skill, Luke would need to be in an emptier ce, the beach at night time would be the ideal location. However, he still had reservations about how to control fire magic. The best person to teach him would be Megan.


    They had already arranged to train together after they finished their research, so Luke went looking in each of the doors of theb, searching for the young mage. After passing through half theb, he finally found the girl, who was reading in a chair with a still angry face.


    The half-wolf then closed the door and walked over to a chair, sitting down next to the young girl.


    "You two really don''t get along very well." Luke said, letting out a smallugh.


    "I don''t know why, but he makes me so angry." Answered Megan, closing her book. She then looked at Luke and continued talking. "I wish I could understand why there aren''t so many gentlemen like you in this world."


    The moment Luke heard this, he let out a smallugh.


    "I''m a long way from a gentleman. Megan, maybe I just know better how to treat a pretty girl." He spoke.<sub> </sub>


    Hearing that made Megan embarrassed again, her cheeks flushed and she lowered her face a little, looking down.


    Luke noticed this, and worriedly tried to change the subject, asking the girl for help.


    "You know, I''m trying to unite wind magic with fire magic... But my mastery in fire magic is still pretty low, can you still help me now that we''re free?"


    The girl then became excited, getting up from her chair quickly.


    "Come on! Any you can take any magic-rted questions with me!"


    The girl didn''t even wait for an answer from Luke, just walking out the door and heading for the beach. The half-wolf got up right away and followed the girl.


    Now they were both in front of an empty beach, the sun was already starting to go down, and the tide was starting toe in. The waves on the beach began to act with a little more force, pounding with much greater energy on the beach sand. The sound of the ocean waves soothed Luke''s heart, it was rxing, clearing any problems that came into his heart.


    Megan then put her hand out in front of her, pointing to the sea.


    "Fire magic only needs two things, a direction and a fuel"


    She then threw a small fireball towards the water.


    "However, if you, for example, try to fuel a fireball with wind magic, the fire will consume its mana and the wind, increasing in size."


    Now, the young magician''s incantation created a small fireball that quickly grew in size. As the wind fed the fireball, it gradually grewrger, until the girl released that spell into the sea.


    *Ruuuft*


    The fireball flew off into the water.


    *Pffffffffffffsss*


    The sea water was evaporating, until that fireball went out.


    Megan then turned to Luke.


    "But there is the most important part, if you want to be able to control the trajectory or what your fire is going to do. You need to control the mana that you are putting in."


    The young mage then created on top of her index finger, a massive sphere of fire. It was the size of a small grape, simr to the one Adrian created. That sphere of fire was smooth, with a white and orange color.


    "That is a concentrated Fire Ball, it will not consume the wind and can be directed where you wish. To increase the size of it, just put more mana into it. But be careful not to stop condensing it, otherwise it will be a simple spell and the wind will spread fire all over the ce."


    Megan then pointed to the sphere of fire out to sea. And with a gesture of her hands, that little sphere went flying into the sea. Still during the trajectory of the small sphere, the young magician moved her finger, causing the fire sphere to make a curve. Back to the two of them. Megan then snapped her finger, extinguishing the small sphere just before it reached the two of them.


    "If you control the wind around it, you will be able to alter the trajectory. If you decrease the mana you gave to the spell, it will disappear. It is only necessary to control it." Concluded the mage, cing one of her hands on top of her chest. Proud of the exnation she had given.


    Luke was surprised at how easily the girl had controlled that spell. Now it made sense how earlier, nothing had caught fire in theb.


    Looking deep into the half-wolf''s eyes, Megan megan pointed at him and said:


    "It''s your turn!"

 Chapter 357 Ocean Call

    Looking deep into the half-wolf''s eyes, Megan pointed at him and said:


    "It''s your turn!"


    The beach sun made the girl''s long brown hair shine, the movement of the strong beach wind made the girl''s clothes reflect the sun. Her voice proposing this challenge was something that certainly surprised the half-wolf.


    Now was the time for Luke to try to perform this magic. This sudden movement of the girl made the half-wolf take a step backwards, with his instinct to dodge. Even with his eyes attentive to the exnation, performing this spell was obviously something much moreplicated than it appeared in that demonstration.


    Since it was again an unconjured spell, mana maniption was something the young man still did not fully understand. Even with his notions of wind control, he was unsure if he would be able to condense his own mana as Megan had instructed him.


    After going over all the exnation the girl had given him. Luke held out one of his hands. Visualizing a Fire Ball again. He imagined all the manaing out of him umting in a single small spot, as if it were concentratingpletely in one ce.


    His energy wasing out of his chest, extending into his arm. That energy was assembling into a smooth, massive sphere that emitted a red and white glow. The heat from the small sphere was gigantic, warming the young man''s palm. Luke was focused on keeping that energy steady, however, he suddenly lost focus.


    Just a few moments out of sync with the spell were enough for that sphere of energy to copse, gradually disappearing. The young man''s mana stopped being channeled, the spell had been ruined. Luke looked confused at his hand, trying to understand what the problem was. Everything seemed to be going fine, but in a split second, he lost control of what was happening.


    Megan then put one of her hands on his chin, and started trying to find a solution to the problem. The girl was looking up at the sky, talking aloud and going over what looked like paragraphs from a book. It was as if she was reading a magic book while looking at the sky. In fact, the girl was doing just that, recalling the exact page on which she learned this very useful technique.


    "Maybe you just need a little practice, the spell initiation was going well. That means you lost control already outside the channeling process, at the beginning of the energy stabilization. This is a symptom of a troubled mind. Has something been taking over your head recently?" Questioned the young mage.


    Luke then looked at the girl, and scratching the back of his head he began to try to exin what might have gone wrong during the spell


    "At first, I could really feel my mana condensing, but there was a time when I just shut down, it was like a snap. It just came back a thought that''s been bothering me, in an instant, the whole thing went out of my control."


    The two looked at each other, the half-wolf seemed genuinely bothered by this brief barrier, the first truly difficult challenge he had faced. So, the girl proposed that they continue practicing the spell, she would try to lead him by giving guidance. The young man held out his hands, and again, focused on channeling the mana into a single space.


    "First, close your eyes and visualize your energy leaving your body. ce it in a single spot away from your hands." Megan said.


    That small sphere of energy was appearing, he waspletely focused at that moment. The small sphere of energy gradually increased in size, remaining extremely massive and smooth, growing as the youth channeled his mana into that spot a little in front of him.


    "Now, control that energy. Keep it steady, at a single point. You don''t need to think about it moving, just feel it concentrating. You master this spell, every action that urses from your will." The girl continued.


    Luke''s eyes were closed, but he could visualize and feel his energy flowing out. The palm of his hand began to feel this heat appearing, a me that increased as he put out more of his mana.


    But again, his thoughts went out of the now. That sphere of fire copsed, disappearing into thin air before it even touched the sand on the beach. The half-wolf couldn''t concentrate at that moment, keeping his mind present to control his own magic was being a challenge. This truly frustrated Luke, controlling a wind spell was something easy.


    So was creating a fireball with a basic spell. However, to channel your energy into a single point requires a state of presence at that moment, but the half-wolf''s thoughts were far away. With every second that he was out of focus, his mind went back to thinking about what was happening in Broteforge.


    In that instant, Bnce realized the problem, and proposed a clever idea to the half-wolf.


    [Do you remember when the sound of the ocean waves cleared your head? Try to concentrate on the waves again, and try to automatically control the spell].


    Luke widened his eyes thinking of this possibility, when he turned around, Megan was again looking up at the sky, reciting a book while thinking of possibilities. He was excited about the new way to solve the problem, so he asked again for the girl''s support.


    "I will try again, if I fail, exin to me how I can better control this spell." Concluded the half-wolf.<sub> </sub>


    Now the girl was attentively watching the execution of the spell again.


    He then took a deep breath, extended his arms again, and began to channel his energy outward. Now he began to use his superior hearing to listen to the sounds of the ocean waves. With eachpping of the water on the sand, the young man concentrated more and more on the now.


    His energy was channeling almost automatically, it was as natural a process as breathing. He began to mentally visualize that sphere of energy in front of him, but the ocean waves now kept him much calmer and present.


    That sphere of energy grewrger andrger, increasing its brightness and emitting even more heat. Luke''s palm felt the heat, which grew exponentially. Until it reached the size of a human head.


    Maintaining something like that required a gigantic amount of mana, which surprised Megan who was watching the half-wolf with a smile on her face. After some time, he felt that he was already managing to keep the spell stable. Luke then decided to open his eyes.


    In front of him was a massive, glowing sphere of fire, it was hot and emitted an extremely strong white light. It had no mesing out around it, but the glow it gave off made it a little difficult to look at directly. It was almost like a small sun.


    Megan was watching attentively, eager to see the results of this spell. She imagined that because of the size of the fire-ball, it would probably be much more challenging to control the direction and movement of that spell. In addition, it would be necessary to keep that sphere stable.


    Even with so many challenges, the ease with which Luke learned an already not so basic concept of magic, created in the girl''s heart a certain expectation for the half-wolf''s future aplishments.


    The young man then held out his hands, and determined, he tried to control the trajectory of that sphere of fire into the water. Using wind magic, he guided it seemingly without problems into the water. But within a second of sliding, the spell copsed again.


    That sphere wasing apart, falling into the water.


    *Pfffffffftttsss


    The sound of water evaporating with the contact of the spell.


    But this time, the half-wolf had already advanced too far. So, he was no longer bothered by the mistake. To his eye, it was a matter of practice, and he had no idea how amazing it was to perform such a spell in such a short time.


    Now he again conjured that sphere. He repeated this process several times, constantly failing to move the spell. Megan was watching attentively, making notes inside her head of Luke''s various attempts.


    In a moment, he managed to get that fire sphere moving again, he was focused. When suddenly, a loud sound took them both by surprise.


    *The door to theboratory opened, it was Adrianing out.


    The spell undid at the same moment, and both Luke and Megan looked at the same time at the blond-haired boy. The look in both their eyes showed a murderous instinct, with a voracious rage.


    Adrian walked away, down the three steps of theboratory entrance. Noticing the threats, he tried to run, when Megan, using wind magic, pulled the boy. It was as if a hand was pulling his leg. The boy tried to run away desperately, struggling, in vain. Until he gave up and let himself be pulled by the girl.


    When he was in front of both of them, Megan reached out one of her hands just above the boy''s blond hair.


    "Zaikiradis Water Fall" she recited.


    A steady stream of water fell on Adrian''s face as hey on the sand begging for forgiveness.

 Chapter 358 Testing And Re-Testing

    As he stood in front of the two, Megan extended one of her hands just above the boy''s blond hair.


    "Zaikiradis Water Fall." She recited.


    A steady stream of water fell on Adrian''s face as he struggled in the sand begging for forgiveness. The beach sand went flying everywhere, and the mark of the movement of the boy''s arms and legs was marked on the beach. Now Adrian''s uniform waspletely soiled with sand and drenched with water.


    When Megan stopped pouring water in the boy''s face, he quickly stood up and shook his hair trying to get some of the water out, the sand and water droplets flying off. Luke dodged it so it wouldn''t fall on him or his tail. Adrian was wet from the top of his head to the tip of his toes, his clothes were wet again and his hair hadpletely covered his eyes.


    He then went about with his hand trying to fix his hair the way he normally left it. Adrian, as much as he was a boy who talked a lot and had an attitude that appeared tock maturity, was quite intelligent when it came to the magical arts.


    His knowledge of the basic elements and the many possible variations of magic was extraordinary for his age, to say the least. This was one of the reasons that made him one of Zhanid''s assistants, this proximity to the old magician was extremely beneficial to the boy, who learned the many uses of magic and the unusual and unique techniques that only the old magician had developed.


    Besides Megan, only Adrian was aware of the spells that Zhanid had created. Not because of any secrecy about these spells, but because of the simple fact that the old magician and Adrian were still developing a book to publish the new spells that Zhanid had created.


    Theboratory of magic on the beach where the three young men were, was a facility precisely for the development and improvement of these new spells, as well as the organization of the projects for the book. Currently there were only two projects going on within thatboratory, the unification of the spells of the continent and the editing of Grand Master Wizard Zhanid''s spell book.


    Adrian was the closest student to that old wizard, so as immature as he appeared, he was still an extraordinary student. However, his knowledge did not change his nature.


    "My clothes were finally dry, you need to stop this, Megan!" the boy said in a depressed tone of voice, still fixing his hair.


    "If you keep getting in our way, the next spell I throw in your face is going to hurt a lot more! Come to think of it, it will be a fire spell!" replied the girl, crossing her arms.


    The blond-haired boy then held out both hands, in one he again created a sphere of wind, and in the other he conjured a small sphere of fire. It was the same spell he had used earlier to dry himself. It was, in the end, an application of the concentration of mana in fire magic.


    Luke was again bothered by the simplicity with which the two magicians in front of him mastered that fire spell. Curious about it, he decided to ask the two of them a question.


    "How long did it take you two to learn to control that little sphere?" said the half-wolf.


    "Hmm, less than a minute maybe." Commented Megan, she then continued exining. "What took the longest was Lord Zhanid''s exnation, actually."


    They both then turned to Adrian, curious what his answer would be.


    "I believe around two weeks for her to be able to take shape, and another week to be able to move it." He said, with a confused face as he tilted his head slightly, showing his doubt.


    This answer took a weight off Luke''s back, who easily managed toplete the first part of the spell. But when Megan heard this answer, with one of her hands on her chin, she faced the half-wolf with a face that showed she was thinking something.


    The neer to the academy then decided to try again using this same spell, he repeated the process again with his eyes closed. As the previous times, everything went smoothly, but with each movement Luke made, Adrian let out a surprised sigh. When Luke finished creating the fire sphere, it came out muchrger than the one Adrian had just made.


    This caused him to let out a bigger sigh of surprise, disconcerting the half-wolf. When it came time to move the sphere, it slowed down to a significantly smaller size, and then disappeared into the sea.<sub> </sub>


    "I can''t believe you''ve already advanced that fast on that magic! You''re amazing man!" He spoke.


    "Shut your mouth, Adrian." Answered Megan, making a gesture with her fingers asking for silence.


    Now the two mages were watching the half-wolf perform the spell. A few more attempts followed. On the first one, Luke was able to move a rtivelyrge energy sphere forward, it even advanced into the water, but copsed falling into the sea.


    On the second attempt, Luke tried to put a little less mana into the sphere, and it got into a smaller size. Something around the size of an apple. Even though it was smallerpared to the previous spells, it was still muchrger than when Adrian and Megan conjured the spell.


    On the third attempt, Luke decided to go even smaller, concentrating on giving as little mana as possible, the fire sphere became the size of a grape. It was exactly as Adrian and Megan demonstrated. However, when the half-wolf tried to move the spell forward, the sphere increased in size, growing until it became again the size of an apple. Until it copsed and fell into the water.


    Luke was struggling to find different ways to perform this spell, but still, with each attempt, new possibilities and challenges appeared. Channeling and creating that sphere didn''t seem to be a problem, but controlling its size and movement was an extremely challenging task for the half-wolf. This situation created a great deal of doubt in Luke''s mind, wondering whether it was a practical matter or some fundamental error in his attempts.


    After about five consecutive failures, Luke decided to sit down. While he was focused on his thoughts, inplete silence and oblivious to the outside world. Megan and Adrian were talking trying to think of a way to help their newpanion.


    "I remember Zhanid had exined that the mana condensation in the second stage needs to be continuous, is he still putting in enough energy to keep the sphere at the initial stage without overloading it?" Adrian said.


    "Of course, he is! I can feel his intense mana flow, but the oscitions in control happen at the end of the second stage." Answered Megan.


    The two continued talking, both with one hand on their chin, watching Luke. That conversation was another demonstration of the vast notion of the two young men, who began trying to replicate the same spell while the young man was apparently meditating.


    Megan asked Adrian to channel that sphere on a slightlyrger scale, and tried to analyze what might be happening, trying to visualize the different mana flows in the two cases. Then the blond-haired magician began to observe how he himself manipted that sphere of magic.


    A few minutes passed, and the two continued to talk energetically about what might be going wrong, and in the end, nothing seemed to be wrong. However, they were so focused on thinking about how Luke might be failing at that magic, that they didn''t notice what the half-wolf himself was doing.


    When the two turned around, they found themselves again with Lukepletely immersed in his thoughts, sitting meditating. Even after something like fifteen minutes.


    Adrian approached the young man, and began to run his hand over Luke''s face. Megan followed close behind trying to stop the wizard, but she then also found it strange that the half-wolf simply did not react. It was as if he was asleep, or in a state of trance.


    To both of them, Luke was just sitting still, motionless, really as if he was just meditating. But in the young man''s mind, something very different was happening.


    The moment Luke sat down on the sand, he activated his Skill <Eye of Horus>. Even with the effects that using his skills for too long caused on his body, the half-wolf chose to have a little more time to think and talk to Bnce.


    [You still need to be careful with your skill use Luke, we don''t even know if using that mana inside you might not be even more detrimental to the curse].


    ''Don''t worry, we are getting closer every day to solving this. Megan already trusts me, I don''t think it will be a problem to ask for help regarding this curse.''


    [Anyways, I already know what''s your problem, big boy.]

 Chapter 359 Arise

    [Anyways, I already know what''s your problem, big boy.]


    When Bnce said this, both she and Luke sat down on the floor of the <Horus'' Eye> space. The Half-Wolf was attentive, interested in what the Goddess'' response would be.


    The space in Luke''s mind was empty and white, with only the beautiful Goddess inside his head in the middle of all that dull white world. Due to the curse, creating images in the <Eye of Horus> was being extremely difficult.


    [When you were using the wind spells, the only thing that made you able to control freely was your familiarity with that element. If you didn''t have the <Vind> Skill, you most likely wouldn''t be able to use that kind of magic with thatplexity].


    Bnce then stood up, and began to walk around the young man. Slowly, each step she took on the ground echoed in the empty space.


    The half-wolf was listening attentively to every movement in that ce. Every detail of that moment, in the Goddess'' actions and words. He was so focused that he could hear even the sound of his own heart beating, and his blood flowing through his body.


    "So, you''re telling me that I could have fallen off the sword?" Luke questioned.


    [You might not even climb up or fly off. Your control only existed because you already understand the element. You are skilled, but magic is moreplicated than you realize].


    Bnce entered ced one of her hands on Luke''s shoulder. The Goddess then knelt down, and embraced the half-wolf. Running her hand through the young man''s hair.


    [You have even more potential than you realize, but you are failing at magical art].


    "But why is that? I have mana and I am managing to start the spell... The First phase urred without problems; small spells don''t seem to be a problem either." Answered the half-wolf


    [His heart is still troubled by the world outside. This constant worry, as much as it is not taking over your head now, is making you lose concentration in the midst of magic].


    "So even when I''m not thinking about my problems, they still bother me?" asked Luke, cing one of his hands on his chin.


    [Exactly! Youck Bnce.] replied the Goddess,ughing.


    [It''s not a matter of ignoring the problems out there, but controlling yourself.]


    Maintaining a high-level magic without enchantment required two extremely important factors, control over the spell and visualization of it. Luke was having trouble controlling the spell.


    When he tried to levitate, staying in mid-air was something natural, like breathing. This ease with the wind element made it less difficult for him to keep the magic stable.


    In the case of a simpler spell, such as an ordinary Fire Ball, channeling it and controlling it is simple. But when ites to a magic asplex as the concentrated Fire Ball, constant attention and understanding is required.


    Any slightest change causes the spell to lose its form. And in Luke''s case, the main problem was being his conflicting feelings.


    While he was trying to control that magic, he did not feel the naturalness of mastering the spell without even having to think about it. It was somethingplex that needed attention. Every time in Luke''s heart, even for a second, he had this variation of feelings, his control over magic was disappearing.


    The half-wolf was thoughtful, sitting looking at the ground. Trying to understand what he could do; several possibilities were running through his head. He then looked at the goddess and questioned:


    "What should I do?"


    [Take the time in this space and concentrate on meditating. You need to understand the conflicting feelings in your heart. This time, fully understand what is bothering you. Not just avoid thinking about it].


    Luke confirmed with his head, and closing his eyes within that space. He began to meditate, looking inside himself to master his own feelings.


    In the half-wolf''s head. All the possibilities of what bad things could have happened in the outside world appeared. Still, even if he were in Broteforge, it would be difficult to help the confrontation.


    He wondered how Ayumi, Alexis, Nathalia, Shiro would be. All thepanions who were waiting for his return.


    He went back to thinking about what he was supposed to do at the academy, his tant desire to master magic,plete a way to control the curse, and return to the battlefield.


    Outside the <Eye of Horus> a few more minutes had passed. But inside, Luke seemed to have spent hours understanding and rethinking everything that bothered his chest.


    The time eleration of the Eye of Horus was not as high, but still, every minute of the real world took more and more time in that space.


    His heartbeat, his breathing. Every detail in that n was keeping him present at that moment.


    After about a few hours, Luke finally understood everything.


    "I master my mind and my fears." He said, determined as he opened his eyes.


    The half-wolf then stood up, staring the goddess in the eyes. You could see on his face the determination he had always possessed restored. His eyes were sharp as a sword, his heart was burning with energy, Luke''s whole face and attitude waspletely different.<sub> </sub>


    The Goddess then looked deep into the half-wolf''s eyes


    [Arise.]


    *


    Adrian and Megan were talking, testing some spells, Luke was in that same position. Immobile, it had been more than half an hour.


    The blond boy, with his carefree manner, tried to wake up the half-wolf, without sess. He was motionless, even the young man''s breathing was difficult to perceive.


    "Do you think we should do something?" Questioned the yung mage


    "I don''t believe it would be good to get in his way." Answered Megan


    "Maybe he went into aa from using too much mana? Or is he sleeping?" Commented Adrian.


    "Luke has a lot more mana than Zhanid, that''s certainly not the problem."


    Before she could continue talking. Adrian interrupted her and started talking.


    "So, he''s asleep, I''ll try to wake him up from movo."


    The young mage then screamed with all his might. The boy''s scream echoed all over the beach, slowly disappearing with the sound of the sea.


    That silent emptiness dominated the ce again, with only the sound of foam and waves interrupting the monotonous ce.


    Megan almost threw water on the blond-haired boy again, but when she realized that that scream didn''t even bother Luke, she became even more worried.


    The minutes went by and in the middle of all this dy, Adrian started to test some spells. Throwing several spells into the sea. Training spells on the beach wasmon for the boy, but since he was busy helping Zhanid in his research, it had been a while since Adrian had been able to y with magic.


    Megan remained attentive; her eyes focused on the half-wolf. She found Luke''s ability to focus admirable. But as the minutes passed, this worried her a bit.


    After a few more minutes of waiting, the sun was already beginning to set, reducing the brightness. The sky began to tint with those orange and red colors, losing its luminous blue.


    The waters of the beach were now reflecting the sun that was falling over the horizon. The two young magicians were once again looking at each other, wondering what they could do to help their friend.


    Both were worried about what had happened to the half-wolf. Adrian and Megan looked at each other, and began to talk about what to do.


    "It''s been quite a while since he''s been like this, I think we''d better call a teacher now." Megan said


    "I''ll call Zhanid, he''ll surely know what to do." Adrian concluded


    "I wonder if he got sick and passed out static. He seemed healthy enough to me, his mana source is gigantic too." Answered Megan. She had never read about anything like this before. Which made her even more worried about the half-wolf''s condition.


    At that moment of indecision, the two of them, before Adrian was able to go out and look for help. Luke stood up. Surprising the two mages.


    He levitated with magic, using the wind skills he had already mastered. A gale of sand began to surround the young man.


    The waves of sand were flying everywhere. Luke was floating a few inches above the ground. His hair was swaying with the wind''s own energy.


    He then held out his two hands. Channeling two massive spheres of fire. Each one was growing in the half-wolf''s hands,ing out of that small size, quickly both reached the size of a human head.


    A gigantic amount of mana flowed through the air. Surprising Megan even more. Even Adrian was able to feel the variation of energy in that ce.


    The two young magicians were covering their arms with their faces, protecting themselves from the sand.


    Above their heads, a third sphere of fire appeared. Even bigger than the two in their hands.


    The windstorm would not stop. Luke then opened his eyes, watching the two magicians.


    Raising his voice, he said:


    "I''m back."

 Chapter 360 Canary

    Raising his voice, he said:


    "I have returned."


    Freeing himself from his emotional locks. Luke had finally understood how to properly control magic, this would not make the act of learning the spells any easier, but all the control and use of magic was now free for the half-wolf.


    Mastering the rest of the elemental spells now was just a matter of practice, Luke''s moreplex spells now would not just disappear. His understanding of magic gave him much greater freedom in how to use the mana within his body.


    Luke then splits the gigantic sphere of fire above his head. It divided into several smaller spheres that began to circle his body. Controlling the movement of each one was a task that, although it took a lot of mana, was almost as natural for the half-wolf.


    Staying afloat was as automatic as breathing. And to control the spheres, he only needed to know where they should go, just by thinking, those massive spheres of mana and fire were moving freely.


    Those various spheres were rotating around the young man. He then joined the two that were in his hands, creating a sort of disk of mana and heat. Still floating in the air, Luke turned toward the sea.


    The sun was almost disappearing over the horizon. The waves of the sea were swaying with the rising tide. Luke turned to face the vastness of the water, and with a wave of his hands, all the spheres and the disk were directed into the water.


    Creating a gigantic explosion of steam and wind. The seawater was lifted with the pressure of the various attacks, and falling like a small rain, into the sea. A strong wave of wind flew towards the three of them, further shaking Megan and Adrian''s hair. Luke then descended to the sand, his wind magic decreasing in intensity until he stepped on the ground. All around the half-wolf you could see the marks on the beach sand from the movement of the wind he was controlling. The moment hended; Luke turned to his colleagues excitedly.


    "It all seems so simple now." Half-wolf said, smiling.


    The two mages in front of him were quiet, however, Megan was quite irritated by the situation. The young woman''s cheeks were red with anger, her forehead was hot and her teeth were grinding with rage. One of her feet was pounding the ground with speed, she was impatient.


    Luke didn''t notice any of these signs, still thoughtful and focused on himself, he was reflecting on what he had just done.


    "It was just controlling the magic, the energy to fuel it, she was already with me." He said, looking down at his hands.


    Megan then took a deep breath, looked at Luke, and began to lecture the young man.


    "First you disappear for hours, doing this weird meditation thing. Then you make this sandstorm, shake all my hair, and even get my clothes dirty. I am very angry with you!" Megan said.


    Adrian then made a face of genuine surprise, turning to Megan he asked:


    "Why don''t you throw water on him?"


    The girl then turned angrily, and reaching out one of her hands, she quickly conjured a sphere of water towards the boy''s face. That sphere of water flew out and crashed into Adrian''s nose, throwing him backwards.


    The blond boy flew away, falling to the sand on the beach. A small trail of sand was made by the boy''s feet as the sphere of water carried him away. Lying on the beach, Adrian stretched one of his arms upwards, his index finger pointing to the sky. The boy then continued


    "See! You''re acting different with him!"


    The Girl turned back, and angrily she again threw a sphere of water at the blond boy. That water magic came flying out again towards Adrian''s face, who as he was hit, gave a scream with fright.


    "AAHHH! MANN!"


    The boy''s scream caught the two young men standing by surprise, who began tough. This lightened the mood a bit, leaving Megan a little more rxed about everything that had just happened.


    Luke then put one of his hands on her shoulder. She took a little fright and quickly turned red with embarrassment.


    "I''m sorry for the trouble I caused" he said.


    "D-don''t worry." replied the youngdy<sub> </sub>


    Adrian then stood up, shook his hair to get the sand out. He was now looking down, pping his body a few times to remove the sand from his clothes. The boy then walked out to meet the two young men, curious, he questioned Luke


    "What was that you did just now? I didn''t understand anything that happened."


    Adrian''s question was simple, but still, the half-wolf would have to lie in his answer. He could not exin that he had just used a gene. Even though he was at the academy, he was still too close to the Melki empire. Turning to the blond-haired boy, Luke looked him in the eye and began to exin apletely fabricated story.


    "This meditation I just did, is about a secret technique of the ancestors of my tribe. I am an orphan, but it is so woven into my culture and the gics of the half-wolfs that I ended up learning to perform it on my own just by hearing stories of what my parents were like. It''s like I''m walking around inside my soul, visualizing my problems and challenges." He said, trying to disguise as much as possible that he was lying.


    Megan was surprised by Luke''s response, with a face of genuine surprise.


    "I have never read about such a specific technique of the half-wolf ns. That must be a secret passed down from generation to generation, is it really okay to tell us?" Said the girl.


    ''Nice! She took the bait.''


    "Actually, whether it''s a secret of my n or not, unfortunately I don''t know. I have only heard stories about this technique. But I would be extremely grateful if you two would keep it a secret." Luke concluded


    Adrian and Megan nodded, excited by the information and the half-wolf''s vote of confidence.


    "You are amazing Mr.Luke! In such a short time you are already able to do so many things with magic, you are for sure a genius!" said the blond boy


    ''Mr? What about me, a genius in magic?''


    "I''m not that amazing." Answered Luke


    "Yes, you are! Show us again this magic you made." said Adrian


    The half-wolf then nodded yes. Extending one of his hands, he channeled his mana above his palm. A sphere of mana and fire appeared, this sphere grew and grew.


    Luke then with his other hand, ttened that sphere of energy. The Heat from it was gigantic, but since it was him controlling his magic, he felt nothing. Then there was a disk ofpressed energy. That disc remained spinning above one of the half-wolf''s hands, which with a flick of his hand, he projected the disc forward.


    Using if wind magic to control the direction of that spell, however, the amount of energy he put in with the flick was enough for the sound of wind being cut to appear.


    *VUUUUUFT*


    That disc flew off into the sea, flying until the three of them lost sight of where it was.


    Megan then ced one of her hands on her chin. And watching Luke, she began to think to herself. Both Adrian and the half-wolf did not understand the girl''s attitude, and she began to walk from one side to the other while thinking quietly.


    The girl soon then turned to Luke, pointing a finger at him, she challenged the young man.


    "This magic is a mana maniption with fire and wind! If you visualize a shape for the spell, with your amount of mana, you will theoretically be able to create any shape you wish!" Megan then crossed her arms, staring the half-wolf in the eyes, she continued to speak. "You have more mana than you need, so how about trying to create a spell with physical form?"


    The girl then held out one of her hands. Three spheres of fire and mana appeared on top of the girl''s palm, they then formed a cross. Soon after, that small cross increased a little in size and took the form of a small bird. That bird was static, it didn''t move. It was just a statue of mana and heat.


    With her other hand Megan made some movements. Until the little bird, made of that same red and white matter, began to p its wings. Then it took off. Circling the girl, who controlled the actions of this spell.


    He was clearly not alive; he was like a little puppet of energy. But every movement of the little bird was so realistic that it left the two young people extremely surprised by the spell. Megan then turned to Luke and said:


    "You have mastered that first stage well, but can you do this?"

 Chapter 361 Stay With Me

    "You have mastered that first stage well, but can you do this?"


    The moment Megan said this, the little energy canary came flying to the girl''s hand. The little bird was able to perform several impressive movements, its form was extremely realistic. Both the pping of its wings and every movementmanded by Megan made that statue of energy look truly alive.


    As much as Luke felt much freer with manipting magic, the young man didn''t even know how to start on the spell. He first began to transfer his energy, flowing from inside his chest to his arms, and then to his hands. Watching the palm of his hand, he channeled his mana into a sphere of energy, just as Megan had done.


    That sphere of energy grewrger, and when it reached a rtivelyrge size. Luke used his other hand to cut the sphere in two. Each part was the size of an apple. Controlling the shape of the two spheres, the half-wolf connected the two, making a cylinder with the ends still circr.


    He then, with the hand he was using to control, created a small sphere of mana. Controlling where it should be, Luke ced the small sphere above the cylinder, this was an attempt to create a head for the bird.


    With that free hand, he was manipting the shape of the energy, trying to turn that heap of mana into a bird. By this time, much more time had passed, which just showed how amazing Megan''s ability was, creating something soplex in seconds.


    To the half-wolf''s surprise, modeling was not soplicated. As he ran his finger across the energy, that heap of energy was changing shape. He was transforming that cylinder of energy into a shape that looked a little more like a half-moon, trying to create the little bird''s tail. With a tweezing motion with his hands, Luke tried to create a small beak on the statue''s head.


    Even though manipting the energy was not such aplicated task, the statue the half-wolf was creating was far from looking like a bird. Finishing the modeling of the statue was something surprisingly difficult for Luke, even simple, there was ack of manual skill in Luke. As a few more minutes passed, that energy sculpture floating above his hand was far from looking like a bird.


    In the end, the half-wolf could not transform that heap of mana and fire into a bird. It was just a heap of shapes that glowed in a red and white light. This small defeat bothered him a lot, after such a disy of skill, encountering yet another barrier made him a bit angry.


    [You are a terrible loser].


    ''Give me two days and I''ll make an energy dragon.''


    [Hahaha, why don''t you say that to Megan?]


    ''Tsc stop it.''


    Luke then closed his hand, and floating above it, the sculpture became concentrated into a sphere again, until itpletely transformed. At the moment, the half-wolf had given up the challenge. However, even frustrated by this, being able to control the movement and shape of the sphere of fire and mana was something that made Luke extremely grateful.


    He then began to rotate the sphere above his fingers. He moved it from side to side, realizing how almost automatic the action of controlling where it should go was. The sun was almost setting, and the sound of the roaring sea was extremely rxing for the half-wolf. Turning towards the vastness of the salt water, Lukeunched the energy sphere towards the waves.


    *VUUUFT*


    After casting, a loud sound of the spell flying towards the water echoed across the beach. The mana sphere itself made a gigantic sound, cutting through the wind at high speed. It kept gaining distance from the three of them, until finally, after crossing a wave, the sphere fell into the water.


    Even from a long distance away, the sphere still raised some water as it began to sink, with the heat of the magic, some steam began to rise from the area where the spell hit.


    Half-wolf then turned to Megan.


    "I will learn this, so just wait." he said smiling.


    Seeing Luke''s smile warmed the girl''s heart, she was truly concerned about the time the half-wolf had spent seemingly unconscious. Both Megan and Adrian were excited by Luke''s motivation, the half-wolf possessed a willpower that although it was quiet, was quite motivating.


    It was almost dark already, Luke had undoubtedly had a very tiring day, the same could be said of Megan and Adrian, who were tired after so much time studying and working on their respective researches.


    The half-wolf was already thinking about the next day, about his request for help to Orion and about the mysterious little cksmith who gave him that unusual proposal. However, Luke began to feel a difort inside his chest, things were starting to get bad for the young man.


    Adrian, still soaked with water, was running his hands over his body, trying to get the rest of the sand out. He then created a wind magic, to try to spread with one spell all the sand that was stuck in his clothes.


    Megan was tired, she wanted to go home and take a long hot bath. Her hair was not so messy, but she is delicate like any other girl her age. Even though her main focus is her studies in magic, any girl likes to keep herself neat and scented.


    "I''m really looking forward to taking a hot bath in the tub." Megan said, stretching her arms as she stretched, "My back is killing me."<sub> </sub>


    "I''m pretty tired myself, you went way overboard with the water spells today." Answered Adrian


    "It''s not that much, I even controlled myself so I wouldn''t hurt you." Megan said.


    "Still, it bothered me a lot... Why don''t you do this kind of thing with Luke?" Questioned Adrian


    "Hmm, I guess he just doesn''t make me as angry as you do."


    The two were having fun talking, but they both failed to notice how silent Luke was. His body was swaying a little, his throat couldn''t speak anything.


    Until Adrian turned to Luke to say goodbye.


    "See ya buddy! I''m already go- ing..." said the blond haired boy, who widened his eyes watching Luke''s pale face.


    Megan noticed Adrian''s reaction, and quickly looked at the half-wolf. Showing her concern and surprise with wide eyes.


    The half-wolf''s face showed a huge fatigue, he was without any bnce. At the corner of Luke''s mouth, there was a little blood.


    [LUKE!]


    [HOLD ON LUKE!]


    At that very moment, the half-wolf''s vision becamepletely blurred. His heartbeat started to be heavier and slower. The boy felt a gigantic shortness of breath and pain in his chest, his head was in great pain. It felt as if his ribs were being pressed down, as if a giant hand was grabbing him and squeezing him.


    After sputtering with what seemed to be a punch inside his heart, Luke then fell to his knees on the ground. Still trying to stand, in vain. For his consciousness became more and more blurred, his vision went out.


    [Luke please, stay with me.]


    The half-wolf then copsed on the sand on the beach, thest thing he heard was Bnce talking to him.


    Adrian and Megan were desperate. The girl then knelt down and with the boy''s support turned Luke over, who was lying face down in the sand. She then checked the pressure of the half-wolf, cing two fingers beside Luke''s neck. Relieved she sighed.


    "He''s alive, but his pressure is low. Go get a stretcher." Megan said.


    The Kid ran out into theb, where there was some emergency medical equipment. He then returned with arge ornate wooden board, it was covered with a kind of thinyer of cotton. On the bottom was a magic circle.


    Adrian then positioned the stretcher on the floor. With Megan''s help, the two of themid Luke down. Megan then put both hands together, and channeling her mana, she activated the magic circle.


    The wooden board began to levitate with wind magic. Megan was left with the task of taking Luke to the center of the academy, while Adrian ran out in front. The boy had picked up a flying sword from inside theboratory.


    Throwing arge greatsword on the ground, he quickly climbed on it and flew off to look for help. The Sound of the sword cutting through the wind echoed across the beach.


    *WUUUUFT*


    Meanwhile, Megan would walk from the beach to the center of the academy. The distance was rtively great, but carrying Luke on the flying stretcher, it wouldn''t be that difficult to get him to the medical center.


    They were both extremely worried, but the need to take action was more important.


    "Hang in there Luke." said Megan, looking at the unconscious half-wolf.

 Chapter 362 Turning Point (Part 1)

    "Hang in there, Luke." Megan said, looking at the unconscious half-wolf.


    The way back to the gym was not difficult. As Megan walked off the sands of the beach, she climbed a smalldder that overlooked the ind''s mountain range. Following a dirt road, she walked toward the gym.


    As it was already dark, severalmps illuminated the path. They had a strong glow, magical artifacts developed by the academy. The girl was extremely worried about Luke, every two steps she took forward, she stopped, turned to the half-wolf to check if everything was alright, and started walking again.


    As she walked, it was possible to see how that dirt road was not used much. Megan almost jumped in fright when she saw a spider walking along the road. The forest was empty, and only the nocturnal birds of the area could be heard. The girl couldn''t recognize them by their sound, but sometimes it was possible to hear the distinctive song of a few owls.


    Megan was not used to walking that much, her lotion around the academy was like that of most experienced mages, entirely by means of flying swords. But taking Luke flying was extremely dangerous. If it was an external injury, any more sudden movement could be the difference between life and death.


    The girl''s heart was leaping; her concern was enormous. As she walked along, she continued conjuring healing magic on the half-wolf. Guiding the flying Stretecher with wind magic, she left Luke floating beside her. With one of her hands on the half-wolf, emitting a small white glow that appeared along with the healing magic.


    She was putting her own mana into the boy, switching between the many different healing spells she knew. Distinct spells that were so different, but that now, didn''t seem to have much effect. The half-wolf''s face showed no pain, but it was possible to see his heavy breathing.


    The dirt road soon changed to a concrete brick road, signaling that they had already passed the halfway point. Beside the road was a long wooden fence, with the iron posts that held the many magicmps that illuminated the road.


    Several trees surrounded the road, and when the girl looked up at the sky, it was difficult to see the stars, with so many trees covering the view. With the strong night winds, Megan was starting to feel a little cold in the middle of that forest, the uniform she was wearing was not the winter one.


    "I wonder how you are doing, Luke." Megan said, looking at the half-wolf


    *


    [Luke!?]


    ''What happened?'' he asked, with a confused face


    [Your curse started to fragment your soul, your use of the eye of Horus to speak to me caused this].


    The half-wolf then looked up, observing that infinite empty, nk space. He then turned to the goddess in front of him, worried, he questioned.


    ''Am I going to die then?''


    [Don''t worry about it, if you are still talking to me, it means you are alive].


    ''I can''t return, I''m trying.... What does that mean?


    [Calm down, my dear, you must just be unconscious].


    Now Luke was worried about what might happen. He couldn''t remember thest moments he had spent awake. In the young man''s memories, it was as if he had finished using that magic and soon after met Bnce. Now it was only necessary to wait.


    [I had an idea, Luke].


    ''What! You know how to help me.''


    [Yes... But maybe you don''t like that.]


    Just do it! If it will help me, I don''t care!''


    Bnce then put both hands on Luke''s head, and bringing him close to her, she leaned her feet up and gave the young man a kiss on the forehead.


    Now the half-wolf''s consciousness was asleep. He would only wake up when the whole thing was over, and that was just as dangerous, because it meant that if there was no solution, Luke would die in his sleep.


    *


    After much walking on that brick road, Megan finally approached the academy. Noting a few rooms along the way.


    "This is Merukyuin''s botanyb, that means we''re getting a little close." She said hopefully.


    As the girl walked, in her head, she was reading aloud the various medical books that were in the academy''s library. Reciting the symptoms of various diseases, trying to find a possible diagnosis for Luke. After a few more minutes, another concrete path appeared, this time as a route to the left.<sub> </sub>


    "This is Mr.Willford''s research center. Not long now, Luke." She said, watching the half-wolf.


    After a few more minutes, finally the lights of the academy could be observed. As soon as Megan left the clearing and found the descent that led to the many buildings of the academy. Already Adrian and Zhanid could be seen, as well as two doctors from the academy. The doctors'' clothes were whiteb coats, simr to those worn by some teachers. However, there was a distinct symbol representing the magical healing arts, the sign of a flower and a dagger. The flower on the zon represented the recovery of the wounded, while the weapon, represented the patient''s own battle for survival.


    When the two doctors saw Luke, they rushed off to take the half-wolf to the healing center. Zhanid hurried off along with them. Leaving Adrian and Megan worried, but a little more relieved knowing that he was already in good hands.


    "I wonder what Luke might have, Ipared it to all the illnesses recorded in the medical manuals at the academy. It didn''t look like anything we have on record." Megan said, her voice still a little shaky with fatigue.


    "Zhanid told me what Luke has, they will know how to treat him." replied Adrian


    "But if it''s not a disease, what could have caused it?" Megan said, confused


    The blond haired boy then turned to her, with a much more serious face than he normally maintains.


    "Luke is cursed... All we saw were the side effects of the curse."


    The girl''s eyes then widened, she knew very little about curses, as it was a subject that ran a bit outside of the magics studied at the academy. This answer only made her more uneasy, thinking of what would happen with her new friend.


    Adrian then sighed, and turned to Megan again.


    "There''s something else I need to tell you." He said. Looking deep into the girl''s eyes.


    "The main reason that brought Luke to the academy, was not to help Zhanid with his research. In fact, he came here in search of a way to minimize the side effects of his curse..." Adrian then looked away, feeling a tightness in his chest to exin this.


    "Zhanid told me that he suggested that Luke ask you for help in how to resolve this situation. He figured that with your help it would be possible to create some way to take care of these side effects."


    Hearing Adrian''s words, Megan''s heart felt a giant squeeze of guilt. The feeling of being unable to help the half-wolf left a bitter taste for her, and knowing that Zhanid believes she could find a solution only made her more angry with herself.


    However, an idea popped into the girl''s head. Who soon turned to Adrian.


    "The effects we saw were physical, right?" She asked


    "Hmm yes? Everything that happened urred in his body." Adrian replied. Confirming the hypothesis that popped into the girl''s head.


    "I think I found a possible solution." She said, immediately lifting her face and rushing off.


    "What did you think?!" Shouted Adrian so that the girl could hear, she was already a little far away.


    "I''m going to make an artifact! That''s my idea." Megan replied shouting, without stopping running.


    The idea Megan had was exactly what Zhanid and Luke had thought of. A magical artifact would be able to utilize Luke''s mana, transforming that energy into various healing spells. With enough preparation, it would be possible to get the artifact to start the necessary healing spells before the half-wolf even felt the side effects of his curse.


    Megan was running towards the dormitory where her room was. After all, of all the people in the academy, when it came to building artifacts, one person stood out. Alice Bloodstone, Megan''s twin sister.


    Entering the dormitory hall, the girl came across a receptionist. Still worried about the half-wolf, the girl''s heart was beating fast. Megan then asked for her sister.


    "Is Alice here yet?!"


    "I don''t know, I just started my shift." Answered the receptionist.


    "That''s ok! Thanks" said the girl, running to her room.


    Climbing the stairs and walking with hurried steps, she was wondering how she could develop this artifact. Megan''s knowledge of the construction of this type of equipment was far from as refined as her sister''s, but still, she wondered how she could develop the magical circles of the equipment.


    Opening the door to her room sharply, Megan came across Alice at her workbench.


    "I need your help!"

 Chapter 363 Turning Point (Part 2)

    Opening the door to her room with force, Megan came across Alice on her workbench.


    "I need your help!"


    Alice Bloodstone had long blonde hair, in a slightly lighter color than Ayumi''s, but not white like Nathalia''s. Her eyes possessed a green glow, which in that dark room, they shone with the reflection of the Light. She was wearing an academy uniform, however, it waspletely white with red details.


    In the girl''s workbench there were several tools, on the wall in front of the table there were several papers with magical circles drawn on them. The girl then dropped her tools, she was working on what looked like a clock. Confused, she then questioned her sister about what was going on.


    ? "Megan, is everything okay?" She said worriedly.


    The girl then bent down in front of her sister


    "Please, I need your help" Megan said, looking down at the ground as she asked for help in front of her sister.


    "Heyyy, heyy, it''s okay just tell me about it."


    Megan then stood up, and began to exin everything that had happened. About Luke''s practice of magic, his strange meditation that hadsted a long time, the demonstration of vast mastery that the half-wolf possessed. What happened to the new colleague, the various and different symptoms Luke demonstrated. How she brought him to the academy in a flying stretcher, and what was now happening to the young man.


    Within the academy, the two sisters were the most remarkable students. Alice Bloodstone was formidable and surprisingly skilled with the production of magical artifacts. While Megan Bloodstone had memorized almost every book in the academy, having a vast notion of different types of magic, their uses and applications.


    Both sisters had been adopted by the academy, growing up from a young age in that school town. From an early age, Alice learned to build artifacts, manipte magic, and produce magic circles; she was the best in this field. With an amazing memory like her sister''s, Alice was able to memorize different types of magic circles, item patterns, and forging methods.


    However, Alice was just as busy a girl as Megan. Having several projects of her own, as well as requests from within the academy. A good part of the magicmps on thempposts that lit up the entire ind had been designed or even made by the girl. The identification cards of the academy members also underwent major changes with the help of the girl, who greatly improved the design. Even the bathtubs in the academy rooms had been designed by the girl, who hated having to bathe with a bucket.


    Alice was extremely in demand, whether it was to produce ideas or to work incessantly producing magic circles. But even with such aplicated life, she would do anything for her only family, her best friend, her sister.


    Megan''s concern for Luke was truly high. As much as she had only known him a short time, this was the first time all of Megan''s knowledge was useless in front of a problem. Her inability to help her new friend left her truly hurt. To make matters worse, knowing that Zhanid trusted her to find a possible solution made her even sadder at her inability.


    "Hmmm, a curse... I''ve heard of Cursed Items, but never got to touch one." Alice said.


    Megan asked


    Megan asked.


    "Yes, they can both have a gigantic amount of mana. As well as being items that cause a curse on their owner." Answered Alice.


    Within the academy there was very little information regarding how they worked or how it was possible to deal with curses. However, Megan was willing to pursue the possibility she had thought of. Develop an artifact that would be able to regte Luke''s internal mana, using healing spells to stabilize his curse. That way, when he started to get sick, the side effect of the curse would gradually decrease.


    When Megan exined this idea to Alice, the girl''s green eyes sparkled with ideas. Alice then turned around, took a pen, and began to draw several different magical circles. The two sisters had this same characteristic of loving challenges, hating to lose, and beingpletely focused when a challengees up.


    In the end, Alice found a problem with Megan''s proposal. It would be necessary to have a notion of all the side effects of the curse, how they behave, how Luke reacts, what the young man''s magical ability is, and several other factors. Creating such equipment would be veryplicated. Luckily, the person with the greatest notion of theoretical magic at the academy was precisely Megan, so the knowledge and choice of the different spells needed would not be a problem.<sub> </sub>


    Megan let her sister get back to work on the strange clock that was on her desk. Then she went to the bathroom to take a long shower. At the moment, she could only wait. Inside the hot water of the tub, the girl''s thoughts were confused. She kept thinking about the symptoms Luke had shown. If Adrian hadn''t said that Zhanid knew how to solve this problem, she would surely be even more worried. If she didn''t know how to fix it with healing magic, most likely the doctors at the academy wouldn''t either.


    However, knowing that those healers would not be able to heal Luke was nothing to diminish Megan''s annoyance either. In the many years of working and studying at the academy, no challenge ever seemed impossible for her, there was never anything where her knowledge was worthless. She was feelingpletely incapable.


    As she ran soap over her body, her thoughts began to make more sense. If Zhanid already knew how to help Luke, so much so that he already helped him. It was only necessary that the old mage exin to her and Alice how to produce an artifact that would be able to help the half-wolf. That seemed to be the next step to be taken. Amidst so many thoughts, Megan chose to try to focus on the now. Her ears began to focus on a steady trickle of water that was falling from the bathtub faucet.


    With each drop of water, the girl''s mind calmed down. It was necessary to get some rest, or all this stress would only make it more difficult for her toplete her daily tasks the next day. The girl''s body was rxing, enjoying the warm water that relieved her stress.


    "I''m going to get out of the shower and check on him..." said Megan, who soon after, sank into the tub.


    *


    Luke''s condition was now stable, the two mage healers were confused by the symptoms that were described by Adrian. If it hadn''t been for Zhanid''s presence in the medical center, it would have been difficult for Luke to get out alive. It was several small details that saved the half-wolf''s life.


    If Megan had not applied healing magic soon after Luke began to feel ill, the symptoms of the curse would probably have been much stronger, which could have easily ended Luke''s life. However, what confused the doctors the most was the condition of the half-wolf''s body, even with signs of having spat blood, there was no apparent problem in the youth.


    "He has no seque or causes for the symptoms that boy described." Said one of the doctors.


    "Maybe the boy was just overreacting, seeing his friend ill could have made him worried. Answered the other doctor.


    However, Zhanid soon intervened in the middle.


    "It is not a disease boy, but it is really interesting the case of this half-wolf. Anyway, now that he is a little better, could you excuse me?" Said Zhanid.


    "Yes, sir." Answered the two doctors simultaneously, then left the room.


    By the presence of the two doctors who were checking on Luke, the old mage Zhanid was unable to conjure his spirits to care for the half-wolf as he did the first time this happened. Even though he was a rather confused person, the old wizard knew that revealing Luke''s secret to those two wizards was far from the sleeping boy''s intentions.


    Zhanid then picked up his staff, positioning it above in front of the bed Luke was lying on. The half-wolf was unconscious, but his breathing was extremely heavy. He huffed for air, this was the only sign that the curse was still present, and it seemed to have stabilized again.


    After Zhanid began to conjure his magic, three white colored spirits appeared above the magician. They were small white spheres that looked somewhat like the glow of fireflies, although no physical body form of these spirits could be seen.


    Luke''s whole body began to create an aura around it, which emitted a light of the same color as the three spirits conjured by the old magician. Zhanid now possessed a slightly better sense of what was happening to the half-wolf.


    By manipting Luke''s internal mana, he was controlling the effects of the curse. Within Melki''s academy of Magic, perhaps only Zhanid was capable of understanding how to deal with curses. The Haf-wolf began to cough extremely hard, until gradually, his breathing became calmer.


    The half-wolf''s life was not in danger now, for the time being.

 Chapter 364 Meeting

    By manipting Luke''s internal mana, he was controlling the effects of the curse. Within Melki''s academy of Magic, perhaps only Zhanid was capable of understanding how to deal with curses. The Haf-wolf began to cough extremely hard, until slowly, his breathing became calmer.


    The half-wolf''s life was not in danger now, for the time being.


    Even after Luke was theoretically better, Zhanid remained at the half-wolf''s side. Reading an old book of spells, he sat in front of the bed where Lukey. A short timeter, hurried footsteps could be heard rushing through the vast corridors of that medical center. With a hurried pace, each step echoed through the corridor.


    It was Meredith. The girl looked in each doorway, until she finally saw through a window which room the half-wolf was in. The half-fox''s heart was drowned in worry and doubt. Seeing her beloved in such aplicated situation was so sad and revolting, her inability to help Luke only left her with that bitter feeling in her mouth, and a deep sense of guilt in her chest.


    She then arrived in front of the door to Luke''s room, and even with a little trepidation, she opened the door with force. mming it against the wall and producing a very loud sound. Old Zhanid then just turned to the girl, and with his index finger in front of his mouth, he gave a silent signal.


    "Shhh He is sleeping. Sit on my side."


    Meredith merely agreed with her head and grabbed a chair, sitting down next to the old mage. A cruel silence hung around the room, until old Zhanid began to speak, worried about how the girl was feeling, he figured talking would be a good way to ease the situation.


    "This boy is pretty strong, no need to worry about him." Said Zhanid


    "I know... I saw him be strong. But I still remember when we both were just two kids... I can''t be reassured with Luke in that situation." Answered Meredith.


    cing one of his hands on the half-fox''s shoulder, old Zhanid gave a small smile.


    "It''s all right now. We''ll find a solution to this! In fact, I think I already know what might be going on."


    Meredith''s head was conflicted with several thoughts. For a moment she thought:


    ''What will that solution be?''


    However, remembering that this was Zhanid, she would probably not understand the mage''s exnations. That feeling of helplessness would linger from the girl''s chest for a long, long time.


    "Anyway, I''ll leave you two alone now." Said the old mage, as he stood up. He then opened the door and walked away, whistling a tune.


    The moment the door closed; Meredith held one of Luke''s hands. The half-wolf was warm, but seeing him unconscious was creating a feeling of indescribable sadness for the half-fox. She then lost control of her own emotions and began to cry. She then reclined her head on Luke''s bed, her eyes filled with tears.


    The two of them had a little time alone. But soon, another worried girl arrived at the medical center, she was apanied by her sister. Megan and Alice made their way to Luke''s room.


    Megan''s steps were as hurried and worried as were Meredith''s, while Alice was following at a short distance. The blonde girl was wondering what could be done to solve this situation, her face was a little tired, she had just gone to the medical center to take a closer look at the half-wolf''s case.


    Megan''s heart was beating hard, with every step she took her heart a different thought popped into her head. She was mentally reading several books, going over possibilities, thinking about what could be done. She felt extremely guilty for feeling that she might have been able to prevent this. Megan couldn''t even imagine that Luke had such aplicated situation.


    However, when she approached the half-wolf''s room. She just shook her head, trying to stop thinking about it, at least for now. She then opened the door; her sister was right behind.


    "Ah." uttered Alice, watching Meredith on the bed crying.


    "Good evening." said Megan, greeting the half-fox in typical academy style.


    Alice was showing a confused face as she watched Megan.


    ''Hmm, so this guy wasn''t a crush of my sister''s.'' concluded the blonde-haired girl.


    "Good evening." Meredith replied, sobbing


    The two girls sat on the other side of the bed. Megan was tapping her foot with speed, she was extremely anxious. Even as she avoided it, hundreds of texts shed through her eyes, several paragraphs of possibilities.


    Alice was drawing some magic circles in her notebook, while slowly shaking her head, as if affirming to herself that her ideas were working.


    A certain silence continued for a long time, until Meredith dried her own tears, lifted her face and tried to start a conversation.


    "Are you two Luke''s new friends?" She said, in a trembling voice.


    "My sister is, I just came to help her." Answered Alice, nonchntly as she continued to draw in her notebook. She had spoken so quickly that Megan couldn''t even think to give a response.<sub> </sub>


    "Well, as she said. I guess I can say I''m a friend of Luke''s... Did you meet him here too?" Megan asked.


    "Luke is my family." Answered Meredith


    Megan''s head soon became confused


    ''But, he''s so young.... How can he have a wife at that age?! My goodness, looking at him I couldn''t imagine he could be that romantic,'' thought the girl.


    She was sure to be incredulous when she found out that Luke actually had three wives, counting Meredith.


    "I see." Megan said, quickly shaking her head to again, try to clear her thoughts. She then realized that she had not introduced herself.


    "The name is Megan Bloodstone, this one next to me is my sister, Alice Bloodstone." Megan said, as she bowed again.


    "My name is Meredith, it''s a pleasure to meet you both." She spoke.


    ''So, this is the girl that Zhanid said could help Luke... I''m d she epted that task. You both for some reason remind me a bit of Nathalia...'' thought the half-fox.


    That silence continued for a while longer, only interrupted by Alice, who with eachpleted magic circle showed it to Megan asking for her opinion, this was repeated for a few minutes. Both Meredith and Megan were having a simr feeling in their chests, a feeling of guilt for feeling that they could have done something, that they could have helped Luke.


    "What do you think of this fifth-order circle? Would it work as a base?" Alice asked, holding out her ck leather notebook again in front of her sister.


    "Hmm, we will still need to review the side effects, maybe a grouping of tenth order magic circles is needed." Answered Megan, cing one if her hands on her chin.


    Meredith then tilted her head in confusion, watching the two sisters. She then questioned what this was all about.


    "What are you two doing?" She asked.


    And again, Alice answered faster than her sister:


    "I am trying to draw a pattern of magic circles. We are going to make an artifact to take care of Luke''s curse."


    "I See..." replied Meredith.


    The Half-fox felt a little annoyed at how she couldn''t help the two sisters with their project, but she felt relieved knowing that they were at least managing to find a solution. It wasn''t thatte, but the three girls were already starting to get sleepy.


    Zhanid then opened the door, apanied by Adrian. The blond-haired boy was carrying two leather books, both extremely thick. The old wizard then waved to everyone.


    The moment the two entered the door, Alice stood up excitedly, running towards the old mage to show her notebook and the drawings of the project.


    "Please Take a look Papa." Alice said.


    Meredith was confused by the girl''s speech.


    ''Zhanid is the grandfather of these two girls?'' thought the half-fox.


    The Old Mage then picked up the notebook, and began to carefully read the magic circle the girl had made.


    "Hohoho, that circle is really impressive! Impressive how you sketched a tenth-order healing circle in such a short time." Said Zhanid, while running his hand over Alice''s head.


    However, the solution to this problem should be something else, that was something the old wizard had already concluded. He then asked Adrian to give the two books to Megan.


    "The answer to solving this problem is going to be a little moreplicated than simply a healing artifact. I had already found a solution, but how to turn that into an artifact is going to be a slightly moreplicated task." Zhanid said.


    When Megan picked up one of the two books, the girl''s eyes widened in surprise.

 Chapter 365 Breakdown

    However, the solution to this problem should be something else, that was something the old wizard had already concluded. He then asked Adrian to give the two books to Megan.


    "The answer to solving this problem is going to be a little moreplicated than simply a healing artifact. I had already found a solution, but how to turn that into an artifact is going to be a slightly moreplicated task." Zhanid said.


    When Megan picked up one of the two books, the girl''s eyes widened with surprise.


    "When I stabilized the boy, I realized that his mana that is intensifying the effects of the curse." Zhanid said.


    Megan soon understood the point, but was left with a doubt in her mind.


    ''But these side effects have only been showing up when he uses a gene.'' She thought.


    What happened was this: when Luke uses a Gene, the mana inside him is reorganized, so that it ends up activating and intensifying the curse. Zhanid was considering this possibility, since the boy showed no problems when using spells, after all, any feat connected with the magical arts only requires an expenditure of mana.


    But the old wizard knew that if Luke didn''t tell him that he was a Genes user. Most likely he had a reason, in fact, just being in Melki was more than enough reason to keep it a secret.


    The book Megan was holding was one of the new contents Zhanid had picked up on hisst trip. It was a rare book that she had not yet read. It was a grimoire that did not appear to be Melki''s. The cover was made of red leather, with a red border. Its cover was of red leather, with gold details. In front of the cover was a title engraved with a golden material. The name of the book in question was:


    "Magic principles of internal mana maniption." Megan said aloud.


    Leafing through the many pages of the book, one could find hundreds of concepts about just that. How to reorganize a person''s internal mana, after all, mana copses are one of the possible causes of the intensification of a curse.


    The second book appeared to be from Broteforge. It was exactly what Megan needed, the name of the book was "Index of casualties and symptoms of curses". As Megan looked closely at the two books, Zhanid chose to start exining his theory to the three young mages.


    "The solution I imagine we can look for is an artifact to reorganize the boy''s mana. The Third chapter of the curse grimoirements on just that. Mana Breakdowns directly affect the bearer, intensifying effects of curses and curses."


    Alice listened intently, and began to jot down some ideas with the few notions she had regarding circles that managed mana. If reorganizing mana was even remotely simr to creating a magic circle that requires mana, she already knew more or less how to start the process.


    Adrian stood next to Megan, both watching the two books, they werementing on what could be done. With a certain enthusiasm, they both feltpelled to be able to help their new friend in trouble.


    Zhanid was watching the two from a distance, giving his observations and answering questions from the two young magicians. Sometimes Alice stood up and went to ask them about their magic circles. The whole group was involved with starting the project of Luke''s recovery.


    However, it was gettingte and staying in the medical center was not the best possible decision at the moment. Because of this and other factors, the group started to go to their lodgings. Adrian and Alice left first. Before leaving, Zhanid checked Luke''s condition once more, apparently he was already well, he just remained unconscious.


    The old wizard then left, leaving only Megan and Meredith in the room.


    The half-fox was upset, she felt so helpless in that situation. Her previous knowledge was of no use in the midst of this mess, all her experience was of little value. After all, she never had much interest in genes, magic, skills or mana. In Megan''s case, however, as much as her concern continued, she was now more rxed about how to help Luke, which lessened some of the weight she was feeling.


    Both were sitting, each on one side of the bed. Megan was flipping through the two grimoires of magic, while Meredith was just taking up various thoughts that were flying through her head. Several hours passed, dawn had finally arrived.


    It was well into the night when Luke began to cough uncontrobly.


    Megan and Meredith jumped out of their chairs, both extremely worried and ready to call for help. Both girls'' faces were pained; they exchanged nces, knowing exactly what the other was thinking.


    However, to the surprise of both girls, when the coughing stopped. Luke opened his eyes and lifted his chest. He then ced one of his hands in front of his head, while with the other he supported himself to stand up.


    "What happened? I feel like I''ve been asleep for days." Said the half-wolf, in a trembling voice.


    Luke''s Body was still weakened, mostly by intense fatigue. Even though the curse was now under control. He still felt tired from all the symptoms that had urred in his body, even though none of them had caused any marks, they left a severe post-traumatic-stress.


    "Wee back Luke." Meredith said, with a big smile on her face.


    "I thought I was going to lose my new assistant." Said Megan, letting out a sigh of relief.<sub> </sub>


    [Wee back, big boy.]


    ''You put me to sleep?''


    [I told you you wouldn''t like it, but it was better to just wake up when everything was resolved than to remain trapped for hours in your own consciousness].


    ''Still, what would happen if they hadn''t been able to heal me.''


    [You would never wake up again, though, if you remained inside your own head, if that happened...]


    ? ''What would ur?''


    [If you were trapped inside your consciousness, and your body died. I have a certain doubt whether your soul would go to the second ne, or be abandoned forever within an infinite time-break].


    ''I see. In the end there was no other better option. Thanks for that Bnce, at least I wasn''t left for hours thinking the worst.''


    Luke let out a smallugh. Soon after, the two girls began to exin everything that had happened. Megan began by telling what had happened to Luke''s body, then exined how she had brought him to the medical center.


    How her sister and she were now going to work on the artifact to help Luke, and how Adrian and Zhanid were willing to help as well. Luke listened to everything intently, with a gigantic gratitude for the two girls who remained by his side. He was extremely grateful for all the new allies he had met at the academy.


    Meredith had a lot to talk about with Luke, in particr, she had discovered some extremely disturbing news within the academy. However, with the half-wolf''s condition, this was certainly not the best time to create more problems in his head.


    So for this reason, she opted to hold on for a few more days to a piece of information that couldpletely change how the two of them were living in the academy. Perhaps it was necessary to take precautionary measures against this.


    Megan then began to exin what she, Adrian, Alice and Zhanid had talked about. Luke now possessed a much clearer sense of how magic worked, so what had previously been a bit more abstract to understand now made a bit more sense.


    Although the way Megan exined it was a bit confusing, this time he took the liberty to go questioning what she had exined.


    "Zhanid concluded that your curse is affected by a regrouping of your mana. Something you do is moving your mana within your body, aggravating the state of your curse. At the time I figured it might be this special half-wolf meditation, but I preferred not toment to Zhanid since you said it was a secret." Megan said.


    The moment the girl said this, Meredith was amazed. She soon concluded that what Luke had actually done was to have used a Gene Skill again. She then became afraid, after all, what would happen if they found out that he was a Gene carrier?


    The half-fox''s heart was beating fast, several bad thoughts were going through her head. The new problems, what could happen. She began to question if it was really possible to find a solution to Luke''s curse, however, when she looked at the way the half-wolf and Megan were talking. That doubt disappeared.


    Luke and Megan were analyzing all the possibilities, with a gigantic seriousness. Even though he was a novice in the magical arts, he appeared to be understanding the conclusions the girl said.


    "My sister is going to create a magic circle to control her mana. We will need in the next few days to analyze how she behaves normally. So when there is a fluctuation, the artifact will control and channel her mana." Said Megan


    "However, that has an obvious problem doesn''t it?" Luke said, looking into the girl''s eyes.


    Megan then sighed and confirmed with her head.


    "We will have to assess how your curse behaves on your mana" Megan said.


    The moment she said that, Luke looked down with a slightly confused face. On the spot, the half-fox realized that would be a problem.


    "What does that mean?" Meredith asked


    Megan then looked into the half-fox''s eyes, and with a serious countenance she exined.


    "We''re going to have to repeat what happened today to understand how to help Luke."

 Chapter 366 Taking Risk

    "However, that has an obvious problem, doesn''t it?" Luke said, looking into the girl''s eyes.


    Megan then sighed and confirmed with her head.


    "We will have to assess how your curse behaves on your mana." Megan said.


    The moment she said that, Luke looked down with a slightly confused face. On the spot, the half-fox realized that would be a problem.


    "What does that mean?" Meredith asked.


    Megan then looked into the half-fox''s eyes, and with a serious countenance she exined.


    "We''re going to have to repeat what happened today to understand how to help Luke."


    Meredith''s eyes widened with surprise; she couldn''t bear to see Luke in that same situation. At the same moment, she turned to the half-wolf, waiting to hear his opinion.


    Luke looked into Meredith''s eyes, and giving a smile, he stroked the half-wolf''s head.


    Slowly the girl''s astonished face calmed down, until she just continued to sit near Luke, waiting to hear his exnation.


    "If we perform this experiment right, with Zhanid''s support, I think it''s difficult for you to have any problems..." Megan said.


    In the end, the exnation made sense. If Zhanid was able to manually control the effects of the curse by reorganizing Luke''s mana. It was possible to significantly reduce the damage when they had to do this experiment.


    Megan was focused on one hypothesis. If she and Alice were to use a device to measure how Luke''s mana pools normally, and then check how it looks after the curse intensifies, it would be possible to get a sense of how both cases work. Thus, Alice would be able to create an artifact that would do the job that Zhanid was performing.


    However, in order to automate this process, it would be necessary to have a good sense of how these anomalies in Luke''s mana work. Megan figured it would be necessary to perform this experiment at least five times. Then she would have enough information to start developing this artifact.


    Within the academy there was already equipment capable of recognizing the flow of a person''s mana. However, because of Luke''s amount of magic and because it was a series of different variations of mana, it would be necessary to build or improve this type of equipment.


    There were crystals that were able to recognize the amount of magic a user had. Other artifacts could recognize a person''s mana, how it flowed internally, acting as if they were apass. But nothing was able to measure precisely how a person''s mana behaved inside their body.


    In the end, there was a reason they called Megan the Living Library. In her mind, several possibilities were shing by with extreme speed. She would go the next day to talk to her sister about the first part of the project.


    Adrian and Zhanid would be needed as well, however, there was one thing that was missing. Alice was undoubtedly an ingenious builder, she had a very good sense of how to use magic circles. However, to aplish this project, a cksmith would probably be needed.


    Normally Alice would just request the parts for the academy''s forge, but in the case of this project, it would be ideal to keep it a secret. There was no reason to announce the creation of such an artifact to the academy, although perhaps the new machine would be useful to the research center. Considering this, the girl soon spoke again.


    "I believe we will need a cksmith; I can look for some tomorrow... Although I don''t know many members of the forge at the academy." Megan said.


    At that very moment, Luke remembered Orion''s proposal. Probably the Zhao mage knew skilled cksmiths from the academy, so it wouldn''t be a problem to take advantage of Orion''s invitation to look for help.


    The Half-wolf also remembered the little blue-haired boy, although he was still a bit disbelieving if that child would be able to forge anything of real quality.


    "Leave that task to me. I''ve been wanting to get to know the forge at the academy." Luke said.<sub> </sub>


    Both Megan and Meredith looked worriedly at the half-wolf, both denied the idea, but he remained firm in his decision.


    "I am already feeling much better, I just need a little more rest! Meredith, keep learning as much as you can in the academy sses. Megan, you are always so busy, use your free time to help Alice with this project. Leave the part about finding a cksmith to me." Luke concluded.


    The Half-wolf was quite interested in Orion''s invitation, if he won a greatsword from the academy, moving from one corner to another would never be a problem again. In Luke''s head, he was already thinking about the possibilities of how he could use this on the battlefield. It would only be necessary to remove the greatsword from his inventory and he would be ready to fly.


    It would also be interesting to see little Ezra''s abilities, as much as Luke was disbelieving the boy''s potential. Not visiting the forge and ignoring the conversation he had with the little cksmith would be extremely rude. The blue haired boy seemed extremely excited when he set out to forge, so there was no reason not to check out his abilities.


    Now both Luke and Megan were determined with their next steps. The half-wolf although still tired, was already wondering what the next spells he would try to learn would be. His goal was still to use the time at the academy to develop himself in as many elements as possible.


    He already had a very good understanding of wind magic, now he had just finished understanding how to use fire magic, manipting his own mana to create small spheres of energy that emitted a gigantic amount of heat. Although it would still be necessary to review a few more spells of that element.


    The next element Luke was interested in learning about was how to manipte water and ice. Megan had already given an introduction to it, but mastering this type of spell was also in Luke''s interests. The half-wolf was burning with determination to continue his studies.


    Megan was determined to find a solution to support Luke. She hated that feeling of feeling unable to help. The next chance she had to meet with Zhanid, she made up her mind that she would take the opportunity to question about everything the old mage had done to stabilize the half-wolf''s mana. The girl was also determined to start the project with her sister the next day.


    She would already start searching and gathering the necessary equipment to continue this research. How to obtain the magical artifacts that check the user''s mana, after all, perhaps it would be possible to simply upgrade the already existing artifacts to a better mana reading.


    Both of them had eyes burning with determination. However, Meredith was heartbroken about a piece of news that she no longer knew how to break to Luke. Even more so in the situation he was in.


    She knew the half-wolf; she knew that if she told him. Luke would try to take action. He would run after a way to stop what was happening at the academy.


    Meredith was attending sses at the academy, she had entered the ind as a researcher, but after talking with Luke and Zhanid, they both preferred that she attend sses at the academy to learn more about how magic works. This would be a way for her to finally be a little stronger.


    She was excited by the practical sses; she understood some basic spells. Learning how to conjure spells and even discovered the history of the academy. She had always been interested in study, since she was a little girl learning was something that made her heart race with excitement.


    She paid close attention to each of the academy''s sses. One of the subjects she began to take was magical botany.


    Some nts react with the use of magic, directly. They are able to change shape, growrger than normal, or even change colorpletely.


    Some specific flowers and mushrooms are able to umte the mana of a region, other nts are able to steal the mana of those who touch their leaves. In general, some nts have adapted to the use and contact with the mana of the world. The magical botany took advantage of these nts to develop their studies.


    In Luke''s ownboratory, there was an area of botany. Where they were used as guinea pigs for experiments. Botany is one of the most important nonbat disciplines in the academy.


    In Meredith''s room there were no more half-beasts. On the very third day of ss, with her keen hearing, she observed a strange speech by Professor Max Willford. He seemed to be talking to himself, however, when she could get closer and hear better, she realized that it was a conversation.


    A strange female voice was talking to him, the two of them werementing on some experiments that Willford was performing together with Professor Hoshigaki.


    Strangely, there was no sign that the woman Mr. Max was talking to was present there. It was impossible to hear her breathing. Soon Meredith discovered what the conversation was about.


    Willford was taking advantage of nt research to develop a method to create chimeras.

 Chapter 367 Retrospect (Part 1)

    Willford was taking advantage of nt research to develop a method for creating chimeras.


    ______


    A few hours earlier...


    Meredith Scully''s day started off a little slow. As much as the half-fox had woken up several times for a few minutes, only to go back to sleep, she remained in bed. Her morning was again started with Luke doing his morning workouts. A little embarrassed, she enjoyed watching her beloved train.


    Pretending to still be asleep, Meredith was spying on the half-wolf performing his push-ups. Luke''s heavy breathing was an incredible melody to the girl, who was beginning to imagine some other possible types of exercise, in this case, those done together.


    Watching the sweat dripping down the half-wolf''s broad back made her face a little red, however, she concentrated on her task of pretending to be asleep.


    As Luke began to make bars on the bathroom door, he stood facing the girl''s bed. At a distance of about four feet. Watching Luke''s muscles twitching was making Meredith even more embarrassed that she was spying. She knew it would be okay to watch, but for some reason, the feeling of being hidden in the covers watching him was making her heart race.


    The girl no doubt imagined that she was seeding in her task, she was also skilled in the art of camouge, however, Luke could notice her breathing changing, bing a little short of breath. The half-wolf was used to Meredith''s sleepy breathing, so it was obvious that she was awake.


    ''Hmm, but why would she pretend to be asleep?'' thought Luke. Soon he put that matter aside and continued to train.


    Luke finished his exercises, which discouraged the young woman a little, who was extremely entertained by watching her lover exercising. Just then he took a quick shower and left. Again, Meredith was alone.


    My God, what was I doing,'' thought the girl. As she shook her head and rolled on the bed from side to side, her head was full of imaginations. And in her heart, it was energized with the love she felt.


    "When did he get so handsome?" She questioned. Looking up at the ceiling with her facepletely red.


    Slowly she closed her eyes again.


    "Anyway, now that he''s gone... I''m going to lie down some more." She said, giving a smallugh soon after.


    The girl''s morning had indeed started slowly, something she should have enjoyed, as the day would only get much moreplicated from now on.


    After a few more hours, the girl finally decided to get up. There was still some time before the beginning of sses at the academy. Even with so many rpses into sleep, it was still early. Luke had left his room early in the morning.


    As the sun rose, the windows of the room lit up. A calm wind swayed the curtains, causing the light to dance across the room.


    Meredith''s red hair shone in a beautiful shade when it met the light. Now that the sun was beating down on her bed, the temperature under the covers was rising. After concentrating all her energy, she finally decided to get up.


    Her hair was a bit messy and her clothes were wrinkled. But the half-fox''s natural beauty was still as striking as ever.


    Merit slowly stood up, stretching. Stretching her arms up as she stretched.


    After putting her feet up off the bed, she soon came across the mirror that stood on the bedroom wall.


    "Okay! I''m going to need ab." She said, observing her reflection.


    Every day the girl started the same way,bing her tail and hair. She still felt awkward that she no longer had to hide her half-beast features, but it wasn''t a bad feeling, in fact, it was liberating.


    She was excited, singing a tune as she ran herb through her long red hair.


    "Hmm, maybe it''s getting to be time to trim the ends." She said, thinking aloud.


    Combing her tail was the most time-consuming part of her morning, perhaps even moreplicated than fixing her hair. But the girl continued to sing excitedly as shebed her hair.<sub> </sub>


    When she had finally finished her daily routine, the girl put on a casual outfit and went downstairs to eat breakfast in the academy cafeteria.


    The long white corridors of the dormitory sparkled in the sunlight. The many windows of the building illuminated every inch of the ce with the beautiful energy of the morning. The appearance of the academy already showed perfection in architecture, but watching the lighting in through the windows made this ce even more beautiful.


    The way every little detail of the building seemed to be done with care was astonishing. Even though Meredith had grown ustomed torge buildings, mainly because of the mention of Ayumi, there was something about that ce that left the half-fox''s heart with a sense offort and wonder.


    "Hmm, I hardly see anyone walking around without their uniform." she said, walking down the halls.


    A few secondster, she saw one of the researchers in an outfit that was also casual.


    She was an elf with ck hair. An extremely dark shade. The woman''s skin was very white, simr to Nathalia''s. She was dressed in a ck skirt and a red blouse. Everything about the woman showed elegance, even the way she walked. Her face was exuberant and young, but wearing sses gave her a serious and intelligent appearance.


    As they both passed each other, they exchanged nces. At that very moment, the elf gave a small smile and waved her hand. Meredith reciprocated the gesture.


    Inside the academy it was the norm to wear the uniform outside the dormitories, something the half-fox had not yetpleted, she did not even imagine that there was such a norm.


    However, with themon fear of attracting attention. Meredith decided that she would no longer go out without her uniform.


    After all, apart from the elf she had met, everyone was wearing one of the academy''s uniforms. Both those who were working, researchers, and even students walking through the dormitory.


    After walking down, the stairs three floors, she finally reached the main entrance of the building. Walking to the right, she went towards the cafeteria.


    There were several tables for eating. The cafeteria was full. It was one of the few ces where conversations could be heard going on normally. In any other ce in the academy, it is unusual to see much noise.


    In the intervals of the sses there were those whomented and talked among themselves. But both in the corridors and even on the street, even with conversations, it was hard to be bothered by the noise. Silence always reigned.


    This atmosphere at the academy was wonderful for Meredith, who, with her keen hearing, had always been bothered by the noise of urban centers like Oukiwa. It was a relief for the girl, who felt free to think, without hundreds of voices bothering her.


    Inside the dining hall, the conversations, although more marked, still took ce in a low tone of voice. Since Meredith was in a researcher''s dormitory, most of the subjects discussed at the tables were precisely about experiments. Development of artifacts and magic.


    While she sat there feeding herself, the girl was trying to understand what she was able to hear. An effort that unfortunately was in vain. There was still a veryrge knowledge barrier.


    After Meredith left the refectory, she returned to her room extremely thoughtful. Ufortable with her inability to understand the conversations that took ce at the next table.


    This gave her more motivation to study. She then sat down in front of a desk, where she spent the rest of her free time reading the books that the teachers had indicated.


    She also reviewed her notes from the previous day, as well as making notes of what she had just learned.


    She was not familiar with magic, which made the task extremely challenging. But Meredith wanted to be of more use to Luke.


    She did not possess several of Gene''s abilities like Alexis. Nor did she have the prestige, money, and contacts like Ayumi. But one fact has always been present in her life, she is a hardworking woman who would do anything for her beloved.


    Meredith continued studying for hours, trying to concentrate as much as possible on the texts in front of her. But whenever she stopped for a moment to rest and drink some water, her thoughts would return to Luke.


    She couldn''t get the half-wolf out of her head. Every second that she wasn''t reading, her heart was racing, thinking about him. Imagining the times, they would have together and what they could do. She felt a gigantic longing to be by Luke''s side every day. She imagined what their children would be like, what it would be like to cook for him and wait for him every night in his bed.


    She couldn''t stop imagining her return to Broteforge. All she wanted most of all was to be epted as Luke''s wife.

 Chapter 368 Retrospect (Part 2)

    When it finally got close to ss time. Meredith left the dormitories and walked towards the center of the academy. Coming out of therge hallway of the researchers'' dormitory, the sun was already strong, illuminating the academy uniforms that shone with the light. Soon she became aware, with her keen half-fox hearing, of the various steps of the dozens of people walking back and forth. Some with a certain pace, others slower, going in all directions in the long square.


    Meredith was to perform in one of the main teaching buildings, which was a little behind the main building. The distance was rtively long if walking, it should take about 15 minutes, the girl walked calmly, until, little by little, it was possible to notice the other students and members of the academy who would be attending sses. Even though they still had a little free time, most of them were already getting ready for another day of teaching.


    Following the region''s architecture, the teaching center building stood out with long columns at its entrance. The ck wooden door was striking from a distance, at least 26 feet long. It was illuminated by a series of small white spheres, which glowed to illuminate the entrance.


    The building was made of white brick, with small details in a wood finish. A little in front of the columns was arge stone b, shaped like a square turned sideways. In the center, there was an engraving of a book and a quill, and just below, there was an illumination spell engraved in the stone, going around the stone.


    Adrian had exined to Meredith that this was another symbolism of the academy. The book and quill signified that it was a study building, while the simple spell of light magic represented: "Knowledge illuminating the demons of doubt."


    The academy was surrounded by small, yet elegant highlights that showed the care and knowledge of the inventors who built it.


    ? After Meredith climbed a short flight of marble stairs that led to the second floor of the building, the half-wolf came upon a long hall that was divided into three corridors. There were two staircases at the sides, one of the corridors in the center, and two others that led off to the left and right of therge entrance hall.


    The floor was marble, as were part of the columns inside the building. The handrails were made of wood, as were part of the walls of the building. While some of the walls were the same white concrete, others were dark oak wood and white ster.


    In front of the entrance door of the building were several picture frames of teachers, some of whom were still teaching at the academy, while others had already passed away. What always caught the half-fox''s attention was the picture of Zhanid, who appeared to be much younger than he really was.


    ''I wonder when this painting was made.'' thought Meredith, as she started up the stairs.


    In her arm were two notebooks and a book that she was told to take to the next ss. It was not very heavy.


    On the second floor would be the first half-fox ss, there was a bleachers with several oak tables, the seat was connected to the table. With each seat the height of the bleachers rose a little more, so that all the students would be able to observe the teacher from a distance. The capacity of the room was at least 100 students, as much as it was an enclosed space, the ceiling was far away even from thest row of chairs.


    Seats were marked off inside the tables, where there would be a small hole to put their utensils, such as pens and pencils. On top of each oak table was a block of ck stone, where calctions and drafts of some subjects would be made.


    To Meredith''s sensitive sense of smell, that gigantic amount of chalk in every corner of the room was a nightmare. The first moment she sat down, her nose was already bothered. At the end of the previous day, she ended up with a runny nose.


    As the time for the first ss approached, several students came through the wide doorway. There was a small elevation to the stone board where the teacher would lecture. The gigantic stone board was made up of several ck squares, each one able to move from one direction to another. On top of the wall of the room were still the notes from the day before.


    In a few minutes, the entire room was already crowded. Meredith was able to recognize a few faces from the day before, but because of herck of understanding of the magical art, as well as a certain fear of starting a conversation, she remained silent. Not initiating conversation with anyone.<sub> </sub>


    It wasn''t an unwillingness, but she simply wasn''t able topletely trust the students around her. She was also afraid that they would notice her magical ineptitude, or even be prejudiced against her race. Even with some kind people like Adrian and Zhanid, it was still Melki''s territory.


    Some students began to take notes from the previous day, others used the stone squares on the tables to perform small calctions. Conversation was on a low note, although lively in some cases. The whole room made Meredith a little dizzy, the smell of chalk mixed with so many conversations was a bit exhausting for her.


    After 15 minutes, ady with a big gray hat entered the room. It was one of the professors of chemical magic. A subject that made no sense to Meredith. The creation of potions and medicines using only natural products and mana was different, to say the least. From what the half-fox had heard, in the students'' conversations, this teacher was a disciple of Zhanid.


    ''Maybe she started studying with him already a little older?''


    The truth was that Zhanid was a prodigy in magic, having started teaching at the academy at a very young age, which exined how a woman who appeared to be much older than him could be his student.


    The professor walked with a white cane, which seemed to be made of wood. On top of the cane was a small crystal flower. She brought several ss apparatuses, which resembled the equipment Zhanid carried back and forth. As she carried out her exnations, the boards moved to give her more space to write. Her ss went on without any problems.


    When the teacher finished her lecture, the students slowly moved to the various other ssrooms. Those who were more interested inbat magic usually took the opportunity to go to practical or battle theory sses. While those who were interested in a specific theory part, could go to ab or study with a professor of that subject.


    Meredith was taking the standard academy sses. There were several sses with extremely different subjects, however, the general notions of magic were learned with excellence. Even if it was not possible topletely master a subject or to advance in depth in an area that you wished.


    That was enough for the half-fox who just wanted to use her days at the academy to learn the basics of how spells work. She didn''t want to be the best, or have that much battle experience. But to be able to help Luke a little more.


    Even though the chemical magic sses were boring, she was still trying to understand. Especially since it was one of the most important forms of magic for the production of medicines. This was one of the main focuses of the half-fox, to be able to take care of Luke, as well as to be by his side when needed.


    To this end, she chose that she would give a main focus to these subjects. But in order not to lose the necessary and general notions, she continued studying in the regr grade. One of the sses the day before that surprised Meredith the most was undoubtedly botanical magic.


    Seeing the different functions of flowers and nts was amazing. The teacher from the previous day was named Merukyuin Hoshigaki, an extremely nice and fun-loving gentleman from Zhao. Meredith''s next ss was precisely botany, however, another teacher would be teaching the ss.


    It was another part of botanical magic. Meredith was equally interested to learn about it. So, she made her way attentively to the professor''s room. It was on the third floor of the building. The room was a littlerger, especially the professor''s desk. Where it was possible to see several potted nts.


    After a few minutes the teacher who was going to give the ss arrived. His name was Max Willford, he had blond hair and was extremely elegant. He wore a brown suit with the academy''s coat of arms in the pocket of his zer. He was one of the youngest teachers at the academy, and one of the most coveted men by all the women on the ind.

 Chapter 369 Retrospect (Part 3)

    After a few minutes, the professor who was to give the ss arrived. His name was Max Willford, he hadpletely white hair and was extremely elegant. He wore a brown suit with the academy''s coat of arms in the pocket of his zer. He was one of the youngest teachers at the academy, and one of the most coveted men by all the women on the ind.


    He wore sses with a silver frame, which were in the middle of his thin nose. His face was extremely handsome; he had Strogueher-like features. Although his ears were not pointed. As he began to speak, the young teacher removed one of his white gloves to hold the chalk.


    With his other hand, he positioned it behind his back as he began to write on the board. The posture he maintained while standing was as perfect as his manner. It seemed that his every action was nned to be performed in the most graceful manner. To Meredith''s sensitive ears, it was soon evident how popr the wizard was.


    "Mr.Willford is so amazing."


    "He is so well-dressed today."


    "Did you see that a girl proposed to him yesterday?"


    "I think I''ll try my luck too."


    Girls'' voices all around. All talking quietly, trying not to be heard by Mr. Willford. This began to annoy the half-fox, most of the room was female. And most of the girls were gossiping about the professor.


    *Tsk*


    Meredith clicked her tongue.


    She then crossed her arms and leaned back, the ss hadn''t even started and she was already tired. The smell of chalk bothering her nose seemed much better than having to listen to all these girls.


    "I saw Mr.Maxst week with a student?"


    "Yeah, yeah! I saw him too! It was a blonde, right?"


    "Exactly, I wonder if she was taking questions?"


    "Hmm, but that seems a bit odd to me,"


    "Oh... now I''m jealous."


    Meredith then leaned back under the desk, she then continued the ss dejectedly. Trying to ignore the surrounding noises. Even when he started the ss, you could still hear the students gossiping, in brief moments, the teacher would look at the different groups of girls and wink at the students. The half-fox could hear the breathing of these groups getting more breathless.


    This began to create an annoyance in her for the teacher, she wasn''t really going for him anymore.


    ''I''m sure this blondie can hear what they''re saying...'' Meredith thought.


    It was as if he let the girls talk about him during ss. He seemed to want them toment andpliment him. At one point, Meredith finally went from just disliking to actually being angry with the teacher. He blew a kiss to a group of girls next to her. He was really encouraging these girls to be his followers.


    Mr. Willford was a professor of magical botany, not only that, he was also a biologist. Some magicians were also schrs of standard arts, such as mathematics, literature, and even world history. His sses were precisely about magical botany and healing practice. On his desk there were a few potted nts. He approached one that was a littlerger, it was a kind of apple tree that had not yet fully grown.<sub> </sub>


    Holding the trunk of the small tree with both hands, he broke it in half. However, he did not separate the two parts of the trunk. Even though it was broken, there was still a connection between the two parts.


    All the girls in the room made a sound of surprise and admiration, which made the half-fox confused and more annoyed.


    ''He only broke a tree, what''s so great about that?'' she thought.


    Then the white-haired mage held out his hands in front of the tree, and continued his exnation.


    "As you can see, our little friend had her inner part broken in half. Unfortunately, we couldn''t do much in a natural way, though. With mana maniption magic, we can restore our friend tree." He said, soon after, his hand began to glow with a white light.


    "Ikyura healing."


    The moment he finished the incantation, that light went around the wood fiber. Connecting the trunk again, which gradually rose and rose. Until the two parts connected, as if the tree had never broken.


    "Here in magical botany we will learn how magic directly interferes with the functioning of nts, but also my loves, we will learn how to use that magic we can learn from nts, to people" Willford said, turning to the board to continue writing.


    Again the girls went wild, letting out sighs of admiration. Conversation had ceased during the exnation, but now, it was back on.


    "He''s so amazing."


    "That spell could heal my broken heart."


    "I don''t need a spell, just a kiss."


    All these lines were making Meredith tired and increasingly irritated. However, even with this extremely unpleasant lecture, Mr. Max''s exnations were very good. Even without paying that much attention to the lecture, the half-fox was able to understand what the professor was talking about without any problems.


    ''I liked magical botany, and it is an important subject... But this teacher...''


    Half-fox was confused. Continuing to attend these sses would be like torture for her ears, but she was interested in learning this content.


    Even after the ss was over, several students surrounded Mr.Max, who was smiling as he answered the girls'' questions. The girls'' voices were shaky, as if they were all embarrassed to talk to the teacher.


    ''This way of his, this guy gives me agony'' thought Meredith, who was watching that group of girls from a distance, sawing her eyes.


    The half-fox then left and went to the bathroom, when she came out of the bathroom. She noticed a strange voice talking nearby. It was a female voice, but it sounded a bit macabre. Sometimes it would falter, as if the person had suddenly stopped speaking in the middle of a sentence.


    This noise wasing from the hallway next to the bathroom.

 Chapter 370 Retrospect (Part 4)

    This noise wasing from the hallway next to the bathroom.


    Meredith walked with slow steps towards the noise, her keen hearing could understand what they were talking about. But she still didn''t understand what it was about. Even in such an open corridor, the sound of that conversation was not echoing so well, something strange that took the half-fox by surprise.


    With furtive steps, she slowly approached the noise, her ears attentively trying to understand what was happening. Her ears were wiggling, as they adjusted to try to understand the conversation.


    She was sneaking along the wall, trying not to make noise with the friction of her body in contact with the wall. And as stealthily as possible so as not to attract attention with the sound of her feet. Now at that corner, at the edge of the corridor that went in a full circle to the right, hidden by the wall, she stuck her head out.


    What she saw was Max Willford holding amunication sphere. The whole ce around him was covered with a kind of purple energy, and a ck smoke was surrounding the professor''s body. This ck smoke was covering the professor''s feet, flowing from outside the sphere and spreading out into the corridor. The professor''s skin was now a white color, and you could see his veins were ck. It was as if the blood in his body waspletely ck.


    It was as if he had simply turned into a walking corpse, although, a corpse would have less whitish skin than the professor''s, and the veins would not be so dark. His own voice had changed, it was now sounding more low-pitched, and his breathing was heavy and breathless.


    The crystal in the professor''s hand was made of a kind of red ss, which emitted a ruby light that illuminated the professor''s face. In addition to the smoke that flowed between the fingers of the professor''s hand, there was also a kind of small red crystal floating above themunication sphere.


    Meredith''s heart was beating frantically. Realizing this, she took a deep breath, and with as much concentration as she could muster, tried to control her heartbeat. Little by little, the half-fox''s heart was calming down, and she stood there, lurking, trying to understand what was happening.


    Inside the crystal it was possible to see what looked like a woman. It was a creature with a female body, breasts covered by a kind of ck scale. There was long red hair, which was swaying as if she were floating under the sea. On top of the creature''s head there were frightening ck horns, but the most bizarre thing of all was without a doubt the monster''s eyes. Completely ck eyes with pupils that glowed red. It was a demon.


    Meredith then turned around. Vanishing from the field of vision of the two of them.


    ''A demon... They didn''t notice me.


    She then hid and with her heart racing again, focused as much as possible on understanding what the two were talking about.


    "I sessfully managed to transfer the mana from the third guinea pig to the ck lily. I am managing to stabilize this upkeep. I believe I will soon be able to start doing the limb transmutation for the chimera." Said Max, his voice was bizarre, he then gave a disgusting smile. It didn''t look one bit like the way he used to talk to the girls.


    "All right, we have a lot of faith in you. I hope you don''t end up being a failure like your predecessor. Do you have any other requests?" Said that creature in a feminine voice.


    "I want more genes. I didn''t realize how incredible this is. Please give me some more genes." He said, now desperate. Raising his voice a little.


    The moment he realized that he had spoken too loudly, Meredith heard some footsteps from side to side. As if he was checking that there was no one around.


    "Complete your task and we will pay you with whatever you want, but know that if you get it wrong. It will be the end of you."


    The half-fox then walked away, utilizing her stealth skills to the fullest. She took several quick but silent steps. And soon, she was already climbing the stairs of the corridor. Far away from where it all happened.<sub> </sub>


    Soon after, Max Willford returned to his elegant teacher''s posture. Drying his mouth with a cloth, he had salivated like a mad dog. Walking down the corridor, his eyes soon noticed a red hair on the floor.


    He knelt down and picked up the red strand. cing it near his nose, his eyes changedpletely, to an aggressive look of fury.


    "It has a half-beast aroma."


    He then threw the hair on the ground.


    "It''s probably nothing, I was alone." He said. Walking to the teachers room while scratching his neck.


    *


    The next few sses were going well. However, as much as Meredith tried to control her heart, she was still worried. Sitting in the middle of ss, she couldn''t stop thinking about how Luke would react to this news.


    If I warn Luke, he will surely want to face the professor head-on.


    Sighing, she began tob her tail with one of her hands.


    ''As long as this war goes on, it will be impossible to have peace.''


    After two sses, it was finally break time. A small space to rest one''s head and have afternoon tea. The students were leaving the room, but the half-fox remained seated in her seat, drawing. Gradually the sound of footsteps diminished, until few remained in the room. Meredith then decided to go out to the cafeteria, to eat while she still had time to spare.


    In the corridors, she heard rumors that made her even more worried.


    "Did you hear that Orion was defeated by a half-wolf this morning?"


    "But isn''t he a golden pendant?"


    "Yes, he is! But I heard that he was defeated by a novice."


    "Who is this half-wolf?"


    "It seems that he is a new assistant of Mr. Zhanid."

 Chapter 371 Retrospect (Part 5)

    "Did you hear that Orion was defeated by a half-wolf that morning?"


    "But isn''t he a golden pendant?"


    "Yes, he is! But I heard that he was defeated by a novice."


    "Who is this half-wolf?"


    "Apparently he''s a new assistant to Mr.Zhanid."


    When Meredith heard this, her ears popped up. She intently turned to the wheel of girls who were chatting. With a total focus on what was being discussed. No doubt her half-fox instincts became even more attenuated when she heard something rted to Luke.


    In her head, several thoughts were spinning, already imagining that the worst could happen. This was a defect that intensified in her heart, this constant worry about what might happen, about the future.


    ''She spoke a half-wolf, it could be any half-wolf.... But it''s Zhanid''s assistant... It''s definitely Luke, it can only be Luke.''


    What made the girl incredulous was precisely this question. If the subject was about Luke, that would imply that he managed to get into a fight in less than a week inside the academy, an environment that until now was peaceful and quiet, but if there was one person who knew what Luke Lange is capable of, no doubt it is Meredith...


    ''He would definitely be able to do that... But still, it''s so early, I wonder what motivated him to make trouble so quickly. Even more so a duel? How could he manage to have a disagreement so quickly...? And he''s still weakened, it doesn''t make sense. What happened Luke?''


    The conversation of that group of girls continued, which gave Meredith even more answers and questions.


    ''I heard they dueled on the beach''


    Said a girl with long green hair and red sses, she was excitedly shaking her head from side to side, making little jumps of excitement.


    "Yes, yes! Near the flight center."


    Answered a girl with short blonde hair, who was also wearing sses.


    "I wanted to see Orion swinging his sword!"


    Continued the blonde.


    "He must look so attractive fighting."


    Answered the green haired girl.


    "From what I heard, he used a greatsword"


    Said a red-haired girl who was on the wheel, she carried a sword on her back.


    "And yet he was still defeated? How impressive!"


    Answered another girl who possessed pink hair and rabbit ears.


    Meredith''s eyes widened, her face was making a genuine expression of astonishment and at the same time fear. Her heart was beating incessantly, with doubts and questions of what might happen now. After all, they could be in serious danger.


    ''Gold pendants are the strongest members of the academy...If Luke got into a duel with one of these guys, that''s sure to cause trouble.... If he draws too much attention, maybe even the demons will notice our presence in the academy.''


    She was nervous, and now that she knew about the demons'' influence in the academy, she had an even greater desire not to draw attention to herself. Knowing that one of the teachers had direct contact with the demons was something that terrified the girl at first.


    In theory, the academy space was supposed to be alien to Melki''s government. But the geographical proximity was obviously a factor that would eventually influence, drawing the empire''s interest to the magical knowledge of that ind.


    ''The first servant would easily recognize Luke, we need to consider now that the demons have already realized our presence here. This ce is too protected for them to attempt a direct attack, but currently we are isted... I wonder what might happen on the outside, now that they know Luke is too far away to interfere...?''


    Various thoughts were flying back and forth in Half-fox''s head, who was tapping her foot on the ground with anxiety. She was trying to imagine everything that could ur with this new news. They were oblivious to any information, and without Luke''s help, the demons would surely take advantage of Ayumi''s weakness. They already had no news from Broteforge, which was making them both worried, now the situation was even more critical.


    Depending on how Luke was going to react, he might have the will to directly confront Max Willford, just the thought of Luke getting into a direct confrontation with a professor was something that made the half-wolf extremely worried. After all, the half-wolf was still weakened and unable to use skills, no matter how much he had apparently won a duel against a prodigy student, it''s apletely different situation when ites to a teacher. To make matters worse, Luke would still have to face him using only magic, since he would not be able to use his gene skills without being affected by the curse, which in Meredith''s view made the duel even more dangerous.<sub> </sub>


    A teacher at Melki''s academy is a master of the magical arts, even if Willford was young, his ability and strength should be amazing to be able to teach at the academy. But letting the production of Chimeras continue would undoubtedly be a wrong decision, which would directly influence the war between Melki and Broteforge.


    So as much as this situation was degrading and extremely dangerous, it would be necessary to intervene in Mr.Max''s research. The question is how.


    ''Luke is too weak to Fight him directly... Maybe with Zhanid''s help we can stop the project from continuing. But would Zhanid help us? What would happen if we intervene?


    A new and even more worrying possibility crossed Meredith''s mind.


    ''We can''t say anything about how the academy would react to this, maybe the directors themselves are supporting Mr. Max''s decision... If that is true, are we really safe here? The demons can''t attack the academy directly, but there''s nothing stopping them from attacking us in the night... Even more so if they have the support of the academy members.''


    Now the very safety of the two were in doubt.


    ''Is Melki''s academy really neutral towards the empire? Can we really trust anyone here?''


    The half-fox''s face was now pale, with a sense of fear she hadn''t experienced in a long time.


    Until she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. It was the girl with the red hair, who was talking in the group. Meredith jumped with fright.


    "Ya, Oh I''m sorry." Half-fox said, embarrassed.


    "Don''t worry, I''m the one who''s sorry. But is everything okay?" Questioned the red haired girl.


    She was dressed in her standard academy uniform, wearing a white skirt and long ck stockings that went up to her thigh. Her hair was a very strong red, her eyes were also red, and on her back she was holding a long silver sword. Soon the other girls followed the redhead''s attitude, and approached Meredith. The girl with pink hair and rabbit ears came hopping up.


    "You had such a worried face! I''m d Ruby came to talk to you! "


    This girl was dressed in her academy uniform, but on top of her shirt was a white sweater that hid her hands and part of her neck. Her long pink hair waspletely messed up, while her rabbit ears were protruding upwards.


    "That''s right, do you need help? I''ve never seen you around here before," said the blond haired girl. She wore ck sses, and had rtively short hair, just above her shoulders. She was wearing a ponytail.


    "Yeeyy! A new friend! You were very handsome offering help hein Rubyy" continued the rabbit girl. Poking the redheaded girl''s face, who took the chance to bite her friend''s finger.


    "Well, my name is Ruby. What''s your name?" Said the red-haired girl.


    The Half-fox then looked down, her heart still churning with several bad thoughts of what might happen at the academy. But she sighed deeply and chose to think it over another time.


    "My name is Meredith, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Call me Yuuziiii! umu" the rabbit girl said.


    "My name is Ainz, and the green haired shy girl is Ellen."


    The group of girls then started talking to Meredith, which eased her tempers a bit for the day. Later the situation regarding Luke was resolved, when another girl who attended the academy''s flight group exined what happened.


    "So Luke lost very narrowly to the captain in a flyingpetition, and it spread like he won a duel?" Said Meredith


    "Hmm Unforeseen things happen, but really. That was a big change of information, it''s not the first time that''s happened." Rubymented.


    The redheaded girl then scratched the back of her head.


    *sigh*


    "It makes sense that you would have been so worried, hearing that your beloved has entered a duel must be very scary. Even more so after such a short time that you have joined the academy." Ruby concluded


    This relief kept Meredith from negative thoughts, although, this support from the girls didn''tst long.

 Chapter 372 The Return Of Conflicts

    A few hours passed, and now,ter in the night, only Meredith, Luke, and Megan were in that room. The moon was shining brightly in the night sky of the academy, you could see the stars helping to light that room, along with the magical artifacts that glowed in that room.


    One of the windows was open, and the night wind began to blow into the room. It moved the curtains and shook the hair of Megan, who was sitting in front of Luke''s bed. Meredith also had her hair slightly messed up. With the winding in, Megan closed the window using magic, moving her hand as she continued reading.


    *Wuush*


    Sitting on his bed, Luke stood with his arms crossed thinking. He was looking up, his eyes closed toward the ceiling, with a look of annoyance on his face. The half-wolf was reviewing what he should do in the days toe. His next step would no doubt be to resolve the situation with Orion, after all, Luke was worried that he would end up making enemies at the academy.


    Megan was still pensive in her room. She was sitting on a white chair, which looked like a kind of circr armchair made of a soft fabric. On herp was a pillow, where the girl had left one of the grimoires that Zhanid had lent her. That wide book was open, she was intently leafing through those pages that could bring the long-awaited solution to the half-wolf''s problems.


    Shaking her head as she ced her hand on her chin, the girl was acting as if she was confirming her own thoughts. While, with her other hand, she was ying with a part of her hair. She only stopped this unusual action when she needed to turn a page in that long grimoire.


    There was a hush hanging over the room, but both Megan and Luke were excited about their uing challenges. The night wind was now blowing on the window, rattling the ss without so much force. Within that group, only Meredith still appeared to be ufortable. When Luke opened his eyes and turned to the half-fox, he soon realized that something was weighing on the girl''s heart.


    "You don''t have to hide or guard, I know when something is bothering you. What happened?" Luke said.


    *Sigh*


    Meredith sighed as she looked at Megan. The half-fox then closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to make her thoughts go away.


    Megan soon realized what was happening and stopped looking at the grimoire, she then lifted her head to enter the conversation. Looking into Meredith''s eyes, which were evidently strange, she decided to question.


    "Am I disturbing you? If you want I can leave you two alone." She said.


    "No, it''s not that...it''s okay." Meredith said.


    After another worried sigh, the half-fox continued.


    "I''d like to know how the academy fares with regard to chimeras? I know it''s an unusual question, but you could say that Luke and I have a certain problem with that subject." Meredith said, as she pointed to her ears. After all, there were those who thought that creating chimeras was not that different from a half-beast. Although that kind of prejudice was something not so talked about.


    The half-fox''s idea was simple, to check whether or not she could trust Megan. There was no point in trying to hide this situation, after all, she knew that this could only create more problems in the future. The ideal thing would be to check now whether or not they could trust Zhanid and Megan.


    After having approached other girls at the academy, Meredith realized that there were several different people within that institution. Some students were not only foreigners but also opposed to Melki''s empire. Because she had made these new friendships at the academy, much of the fears that had embraced the girl had been calmed.


    Megan found the question strange, which was astonished on the girl''s face. But, she soon replied.


    "Chimeras are in the restricted activity group at the academy, the institution does not support that kind of magical practice on living beings. Although not that it''s okay to study nt maniption." Concluded the girl.


    Meredith''s ears perked up after receiving this news. Knowing that the academy was against this kind of practice was a relief, after all, if the group denounced this practice, in theory the problem would be solved.


    When Luke heard this, he soon understood what it could be about. It made no sense that Meredith had brought this up for no reason. His face was now worried too, with a visible look of irritation.


    ''Isn''t it possible, they''re here too...?''


    Megan was a smart girl, she knew that this question had a reason. So, after closing the grimoire, she asked.


    *Wuft*


    With the abrupt closing of the pages, some dust flew up.


    "So, who is doing this and how did you find out?" Megan said. All the dust that the book had loosened ended up flying in front of the wizard girl''s face, who was holding back from sneezing in front of the two of them.<sub> </sub>


    Luke then turned around, looking the half-fox in the eye, and then nodded. Confirming that she could talk about what was happening now. Megan was apparently not an enemy. Meredith then exined about the conversation she overheard from Max Willford, however, she didn''t go into the details ofmenting on how the professor wasmunicating with a demon.


    Megan had her hand on her chin again, as she listened to this story, several thoughts ran through her head. By the time Meredith concluded what she was talking about, Megan had wondered what they could do to resolve this situation.


    "I never got along very well with Mr.Willford. He hasn''t been a teacher at the academy that many years, but he always had a kind of extremely strange energy around him. Other than that this woman seeker type of man is quite inconvenient."


    *Sigh*


    Sighed megan, after venting out.


    "We''re going to need to get some documents proving that he''s taking advantage of botany research to create a chimera... Maybe if we can infiltrate hisb." said Megan.


    At that very moment, a series of shbacks shed through the half-wolf''s mind. This time, if Meredith were to break into thisb, Luke would be sure to keep this professor busy. All those unpleasant memories not only shed through Luke''s eyes, but also through those of the half-fox, who was equally disturbed by this conversation.


    All three ended up sighing at the same time.


    *Sigh*


    When they realized this, the group startedughing. It was a small moment of relief in the midst of so many new conflicts. It eased some of the stress that all three were feeling. Megan was now pondering how they could get the information they needed.


    "But this Professor Max, what guarantees that he is working alone?" Luke said.


    "Hmmm, as far as I know he is in a botany research group alongside Mr. Hoshigaki. But getting into hisb wouldn''t be a problem, since old Hoshi is a good friend of Zhanid''s. I get along, I can''t imagine that gentleman performing that kind of task." Megan said.


    "Still, I believe it would be ideal to investigate him as well. Kind faces can hide big lies." Meredith said.


    All three nodded their agreement.


    "Since you are closer to this professor, could you look into it Megan?" Luke said.


    "I don''t see a problem, he doesn''t have a privateb. The problem will be what to do about Willford..." Answered Megan.


    The three again fell silent again. Each was focused on their own line of thought. Trying to find a solution or devise a n.


    Megan concluded that if Max Willford was hiding and conducting forbidden research. In theory, there should only be three possible locations to check, however, this could turn out to be moreplicated than it seems.


    Every faculty member at the academy was entitled to have a research room. There would be one of the ces where they should check. First it would be necessary to find out if he was really using his room.


    When Megan went back through her memories looking for clues that could help this investigation. One of the problems she remembered was an old case from the academy. Abat magic professor had been expelled after using a researchb to "y around" with his female students. The problem was that this was not hisb, which made it difficult to find out.


    In this case, perhaps Willford was using another facility to conduct his research. It would be necessary to verify this possibility before taking the actions of the main n.


    The other possibility would be the room itself in the teachers'' dormitory, it would not be impossible for Megan to enter and search the area looking for documents.


    Finally, there was theboratory in conjunction with Professor Hoshigaki. However, this was undoubtedly the easiest ce to ess, he would hardly keep confidential documents in such an essible ce.


    Even if this possibility was a little moreplicated, he could be using different locations to spread his documents. So that it would be more difficult to identify and report his actions.


    If Mr. Max was taking advantage of this, it would be necessary that all possible locations were checked at the same time. This way they would avoid creating suspicion or being discovered, and they would be able to gather all the necessary information to request his expulsion from the academy.

 Chapter 373 New Goals

    If Mr. Max was taking advantage of this, it would be necessary for all possible locations to be checked at the same time. This way they would avoid creating suspicion or being discovered, and they would be able to gather all the necessary information to request his expulsion from the academy.


    After rethinking and struggling to understand the different possibilities of what could ur. It was as if several movies were running through the girl''s head, every possible scene or decision. The conclusion she had could solve all the problems that this n could logically create.


    Megan then decided to exin this idea. However, she was still a little afraid mainly because of the state Luke was in. With that, she looked at the two of them and after gathering some energy, she cleared her throat and began to speak:


    *Cof, Cof*


    "I think I''ve found a way to resolve that situation." Said the girl.


    Luke and Meredith looked at her intently, the ears of the two half-beasts popped up as they both confirmed with their heads, waiting for the answer. Meredith''s tail was swaying from side to side, while Luke was looking a little more serious.


    Megan exined the different conclusions she hade to, the ces where investigation would be needed, and how they could follow up to check those ces. But still, there were some details still to be exined, which made the two half-beasts thoughtful again.


    "We''ll need to spy on Willford first. At least to make sure if he is conducting experiments in another room." Megan said.


    Luke put his hand on his chin, and looking down, he made a somewhatplex expression.


    "If we''re going to need to investigate everything at the same time, it''s going to be necessary to distract Willford. We can''t let him walk around freely during the investigation, it would be disastrous if he found us, I don''t even want to imagine what might ur."


    "I have an idea how we can solve this, it was the second part of the n" Megan said, still a little afraid.


    "I''m all ears." Answered Luke.


    Again Megan had to muster up the courage to propose the solution to this. She just couldn''t bring herself to speak directly what she wanted. After letting out a sigh, she continued.


    "In the next two weeks the academy''s battle royal tournament will begin. It''s a way for students and researchers to demonstrate their mastery with spells during a small exhibition. It''s not a championship, it''s just small duels" Megan said.


    "Then we just need me to challenge him to a fight. During that duel, we''ll take the opportunity to investigate all the locations at the same time." Luke concluded.


    This time, he would not leave Meredith or even Megan in danger. This whole situation gave Luke a certain feeling of guilt and anger, he surely wouldn''t repeat the same mistakes of the past.<sub> </sub>


    Meredith was obviously thinking about the same situation, she remembered how she had failed when she had aplished practically the same thing. But leaving Luke in a duel to scavenge for information didn''t seem soforting. In the situation that the half-wolf was in, it was impossible for her to feel reassured while knowing that Luke is in a duel, by the way, already starting at a disadvantage.


    It was hard for Megan to suggest this proposal to both of them, it was aplicated situation in the end. Even though there was still some time until the start of the event, two weeks still seemed like too little time for Luke to have any chance against Willford.


    As much as Megan recognized Luke''s magical ability, observing him as an extremely capable person and a kind of future prodigy. The girl didn''t know the half-wolf''s strength, she didn''t know that in an ordinary situation, Luke would be able to beat even more than 20 Max Willfords at the same time.


    "All right, I will challenge this teacher to a duel. During that time, you two will check out the other locations" Luke continued.


    "But from what Megan said, there are more than two locations to check at the same time." Answered Meredith.


    "We can ask Adrian for help, plus we won''t need to check Hoshigaki''sb at the same time. Then we would only need to check WIllford''s personalb, check this possible hidden room and his room in the teachers dorm" Megan concluded.


    "Leave it to me to investigate Max''s routine, I will follow him for a few days and check how he behaves. Megan, please focus on creating the artifact. If possible, let Meredith help you with that" Luke said.


    The two girls nodded their agreement.


    After that, a hush came over the room. Again it was possible to hear the night wind rattling the windows of the room. While to the more attentive ears of Luke and Meredith, a constant sound could be heard from the various magical artifacts that illuminated the room.


    The sound resembled a sort of cicada, although it was low enough that an ordinary human could not hear it. It was not that much of a nuisance.


    The three of them were now determined to get on with the investigation, in a funny way, they all stood around with their arms crossed, thinking. While Megan was trying to recall any memory regarding Max Willford. Meredith and Luke were trying not to remember what had urred at the noble academy.


    A certain feeling of guilt was weighing on Luke''s chest, who promised himself that he would not leave Meredith in danger again, not this time. Now it would be necessary to imagine how he could win, or at least keep the duel going long enough for the ns to go smoothly.


    Now there was a lot for Luke to sort out, he had barely arrived at the academy and now he was already close to leaving again. Which in a way was a kind of relief, since it would make him reunite with Ayumi and Alexis faster, however, it also meant that he needed to make the most of the remaining time at the academy, especially to be stronger.


    Luke was thinking about requesting some magical artifacts, perhaps taking advantage of his proximity to Megan to get some magical weapons made by Alice. He still needed to talk to Orion, go to the forge at the academy, learn as many different magics as possible before he left. Check what the professor was doing and spy to find out if he was using a hiddenb.

 Chapter 374 "Its Fine."

    There were so many things that Luke''s head seemed to be boiling with so many possibilities, but the half-wolf''s eyes were visibly tired. It was already veryte.


    Meredith ended up yawning. And then put her hand to her face, blushing with embarrassment.


    "I''m sorry, it''s just that it''ste and I haven''t had a very peaceful day today." Said the half-fox, exining herself.


    "No problem, we can continue with the ns tomorrow. I''m going back to my room, tomorrow Alice and I will start the amulet project. Try to get some rest, today was really a tiring day." Megan said, as she stood up.


    "Really, good rest Luke. Tomorrow we can get together again and n how we are going to move forward. Good night guys" Meredith said.


    When Megan and Meredith arrived at the bedroom door, they turned off the lights and walked out walking down the hallway talking in a low tone of voice. The half-wolf could hear the two girls'' voices fading away as they walked down the hall.


    Luke then closed his eyes, and before he decided to go to sleep, he chose to ask for some advice.


    ''What do you think of this n, Bnce?''


    [Challenging such a skilled mage to a confrontation is a bit unreasonable. But I believe that in two weeks you can prepare yourself].


    ''I don''t have to beat him, it''s just going to be necessary to dy as long as possible. You heard what Megan said.


    [Still, I know you''re going to do your best in this fight. It''s your way, but trying too hard now could end up getting you hurt even more].


    ''If weplete the amulet in time, I''ll have no problem beating this Max guy. Besides, the first moment the demons find out that I''m here, I''ll need to go back to Broteforge to finish this fight.''


    [You can use the duel exhibition to get more allies. I had an idea, but I don''t know if we''ll be able to aplish that].


    ''An idea?''


    [What do you think about asking Megan to show her memories in a broadcast. Then all the students of the academy would find out about the crimes of Melki''s empire, it would be the best way to get support to end the war].


    ''Do you really believe that I would be able to win over so many people? Maybe they would get a little frustrated with the war, butmanding all of them...''


    [You are a born leader, Luke. I''m sure that this way of yours will easily win over many followers. But still, if we consider that you will already be able to create the amulet in two weeks, that means that in less than a month you will be back fighting the demons].


    ''I can''t wait too long, Alexis and Ayumi need me.''


    [Well, I agree with you. So get some rest kid, sleep soon and recover to beat those demons].


    When Luke woke up, without much thought, he got out of bed. He looked in the mirror and felt like he was just going through another day.


    *Yawn*


    ''I really don''t want to go through that again.''


    [Really, it doesn''t sound very pleasant].


    ''Well, a new day is a new beginning.''


    The strong sunlighting in through the window bothered Luke''s eyes, and he put his hand to his face as he turned to see the blue sky. It was a clear day with few clouds, although the wind could be heard rattling the ss window.


    Luke walked towards the window and watched the scenery a bit, he kept the window open a bit to let the cool day air into the room.


    The half-wolf then began to perform his exercises in a slightly open part of the room. He waspletely unconcerned about what had happened the day before, he didn''t really seem to care.


    While doing some push-ups, Bnce tried to get his attention.


    [LUKE! You still haven''t fully recovered!]


    ''How can you not? I don''t feel anything different in my body.


    [Still, you''re in a hospital for a good reason, aren''t you? Or are you going to tell me that you don''t now remember what happened yesterday].


    ''Yesterday was yesterday, today I am feelingpletely healthy. I can''t wait any longer, I need to keep training to win my duel.


    [Tsc... All right then].


    Luke startedughing when he realized that the goddess clicked her tongue at him.


    ''Learned from me, eh?''


    [Hahaha, well, it was obvious I was going to pick up some habit from you].


    A few minutester, one of the doctors was startled when he saw Luke performing sit-ups as if nothing had happened the day before.


    "Sir! You need to rest boy!" Said the same doctor who took care of the half-wolf the day before.


    Luke just stood up with a quick jump, he then scratched the back of his ear as he tried to exin to the doctor that he was already fine.


    "I swear I''m better now sir. I just need a long hot bath."


    "Look, I''m going to give you a check-up. If everything is okay, you''ll be able to leave at noon, all right?"


    "Sure." Luke said.


    These check-ups were no different than the ones that happened yesterday, the doctor just wanted to try to understand what might have happened to Luke. The half-wolf''s body was still intact, just like the day before, but now, the symptoms that had appeared had actually disappeared.


    When Luke finished being examined, he quickly went back to training in his room. Doing squats, sit-ups and push-ups.


    As it was approaching noon, an unusual visitor appeared.


    "Zhanidmented on what happened to you. So I came to visit you Luke." Said Orion, as he opened the door.


    "Whats up!" said Luke, as he continued to do push-ups.


    Orion made a surprised face, taking a step back.


    "Weren''t you hospitalized? Zhanid told me what happened and it sounded pretty serious." Orion said


    "Its fine, for real. I just needed to take a nap" Luken said as he stretched his shoulder. "Are you busy today? I wanted to take care of a few things.

 Chapter 375 New Friend

    "Are you busy today? I wanted to sort some things out" Luke said.


    "Sure..." Answered Orion.


    When Luke was released, he and Orion headed towards the forge of the academy. Walking through the corridors of the hospital, the two were talking. Luke was rxed about the situation, unconcerned as he stretched his shoulder. Orion, on the other hand, was still visibly confused.


    "Are you really okay? I mean, isn''t it a little strange that they released you so quickly?"


    "It''s okay, I''m actually feelingpletely better" Luke replied.


    Luke then looked at Orion, and with a confused face he asked.


    "But are you really okay with me? I was told that you got that race of ours wrong" The half-wolf said.


    "Don''t worry about it, it''smon for rumors to spread around the academy. But it''s not like it bothers me. If someone really doubts my strength, I just need to demonstrate the opposite in the dueling event" Orion said.


    The eyes of Zhao''s mage were showing a focus and determination that surprised Luke, who gave a small smile as he continued walking.


    ''He is without a doubt interesting''


    [That look, in a way resembles his own].


    ''Maybe that''s why I liked him.''


    Walking out the front door of the hospital, the sun was beating down hard on the heads of the two young mages. Luke then put his hand under his head hiding his face from the sun as he watched the blue sky.


    "I hope the forge isn''t that far away" Luke said


    "It''s a bit far from here" said Orion


    With a movement of his right arm, two gigantic red swords came flying towards the two. Shining reflecting the sun, dancing in the wind while making a fantastic sound, it was as if they were cutting the air while traveling at high speed.


    The wind shook Luke and Orion''s hair. Until in an abrupt moment, both were standing horizontally in front of the two mages. They were two greatswords simr to the one the Zhao mage had used the other day, both swords werepletely identical. With a red edge and gold details, in the center of the handle was an orange stone.


    "Come with me, it won''t take us more than five minutes" Orion replied.


    Luke gave a smile again as he looked at the two swords. The half-wolf then turned to Orion, and then began to run towards the sword.


    The sword was floating a few steps in front of him, and with a leap in the air, Luke kicked the sword forward, cing both feet. With the weight of the half-wolf, the greatword came down.


    Before it even touched the ground. Luke had already taken control of the sword, which was now supporting him in the air, floating. The half-wolf then turned to Orion.


    "I hope that''s not yours" Luke said.


    Orion then let out augh, as he stepped on the other greatsword.


    "Don''t worry haha." Orion then elerated forward at an amazing speed, soaring into flight.


    "Try to keep up with me newbie" He shouted to Luke, who began to channel as much energy as he could to elerate and keep up with Zhao''s mage.


    The two of them were running with surprising energy and excitement. Orion was normally a quiet and calm young man, although he was capable of showing intense aggression when it was necessary. In general, for the members of the flying club who apanied the young mage from Zhao on a daily basis, it was impossible to imagine that man giving a smile, much less imagine himughing.


    But there was something about the novice that made Orion surprised. He wasn''t a man to have many friends, but as much as the half-wolf still couldn''t be considered close in that sense, the energy he was getting from Luke''s challenges was something that was getting him excited.


    After so many years of being the best, standing in a position that no one else could reach, finally having a worthy rival was something that sped up Orion''s veins, filling the young man with determination.


    ''I can''t believe this kid is just a rookie. How he managed to evolve so fast.'' Orion thought, as he turned back and saw Luke traveling at the same speed as him.


    The Zhao mage then put one of his hands on his chin, and looking forward, he thought again.


    ''I wonder how far this rookie can go? What is the limit of Luke''s evolution?


    A smile appeared on the face of the Wizard of Zhao, however, he suddenly felt an attack.


    Luke had sped up and pped the back of Orion''s head.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Focus on our race partner, so you''ll lose next time." said Luke, who had sped up, taking the lead.


    Orion clicked his tongue


    *Tsk*


    But soon, again he made a smile of genuine happiness. He was grateful to finally have a worthy opponent, someone he felt like seeing evolve and be better.


    He now wanted to see Luke be stronger and see how far he could advance by learning from the half-wolf. It was the first time in years that Orion felt the urge to befriend someone, to have a friend who is also a rival.


    "That''s not a race, you don''t even know where the forge is for!" Shouted Orion


    Luke then stopped elerating, waiting for Orion to approach up to where he was standing.


    Scratching the back of his ear, he was watching the mage with a lopsided smile.


    "You''re right, I have no idea what the forge is like. Haha." Luke said.


    It was still a while to get to the forge, which was located at one end of the academy. Its location was in front of one of the two main ports of the ind. The reason for this was simple, it was easier to transport the materials arriving from the ships. It was better to keep these tons of iron and ore close to the port, than to worry about creating an area closer to the center of the academy.


    Orion and Luke continued flying now at the same pace, the two kept talking about the academy''s next event, the duels that would take ce in the next few weeks.


    "I''ll probably challenge some other gold pendant. It''s the best way to clear my name after all that mess" Orion said.


    "The gold pendants are the strongest mages in ademia right? There shouldn''t be many of them then." Luke said.


    "Actually, no, there are even a significant amount of golden pendants. The thing is that many of them don''t specialize inbat" Orion replied.


    The Wizard of Zhao then ced his hand on his chin, pondering how to exin.


    "Imagine Megan, she is a golden pendant, as much as she has very good notions of magic, she is not a mage who specializes inbat." Orion concluded.


    Luke then remembered a doubt that he had not yet fully understood.


    "But what about teachers, has anyone ever challenged a teacher to a duel?" Said the half-wolf.


    Orion''s eyes widened, he then stopped moving forward and crossed both arms.


    "I believe not, as far as I know this has never urred. By the academy rules, it is theoretically possible, since these are only magic demonstration duels. If I remember correctly, there are no limitations regarding who we can challenge, but that doesn''t mean that the person will ept a duel." Concluded the mage from Zhao.


    Luke then crossed his arms behind his head, and looking up at the sky, he ended up rushing. Letting too much information leak out.


    "But I imagine that if a teacher is challenged, he would hardly refuse the duel. After all, it would almost be like a shame to run from a student" Luke said, as he sighed.


    ''Isn''t it possible, Luke really wants to challenge one of the teachers? This kid really has no limits.'' Thought Orion who was awestruck by the situation.


    "You really never cease to amaze me, Luke." said Orion, again giving a smile and moving forward again with his sword.


    "Just to make it clear, I have interest only in women ok?" Answered Luke.


    Orion punched the half-wolf lightly, who didn''t bother and just startedughing.


    "If you y with that again I will blow you up from the inside out with fire magic." Orion said.


    "Hmm, what do you think about a duel then?" Luke said.


    "Ohh, that would be interesting. We''ll duel at the uing event. If you don''t end up dead for defying a teacher" Orion replied.


    "It will be wonderful to punch your face in front of a crowd, so you don''t have to worry about the rumors, since it wille true" Luke said.


    The two then startedughing together. It had been a while since Luke had had this much fun with a partner. This energy was somehow reminding him of the times he spent with his friends in Oukiwa, a feeling that Luke missed in his life.


    The two magicians walked towards the forge, and looking from afar Luke could already recognize the building from the sky. It was a kind of concrete house with a hammer symbol engraved on the front of the building.

 Chapter 376 Lonely Smith

    The two mages headed toward the forge, and watching from afar Luke could already recognize the building from the sky. It was a kind of concrete house with a hammer symbol engraved on the front of the building.


    Large concrete and marble columns held up a gigantic triangr-shaped roof. On top of that ceiling was a gigantic square with a hammer carved into it. Behind the hammer it was possible to see the shape of a me. This was the symbol that represented the cksmiths of the Melki magic academy.


    The ce, although significantlyrge, was not as well kept as the other buildings of the academy. It wasrge and had an energy that showed the strength of the ce, which differed somewhat from the delicate study buildings. There were several windows inside that building, although the forge rooms were more isted, closed.


    When Luke and Orion climbed the steps leading up to the entrance, it was already possible for Luke to hear the rhythmic sound of several hammers striking. It was a strange melody, at the entrance, it was possible to hear how the hammers beat in the same rhythm, but to Luke''s keen hearing, it was possible to hear some lone hammers that followed their own rhythm.


    "I didn''t get to ask this before, but, how am I supposed to pay for a gun? Does the academy have a currency?" Luke questioned.


    "You won''t have to, everything in the academy is paid for by student points. You can receive them through outstanding achievements or by service to the academy. But I''ll order them for you, so don''t worry, I''ll be the one paying." Orion said.


    "Won''t that be a hassle for you? I mean, you''re helping me with this for no reason." Luke replied.


    "I want to see how you will evolve having the proper equipment to serve in the academy. Besides it won''t be a problem, I''ve been studying here for years, I can afford hundreds of swords without any problem." Orion replied.


    The Wizard of Zhao then turned to Luke and giving a smile, challenged the half-wolf again.


    "But my victory in the duel against you will probably already be enough to repay the points I will spend today." Orion continued, closing his eyes.


    "That''s great, after I defeat you, I''ll be able to buy some more swords." Answered Luke, who continued walking without bothering about what he had heard.


    "Anyway, who are we looking for around here?" Luke continued.


    "I''m trying to find the head of this forge, he can guide us on who to choose to order their equipment from. Although, a ready-made flight sword isn''t a bad choice." Orion said.


    The two of them were walking down the central corridor of the forge. The building was gigantic, inside this corridor you could hear even more clearly the beating of the hammers on the iron. With each door they passed, a huge wave of heat appeared and then soon disappeared, the work rooms were significantly hotpared to the hallway.


    "There is a cksmith I wanted to talk to, a boy, he came to me begging me to choose him as my cksmith." Luke said.


    Orion then crossed his arms, as he walked forward.


    "It will be hard to find a specific cksmith by ourselves, let''s look for the master and then ask about this boy.... What''s his name?" He asked.


    "Ezra Bluesmith, he said he heard about our conversation and said he needed my help." Luke replied.


    "Hmm Bluesmith... Thatst name is not unfamiliar to me." Answered Orion, who stood thoughtfully.


    ''He probably understood that Luke is going to be a notable name, it really is smart to take advantage of it now. If this half-wolf''s feats are aplished with a sword he forged, it will surely draw fame for the de and its smith.'' Orion thought, surprised by this cunning n.


    In the middle of that corridor, finally a different sound appeared. It was a female voice that was shouting at someone. The tone of the voice was not that of a maiden, but of a woman who appeared to be strong, it was not a cry for help, but rathermands and sermons.


    After walking through so many rooms crowded with cksmiths, it was really strange how a silence remained inside the forge. There were dozens of hammerings, but Luke had not heard a single voice so far. This woman was definitely someone different, someone with an important position within the forge.


    "We finally found the forge master, Hephaestus." Orion said.


    The two then approached the entrance to the room, there was no door in any of the rooms, the goal was precisely to avoid running out of oxygen. There were dozens of cksmiths working there.


    Some were sitting there sharpening gigantic des, others were hammering the hot iron, shaping new weapons. All concentrated on their tasks. The age of the cksmiths varied greatly. Some were extremely young, looking like they were still in their teens, others were in theirte twenties or early thirties.


    The only person who was not in front of an anvil was the woman who was coordinating everything. With short brown hair that was close to red, this girl was wearing a white shirt with torn sleeves. Her arms were not thin like those of an ordinary woman, however, they were also not muscr like those of an adventurer.


    She had on a cksmith''s apron, made of ck leather. Her clothes were marked with burns and stains that appeared to be from grease. Even though she was a strong woman, you could still see her feminine beauty, she was exuberant. Her face was delicate, although it showed her dominance. Her breasts wererge, and her hands, though visibly experienced, were delicate. This woman looked not much older, she had a youthful beauty. To Luke, thisdy''s energy was visibly simr to Ayumi''s.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The girl was walking back and forth across the forge, pacing as her breasts swayed in her apron. With her arms, she was ordering the different cksmiths around, directing what needed to be done.


    "Yudi, you are hammering too lightly!"


    "Maryuk! Finish that tempering."


    "Get back to work, Luwiz!"


    "us, finish the tempering and you are cleared from today''s training."


    Luke and Orion stood in the doorway without making any noise. Just waiting.


    "We will wait here until shees to greet us" Orion said in a low tone of voice.


    It took five minutes for Hephaestus to notice the two mages waiting at the door. She then walked towards them, her arms crossed. With each step the woman took, her breasts jumped up. At her waist, a red hammer apanied her movement, making a metal noise that matched the rhythm of her bust.


    "Do you... need another Orion sword?" Said the cksmithdy


    "Not for me this time, madam. I came to requisition some equipment for this newbie." Orion replied.


    Hephaestus then clenched her eyes watching Luke, she analyzed the boy from end to end. Descending with her vision going from the half-wolf''s ears to the tip of his feet.


    "Hmmm, he looks promising to me." Said the smithdy.


    She then turned away and with a gesture of her hands, motioned for the two to follow her.


    Crossing the forge, none of the smiths stopped to observe the three. All remained focused on their services. The forge mistress then guided the two of them into a room that was on the opposite side of the room from where the fire resided.


    Pulling a key from her pocket, the forge mistress opened four locks on a gigantic wooden and iron door. When the door opened, it was possible to see that the wall of that room was surprisingly thick.


    Inside there were hundreds of swords, they were arranged on shelves, and on hangers that looked like the ones you would normally see inside a clothes closet.


    Using what looked like wind magic, Hephaestus moved several swords that rushed past the hangers, as if he were sorting clothes inside a closet. After dozens of short swords passed by, a gigantic amount of Greatswords began to appear.


    "Here, these are the swords for Flight. Will you need magic equipment?" Said the smithdy.


    Orion took the lead to choose next to the mistress.


    "I believe it is best to choose a temporary sword, I came here to request a Flight sword made by the madam." The mage of Zhao then bowed. Luke realized the moment and bowed as well.


    Hephaestus then scratched the back of her head. She then sighed a little and motioned for the two of them to stand up. Crossing her arms, the forge mistress began to think a little. The girl''s breasts bounced with the movement, which caught Luke''s attention.


    "Ara Ara... Well, I''ve taken an interest in the newbie. It''s okay, I''ll just make that flight sword. Any additional equipment will have to be produced by one of my students." Said the cksmithdy


    "Thank you!" Answered Luke and Orion, simultaneously.


    Luke then remembered the little cksmith who asked for his help on the beach. He wanted to see how that boy was doing.


    "Do you know a boy named Ezra Bluesmith?" The half-wolf questioned.


    Hephaestus'' eyes widened in surprise, taking a step back.

 Chapter 377 Water Golem

    "Ara Ara. Well, I''ve taken an interest in the newbie. It''s okay, I''ll just make that flying sword. Any additional equipment will have to be produced by one of my students." Said the cksmithdy.


    "Thank you!" Answered Luke and Orion, simultaneously.


    Luke then remembered the little cksmith who asked for his help on the beach. He wanted to see how that boy was doing.


    "Do you know a boy named Ezra Bluesmith?" The half-wolf questioned.


    Hephaestus'' eyes widened in surprise, taking a step back.


    The forge master soon resumed her ordinary posture, stepping forward again and scratching the back of her head. However, her face still appeared not to have fully recovered from the sudden question.


    "Well, this is the first time they are looking for little Ezra, he is currently one of my most skilled cksmiths" replied the cksmithdy.


    She then ced both of her hands on her waist, beginning to look away.


    "I''m d someone finally took an interest in my Ezra, he is certainly the cksmith with the most potential here."


    Luke was surprised by this information. That boy was small, appeared to be weak, and it was hard to believe that he was even capable of lifting a hammer. Several thoughts popped into the half-wolf''s head, and he was trying to imagine how it was possible for such a small boy to have so much forging potential.


    All the cksmiths who were working in that building were strong, showed skill and masculinity. They were captivated with energy and concentration, whereas in the case of the little blue-haired boy, he seemed so helpless and vulnerable.


    "Anyway, that sword should do for now. It''s the best I have without being custom made, then we can talk together to create a flight sword that is more suitable for you." Hephaestus said.


    With one of her hands, she carried the sword to the front of the two. It was a blue greatsword, with a golden de. It was undoubtedly a lush sword, although it didn''t do Luke''s taste.


    "The three of us can n your sword another time Luke, but ept this one for now. You need to get better ustomed to handling a flying sword, so you will avoid the danger of getting into an ident by some carelessness." Orion concluded.


    "Fine by me, it seems like a great sword. But now that I''ve received this offer, I''m looking forward to what the master will create." Luke said.


    Hephaestus then took the sword by the handle and ced it in Luke''s hands. As heavy as that greatsword appeared to be, it was actually extremely light. Which surprised the half-wolf, who began to wield the sword from side to side, swinging as that sword cut through the wind.


    ''Colors aren''t really my style, but no doubt this one will fly much better than the flying group''s training sword.''


    [Didn''t you notice, that sword is really great].


    ''Hm? What do you mean?''


    [The magic signature of this sword is amazing, I am really surprised by this work. The sword is loaded with mana to further decrease its weight and make it easier to handle, I didn''t even know it was possible to do that with magic circles].


    ''I see... So that''s what differentiates a magic weapon from an ordinary piece of equipment. But I can''t see any status on it, so they act differently from Broteforge weapons.''


    [Yes, it''spletely mechanical, the magic acts directly on the use of the weapon].


    "I found it extremely interesting how you developed the circles inside this sword, please do something simr on my weapon." Luke said.


    "Hooh! You have good eyes boy. Are you sure this half-wolf is a novice?" Hephaestus said.


    "To be honest, sometimes I''m not so sure." Said Orion.


    "I know! It''s easier to imagine that I already had experience with flight and magic, so you don''t feel so bad about almost losing to me." Luke said.


    Hephaestus startedughing non-stop as her voice echoed through the forge. She was pping her leg, she was undoubtedly much more outgoing than she had first appeared.


    After catching her breath, the master finally got straight to the point.


    "Anyway,e with me. I''m taking you both to see the blue brat."


    The three then proceeded through the room, until they reached the main hallway again. They walked down the corridor until they reached thest room in the building, going through several doors. From a distance, it was possible to hear a hammering sound much louder than those in the other rooms. Unlike a group of cksmiths, this sound was unique and the noise grew louder as they approached the end of the corridor.


    "We left it here so as not to disconcert the other smiths, I also don''t want anyone getting hurt in my forge because they tripped over a puddle of water" Hephaestus said.


    ''Pool of water?''<novelnext></novelnext>


    The three then stopped facing that room, watching from the outside that boy forge.


    Luke was surprised at what was happening in front of him. It was apletely different sight from the dozen or so cksmiths they had encountered before.


    Ezra was wearing a small leather goggle, with two round ck lenses. He was shirtless, showing his thin, sweaty body. His blue hair was dripping with sweat.


    The room was much hotter than the others, the heat waves could be felt right from the entrance. The heat was so great that you could see how the air heated up the room, creating little ripples in the vision.


    In front of that boy was an anvil significantlyrger than the others, and holding it in one hand he was using arge leather glove to handle a piece of red iron.


    Behind the blue-haired boy was a gigantic water puppet. It was a creature that looked like a water golem, it was muscr and had a head shaped like a helmet. The creature was hammering away at Ezra''s seat.


    "He created a golem?" Orion questioned.


    Hephaestus shook his head, denying it.


    "He uses water magic and mana maniption to create that golem. It is an extremely exhausting process, but very efficient. That brat''s body is too weak to forge, so he got around that by challenging himself in mana management." Answered the forge master.


    When Ezra realized that he was being watched, he quickly took off his sses. His face waspletely red.


    "Miss.Hepha! Luke!" Said the boy, who unfastened his equipment and ran out to the entrance of the room.


    That water puppetpletely dismantled itself, the water then evaporated when it touched the floor.


    *tsssssssss*


    Ezra then almost tripped over some tools that were all over the floor of that room. He turned around and put both hands on his head, disappointed.


    "Not again! I spilled water on my project!" the boy said in a crying voice.


    "Don''t worry stink, just melt it down and make it from scratch. Anyway, this half-wolf wants to talk to you! Come give your customer some attention." Hephaestus said.


    The boy then shook his head, pped himself on the face, and hurried back to the front of the group. He waspletely out of breath.


    "Thank you foring here! I didn''t think you would visit me so quickly! Do you need a gun of mine?" Ezra said.


    "Madame Hephaestus told me more about you, I am interested yes. But would you be able to create a weapon good enough for me?" Answered Luke.


    The boy''s eyes then sparkled with excitement and happiness, however, he paused for a moment. Taking a deep breath, the little boy crossed his arms and began to think, cing one of his hands on his chin, he was thinking about his answer.


    "I believe I am capable of producing a good sword for you, but I don''t know if by myself I would be able toplete it. I am still a novice, I don''t want a piece of mine to disappoint you Sir Luke. Maybe if Hepha helps me I can make something that will reach your level." Ezra said, with a serious look on his face.


    *bonk*


    Hephaestus punched Ezra lightly in the head, it was as if she had just let the weight of her hand fall on the boy. She then began to stroke the little cksmith''s sweaty hair.


    "It goes without saying that I will mentor you blue brat, now ept your first project right away." Hephaestus said, lecturing the boy.


    Then the little cksmith stretched out his back and tried to gain a few inches in height. With a smile on his face he faced the half-wolf''s eyes.


    "My name is Ezra Bluesmith, and I will be your cksmith! Thank you very much for epting my service! Just direct me regarding your wish, and I will transform the purest steel to carry out your will." Said the boy, his voice a little shaky.


    Hephaestus began tough in front of Ezra, again in a lively and outgoing voice.


    "I didn''t teach you to be so serious!" She eximed.


    Grabbing Ezra''s head by the arm she again gestured asking the two mages to follow her.


    "Come with me, let''s have a drink while we n some of your weapon."

 Chapter 378 Deal

    Hephaestus startedughing in front of Ezra, again in an animated, outgoing voice.


    "I didn''t teach you to be so serious!" She eximed.


    Grabbing Ezra''s head by the arm she again gestured asking the two mages to follow her.


    "Come with me, let''s have a drink while we n some of your weapon."


    *


    "Unfortunately I need to deal with some flight group business. We can continue this conversationter" Orion said.


    "No problem, thanks for the ride" Luke replied.


    "Enjoy and already start using the new sword for flying, but avoid climbing too much by yourself. You''re still a beginner" Answered Orion, who was carrying the two flying swords on his back.


    The fact that Orion needed to leave early only made it more clear how busy and quite important a man he was at the academy.


    Now Luke and Ezra were left talking to Master Hepha. The three of them were in a room in the center of the forge building.


    The room was less stuffy, although you could still feel the heat from the rooms next door. Just by touching the wall it was already possible to perceive a high temperature.


    This room was a different area from the rest of the building, with arge shelf filled with books and what appeared to be manuscripts. A gigantic square table was crowded with drawings and inkblots.


    Near the walls were small tables that appeared to be intended for individual use. A little closer to the shelves was a different table,rger and with a leather chair that appeared to be much morefortable. Sitting down in this chair and soiling it even more with soot and grime, Master Hepha began to ask Luke several questions.


    ''I''m not that busy... Maybe nning a part of my sword now is not so bad''


    ''So boy, Orion and I are going to talk about your sword enchantments. But in the end, the one who will use this equipment is you... Tell me what you seek in a greatsword" Master Hepha said.


    Luke stopped for a moment, crossing his arms, he began to visualize what would be the ideal weapon for him.


    He would probably avoid using such arge sword for dueling, but the ability to get around with a weapon was something extremely fascinating and useful. Besides being extremely versatile.


    The half-wolf would need his flying sword to be sturdy, have a light weight so that transporting it out of inventory would be easier, after all when needed he would need to carry other weapons that would do more his fighting style.


    Since it would be a magic weapon, it would be interesting if the equipment could concentrate some of his mana. This would help him to carry enchantments and control the sword even if he was not using it at the moment.


    Arge handle would be useful, after all it would make it easier to remove the sword from his back, and controlling arge piece of equipment with two hands was morefortable for Half-Wolf.


    As for the color, apletely ck sword would be ideal. That way it would not attract attention when he was flying over in the night.


    Luke was quite reflective as to what his new utility weapon would look like.


    Breaking the silence that had remained for a few seconds, Hepha stood up and threw some papers on the table Luke was sitting on.


    "Those are some reference diagrams for the shape of the sword. If you are not interested in any, we can design together a style that will do more to your liking" The forge master said.


    "I have an idea, can you give me some nk paper?" Answered Luke.


    Ezra held out a pen to him, and with a piece of paper given to him by Hephaestus, Luke began to draw how he envisioned an effective sword.


    The sword did not have many curves, its de wasplete on both sides. Since it was a greatsword for flight, Luke ced a slightlyrger area, giving an almost rectangr shape to the sword. At the tip, there was a one-sided triangr shape, which indicated that it could be better used when attacking forward.


    There was a hole at the beginning of the sword de, the idea was to make it easier to carry the weapon when Luke put it on his back.


    "Ara ara, you have made quite an ambitious design. This hole may end up hindering the quality of the sword at the end only design" Hepha said.


    "That is why I am ordering this weapon for you, I know this won''t be a problem for ady as skilled as you" Luke said.


    "Oh" Hepha was surprised at the quick response. And pping the half-wolf on the back she tried to ignore that line and just continued with the questions about the weapon.


    "You want the swordpletely ck. Interesting, this is going to be a flying sword so I think it would be interesting to improve the shape of that area in the center of the de. How about we make it like that?" Said Hepha who took the pen and started drawing over the design made by Luke.


    She ced a sort of small handle inside the circle that the half-wolf had designed.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "This way we will decrease the air intake during flight, it will also be easier to put her on her back. A support in the middle will help keep the mana flowing faster too" Hepha concluded


    "It would be helpful to put a remote control orb on the sword handle. Luke has plenty of mana, he will have no problem controlling it. Besides, using it to control it from a distance should be very useful" Ezra said.


    "You''re right blue brat, good idea! Orion always puts control orbs on his swords, I had forgotten to give that suggestion now" Hepha said.


    ''I see, so Orion can control his swords so well because of that. This orb makes it easy to control them remotely.


    Ezra then turned to Luke and figuring the half-wolf didn''t understand what this was about, he began to exin.


    ''It takes a lot of mana to make a sword fly straight at a distance. A control orb makes it easy for you to handle it remotely, it''s quitemon for them to put it on daggers so it goes back to the user''s hand" The blue haired boy said as Hepha ran her hand over his head.


    ''I see, so that means I could use several swords at the same time inbat.


    Inside the half-wolf''s head, several possibilities began to appear. He was visualizing the confrontation in future battles, daydreaming.


    [Luke, are you really thinking about this?]


    ''Yes... It will be easier to annihte Melki''s troops this way. Even if I used a sword in each hand, it would still beborious.''


    [So you''re nning to order more swords to more easily annihte those groups, that''s really an interesting idea''


    Looking into Ezra''s eyes, Luke questioned him about this idea.


    ''So you mean it''s possible to control more than one sword at the same time, right? For example use one sword flying to defend yourself while with another you duel.


    "Hmm, I don''t know. Master Hepha, have you ever heard of it?" Questioned the blue haired boy.


    "One of the fencing teachers at the academy uses this style ofbat, it is possible. It makes dueling multiple enemies much easier, but controlling more than two flying swords at the same time is practically impossible.


    Luke gave a smile, it was one more challenge he would challenge himself toplete.


    "Hooo, what''s all the cheering. Do you really believe you can do this?"


    "Can I pick up some swords with that orb? Just to practice control. I think I can master up to five" The half-wolf said.


    "Ara Ara. I can lend you a few daggers, but I doubt you could sessfully control more than two" Hepha replied.


    "Wanna bet?" Luke said.


    "I''ll do whatever you want if you can. This task is impossible even for a teacher, don''t be so arrogant boy" Hephaestus said, with his clenched eyes and his typical smile.


    "Deal" Luke replied.


    "Hmm, what a determined man. What are you going to ask for? Maybe you want this woman''s mature body" Hepha replied.


    The forge master then crossed her arms, causing herrge breasts to bounce upwards. Her face was a little flushed, she had been drunk since Luke had entered the building.


    ''That half-wolf is handsome, and he looks strong. I like men like that'' thought the forge mistress.


    Emily Hephaestus Redwillion was an extremely provocative and lively woman, although she always stayed only in the trials. She was both a woman who loved to flirt and a powerful and serious cksmith.


    Ezra blushed at the forge master''s response. Putting both hands to his ears.


    "I want your body making more swords for me" Luke replied.


    Hephaestus began tough, pping his leg again. She really was a different woman than usual, a little strange to tell you the truth.


    Going over to one of the tables, Hepha grabbed a bottle of alcohol and started drinking, while watching the two boys talk about the flying sword project.


    ''Ezra really grown up quickly, my little lonely smith. Fuck I''m talking like an olddy''.


    She then gave a warm smile observing the two so dedicated. With a feeling of pride in her chest at the dedication of the little ''blue brat''.

 Chapter 379 Indestructible Blade

    Going over to one of the tables, Hepha picked up a bottle of alcohol and began to drink, while watching the two boys talk about the flying sword project.


    ''Ezra really grown up quickly, my little lonely smith. Fuck I''m talking like an olddy.''


    She then gave a warm smile observed the two so dedicated. With a feeling of pride in her chest at the dedication of the little blue brat.


    *


    The nning of the weapon took some time. Although they had not progressed that far with the diagram of the flying sword, the three were now visualizing what Luke''s new sword might look like.


    Ezra was eager to make this new piece of equipment, while Luke was interested in finding out how skilled the little blue-haired boy was. Hepha eventually gave that answer just before he said goodbye.


    "Anyway, it''s fun here but, I need to leave. Those men aren''t going to organize themselves, they need a woman yelling how to forge right" Hephaestus said.


    She then stood up, and after a sigh, opened the door.


    Before she left, she decided to give the blue brat onest lecture.


    "Ezra, don''t forget that you are rank 4! You can use our materials and call me without bothering, if you finish this weapon without calling me even once, I will beat you up" Hepha said, in a slightly more serious voice. Only to resume herughter as she walked out of the room.


    Now was the time to discuss the new sword, however, Luke was still interested in finding out more about how the cksmiths at the academy were organized, as well as getting more information about Ezra.


    "Why are you always so isted? Even if you are such a skilled cksmith, you should get hundreds of orders" Luke said.


    Little Ezra then let go of the pen and stretched, stretching himself. Looking up at the ceiling, aplicated expression appeared on his face.


    "You know the reason, Luke, everyone does. My body is too small to be a cksmith. I''ve been dealing with hot iron since I was born, but that doesn''t change my natural unfitness... The one who guided me to learn how to control golems was Master Hepha, she was the only one in all these years who was willing to watch me work" Ezra said.


    The little boy turned around a little embarrassed, as he scratched his cheek.


    "Well, that''s before you of course. I have tried several times to ask to create equipment for other students, but never seeded before, they just looked at me andughed... I am really grateful to you for agreeing toe here" Ezra concluded.


    The blue haired boy''s face was a little red with embarrassment, but hearing these words made Luke somehow empathize with the little cksmith.


    He remembered how he was judged for being a half-wolf. How they often refused to listen to him or even try to understand what he had to say.


    Luke had also always been used to being belittled, and after hearing all this, a hard feeling came over his chest.


    ''I almost took the same attitude, I didn''t believe that this boy was capable of forgery''


    [Don''t worry about it wolf brat!]


    ''That''s a new one, learned from Hephaestus is it?''


    [Yes!]


    ''You''re too annoying to be a Goddess''


    [LUKE! That''s pretty mean to say to a beautiful woman like me]


    ''I''m sorry, hahaha''


    [Anyway, Luke, don''t worry about it. You at least tried to recognize little Ezra, that already makes you much better than all the people he turned to before]


    *sigh*


    Luke sighed and looked at Ezra, it was better to be honest with the little cksmith.


    "You know Ezra, I too have been belittled several times" Luke said, pointing to his ears.


    "I''m sorry, I too imagined that you were not capable of forging. But the way you came to me for help, I thought I would at least try to get to know your work" said Luke.


    Ezra then stood up with speed. Standing up and pushing his chair back.


    Ah, he was annoyed with me,'' thought Luke.


    The boy then turned to Luke, his eyes watering.


    ''No sir Luke! You were the first person who at least tried to get to know me! I''m very grateful for that!!!" cried Ezra.


    cing one of his hands on his chest, the boy spoke with conviction:


    "Let''s go to my room! I''ll show you some of the equipment I''ve made! Meanwhile, tell me about how you want your sword" Ezra said.


    *


    The small cksmith then guided Luke to a room across from the workshop where they met. It was a room of a rather vast size, surprisingly it was packed with swords and equipment of all different kinds.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What is this ce?" Luke said, startled by the amount of des that room possessed.


    One of the bookshelves caught the half-wolf''s attention. It was packed with different swords and daggers, each of the weapons had a distinct color, with a surprising glow.


    "Ah, this is where I keep my equipment. A few months ago I was in the habit of forging at least five pieces a day" said the boy, who had his arms crossed as he was rummaging through a strange pile of daggers.


    "Master Hepha said that I made too many swords, and that I would end up crowding the equipment area of the forge. So she let me use this small room to store my old projects.


    "Why is there a bed in the middle of the floor?" Luke said, while looking at a small mattress that was positioned in the corner of the room.


    "I sleep here sometimes, the student dorm is too far from the forge" Ezra said, with surprising naturalness.


    ''Does he really think this is normal?''


    [This boy really is dedicated at work]


    ''''Isn''t it dangerous for a sword to fall on you?" Luke asked.


    "Hmm, you''re right. It would be dangerous, I usually leave their edge perfect like a razor before I put it away... Well, I''ll start sleeping in the center of the room, that should do it" Ezra replied.


    "I don''t think that changes the situation that much, ideally I wouldn''t sleep here" Answered Luke.


    "What''s the problem?" Ezra said.


    "You''ll never get a quality night''s sleep. Orion said forge works all the time, you''ll always have sound of hammering" Luke Answered, crossing his arms and judging the little cksmith.


    "Hahaha! I was born in a forge Luke, don''t worry about it, I''m used to sleeping with the noise of the beats on the metal" Ezra said.


    "You know that people who sleep little don''t usually grow much in height, right?" Luke said.


    The little blue haired boy turned to Luke, with a panicked face and tear filled eyes.


    "Is... is that why Luke? I will never grow up because I sleep too little?" said Ezra, the boy was almost starting to cry.


    Luke gave a small smile, and ran his hand through the boy''s blue hair.


    "Try to rest properly and eat well! You still have plenty of time to grow up," Luke said,ughing.


    Ezra lifted his head, his eyes filled with determination.


    "I''ll grow up enough to master Luke! I promise!" Ezra said.


    ''You don''t have to promise me that.''


    "Master?" Answered Luke.


    The little boy then blushed and looked down.


    "Yes... I thought I could be your personal cksmith, since you don''t have one. It is - it ismon for formidable warriors to have personal smiths" Ezra said, his cheeks reddening.


    ''Mister Luke seems to be very strong, I''m sure he''ll have a smith working exclusively for him soon'' thought Ezra, a little nervous by the half-wolf''s answer.


    ''Hmm, I don''t see a problem. From what I''ve seen here, you are really quite skilled" Luke said.


    The half-wolf was holding a medium purple dagger. Analyzing the edge of the de with his finger.


    "Great! But how do you desire your sword? We didn''t go into detail about your personal one" Ezra replied.


    "Hmm, I fight like an assassin. I would need a weapon with a ck de, do you know how to make katanas?" Luke said.


    Ezra ran to one of the shelves and picked up a small knife. He then held out the item to Luke.


    "I''m not big on des Zhao faith. But I can ask Hepha for help in how to perform, I hear that new diagrams and forging books have arrived from the far east" Ezra said.


    Handing Luke the knife to analyze, Ezra began to exin the peculiarities of the equipment.


    It was a kind of small dagger, with a square de and an extremely sharp edge. The de waspletely ck, looking a bit like obsidian armor from Broteforge.


    "That is one of myst knives. I used an alloy called Midnight Metal. But we can use Adamantine refined with Mana and create a magic circle at the base, you seem to have a lot of mana, so a magic sword will be practically indestructible in your hand" Ezra concluded, the boy waspletely excited.


    "Indestructible?" Questioned Luke.


    "Yes, if you channel your mana into a sword, it will definitely make it indestructible" Ezra replied.

 Chapter 380 Emerald Burst

    "That is one of myst knives. I used an alloy called Midnight Metal. But we can use Adamantine refined with Mana and create a magic circle at the base, you seem to have a lot of mana, so a magic sword will be practically indestructible in your hand" Ezra concluded, the boy waspletely excited.


    "Indestructible?" Questioned Luke.


    "Yes, if you channel your mana into a sword, it will definitely make it indestructible" Ezra replied.


    *


    Ezra began to perform the drawing of the diagrams, as much as he did not have aplete grasp of how to forge in Zhao''s style, the little boy possessed a general idea of what the Katana could look like.


    The initial idea was apletely ck de, as per Luke''s request. On the handle would be a small red crystal that would act as a way to channel the half-wolf''s mana. The flow of mana would follow from the beginning of the sword to the end, energizing it and activating the magic circles that Ezra would add.


    "Some swords have built-in quick enchantments, like transforming mana into shing attacks or infinite poison spells. Anything like that interest you?" replied Ezra.


    Luke ced one of his hands on his chin, and thoughtfully, began to visualize what would be best suited for hisbat style.


    ''Until now I was used to using a pansperm equipment, I can keep the sword in my inventory when needed, which won''t create as much difficulty for me. Now, about the enchantments... Do you have any idea what would be interesting Bnce?''


    [Poison and wind and fire magic, are the most versatile for your use. Fire magic has a strong enough destructive power for when it is necessary to exterminaterge groups, wind magic allied with your Vind skill will be useful duringbat. And Poison is almost indispensable for your assassin fighting style]


    ''If you have a way to control the flow of poison in the weapon, this sword would be really quite versatile. I think ideally it would be some kind of immobilizing toxin, so I don''t have to worry about it in duels or training''


    "Ezra, how does the poison work?" Luke said.


    "Hmmm, basically, a magic circle etched inside the handle will use the stored mana to poison the de. We can choose more than one substance, it will all depend on your ability to control the flow of mana" Answered the little cksmith, who was standing with his arms crossed staring at the piece of paper left under the table.


    ''Control the flow of mana from the sword? What does that mean''


    [You just need to manage the mana around the sword. Controlling where it goes]


    ''Hmm, I guess fire magic and poison, maybe two different kinds of poison. I would need something to immobilize" Luke said.


    "Hmmm, poisons wouldn''t be a problem. But depending on the size of the enemy, it might be more interesting to add electric magic. The handle of a katana is usually a bit bigger, so we can add more enchantments inside it, its mana is also quite big, so it wouldn''t be hard to control all that" Ezra continued.


    ''I think it''s best to be honest with him''


    "You know, I''ve never used a sword with different enchantments. I don''t know how to manipte my mana to tell you the truth" Luke replied.


    "Ah, I have some swords like that. Let''s go to the training area, there''s one here in the building" Ezra said.


    "Alright! Let''s practice then, can you exin to me how I can do it?"


    "Sure!" Answered Ezra, who got up and ran out of his chair.


    "I''ll get some swords!" Said Ezra shouting.


    Ezra selected four different swords, each one had a special particrity, they were just equipment he had made to test some ideas. As small as he was, his experience in the art of forging des was remarkable.


    Luke waited for the boy in the corridor, until he then began to hear the sound of nging pieces of iron. Ezra had tied the four swords together, and was running with them on his back.


    The boy normally walked with hurried steps, making small jumps as he walked. With each little jump you could hear the swords ttering. Luckily, the boy had used a thick piece of leather to store the weapons, along with three mesh belts that were holding the equipment together.


    ''These weapons will be ideal for your training master Luke, I have chosen equipment with different functions, so you can get a better idea of what is most interesting to you'' Ezra said.


    ''Hmm, four different swords... Well, it won''t be a problem if I train with each of them afterwards. It''s not like I''m going to have a very busy day today, Megan told me I can missb today''


    [Try to pay Megan a visit in the afternoon, she was very worried about you, she didn''t let go of your hand at any point when you were unconscious]


    ''Oh sure. Wait, how do you know that?''


    [Even if you were unconscious, I am still conscious inside your body. I live in your soul, you being asleep doesn''t prevent me from staying awake]<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''That''s really surprising news... But how? How confusing''


    [It''s not like I''m watching you all the time either. I also prefer to rest my conscience when you are sleeping, but that day... I was too worried about your well being Luke, don''t worry]


    Luke gave a small smile


    ''Thanks Bnce''


    "So Ezra, show me where this training room is" Luke said.


    *


    The two boys walked through the forge, leaving the far end of the building and walking down the long corridor that led to the entrance. The temperature had increased significantly inside that ce, it seemed that there were more cksmiths working now.


    ''Really, Hepha must be quite busy. If there were several men working before, now it seems that the number has doubled,'' Luke thought.


    "How many people normally attend the forge?" Luke questioned.


    "Hmmm, of the cksmiths whoe to this building every day, I would say around 200 men and 40 women. But there are those whoe periodically, I think there must be around 500 cksmiths active at Melki''s academy.


    This was really surprising news. After hearing this, Luke instantly remembered Hephaestus'' words.


    [You were really lucky to get an offer from this boy. And to imagine that among 500 cksmiths, he is the most promising]


    All the more reason for me to feel guilty for underestimating him.


    [Well, have you ever stopped to think that this boy is still maturing and still has years of training ahead of him? Surely he will be a master forger]


    ''What makes you think that Bnce? I mean, his swords are really amazing, but what caught your attention?


    [Can you see that green sword Ezra is carrying? It has an extremely strange flow of mana, to tell you the truth, I don''t think I''ve ever seen any magical equipment like that]


    ''A sword so unique you''ve never seen anything like it ... and yet it was made by such a young boy, is he sure is a prodigy''


    "Ezra, that green sword on your back. Did you make it yourself?" Luke questioned, interested in getting information about the equipment.


    The two were still walking down the hallway, but by now, they were near the exit door of the forge.


    "Yes, this here is the Emerald Burst. One of my favorite swords, he''s cute isn''t he? I like green, although green doesn''t really suit me. Blue and green don''t mix well outside of nature do they?" Ezra said.


    Luke was so focused on finding out what was different about that sword, that he could not imagine such an unpretentious and innocent answer. This little line from the boy made him fall intoughter.


    Luke then approached Ezra, and extending his hand, began to pet the little cksmith''s blue hair.


    "Yes! You''re right, green and blue don''t mix so well outside of nature" Luke said.


    "Master Luke! It wasn''t enough that Master Hepha was running her hand over my head, now you too!" mored Ezra, with an annoyed face and his cheeks puffed up.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It''s just that I don''t usually get fellows so much younger than me, to tell you the truth, you look like a child" Luke replied.


    Ezra''s face turned red, both from embarrassment and anger.


    "Master Luke! I am not a child! I am a noble cksmith, Hepha''s apprentice, a respected craftsman!" cried the blue-haired boy, puffing out his chest as he tidied up his blue hair.


    The two were now outside the forge, inside walking down a concrete road that led to arge enclosed hall. After opening two long iron doors, the two of them found themselves in the forge training area of Melki''s academy.


    It was a ce that in some ways resembled the training center of the Strogueher household, which gave Luke''s chest a small tightening. A feeling of nostalgia for those days when he trained incessantly with Nathalia.

 Chapter 381 Endless Dream

    Ezra''s face turned red, both from shame and anger.


    "Master Luke! I am not a child! I am a noble cksmith, Hepha''s apprentice, a respected craftsman!" cried the blue haired boy, puffing out his chest as he tidied up his blue hair.


    The two were now outside the forge, inside walking down a concrete road that led to arge enclosed hall. After opening two long iron doors, the two of them found themselves in the forge training area of Melki''s academy.


    It was a ce that in some ways resembled the training center of the Strogueher home, which gave Luke''s chest a little tightening. A feeling of nostalgia for those days when he trained incessantly with Nathalia.


    *


    The room was extremely vast, the floor was made of wood. It was possible to see all around the vast room the effects of the sword training.


    "Is it okay that the floor is made of wood? We are going to deal with fire right?" Luke questioned.


    "Rx, this wood doesn''t catch fire. We can train quietly, just give me a little time to prepare the tests" Ezra replied.


    The boy was kneeling, removing the swords from his back and separating the four pieces into a row of equipment.


    The hall was filled with training dolls, some were made of wood while others appeared to be made of a kind of straw reinforced with iron mesh. There were also several areas for testing sword des, such as ropes that were tied from the ceiling to the floor, in order to test whether the equipment could cutpletely.


    In front of the hall was a strange room. The wall was made of ss, and there were many more training dolls scattered around that area.


    Ezra then pointed to the hall ahead, turning to Luke.


    "That ce is where we are going to start our training, that''s the target practice stand with magic weapons" Ezra said.


    The boy then got up and ran to Luke''s side. The two of them were standing in front of the four swords that the small cksmith had forged.


    The first and most eye-catching was the Emerald Burst, now that Luke could see it clearly, he could see its amazing quality. Its de and handle werepletely green, the de glowed a light shade of green, while the handle was a darker green with ck details. The weapon appeared to be extremely polished, its de was slightly curved, and its tip had a small upward curve.


    The sword still had some enchantments engraved on the de, in a slightly lighter shade of green, which stood out, making the piece even more captivating and beautiful.


    Next to the Emerald Burst was a sword with an intense purple color. The de was a dark purple, with a slightly moremon shape, this weapon looked much less like a one-handed dagger and more like a two-handed sword. It was a bit longer than the Emerald Burst, mainly because the de was wider and the handle was a bit longer.


    The handle of that purple sword was made of a kind of leather with a dark brown coloration, however, there were small golden details around the weapon.


    The next sword was the one that caught Luke''s attention the most. It was apletely red two-handed sword, with orange and yellow details, the edge of the sword de waspletely yellow, while the center of the sword was red. There were several incantations engraved in orange on both sides of the sword, which brought a finish that turned that de into a kind of piece of art.


    Next to this wonderful red sword was a slightly simpler sword, its de shining like silver, although, it had a slightly bluish coloration. The weapon was equally beautiful, although it was not an explosion of color. Of all the swords, it was without a doubt the one that shone the most, mainly because of the material of the de, which made an amazing reflection.


    Luke knelt down and chose thisst sword first, when he lifted it a little, he noticed how it was possible to clearly see his reflection in the de, it was almost like a mirror, except that the colors appeared a little blue.


    Of the four swords Ezra brought, this was the only one that didn''t have engravings around the de, which made the half-wolf extremely curious.


    "Why is this one different?" Questioned Luke, pointing at the weapon.


    "That''s the Endless Dream, it''s myst magic sword. Why don''t we start with it? It''s one of my most recent works" Ezra said.


    Luke nodded, the two then proceeded forward to the training room.


    After Luke opened an iron door, he entered that room, it waspletely enclosed, apart from some ducts that served to circte the air.


    Ezra positioned himself behind a ss wall, outside the room. It was a kind of giant window where it was possible to see what was happening inside the room.


    "I''ll turn on the air system, it must be stuffy in there" Ezra said.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The boy''s voice surprised Luke, even with the thick ss wall, it was still possible to hear clearly what the blue haired boy was saying from across the room.


    ''How did he do that?''


    [Probably something to do with magic, but this time I have no idea]


    This academy is a box full of surprises.


    The blue haired boy then activated two levers, the first one lit up the roompletely. The second activated some kind of mechanism that made the airflow in the room start to flow much better.


    Luke could hear the sound of the wind moving cyclically through that enclosed area, which was extremely surprising to his acute hearing. He had never seen such intense airflow in a seemingly enclosed ce, it was obvious that this was magic.


    "So Luke, make a guard position and start channeling your mana into the sword! You will notice how your mana will flow into the handle" Ezra said.


    Luke then moved one of his legs forward, and got into a defensive position. With the Endless Dream pointed forward, he began to channel his energy into the weapon, as Ezra had warned, he quickly noticed that strange sensation.


    It was as if the half-wolf''s body was being stretched, as if the entire sword had connected with it. The flow of energying from inside his body entered through small channels, pumping like the veins of his heart.


    "Now, concentrate on choosing where the mana will flow. Imagine as if you were controlling a water passage, depending on what you activate, the sword will react" Ezra said.


    Luke then began to pay attention to how his energy was flowing through that equipment. The mana had three options to follow, Luke started putting all three options in at the same time.


    He was fully charging that sword, with that, a gigantic amount of energy began to flow out of the de.


    The air around the sword began to freeze, as it formed a mist of ice around the item.


    A small stream of wind emitted by the sword caused that cold air to circte through the de.


    *sigh*


    Luke began to sigh, concentrating even more on his task of mastering that item. That sword was bing colder by the second, while the wind flowing around the de became faster and faster.


    The temperature around the half-wolf began to drop sharply, as he sighed, you could see the heating out of Luke''s mouth. As if he were in a cold snowy night.


    Surprisingly, Luke''s body was not cold, but the entire vicinity of the area in which he was standing began to freeze. It was as if a kind of dew had appeared around the room, making the entire floor damp and wet, only to be frozen by that de.


    Luke then closed his eyes, and concentrated even more on visualizing the paths of that sword, little by little, he came to understand the function of each of the parts of the sword.


    It was a strange connection that he could not exin, but still, it was as understandable as the feelings he had at the moment. It was a surprising bond.


    "Ezra, the first way is for controlling wind flows. It''s a wind spell! The second is a water incantation and the third isposed of four ice magic circles, am I right?" Shouted Luke, opening his eyes.


    The blue-haired boy took a step back,pletely surprised by the situation. The speed Luke had toprehend that sword was something unimaginable.


    "Exactly, master Luke! Try using all three at the same time tounch ice attacks!" cried Ezra, euphorically looking forward.


    The little cksmith''s heart was beating wildly, while Luke stood with surprising cmity.


    In front of the half-wolf was a madera target. Luke then concentrated on controlling the three spells at the same time.


    Swinging his sword, heunched a forward attack, cutting the air.


    The cut Luke made in the air created an ice attack that flew out at high speed at the test dummy, tearing that puppet''s head off in seconds.

 Chapter 382 Burning Night

    The little cksmith''s heart was beating wildly, while Luke stood with surprising cm.


    In front of the half-wolf was a madera target. Luke then concentrated on controlling the three spells at the same time.


    Swinging his sword, heunched a forward attack, cutting the air.


    The cut Luke made in the air created an ice attack that flew out at high speed at the test dummy, tearing that puppet''s head off in seconds.


    The cut was smooth, extremely precise and fast. The target''s head fell, hitting the ground and then rolling forward. Even though it was a wooden target, the cut was so precise that it created a smooth surface, not a single piece of the wood fiber had been torn out, all the material was still perfectly intact.


    Normally, cutting wood always creates dust, unevenness, and you would need to run a sandpaper across the top of the wood to keep it really smooth. But Luke''s cutting was so perfect that this was simply not necessary.


    When Luke came out of that concentration mode, he waspletely surprised at how cool the room had be. He looked at the floor and noticed how the floor waspletely covered in ice. The video that protected Ezra was also marked with small fragments of ice, as if some kind of moisture had frozen in front of the ss.


    Yet he was strangely not cold, nor had he noticed this sensation in his body. It was as if he was immune to the cold at that moment.


    Looking at the weapon, Luke was again surprised at how extremely visible his reflection was in that equipment. Turning to Ezra, Luke nodded, asking if he should continue his training. The little cksmith responded by extending his hand upward, giving a positive sign.


    "It''s fine, you can keep attacking the dummys" Ezra said.


    Luke focused on the de of the sword again. Now he had a slightly better understanding of how that weapon worked. It was like an organ of the half-wolf''s own body, controlling that flow of mana was as natural as breathing, which left Lukepletely amazed at how fantastic that connection with the sword was.


    ''I really need a weapon like that. It is so versatile, I never imagined a piece of equipment could be so unique'' Luke thought.


    He was mentally visualizing the sword, trying to imagine each of the three functionalities of that weapon. Concentrating, he began to control the area that produced water magic, shaping the moisture that approached close to the de, an abundant amount of water began to pool on the iron of the sword. Controlling with the wind area of that item, Luke went about controlling that water so that the sword received a new shape.


    As the water moved to the desired location, the sword cooled, freezing and creating a thickyer of ice. The image Luke had in his mind wasing true, and even with his eyes closed, the half-wolf was able to draw and build exactly what he wanted.


    The Endless Dream was a rtively thin sword, possessing an elegant finish. However, with the control of the ice, Luke significantly increased the size of the sword''s de. Several triangles appeared on one side of that de, transforming it into a kind of two-ded sword. One side was made of an ice saw, while the other side had a thin, extremely sharp ice de.


    When Luke opened his eyes, he waspletely in shock at how well this idea had worked.


    ''It really is possible, that weapon is fantastic'' Luke thought.


    In slow steps, the half-wolf approached one of the training puppets. And he quickly began to test that weapon, delivering several attacks. His sword was cutting the wood with unimaginable speed, but the most amazing thing was how that ice was not breaking, it was remaining tough, almost indestructible.


    Actually, what was happening was quite different.


    With each attack from the half-wolf, several particles of ice came out of the sword. Breaking and falling off the item, however, Luke''s mana was constantly feeding that weapon, making sure it never lost its edge, stayed sharp, and kept the shape Luke had imagined.


    The half-wolf then returned to the window of the room. He turned to the several training puppets that were positioned on the other side of the room. Raising his sword again, Luke began tounch several bursts of ice.


    He could control the movement of the projectiles with the circle of wind that the sword possessed. With the water area, it was possible to control how thick they were, how they formed, and even what their initial size was. The ice part of the sword solidified the attack, keeping it at an extremely cold temperature.


    It was as if Luke was casting quick ice spells, without worrying about conjuring the incantation or even the form, or the state of the attack. It was an automatic movement, an incredible weapon that he simply hadn''t imagined possible to exist.


    He then began to concentrate on creating small strands of ice. The attacks became thinner and thinner. It was as if Luke was throwing little pieces of paper with his sword, which left Ezrapletely surprised, incredulous at what he was seeing.


    At a certain moment, Luke managed to transform those small ice projectiles into ayer so thin that it was almost invisible to the naked eye. It was only perceptible the effects caused by that weapon.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The puppets'' heads were falling off one by one, yet it was not possible to see where the attack came from.


    Even with wind spells, it is still possible to understand the flow of the attack, it is possible to perceive where a spell ising from and where it is going.


    But the speed with which the projectiles wereunched made the attack almost imperceptible. By the time Luke imagined the attacking, the puppet''s head hadpletely fallen to the ground.


    Ezra''s eyes werepletely wide open, with a face of surprise and excitement. He had never even imagined this kind of use for his sword, in fact, he had only taken Hephaestus'' advice when he began forging this equipment.


    I can''t believe it, he really haspletely mastered the use of this weapon. I want to know how he will use my other weapons'' thought Ezra.


    The boy''s heart was agitated, he had total conviction that the weapon he was going to make for Luke should be as versatile and useful as the ones he had already produced, in fact, it should be even better.


    Ezra then picked up the red sword, and watching Luke, he caught the half-wolf''s eye


    "Master Luke! Why don''t you change swords now? We can test this one and then put more test dummies on it" Ezra said, raising the weapon as high as he could.


    Luke nodded, and walked out of the room.


    The sword that Ezra handed to Luke was different from the Endless Dream, by the time Luke channeled his mana into that weapon, you could already feel the gigantic difference between the two.


    "What is the name of this sword?" Luke Questioned.


    "Burning Night" Ezra replied, his eyes still wide open, glowing with excitement.


    Luke then again entered the room, and focused on channeling his magic into that weapon.


    Again, he began to visualize how his mana was flowing through the item, it was a truly different feeling than the sword he had wielded a short time ago. There were four different channels within that weapon.


    As Luke charged that weapon with his energy, he realized how this sword was a bit moreplex to control, but that didn''t discourage him, in fact, it only increased the anticipation and interest the half-wolf had.


    With his eyes closed, Luke began to visualize the sword from the inside. It was as if he was able to see every detail made in the production process of that weapon.


    There were four magic circles that followed inside the weapon, however, on the outside, there was a fifth enchantment, which so far made no sense to Luke.


    However, as the mana finished charging the swordpletely, Luke had finally understood the reason for the fifth spell.


    The sword''s first spell was a fire conjuration, which would cause mes to appear around the sword. The second spell was a me shape maniption spell, which would help control the way fire would be projected.


    The fourth spell was a kind of wind circle that would help manipte the control of airflow around the sword, as well aster control how the fire would act after it was cast.


    The fifth spell, which was on the outside of the sword, was an ice spell. The reason was quite simple, to prevent the heat of the weapon from causing it to melt by itself.


    Gradually, a gigantic amount of fire began to appear on the edge of that de, surprising Ezra.


    This time, Luke could feel the heat heating his face at the same moment.

 Chapter 383 The Pheonix And The Wolf

    The sword''s first spell was a fire conjuration, which would cause mes to appear around the sword. The second spell was a me shape maniption spell, which would help control the way the fire would be projected.


    The fourth spell was a kind of wind circle that would help manipte the control of airflow around the sword, as well aster control how the fire would act after it was cast.


    The fifth spell, which was on the outside of the sword, was an ice spell. The reason was quite simple, to prevent the heat of the weapon from causing it to melt by itself.


    Gradually, a gigantic amount of fire began to appear on the edge of that de, surprising Ezra.


    This time, Luke could feel the heat heating his face at the same instant.


    The sword, Burning Night began to channel its energy outward. The fire was intense, although, Luke was able to feel the heat taking over the sword, surprisingly that me was not burning the half-wolf''s body.


    The fire began to spreadpletely through the sword, including Luke''s hands. But surprisingly that heat was not painful for Luke, it was almost weing. It was a warm me like a ray of sunshine after a long winter night.


    It was a warmth that was feeding the Half-wolf with energy, like a hug from a distant friend, like the touch of a loved one. It was a feeling that was hard to describe.


    The mespletely took over the sword, which gradually grewrger until from a two-handed sword, with the shape of the me, the weapon took on the size of a greatsword.


    When Luke opened his eyes, he realized how versatile the fire element really is. Until then, the novice mage had not yet fully explored the capabilities of the destructive power of mes. Other than a simple fireball, or the channeling of mana into mes, Luke had not yet understood how to control fire.


    With his heart calm and equally on fire, Luke began to move that gigantic amount of mes, swinging his sword as he tested the weight of the weapon. As Luke swung Burning Night, he realized how confusing a situation controlling that weapon was.


    At the same time that it was moreplex than the sword he had just used, this weapon was surprisingly more elegant. It was like a horse that was difficult to tame, but once controlled, possessed much greater power and energy.


    Ezra, on the other side of the wall, was ted. His eyes were shining, both from the excitement of seeing his equipment being used so masterfully, and also from the brilliance of his creation.


    Luke then began to strike out again against the test dummies.


    The first rows of puppets had already been annihted in the previous test, and now there were three more rows of wooden targets left. With one swift strike, Luke swung his sword forward channeling that energy, shooting out a gigantic wave of fire.


    The mes came out at high speed, and by controlling it with one hand, Luke was able to move the mes wherever he wanted. That first burst of fire burned the dolls that had already been decapitated by Endless Dream.


    With a snap of the half-wolf''s fingers, the mes burning those wooden dolls intensified. A current of air began to rise around the targets, keeping the mes concentrated and increasing the intensity of the destruction. That intense firepletely burned the test dummies, leaving only a small circle of dust on the ground.


    All thissted a fraction of a second, demonstrating how extremely skilled the half-wolf was, he possessed a born talent for me mastery.


    Luke was in a state of flow, a gigantic connection to the sword he wielded. With a smile, he turned to Ezra as he extinguished the mes of the sword.


    "Ezra, I think I already have an idea of how I want my weapon" Luke said with a smile.


    The little cksmith''s eyes widened, and with a warm smile he bowed.


    "I will give my master Luke! So please ask for whatever you want and I will perform!" Eximed Ezra, bowing down.


    Luke then turned back to the mannequins, he still wanted to test some of what he was capable of.


    Channeling fire again, now the sword was pulsing mes constantly. Slowly a heat was emerging around the half-wolf, he was on fire. Notpletely, it was as if small sparks were emerging around Luke, as if the energy he was channeling into the sword was also being thrown out by the swordsman''s body.


    With a Burning Night attack, Lukeunched a muchrger amount of mes, which took the form of a gigantic firebird. The movement was done with just one of his hands, while with the other, the half-wolf controlled the movement of the mes, manipting that heat as if he were the conductor of an orchestra.


    The gigantic firebird flew out, dancing around the room. With an abrupt movement of his hands, Luke controlled that Phoenix to turn around. Returning to the sword, the half-wolf then fired more fire attacks in front of that me puppet, increasing the size of the Phoenix.


    Luke then controlled that gigantic amount of energy to fly in front of the dummies, decapitating an entire row of test dummies. The Phoenix then fell apart, as the various heads of the dummies fell to the ground.<novelnext></novelnext>


    When the fire lost its bird form, all that energy turned into several arcs of fire that appeared on top of the wooden dummies. Burning each one until there were no ashes left.


    Again, with a snap of the fingers, an air current intensified on the targets, raising a gigantic ze of mes. When the fire was over, there were no more test dummies left in the room.


    This was the power of a skilled swordsman with an item that matched his level. That was the difference between an ordinary sword and a magic item.


    Inside Luke''s soul, the Goddess Bnce waspletely open-mouthed, just like Ezra, the Goddess was euphoric,pletely consumed by that captivating emotion Luke was giving off.


    [Luke, I can''t believe it, how did you do all this, it seems so natural]


    ''I don''t understand either, dealing with my mana was so confusing when I was doing that spell with Megan, but now it was all so automatic. It was like breathing or walking, it was as automatic as dodging a sword attack from Nathalia''


    The goddess began tough at Luke''s exnation.


    [I''m sure the elf wouldn''t like to hear that. But now a doubt arose in me]


    ''What?''


    [You have mastered the element of ice very well, and controlled the mes of this sword with gigantic ease. I know Ezra would be capable of that, so what do you think about requesting a sword that has a magic circle for each different element of magic]


    The moment Luke heard Bnce''s voice echoing in his head, a giant smile appeared on his face. It was a confused smile to Ezra and to anyone else who observed the half-wolf''s features.


    He was visualizing how he would be able to annihte any enemy with a sword as great as this. The half-wolf then opened the metal door and walked up to the small blue-haired cksmith.


    He left Burning Night on a table, and now standing in front of Ezra, Luke reached out and petted the little blue-haired cksmith''s blue hair.


    "You know Ezra, I had an idea that you may not be able toplete. But still, I''d like to try it" Luke said.


    Ezra''s face showed his surprise, and with his cheeks inted, he made an angry face looking at Luke.


    "It''s obvious I can do it master! Just tell me how you want your sword and I will do everything I can toplete it!" Ezra said, clicking his tongue and turning to the side with his arms crossed.


    [Yaaaaaaaawn this kid is so cute!]


    ''Stop it Bnce''


    Luke then released his hand from Ezra''s grip and began to explciate what he had felt using those weapons.


    "The Endless Dream is really great, the ice created much faster attacks than fire. I imagine that for stealthbat at night, this is the best option. However, theck of area destructive power was something that bothered me with it, apart from the option to freeze a group or a region, it is still not as destructive as Burning Night.


    "As for the Burning Night, it really is a formidable sword, I believe that with a little more training I would be able to better manipte the direction of the mes. Drawing with fire is something amazing, I really enjoyed using these two weapons. But it seems like we are still missing something.


    Ezra was jumping for joy, but when he heard that something seemed out of ce, the little cksmith''s face became much more serious. He then took a notepad and a pencil from his pocket.


    "Please Master Luke, exin to me what you felt was missing from this weapon" Ezra replied.


    "Actually it''s more of an idea that came to me, I don''t want to be limited to just one type of element or one feature of the weapon, what do you think about creating a sword with all kinds of elemental circles" Luke said.


    The little blue-eyed cksmith took a step back, his face waspletely surprised, but soon he gave a gigantic smile in response to Luke''s challenge.


    "I''ve never heard of any weapon like that, but of course I can" Ezra replied.

 Chapter 384 Sleepy Rain

    Ezra was jumping for joy, but when he heard that something seemed out of ce, the little cksmith''s face became much more serious. He then took a notepad and a pencil from his pocket.


    "Please Master Luke, exin to me what you felt was missing from this weapon" Ezra replied.


    "Actually it''s more of an idea that came to me, I don''t want to be limited to just one type of element or one feature of the weapon, what do you think about creating a sword with all kinds of elemental circles" Luke said.


    The little blue-eyed cksmith took a step back, his face waspletely surprised, but soon he gave a gigantic smile in response to Luke''s challenge.


    "I''ve never heard of any weapon like this, but of course I can" Ezra replied.


    The little cksmith then began to draw and scribble on the notepad he was holding.


    Luke noticed how he was making several notes of what seemed to be ideas, although he couldn''t understand what Ezra was doing, it was still possible to recognize some magic circles.


    "That is a really interesting idea, we will need some magic crystals, I will need to distribute the magic circles over the handle and de. I don''t know if that would fit on a Katana" Ezra said, while biting his thumb.


    [HE IS VERY CUTE, HE LOOKS LIKE A BABY].


    ''Don''t scream inside my head, Bnce''


    [I''m sorry]


    The little cksmith didn''t seem to be talking to Luke, but still the half-wolf remained listening to what that blue-haired boy had to talk about.


    It was a bit like Megan and Adrian''s conversations, where he couldn''t understand the real subject, but it was interesting to try to learn something he hadn''t mastered.


    Luke had a brief and simple idea of how the art of forging worked, but it was just the basics that anyone would eventually learn over time.


    The whole part of using magic within equipment production was something new, at least the way it was done at Melki''s academy. He remembered the use of Runes and how some items had effects, but the maniption of magic circles was somethingpletely new.


    "Look Master Luke, I believe I can make a sword like this. But it will take me more time than is normally needed toplete a weapon. I will also need Master Hepha''s help, which may make the sword take even longer toplete" Ezra said.


    The small cksmith had left his notebook open on the table in front of the window in the testing room. He stood with his arms folded, looking at his notes with a thoughtful face.


    "How long do you imagine it will take toplete this weapon?" Luke said, imagining that it would take months toplete such an ambitious project.


    "I believe around two weeks, really, I won''t be able toplete such an ambitious project in any less time" Ezra said in a difficult voice, as if disappointed in his own cksmithing abilities.


    ''There''s no way this kid is saying this, this is too fast''


    [He really is unusual, there are famous cksmiths who take that long to produce an ordinary sword]


    ''Yeah... that doesn''t make sense, and the way he''s saying it would be. Is he really disappointed that it takes two weeks for this?''


    "But two weeks is very little time, don''t worry about it Ezra" Luke said, petting the little cksmith''s head.


    "But it usually takes me two days to finish a magic sword, obviously that''s plenty of time Master Luke!" mored Ezra.


    "I''ve known smiths much older than you who take weeks to make a weapon that doesn''t evene close to the level of your works. You need topare yourself to themon sense of your trade" Luke replied.


    "I see... Really, that makes sense. Although it''s been a long time since I''ve been out of the academy. I''m used to onlyparing myself to Master Hepha" Ezra said.


    "Master Hephaestus really is amazing then. I wonder what a magic sword made by her must be like" Luke said.


    "After youplete the tests, we can borrow a sword from the master, so you can get a better sense to differentiate my equipment with something of better quality" Ezra said nonchntly.


    These words surprised the half-wolf. How great would be the difference in quality between Ezra''s and Hephaestus'' swords. That was something hard to imagine.


    Ezra was a skilled cksmith, and so far, the weapons Luke had wielded were all of extreme quality. It was confusing to think that he was far behind his master.


    ''If Hephaestus is really that much better at the art of forging, I wonder what my flying sword will look like.''


    [I imagine it must be a formidable result, you should approach master Hephaestus]


    ''How so?''


    [She was hitting on you. Maybe it wasn''t such a bad idea to let her fall in love, so you''d have two skilled cksmiths working for you]


    ''You''re a bad woman Bnce. Are you sure you''re a Goddess?''


    [Okay, that was a little insensitive of me]


    ''Hahaha, I think over-consuming my memories is making you ill''


    [Maybe, I can''t stand to see you fucking the elf and the dragon girl anymore]


    ''Bnce...''


    [Ehehe]


    Ezra then lifted his face a little and looked into Luke''s eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Please keep testing my swords'' the blue haired cksmith called out.


    [He''s so cute? How can he be so cute?]


    ''Bnce you really are charmed by him''


    [Yes! I am]


    "Sure, sure. I can test these two" Luke said, turning to the purple sword and holding it with one hand.


    "What''s the name of this one?" Luke said.


    "Sleepy Rain, I don''t like it much, but it''s one of my best magic swords" Answered Ezra, who was writingpletely focused on his notepad.


    ''I wonder why he doesn''t like that weapon?''


    [Maybe it''s just perfectionism, don''t worry]


    ''Just go into the room Master Luke, I''ll replenish the mannequins now'' Ezra said.


    ''This sword is really beautiful''


    Sleepy Rain possessed a distinctive appearance from the other two weapons Luke had tested. The strong shade of Purple of the sword while giving an exotic appearance to the weapon, was also beautiful and eye-catching.


    ''I couldn''t use this sword in stealthbat, it draws too much attention''


    [Yes, purple and green are not the best colors for an assassin]


    ''Green can be used in forest environments. The biggest problem is Purple, it stands out in the daytime. And at night, its unusual reflection can draw the enemy''s attention''


    [You really have experience in the art of killing]


    ''I''m just good at stealing and taking on whoever I need to steal from. But that''s all in the past.


    Luke then walked to the test room, which was now empty, with only the soot marks of the test dummies he had annihted.


    Ezra then activated a lever on the other side of the room, and in front of Luke, several wooden dolls fell from the ceiling. A trap door of sorts opened at the top of the room, releasing the test objects.


    ''I had no idea it would be so fast''


    [This was really surprising]


    Luke then began to swing that sword a bit, the feeling of holding Sleepy Rain was very distinctive. It didn''t have the same bnce as the other weapons, it was like something was out of ce.


    Swinging the sword from side to side, the sound of the de cutting through the wind was furiously loud.


    *Wuuush*


    *Booush*


    That sound caught the half-wolf off guard.


    ''Something seems out of ce, that movement, that sound...''


    [Hmm, Bnce is missing from this weapon]


    ''Nice pun''


    Luke then began to channel his energy into the sword. That was a weapon with three distinct magic circles.


    As Luke''s mana filled the inside of the weapon, the half-wolf soon realized another problem within that sword. The paths that the flow of mana was supposed to take were much more confusing.


    It was hard to exin, it was as if the sword instead of taking the fastest path from one point to another, it chose to make aplete loop around the entire city.


    The mana flow paths were disoriented, this aligned with the strange weight of the weapon, made the sword far from the perfection achieved by the other des he had tested that day.


    When Luke finally finished powering the sword, his mana simply disappeared from within the equipment.


    A small burst of energy urred, all the mana dissipated out of the sword. Surprising Luke and Ezra with the noise.


    Mastering this sword was moreplicated than Luke had imagined. The half-wolf then left the room to talk to Ezra.


    "Please exin to me how you imagined this sword... I just can''t control it properly" Luke said.


    A small burst of energy urred, all the mana dissipated out of the sword. Surprising Luke and Ezra with the noise.


    Mastering this sword was moreplicated than Luke had imagined. The half-wolf then left the room to talk to Ezra.

 Chapter 385 Far Away

    The mana flow paths were disoriented, this aligned with the strange weight of the weapon, made the sword far from the perfection achieved by the other des he had tested that day.


    When Luke finally finished powering the sword, his mana simply disappeared from within the equipment.


    A small burst of energy urred, all the mana dissipated out of the sword. Surprising Luke and Ezra with the noise.


    Mastering this sword was moreplicated than Luke had imagined. The half-wolf then left the room to talk to Ezra.


    "Please exin to me how you imagined this sword... I just can''t control it properly" Luke said.


    Ezra started scratching his own head. Looking at the purple sword, the boy began trying to visualize the process of making the sword. However, even visualizing the original idea, it was still difficult to exin what the function of that sword actually looked like.


    This was yet another design that Hepha had given Ezra in hand, meaning that it was a sword that was nned by Hephaestus. While this meant that there was no reason why the nning of the weapon was the real problem, it was hard to understand why that item was so unbnced.


    If the sword design was not the problem, that implied that the problem was in the forging process. However, Ezra was a skilled cksmith, it made no sense to imagine that his sword was defective.


    "I''m sorry Master Luke. Maybe the problem is really just how I forged this sword. It won''t happen again'' Ezra said, visibly ufortable with Luke''s feedback.


    ''It can''t have been that. I tested the other items, I know Ezra''s potential''


    [I think I had an idea of what might have happened]


    ''I''m all ears''


    [I believe it might be a disorder in the sword''s mana supply, caused by different types of conflicting elements within the weapon]


    ''As if two very different elements are influencing each other''s control?''


    [Not exactly, it''s as if two magic circles, because they are very different, are influencing each other. But that doesn''t mean that the problem is with the element, but with the magic used to control that element. Those magic circles must have changed the path with which your energy flows through the weapon]


    ''I see, that''s why I had that feeling that my mana was taking a different course''


    "Ezra, could the different magic circles inside the weapon end up getting in each other''s way?" Luke questioned, as he crossed his arms.


    ? "They certainly can, swords with multiple elements have just that problem..." as Ezra spoke, his face showed he understood what Luke and Bnce had already talked about.


    "Mister Luke!" Ezra cried out excitedly.


    "Tell me, what are the elements and spells of this sword" Luke said, with a smile on his face and an excited look.


    Ezra then took his notebook and began to draw the spells used, unlike the other two weapons, this sword had two spells inside the weapon and an auxiliary one outside of it.


    "The first spell is a toxin maniption spell. It produces a purple toxic smoke, the other is about a simple lightning maniption spell" Ezra said.


    "And what is the function of the external sword spell?" Luke questioned, with one of his hands on his chin.


    "I didn''t quite understand why, Hepha asked me to put a mana management spell on it. Like the one used on mana powered artifacts" Ezra said, turning to Luke with a distressed face.


    ''Hephaestus... She really knows how to create good weapons.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Were you able to understand how to use this sword?]


    ''Now it''spletely obvious her function, the only question is whether I will be able to control her''


    Luke then turned around and walked straight back to the door of the room.


    "I will test this weapon again, if my idea is correct, maybe this will be one of your best weapons" Luke said.


    "Wait!" Shouted Ezra.


    Luke turned around worriedly.


    "I will increase the intensity of the airflow. If you feel weakened by the smoke, raise your right hand and I''lle running to help you" Ezra said.


    [He is so cute and cautious. This little cksmith is such a good boy].


    The half-wolf gave a smile, Ezra''s concern made Luke remember all the affection he had received from his allies the day before.


    "Thank you! I''ll count on your help! After all you are my private cksmith and craftsman now" Luke said, entering the room.


    Ezra''s eyes filled with tears, he was feelingpletely aplished.


    ''Finally mom... I finally found someone to use my weapons'' Thought the little boy, as old memories shed through his mind.


    Ezra''s mother was perhaps the best Ferreira the Melki kingdom had ever known, and was even the master who taught Hephaestus how to work with hot iron.


    *


    A long, long time ago, when Ezra was little, the forge of the Melki academy was much smaller than it is today. The magic smith area was not yet as well recognized as the artifact making school.


    All this changed when Ezra''s Mother became the master of the Melki Forge. Her name was:


    Livie Viorel Asura Bluesmith.


    She was a woman of exuberant beauty. Her long blue hair was always tied back to facilitate the act of forging.


    Her body, while possessing feminine beauties, was strong and experienced. Her muscles were a bit defined, but nothing that made her less elegant.


    Her skin was as white as snow, and her smile shone like the moon. Her eyes had the same strong blue color as her hair.


    Her gaze was delicate, though always determined and sometimes even capable of being frightening.


    Ezra was too small to remember what an amazing woman his mother was. His memories of that time were diluted with the distance of time.


    All he remembers came from conversations with Livie''s right-hand man. A woman named Emily Hephaestus Redwillion.


    At that time she was around 25 years old. When Livia was busy hammering iron, Emily was taking care of her mistress''s little baby.

 Chapter 386 Eternal Reminder

    At that time she was around 25 years old. When Livia was busy hammering iron, Emily was taking care of her mistress''s little baby.


    "Are you sure he can forge something? He is so helpless, I have never seen a child that size" Hephaestus said.


    The sound of hammering suddenly ceased.


    Livie stopped to dry the sweat from her forehead with one of her hands, as she sighed in the heat. Grabbing a bottle of water, she doused her face with water to cool it down. Soon after, she dried herself with a towel.


    "He sure will, yesterday I was designing a prototype and you won''t believe what he did" Livie said.


    "If I won''t be able to believe it, how can I guess what he did master?" Hephaestus said,ughing.


    "You''re right! Hehehe" Livie replied, approaching the two of them.


    She then held out her hand, and began to pet the small child that Emily was holding in herp.


    "He brought me my hammer. Pushing it across the floor to me, I know he is going to be a great cksmith" Livie said, with her calm motherly gaze.


    *Cof cof*


    Livie started coughing, gently at first. Until she lost control and started coughing harder and harder, until some blood came out of her mouth.


    Hephaestus'' face soon became a desperate face. She tried to get up from her chair, but was stopped by Livie.


    "Don''t worry little Hepha, everything is fine" Livie said, as she wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand.


    "You are so strong master. Even with this condition, you still managed to give birth to a child and go back to work" Hephaestus said, his eyes drenched in tears, as he looked at the little blue haired child, who was sleeping on hisp.


    "I know I am strong, understand that my little Ezra will also be as strong as I am. Have you ever seen a child who can sleep listening to the hammering of a cksmith?" Livie said, smiling.


    "You are right, he is as strange as you are, master" Emily replied. Who carefully handed the child to Livie.


    "Why do I always have to take care of this baby? You could leave him with some maid. It is dangerous to keep a child in a forge" Emily continued.


    Livie was kissing Ezra''s head, who was still sleeping peacefully.


    "Forging is an art of strength, you know that. But in many moments, it takes finesse to create a good weapon. Imagine watching Ezra for me is just another one of your training" Livie said, as she petted the back of the little blue haired baby.


    "Still, it is dangerous to keep a child inside a forge" Hepha replied, crossing both arms as she looked into Master Livie''s eyes.


    "But look at my Ezra, he loves this ce. He is always so calm and happy when I take him to the forge" Livie replied.


    The two startedughing together, until Ezra opened his eyes.


    "Good morning my dear," Livie said, giving Ezra a kiss on the head.


    The blue haired boy scratched his eye a little, and then went back to resting his head on Livie''s breasts.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Maybe I can''t teach him the art of forging. I''m sorry for that, but I can only trust you to handle this task" Livie said, her voice now serious. Her eyes were determined, as she looked at Hephaestus.


    Hepha''s eyes filled with tears, watching those two and wondering how that little child could be left alone in the world.


    "I will take care of this blue brat, don''t worry about it. No matter what happens, I will protect him for you" Emily said.


    "And remember to teach him right! My son needs to be as skilled with the hammer as I am!" Livie said, giving a smile.


    "All right, all right. I''ll teach him right" Hephaestus replied.


    "Hepha, can you get a blue hammer I left inside my desk drawer?" Livie said.


    Young Emily got up and walked over to Master Livie''s desk, in the drawer was a hammer of surprising quality.


    It was made of a kind of silver with bluish tones. It had gold details and a dark blue handle. Its weight was great, and all the workmanship appeared to be carefully nned.


    Hephaestus had never seen a simple hammer of such high quality, this item could only have been built by one person. Within the entire academy, only a cksmith would be able to produce such a trivial item of such high quality.


    However, Hephaestus knew Livie''s work. She knew how incredible the swords and shields forged by that woman were.


    But something about that hammer was different, it waspletely unlike anything Hephaestus had seen Livie produce.


    Its detail, its quality. Even the way the iron was arranged to form this item. To Hephaestus'' trained eyes, it was even possible to see how the materials from which the hammer was made were the finest and purest possible.


    Turning to Livie, Hephaestus'' eyes werepletely covered in tears. As she admired that work of art, tears streamed down her face.


    "Master..." Emily said.


    "I made that hammer to help Ezra forge. Give it to him only when he gets his first official order. All right?" Livie said.


    Hephaestus'' chest heaved, she hugged that hammer as she bowed in front of her master. Her tears were falling on the floor of the forge.


    "Yes, I will deliver it to him Master" Emily said.


    "The name of that item is Eternal Reminder, leave it as a secret from Ezra" Livie said as she gave Ezra another kiss on the head.


    Running her hand through the blue hair of that little child, Livie gave a smile as she looked at her apprentice.


    "I''m sorry for leaving you with this burden. But I can only trust Ezra to you" Livie said.


    These old memories were running through the head of Melki''s current forge master, Hephaestus.


    Watching Luke and Ezra at work made her recall several stories from the not so distant past.

 Chapter 387 Second Try

    These old memories were running through the head of Melki''s current forge master, Hephaestus.


    Watching Luke and Ezra work made her recall several stories from the not so distant past.


    *


    Luke entered the room again. Now his eyes were much sharper than at thest attempt, his heart was beating slowly, the half-wolf''s whole body was in a state of calm and determination.


    Ezra had activated the room''s air system, but now, the airflow was more intense. The reason? To ensure that the one of the sword circles didn''t end up knocking Luke unconscious.


    As soon as the half-wolf entered the room, it was possible to notice how the airflow was more intense, for Luke''s keen hearing, it was possible to perceive these small details urately.


    Then he began his tests.


    Luke began to channel his mana into the sword. This time, he had his eyes closed and his concentrationpletely focused on how the flow of energy was behaving. The path of the mana going into the sword was still confusing, it was as if that energy was draining into the entire weapon except for the necessary points.


    Luke then began to channel even more energy, the sword began to emit a faint purple glow. As the energypleted the sword, Luke was able to finally visualize within his mind, all the paths the energy had to follow within the sword.


    It was as if the sword was a human body, and Luke was able to visualize every vein and artery within that body. The two inner circles of energy acted in a different way, the mana followed to them, but before, it took a strange path.


    However, arge amount of mana was following to the edges of the sword, where the energy control enchantment was.


    Luke gave a small smile when he realized what he needed to do.


    "I got you" The half-wolf said, as he opened his eyes.


    He then began to control the enchantment that was on the edges of the sword. The moment he activated that magic circle, the entire flow of mana within that weapon stabilized. Now that energy was flowing in a straight line through the three magic circles.


    The half-wolf then started swinging the sword, testing for the second time what it was like to manipte that weapon.


    It was a strange feeling, it felt like twopletely different swords, now that Luke was controlling the energy of the weapon, even the way the weight of it distributed itself changed.


    Now Luke was feeling a sword with a perfect bnce, the weight didn''t tend anywhere. It cut through the wind in an exuberant way, which to the half-wolf waspletely foreign.


    ''This weapon seems to me to have an equal, if not even better quality than the other two''


    [It''s as if rearranging the weapon''s mana made it behave differently. How strange]


    ''Even you don''t know how this happened, Bnce?''


    [I have a certain idea...]


    ''I''m all ears.''


    [Probably during the forging process, the two conflicting magic circles influenced the final result of the metal''s behavior. Now that you are controlling the two using the third enchantment, you are able to concert the error they caused during this process by using your mana]


    ''Hmm, that makes sense. It''s as if I can simply bnce the ws of this weapon using mana control.''


    However, an idea eventually popped into Luke''s head.


    "I''ll test thatter..." The half-wolf spoke, as he watched the sword de.


    Luke began to control the first magic circle, the toxic smoke. Gradually, a sort of purple cloud appeared around the sword, this smoke possessed a light purple color, making it stand out a bit from the ordinary air.


    Luke then swung the sword, and instead of the smoke dissipating, it just followed the direction of the sword, as if it were a kind of aura that followed the de. Luke then concentrated, and tried to control the mana within the weapon.


    As he managed this energy, the smoke around the sword took different shapes. He was able to move it by his own will, which he had thought was not possible.


    The half-wolf then swung the sword again and threw that smoke out. The attack came out at a high speed, until it reached the test dummies.


    The smoke corroded the first test dummies in the same instant, however, it soon dissipated, being sucked into the room''s air system.


    Luke then had an idea.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''Can the external enchantment of this sword manage the movement of the smoke?''


    [Wow... That''s a good idea]


    Theoretically, that purple smoke was nothing but mana that was transformed into a type of poison. So the third incantation would be able to control that mana.


    This time Luke released arger amount of smoke. Now he began to control the third incantation. With a smile on his face, he realized that his idea really was possible.


    By manipting that wave of smoke, Luke was able to make it take the shape of a dragon''s face. This attempt onlysted a short time, only for the attack to then turn back into a mass of smoke.


    That toxic cloud clung to the test dummies in the first row, who were embraced by a giant corrosive energy. The wood was being consumedpletely, while a kind of ash smoke appeared.


    Luke could even control how the smoke behaved now that it was trapped in its target. Controlling by his sword, he made that smoke spin at high speed, which caused the dolls to disintegrate even faster.


    *wush*


    With a snap of Fingers, the smoke clearedpletely. The puppets had not beenpletely annihted as with the fire attacks, but it was clear that if they were a real enemy, the target would have long since died.


    Now it was time to test the second part of Sleepy Rain, the electric attacks. Luke had so far note into contact with any form of electricity spell, so he was extremely interested in how this item would perform.


    He liked the thrill of trying something new, it was something that made his heart flutter with curiosity and the excitement of a new challenge.


    He then began to channel the second sword incantation, slowly it was possible to hear the sound of electricity building up through the iron of the sword.


    *Zip, Vwuuush, Zyooooong*


    Gradually, small sparks of energy came out from inside the de, it was as if several small rays were being emitted out of the sword. That energy seemed to be unpredictable.


    ''Following the same concept, maybe I can manipte it with the external enchantment, right?''


    [Probably, I don''t know]


    Luke then ced the sword in front of him.


    *sigh*


    Luke let out a long sigh, until he finally cast as much mana as he could for the second incantation. The sword began to emit even more electricity, slowly the hair in Luke''s ears began to rise with the static.


    Meanwhile a constant sound of metal hitting the small beams began to be heard throughout the room. Luke then swung his sword andunched his electric attack.


    He didn''t need to control where the lightning was going, within seconds, that energy came out like thunder. It struck the test dummy that was in front of Luke. The wooden chest of that dummy burned with the impact, until only a hole was left that wentpletely through that dummy.


    Now, Luke was going to test how the electricity reacted to the control with the third circle. Channeling the lightning again, Luke fired as he tried to control the flow through the outer circle. It was a little more difficult with the smoke, so several attempts were necessary.


    On the first attempt, the energy came out, but it made only one turn. It was as if Luke had lost control at thest second.


    On the second attempt, the half-wolf managed to make the beam go a full turn and attack two test dummies, although that energy didn''t take the shape he wanted.


    These little mistakes followed for another 10 tries, until Luke finally understood what he was doing wrong.


    "I only need to create one beam, just one electrical source. I''m creating several" Luke said.


    It was as if hundreds of small rays were thrown out of the sword, with that amount, a magic circle as simple as the one on the outside of the sword would never be able to control this attack.


    Luke then began to channel more energy, but this time, he visualized a single gigantic beam of electricitying out of his sword. He visualized the weapon shooting that lightning bolt as if it were a rain cloud attacking the earth from the sky.


    The lightning flew out of the sword, and finally Luke was able to control it the way he wanted. It took the form of a dragon, as it flew around wherever the half-wolf wished. That dragon burned the four test dummies that were in the front row,pletely exterminating them.


    They burned to ashes, leaving only that soot and dust, which showed the size of the force that attacked them.

 Chapter 388 No One Great Enought

    These little mistakes followed for another 10 tries, until Luke finally understood what he was doing wrong.


    "I only need to create one beam, just one electrical source. I''m creating several" Luke said.


    It was as if hundreds of small rays were thrown out of the sword, with that amount, a magic circle as simple as the one on the outside of the sword would never be able to control this attack.


    Luke then began to channel more energy, but this time, he visualized a single gigantic bolt of electricitying out of his sword. He visualized the weapon shooting that lightning bolt as if it were a rain cloud attacking the earth from the sky.


    The lightning flew out of the sword, and finally Luke was able to control it the way he wanted. It took the form of a dragon, as it flew around wherever the half-wolf wished. That dragon burned the four test dummies that were in the front row,pletely exterminating them.


    They burned to ashes, leaving only that soot and dust, which showed the size of the force that attacked them.


    Ezra waspletely surprised by the effect of the attack, he could not believe that this sword was so strong. He even offered that item to some of his colleagues to test, and they all had the same reaction as Luke.


    They were confused about how to use the item, what its function was. Some of Ezra''s colleagues could not even power the sword. For the little blue-haired cksmith, that weapon was practically an embarrassment. However, Lukepletely put an end to this fear.


    The half-wolf managed not only to master the sword, but also to understand the initial idea of that equipment, something that not even Ezra, the cksmith who created that sword, had understood.


    It wasmon for Ezra to receive different proposals from his master. Hephaestus was a somewhat confused woman, especially when it came to dealing with Ezra. He never understood why, but it seemed at times that she was more strict with him than with the other cksmiths.


    This excess of demands,bined with the incessant training that Hepha made Ezra undergo, made the little cksmith extremely skilled. Ever since he was very small, he had always been training and working with the hot iron.


    As much as Luke had now demonstrated the use of that weapon, he still didn''t understand what was the mistake that made it impossible to use that sword so far. When Ezra questioned Hephaestus about the failure of Sleepy Rain, the master forge only said that she never fails when she is producing a weapon.


    Luke would continue with the testing, but Ezra was confused and curious, he wanted to understand what was the reason for the failure of his sword, what he had missed and what Hephaestus wanted him to produce.


    "Luke! Can youe here?" Ezra called out, nodding to the half-wolf.


    When Luke approached Ezra outside the room, the little cksmith was again with his notepad, ready to write down all the feedback from the test of his creation.


    "Tell me, how did you master this sword? You are not the first to try to use it, but you are the only one who has had some sess in controlling this weapon" Ezra said.


    Putting his pencil to his mouth, Ezra was looking at his notebook with a confused face. It was as if he was trying to understand by himself what could have happened. Before Luke could give an answer, Ezra continued talking.


    "Actually, no other person was able to activate the weapon''s electrical enchantment. That was what surprised me the most about your test, I had picked up Sleepy Rain just to show you the effects of the first circle, the toxic smoke" Ezra said.


    ''Well, it makes sense. I would have no reason to bring a weapon that no one had been able to use.''


    "I''m d you didn''t give up that sword, that challenge was really something interesting. I kind of needed it'' Luke said, as he reached out his hand to mess up Ezra''s hair as usual.


    ''This is more fun than I imagined.


    [I wish I could mess up his hair too. He''s so cute when he''s angry]


    I didn''t realize you were so fond of children.


    [Well, to tell you the truth. You''re like a child to me too, I think you''re cute too]


    That was weird Bnce'' [Hey!


    [Hey! Don''t call me weird]


    ''That''s right, I can''t be disrespectful to a Goddess.


    [Absolutely! Why aren''t you gentlemanly with me?]


    I''ll try to be more polite, sometimes I forget that you are a Goddess. I see you more as a best friend.<novelnext></novelnext>


    [Oh! That was cute]


    I can''t help it, you know me better than anyone else.


    [Hehehe, I know all your secrets big boy]


    Ezra then grabbed Luke''s arm and pulled it off his head.


    "Master Luke, why do you always get so distracted? Sometimes it seems like you just shut down and focus on your thoughts" Ezra said.


    ''Ah... See Bnce! Stop taking away my concentration''


    ''I''m sorry, I was just thinking about some things. Anyway, tell me, what do you want to know?" Luke said.


    Ezra then started flipping through his notebook, after going over a few pages, he turned to the nk page and started asking questions.


    "Regarding the weight of the sword, what was your opinion on the bnce of it?" Ezra said.


    The half-wolf then ced one of his hands on his chin and looking up, he began to think about how to answer that question.


    "It''s a bit of a tricky thing to exin. On the first attempt, I felt that the sword had extremely bad bnce... It was as if it had twopletely opposite centers of gravity, which made swinging it extremely ufortable. It was cutting the air in a strange way." Luke said.


    This initial analysis shook Ezra up a bit. As much as the little cksmith was used to getting it wrong, it was always difficult to receive that kind of feedback. As much as Ezra had forged hundreds of swords in his brief life, he was never able to get used to negative opinions, in fact, it was precisely this difort that made him seek perfection.


    Ever since he was little the little blue-haired cksmith was forging, at first he made knives, after all the heat and effort were too great for a child. The number of different pieces of equipment Ezra had delivered to Hephaestus was countless, only to receive a dry, analytical look, and then to see his creation thrown on a garbage heap.


    As Ezra grew older, his skill increased. However, he was never strong enough to forge on his own, so master Hephaestus taught him how to control the water golem. After mastering water magic, Ezra was finally able to receive praise from his master Hephaestus, who, as strict as she was, still possessed a gigantic affection for the little cksmith.


    Luke noticed theplicated face Ezra had made. Then he began to exin what he felt after stabilizing the sword''s internal mana.


    "Don''t worry Ezra, this weapon is very good indeed. Let me finish the analysis" Luke said.


    These words echoed through Ezra''s heart, and he lifted his head excitedly to receive the rest of the analysis.


    "The weight was yes unbnced at first, but I understood what was going on" Luke went on to exin, however, Ezra stopped him from continuing, speaking over him.


    "What did you understand?" Ezra said, agitated and excited.


    "Rx buddy. Well, the center of gravity of the sword de was centered at two different points, which were just where the magic circles are located. The difference in type of magic caused the bnce and swing of the weapon to be altered" Luke said.


    As the half-wolf gave his exnation, Ezra was intently taking notes. With his head, the little cksmith shook his face in confirmation, asking Luke to continue exining.


    "I felt as if the flow of my mana was confused inside the sword, it wasn''t a smooth, precise path like in the other weapons we tested. It was a much moreplex and confusing path, it even seemed random. That''s what made it difficult to use the magic circles in the first test.


    Crossing his arms, the half-wolf went on to exin.


    "The third enchantment was the one thatpletely changed the game, it was a turning point, for sure. I only needed to activate that enchantment on the edge of the sword, and from then on everything went smoothly. By manipting the internal structure of the sword''s mana flow, I was able to control the spells... Even the weight of the sword came into bnce, it felt like apletely different weapon.


    This exnation made Ezra''s eyes widen, he had thought that the problem waspletely the way he had forged it. It was difficult for Ezra to produce a low quality sword these days, in fact it was practically impossible. When he received a guidance or sword diagram from Hephaestus, it was certain that a masterpiece woulde out.


    So Sleepy Rain was really an attack on the boy''s Ego. His honor as a cksmith.


    "What defines whether this weapon is perfect or not is only one factor. The user who is wielding it, so don''t worry, you just didn''t have anyone skilled enough to use your creation masterfully" Luke said.

 Chapter 389 The Old Promise

    "I felt as if the flow of my mana was confused inside the sword, it was not a precise and smooth path like in the other weapons we tested. It was a much moreplex and confusing path, it even seemed random. That''s what made it difficult to use the magic circles in the first test." said Luke.


    Crossing his arms, the half-wolf went on to exin.


    "The third enchantment was the one thatpletely changed the game, it was a turning point, for sure. I only needed to activate that enchantment on the edge of the sword, and from then on everything went smoothly. By manipting the internal structure of the sword''s mana flow, I was able to control the spells... Even the weight of the sword came into bnce, it felt like apletely different weapon.


    This exnation made Ezra''s eyes widen, he had thought that the problem waspletely the way he had forged it. It was difficult for Ezra to produce a low quality sword these days, in fact it was practically impossible. When he received a guidance or sword diagram from Hephaestus, it was certain that a masterpiece woulde out.


    So Sleepy Rain was really an attack on the boy''s Ego. His honor as a cksmith.


    "What defines whether this weapon is perfect or not is only one factor. The user who is wielding it, so don''t worry, you just didn''t have anyone skilled enough to use your creation masterfully" Luke said.


    However, there was still one thing to be understood. All swords had some function that connected the magic circles inside the item. So this meant that there was a reason why Sleepy Rain had abination of that toxic smoke and an electric control circle.


    This possibility was running through Luke''s mind, only two trials were not enough to give a definite answer regarding the sword. A final experiment would be necessary, a final test to understand that weapon.


    This alone was enough for Luke to understand how the proposal he had given Ezra was a much moreplicated task than he had imagined at first.


    Producing a versatile sword capable of using the different types of elemental magic was not only an arduous task for the smith, but also for the user who would wield this sword.


    This was probably the reason why nobody produced this kind of item. There is no sense in creating such aplex and difficult piece of equipment to produce if no one would be able to use it.


    Ezra had lived his whole life as a cksmith, no matter how young he really was, he had already seen all kinds of swords. But all of these had at most five different incantations, the mostplex magic weapon he had ever known was a Greatsword that Hephaestus produced. And yet, sword possessed only eight enchantments.


    In Ezra''s mind, when Luke gave the idea of a versatile sword capable of using every single type of elemental magic, the little boy thought of more than fifteen different enchantments needed. Not to mention the magic circles needed to stabilize that sword.


    Producing such aplex weapon would truly be one of, if not the greatest challenge that little cksmith had ever faced in his life.


    *


    In the other room of the forge at Melki''s academy, Hephaestus was a bit impatient. Again, this woman was coordinating the production of the forge, giving orders to dozens of cksmiths.


    She walked back and forth, her arms crossed. When necessary, she raised her voice to give directions to her apprentices.


    "Yazuka, you are hammering too hard"


    The redhead''s voice echoed through the warm room. The woman''s skin was already ustomed to the heat of the forge, yet she was still perspiring a little.


    Her feminine beauty would normally attract anyone who looked at her. Her hair had a strong color, herrge breasts bounced as she walked from one side to the other.


    However, as much as she sometimes took flirting attitude, as was the case with Luke. Shemanded the forge with an iron fist.


    No cksmith, no matter how old or experienced, was able to raise his voice or oppose Hephaestus'' presence. That woman was a leader with a powerful dominating gaze.


    "You''re bending the de Leon! That''s a rapier, not a Katana! You imbecile!"


    Every direction was followed to the letter. And the voice of those cksmiths was never heard inside the forge. The only time they could answer anything was after a direction from Master Hephaestus.


    "Yes ma''am!" Spoke the young cksmith, returning to work shortly thereafter.


    "Nice throwing knife Dante! Make five more of those and I''ll let you produce a small dagger!"


    "Ye-yes! Ma''am!" replied another cksmith.


    Many preferred not to answer at all, just following the orders for fear of upsetting the forge mistress.


    All thesemands were precise, she knew every detail of the different production processes needed to make a good item. This gave her a gigantic mastery, with extremely perceptive eyes, she could help all those cksmiths evolve and produce incredible equipment.


    That woman seemedpletely focused on her task of managing the forge. However, the truth was that in her head only one question was echoing.


    How am I going to deliver the gift to the brat?


    Her memories kept shing before her eyes. Memories of the not so distant past.<novelnext></novelnext>


    They were sweet memories of his time with his teacher, Ezra''s mother. But at the same time that this feeling of missing her former friend was prevailing, doubt and indecision was consuming this strong woman.


    She had spent years preparing Ezra to be a real cksmith. She followed her promise to the extreme, being extremely strict with little Ezra.


    This behavior gave her both pride and grief. She never really knew how to take care of this little blue-haired cksmith.


    She knew that she should be strong with him, so that he would grow up good and skilled in the art of forging. She had always been extremely strict with Ezra and he had never, at any time, rebelled. No matter howplex the request, how intense the response to Ezra''s work, he always responded by working hard and smiling.


    There was much about that child that reminded Emily of her master Livie. That legendary blue-haired Ferreira, but to Hephaestus she was more than a teacher, she was his best friend.


    Hephaestus had thought for years about what that moment would be like. The day she would fulfill her master''sst request, to give this gift to her best apprentice, Ezra.


    This was a simple task in her mind, but taking this action would be moreplicated.


    ''Fuck it, I''m just gonna give it to him today" Hephaestus thought, crossing his arms and sighing.


    *sigh*


    All the smiths around the forge master felt a chill run down their spines. Some broke into a cold sweat, getting chills.


    It was frightening to them to hear Hephaestus sigh. For it could mean that she was annoyed by the attitude of one of the apprentices present.


    This would mean several shouts and orders, perhaps extra work. But the truth that none of them imagined was that Hephaestus was just nervous.


    Her heart was pounding, a nervousness that made her feel like a delicatedy.


    Sometimes it showed her feminine nature, which she tried her best to hide under the mask of a powerful female cksmith.


    In the end, her mind was made up. She was going to give the hammer to Ezra today, probably after Luke had already left. That way she could have a moment alone with her apprentice.


    That woman was taking much stronger steps than usual, walking like an angry soldier. All this stress was causing her to behave differently, which only terrified her apprentices even more.


    The younger students were sweating with nervousness. As for the more experienced ones with more time working under Hephaestus, their faces were just pale, ready for much more intense challenges and projects.


    *


    Ezra and Luke were still talking about the feedback from Sleepy Rain. The half-wolfmented on his idea to test thebination of the two magic circles.


    "I was curious what the result would be. Maybe it would be possible to electrify the smoke" Luke said.


    "Theoretically that is possible..." Said Ezra, scratching the back of his neck as he looked at his notepad.


    [Luke, I don''t believe it''s possible to use these two incantations together]


    ''What? What do you mean?''


    [I was just thinking, maybe it''s not possible to use just these two incantations]


    ''What do you mean by that?''


    [Not just these two. Try controlling the smoke with the external sword incantations. Controlling it to be a better electrical propagation medium]


    ''I see... so I would need to use all three at the same time''


    [Exactly. I''m almost one hundred percent sure that the function of the external enchantment is not just to stabilize the sword''s mana]


    ''Got it, thanks Bnce''


    [Rx, now go ahead and test it]

 Chapter 390 Mastering The Sword

    *


    Ezra and Luke were still talking about the Sleepy Rain feedback. The half-wolfmented on his idea to test thebination of the two magic circles.


    "I was curious what the result would be. Maybe it would be possible to electrify the smoke" Luke said.


    "Theoretically that is possible..." Said Ezra, scratching the back of his neck as he looked at his notepad.


    [Luke, I don''t believe it''s possible to use these two incantations together]


    ''What? What do you mean?''


    [I was just thinking, maybe it''s not possible to use just these two incantations]


    ''What do you mean by that?''


    [Not just these two. Try controlling the smoke with the external sword incantation. Controlling it to be a better electrical propagation medium]


    ''I see. Then I would need to use all three at the same time''


    [Exactly. I''m almost one hundred percent sure that the function of the external incantation is not just to stabilize the sword''s mana]


    ''Got it, thanks Bnce''


    [Rx, now go ahead and test that]


    -


    ''Ezra, I still want to test a few things before I move on to thest sword. I''ll move on to the testing room again. Is that okay?"


    "No problem, I''ll just activate the venttion system again. Good luck, Luke" Ezra said, still centered looking at his notebook. The little cksmith then went about trying to find the right lever with his hands, touching the different levers and buttons that controlled the test room.


    When he found the airflow lever, again he activated it to the maximum. He did this without looking ahead, just trying to tell by touch which was the right one. The boy waspletely focused on his notes, he was in a very intense flow of thoughts, and with that, he didn''t want to lose the line of reasoning.


    ''Theoretically to produce Luke''s sword I will need to re-read the books that Hepha lent mest summer. It will require bncing the elements of the sword... But how am I going to do that?'' Several such thoughts were floating through Ezra''s head, who was watching the notebook while biting down on a pencil.


    Luke walked into the room, wielding the Sleepy Rain. Now his goal was to test the advice made by Bnce, after all, if this sword had been designed by Hephaestus, there was probably some trickery that Luke had not yet realized.


    Wielding that purple sword with both hands, Luke again channeled his mana to the maximum. Gradually the smoke from that weapon began to gather around the de.


    This time, Half-wolf''s first objective was to energize the edge of the sword. The incantation that was engraved on the iron of the sword began to glow in a faint shade of purple. The moment this glow began to emit, Luke felt a strange sensation in his body.


    Again, the mana that was coursing through the sword regrouped into a straight line connecting the three points. This sensation was somewhat confusing to the half-wolf, after all, it was as if the sword was pulling more mana from his hands than before.


    After the brief scare, Luke started trying to connect the two internal incantations of the sword. But for some reason, he was unable to get Sleepy Rain to release electrical sparks while possessing that toxic smoke around its de.


    Luke remained casting mana into the sword, confident that he would be able to control those two enchantments. He was paying attention to the details of that weapon, it was as if he was watching a river in front of him, and depending on how that stream of water fell, everything could change.


    That analogy was just how Luke tried to perceive and understand that weapon. However, this was not being efficient enough to help the half-wolf in this task. He was not being able to control that weapon, this a much moreplex task than he had imagined.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''I''ve already aligned the two energy streams, theoretically that''s all I needed to do no?'' This thought crossed Luke''s mind.


    Bnce had already solved the problem in her mind, she knew exactly how to guide the half-wolf to the correct path. However, this time she decided to go about it in a different way, she was going to remain silent.


    The reason? It was an extremely simple answer. Luke needed to learn how to solve this kind of mana maniption problem on his own, after all, this was what would make him mature and learn how to better control this gigantic amount of energy that was inside his body.


    There was also the issue that at some point, Bnce would leave Luke. Maybe that would be sooner than she imagined, so she couldn''t let him be too dependent on her.


    The two had grown very close over the past few weeks. This closeness was something Luke had grown ustomed to, he knew that for every thought he had, there was always apanion to help him and talk to him.


    However, he shouldn''t take this kind of support for granted. Surely Luke would always have a woman by his side supporting him, but this presence within his mind, was something temporary.


    Luke kept walking back and forth while swinging with his sword, he was testing the aerodynamics and weight of the sword. Giving small strikes in the air, the half-wolf was getting used to the feeling of using that weapon.


    His head was processing everything that had happened and after a few minutes Luke began to test again the use of the sword''s magical functions.


    Then the half-wolf again drew his sword and positioning one of his feet forward, Luke entered an attack position. He was watching the various test dummies in front of him, again, he was focused on his goal of eliminating the targets using both poison and electricity enchantments.


    "Electricity needs a medium to propagate, I remember hearing Megan say that. If I use enough mana, lightning wille out of my sword and harness the air to flow to the target. By controlling my mana, I can control the lightning." Luke was reviewing everything he knew about that sword and even the basics of magic, speaking aloud.


    Soon his eyes widened. He had finally understood how to begin his task. Channeling his energy, he concentrated first on energizing the magic circle on the outside of the sword. This time, he went about controlling his mana to manipte that enchantment.


    ''The function of this circle is to control mana, it serves both to control the flow inside the sword, and to control the shape of the attacks. So, it should also be able to control the smoke...'' Luke''s thoughts were aligning, so he finally concluded this riddle.


    Afterpletely channeling his energy into the external incantation, Luke began to visualize that magic circle as a kind of swordmander. He then proceeded to use it to manipte the toxic smokeing out of the weapon.


    That smoke was changing shape, initially it stopped the production of particr electrics. But now, with the control of the half-wolf, finally that smoke was letting the sword create those little sparks of energy.


    Slowly a gigantic amount of purple smoke formed around Luke. Just far enough away to make the half-wolf able to breathe quietly.


    *sigh*


    Luke sighed and concentrated as hard as he could on his next move. He then grouped all that smoke in front of him. Pointing his sword at that toxic cloud, Luke channeled his mana and shot a single bolt of lightning at it.


    The smokepletely held back the electricity, the vision Luke had in front of him looked like a fully energized cloud during a thunderstorm. He then began to control that attack using the sword''s external incantation.


    Taking the form of a dragon, that cloud flew at high speed towards the wooden figures. The moment the dragon got close enough to the head of one of the dolls, Luke snapped his fingers.


    That smoke bit the test dummy''s head and then exploded. Several bolts of lightning began to spread over each of the targets,pletely burning most of the targets'' torso.


    The toxic smoke kept eating away at those wooden dummies, so that there was practically nothing left of those targets. Thebination of these two spells was surprisingly efficient, in fact it was as if the electricity was even more powerful now that it was moving through the smoke.


    Luke had finally understood how he was supposed to use that weapon, now was the time to practice as many attacks as possible. Swinging his sword, the half-wolfunched a fast attack, in a single sh.


    A purple attack shaped like a half-moon flew out of the sword de. The sound was like that of a de cutting the air, however, it was also possible to hear a sound of electricity flowing with the attack.


    That half-moon decapitated one of the dolls that was behind the ashes of the previous attack. The face of that wooden puppet was burnedpletely, and the smoke poured down from above until again, there was nothing but ashes.

 Chapter 391 Poison Mist

    Luke had finally understood how he was supposed to use that weapon, now was the time to practice as many attacks as possible. Swinging his sword, the half-wolfunched a quick attack, in one simple sh.


    A purple attack shaped like a half-moon flew out of the sword de. The sound was like that of a de cutting the air, however, it was also possible to hear a sound of electricity flowing with the attack.


    That half-moon decapitated one of the dolls that was behind the ashes of the previous attack. The face of that wooden doll was burnedpletely, and the smoke rushed from top to bottom until again, there was nothing but ashes.


    The power of Sleepy Rain was brutal, its destructive capacity was almost unimaginable. Thatbination of spells was simply perfect for Luke, a gigantic destructive power with the electric attacks, and an elegant but efficient poison, versatile for sneak attacks.


    Luke was already considering how he could use those different enchantments within hisbats. Both the explosions and mes, and the elegant fast ice attacks. Each of those different options made him want to take them all on more and more, something he would do his best to achieve.


    Luke was bad with choices, that was evident to anyone who knew him. When he was in doubt between which wife to follow, Alexis or Ayumi, his decision was to choose both. So it was obvious that Luke''s choice would be to take as many enchantments as possible.


    He needed something that was versatile forbat, a weapon that could solve different problems at the same time. The half-wolf''s fighting style was extremely diverse, at times he acted as a killer, as a thief, and at other times he attacked with everything in a direct duel fully charged by his bloodlust.


    The half-wolf was truly delighted with Sleepy Rain''s ability. And with that, he continued to do some tests with that sword. His interest was clear, he wanted to find out how far that weapon could go, what the limits of thebination between electric magic and a powerful poisonous smoke were.


    Luke turned to Ezra.


    "Send more test dummies" the half-wolf ordered.


    Ezra merely nodded as he flipped the lever. Several new targets fell in front of the half-wolf, who gave a violent grin, ready forbat, with a thirst for destruction.


    The smoke began to swirl at high speed around Luke, who walked a little closer to the test dummies. He then emitted an electrical charge that energized that smoke. The sleepy rain was glowing again, marking Luke''s clothes with that purple color.


    Luke then moved the smoke with his sword, controlling it to form a snake. That snake came flying around Luke, emitting this sound that resembled a lightningden cloud, the static electricity was causing Luke''s ear hairs to pop up.


    The half-wolf''s eyes were emitting a menacing aura, he was gigantic bloodthirsty. Imagining that equipment inbat made Luke more eager for a real duel, he could no longer stand the time to engage inbat with that professor.


    Controlling the snake, Luke caused that snake to fly out toward a row of test dummies. Entering the chest of those targets, the attack pierced that row one by one, creating a hole in the targets. The snake flew out through all the targets with ease, until Lukemanded it to pass with high speed over the heads of the puppets.


    By the time the snake dissipated, all the heads had been burned with the toxin from the smoke. The electrical effect of the attack also influenced the wood burns. Luke then approached the puppets, to understand a little better how that attack worked.


    When Luke was in front of one of the test dummies, he could see how there was a kind of purple dust inside the ce that the attack arrived. This dust was glowing the same color as the sword, although it wasn''t as shy, due to the wood ash itself.


    The half-wolf then brought the sword closer to that hole in the puppet''s chest. He then realized the connection between the two, it was possible to get that feeling with his mana senses. Luke then extended his hand in front of the crater in the target''s chest, and channeled his mana into the dust.


    Quickly the body of the wooden figure evaporated, at an amazing speed. It was as if that toxic smoke was even more efficient, that was the answer Luke needed.


    ''So my mana also defines how intense the effect of the poison is going to be. So maybe if I channel a small amount, it''s possible to create a weak poison like a sleeping pill.''


    [Maybe this is possible, yes, but remember what Ezra hadmented, it ismon for swords to have different poison enchantments. There are swords to immobilize the enemy, and swords to kill with just one cut].


    ''I believe that just one cut from this de is already enough to poison a target. This smoke is naturally corrosive enough to annihte arge animal in seconds.


    [Why don''t you try controlling the mana of the smoke?]


    ''Good idea, let''s test how far I can reduce the effects of the smoke''


    Luke returned to the front of the room, and now, channeled his mana again into the purple smoke. That smoke wasing out around the sword de, however, the half-wolf was using the third incantation, along with a much smaller dose of his mana.


    The smoke now did not have such an intense color, it was still cloudy, but now it had a color that was closer to white. Luke then walked towards the smoke, holding out his hand.<novelnext></novelnext>


    When the cksmith realized what was happening, Ezra quickly jumped in front of the ss in the room, mming it down several times.


    *TUM*


    *TUUUM*


    *TUUUUUM*


    "DON''T DO THIS LUKE, YOU SEE WHAT THAT SMOKE DID TO THEM" He shouted, his eyes were pained and afraid, it didn''t make the slightest sense what Luke was doing.


    Ezra was looking from one side of the control desk to the other, but there was nothing he could do. The airflow in the room was already at maximum, it was impossible to dissipate that smoke with the room controls.


    But when Ezra raised his head again to look at Luke, he noticed how the half-wolf was walking from side to side,pletely unharmed inside the smoke.


    Luke had not heard Ezra''s cries, he waspletely focused on manipting the mana and the characteristics of that smoke.


    Ezra ran out, and opened the door that led into the room.


    *VWUUUSH*


    *TUUM*


    The door mmed hard, alerting Luke to Ezra''s presence. When the half-wolf turned around, he saw a blue-haired boy with eyespletely drenched with tears, Ezra''s face was pained, and his breathing was agitated. At the same moment Luke was back to normal, his hearing was again as sharp as before.


    He was able to hear Ezra''s gasping breath and racing heart.


    "You! Are you all right master Luke?" Ezra said, with a confused face.


    "Yes, I manipted the smoke so that it no longer had the corrosive characteristics. That would be quite useful in a moment of escape, or even in a fight where it would be necessary to hide and attack" Luke said, stepping out of the smoke and approaching the small cksmith.


    As Luke came out of the smoke, you could see how the sword was still producing more smoke. The half-wolf then looked at Sleepy Rain, reached out his hand and caused the glow from that sword to fade.


    When Luke approached Ezra, he put his hand on the boy''s back and guided him out of the room. When the two were already out of the room, the half-wolf would finalize onest test.


    "I knew you wouldn''t hurt me, I''m not stupid enough to put my life at risk for no reason" Luke said.


    "But how were you so sure that that smoke was no longer toxic?" Ezra questioned, still distressed by the situation.


    The half-wolf then turned to the ss window of the room. It was possible to see the smokepletely filling the small testing space. Luke then held out his hand in front of the ss, while watching Ezra''s worried face.


    "My mana controls that smoke, the external enchantment helps aid that control. Controlling the attacks of a magic sword is as natural as breathing" Luke said, turning his face toward the room.


    The smoke then moved to where the wooden figures were, Luke then closed his hand. That smoke became darker and darker, until it went from a light shade of purple to apletely ck color.


    With a snap of his fingers, the smoke disappeared.


    There was nothing left inside that room, not even ashes or traces of the targets.

 Chapter 392 Seeking Balance

    Luke sighed and concentrated as hard as he could on the next step. He then gathered all that smoke in front of him. Pointing his sword at that toxic cloud, Luke channeled his mana and shot a single bolt of lightning at it.


    The smokepletely held back the electricity, the vision Luke had in front of him looked like a fully energized cloud during a thunderstorm. He then began to control that attack using the sword''s external incantation.


    Taking the form of a dragon, that cloud flew at high speed towards the wooden figures. The moment the dragon got close enough to the head of one of the dolls, Luke snapped his fingers.


    That smoke bit the test dummy''s head and then exploded. Several bolts of lightning began to spread over each of the targets,pletely burning most of the targets'' torso.


    The toxic smoke kept eating away at those wooden dummies, so that there was practically nothing left of those targets. Thebination of these two spells was surprisingly efficient, in fact it was as if the electricity was even more powerful now that it was moving through the smoke.


    Luke had finally understood how he was supposed to use that weapon, now was the time to practice as many attacks as possible. Swinging his sword, the half-wolfunched a fast attack, in a single sh.


    A purple attack shaped like a half-moon flew out of the sword de. The sound was like that of a de cutting the air, however, it was also possible to hear a sound of electricity flowing with the attack.


    That half-moon decapitated one of the dolls that was behind the ashes of the previous attack. The face of that wooden figure was burnedpletely, and the smoke poured from top to bottom until again, there was nothing but ashes.


    This demonstration of raw force power surprised even more Ezra, who had never even heard of this kind of use for magic incantations. Manipting the attack after it was cast was alreadymon, however, controlling poison spells in this way was something he had never really heard of.


    This created a quick doubt in his mind, he was curious if his master Hephaestus had ever experienced this kind of use of thebat spells that are present within a magic weapon.


    ''Better ask the master that. I''ll see after Luke leaves'' Ezra thought, as he made notes on his notepad.


    ''Luke, tell me then. What is your final opinion regarding Sleepy Rain?" Ezra said, watching Luke. The boy was ready to write down every sentence the half-wolf uttered, every word of that feedback would be necessary and relevant to his learning.


    Luke was scratching the back of his ears as he thought about how to exin what he had understood from the sword. It was something hard to put into words, it was a kind of gigantic feeling of mastery over that weapon.


    "You know Ezra, the best way to exin this weapon is what I already talked about. She''s a good sword, but it all depends on who''s wielding it." Luke said.


    The half-wolf then brought the sword close to his face. Holding it in both hands, Luke was looking at his reflection, which was shining with the sword''s brightness. It was possible to see his face clearly, as if it were a kind of mirror.


    "I''ve never used magic swords before, at least not in this way. It''s really evident the bnce that those other weapons had, but this one, the Sleepy Rain, it''s ufortable to use" Luke said.


    Ezra frowned, he was not annoyed by the half-wolf''sment. In fact, he was just annoyed at his own inability, he hadn''t made a weapon good enough that Luke could feelpletely free using it.


    Thisment made sense to the little cksmith, it was obvious that that weapon was tooplex. After all, before Luke, no other swordsman had been able to masterfully use that weapon. The test the half-wolf had made not only took full advantage of the qualities of a sword that seemed to be practically useless, but also exploited functions that the experienced cksmith who made it himself had no idea were possible.


    "I loved that difort, I want my sword to be even moreplex than Sleepy Rain. Try to use as many different enchantments as possible, create a confusing yet versatile system. I want a sword that no one else will be able to use, no one but me" Luke said, looking the little cksmith in the eye.


    Luke''s face was emitting a kind of bloodlust. The half-wolf''s eyes were violent and sharp, it was as if he was experiencing at that very moment, realbat.


    These sharp eyes scared Ezra for a moment, but he soon realized that this fury was not meant for him. It was as if Luke was already visualizing how to use Ezra''s weapon inbat, the half-wolf was visualizing the fight in front of his eyes.


    "I want a unique weapon, something new that you have never seen before. It doesn''t matter if it takes you months to produce this de, just create something capable of cutting Gods and Demons" Luke said.


    [Luke, are you okay?]<novelnext></novelnext>


    His eyes suddenly returned to normal, Bnce''s voice brought him back to the present moment. He had lost himself again in a thirst for victory, just as had just urred in the training room.


    "All right! But can you exin to me a little better what you did in thest test?" Ezra questioned, stepping forward close to Luke.


    "Sure! I''m sorry, I got distracted again" Luke said, now with his routine look.


    "Regarding the bnce of the sword, did you feel any more change in thest test?" Ezra said.


    "Controlling the flow of mana had already made it much more bnced. However, as I added mana to the sword, I felt a change in the overall weight of the weapon. This wasn''t necessarily a bad thing, but ideally the magic circles should be distributed in the same ce... That way the sword would always be bnced" Luke said, while scratching the back of his head.


    The two magic circles on the sword were misaligned from the design of the sword. One of them was positioned closer to the inside of the de, while the other remained about six inches away and a little closer to the de.


    Luke had decided that he would order a Katana for Ezra. This type of weapon needs to have a stable center of gravity, after all, as much as the curvature of the weapon makes it naturally align the control of the de, it was still necessary for the sword to possess a bnce to facilitate uracy.


    This created a doubt in Luke''s mind, who soon proposed a test to Ezra.


    "Since Sleepy Rain had this problem in mana maniption, I could easily figure out where the magic circles of this sword were positioned. On the others I tested it on, it was as if I simply didn''t need to know exactly where it was" Luke said.


    "How so?" Ezra questioned.


    "It was as if to control the magic circle I only needed to direct my mana to it. Whereas in Sleepy Rain I needed to really master all three circles, let me check the other weapons, just to make sure the others have the magic circles lined up" Luke said.


    This test was essential, after all, if this Sleepy Rain problem was also present in the other swords, that means the problem was in the way Ezra was producing his swords.


    So Luke and Ezra retested the other swords, channeling the mana into the weapons and checking how the flow of mana was happening. This process was much faster than in the first tests.


    With that, the two finally got an answer.


    "All the other swords have the magic circle lined up. They are working perfectly fine" Luke said.


    "Could it be that the problem was me? I mean, to produce a magic sword you have to wedge a magic circle inside the boiling iron. It makes sense that Sleepy Rain''s problem happened because of me" Ezra said, his face showing a clear annoyance with the situation.


    "Try talking it over with Hephaestus, I don''t understand forging. I''m not the one you should be discussing this with" Luke said, letting out a shortugh. The half-wolf then extended his hand up to above Ezra''s head, he then released the weight of his hand and began to shake the little cksmith''s hair.


    "You are right, thank you very much Master Luke!" Ezra said.


    "By the way, I believe it is best to leave the forge for today. I will go back to my room and rest some more, we can talk about my weapon another time" Luke said.


    The half-wolf then finished giving feedback to Ezra and returned to the academy dormitory. It was just any afternoon for Luke.


    However, for the little blue-haired cksmith, what happened that day, after Luke had left, would be one of the most important memories of his life.

 Chapter 393 The Last Wish

    "What do you mean?" Ezra questioned.


    "It was like to control the magic circle I only needed to direct my mana to it. Whereas in Sleepy Rain I needed to really master all three circles, let me check the other weapons, just to make sure the others have the magic circles lined up" Luke said.


    This test was essential, after all, if this Sleepy Rain problem was also present in the other swords, that means the problem was in the way Ezra was producing his swords.


    So Luke and Ezra retested the other swords, channeling the mana into the weapons and checking how the flow of mana was happening. This process was much faster than the first tests.


    With that, the two finally got an answer.


    "All the other swords have the magic circle aligned. They are working perfectly fine" Luke said.


    "Could it be that the problem was me? I mean, to produce a magic sword you have to wedge a magic circle inside the boiling iron. It makes sense that Sleepy Rain''s problem happened because of me" Ezra said, his face showing a clear annoyance with the situation.


    "Try talking it over with Hephaestus, I don''t understand forging. I''m not the one you should be discussing this with" Luke said, letting out a shortugh. The half-wolf then extended his hand up to above Ezra''s head, he then released the weight of his hand and began to shake the little cksmith''s hair.


    "You are right, thank you very much Master Luke!" Ezra said.


    "By the way, I believe it is best to leave the forge for today. I will go back to my room and rest some more, we can talk about my weapon another time" Luke said.


    The half-wolf then finished giving feedback to Ezra and returned to the academy dormitory. It was just any afternoon for Luke.


    However, for the little blue-haired cksmith, what happened that day, after Luke left, would be one of the most important memories of his life.


    *


    Luke said goodbye to Ezra and walked alone out of the building, he took the flying sword that Hephaestus had given him. A few minutes after that and Ezra was already isted again inside his room.


    The boy was in front of arge wooden table, where several diagrams of weapons were arranged. The focus now was only one, to study how he could produce a katana.


    Ezra was reviewing everything he had already produced, trying to understand what processes he could already guarantee. After this period, when Hepha was free, Ezra would go to her to get some new diagrams and forging books from the Zhao region.


    The little blue-haired cksmith had also heard rumors about an apprentice who was born in Zhao, so it would be ideal to also go and ask questions of him. This way Ezra would be sure that he could produce a weapon that was rtively simr to a Zhao katana.


    This project was making Ezra extremely worried, after all, not only would it be a challenging project because of the issue of the different magic circles of the sword, but the very shape and type of sword was itself a challenging idea.


    But this was not something that was shaking Ezra, in fact, he was excited to learn and test something new. His vision of how to handle the project was being divided into four major steps.


    The first part of the project would be to study the two problematic issues of the weapon. That is, its shape and its enchantments. Since Ezra did not have much insight into how to solve these two problems, he would take advantage of Hephaestus'' free time to answer his questions and begin the development of the weapon''s design. Once he fully understood what would be needed to produce the sword, he would move on to the next step.


    The second part of the project would be to develop a stable magic circle. This would undoubtedly be one of the most challenging parts, for this Ezra would need to verify which magic circles could bnce themselves. It was as if it were really a scale, on the two main sides of the sword, they needed to be in bnce of weight, so that the mana would not have problems flowing through the weapon.


    This part of the project would be mostlyplicated by the testing required, Ezra''s idea to solve this problem was actually rtively simple. He would engrave several magic circles on small daggers, so he would be able to check which ones worked best together and how to bnce them when it came to the main weapon.


    There was also a way to check this by the structure of the spells, in this case by the type of magic circle. This was aplex task that Ezra had not mastered, so he figured he could clear these doubts with Hephaestus and the other experienced smiths in the academy''s forge.


    Once he could create a diagram for the magical part of the weapon, this step would bepleted.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The third part of the n was the most stressful. Since the little cksmith had not mastered the production of Katanas, ideally he would train by forging a few before setting out on the final project. So he decided that he would produce one katana a day. This way he could get a feel for how this process works, and it would also ensure that the final design would be of good quality.


    Producing a sword a day was not such an unusual task for Ezra, it was almost like a habit for him. During his lifetime there were even years when he made three swords a day, all year long, without once making a mistake.


    Most of these items ended up being sold outside the academy, while only the better quality ones stayed within the academy. Many of the swords in the academy''s arsenal, as well as some used for training, were part of these almost one thousand weapons that Ezra made in one year.


    This boundless production meant that even though Ezra was not recognized within the academy, he possessed an abundance of points and even money. For his age, the little cksmith already possessed enough wealth to live quietly for a few decades.


    Producing so many swords gave Ezra much more than money. He was one of the cksmiths with the best sense about the choice of materials, so in the third stage he would also take the opportunity to test what materials would be used in the process of making the weapon. This way he would be sure that that katana would have maximum strength and quality.


    Thest stage was divided into two parts. The first would be to group the production of the Katana with the magic circles, Ezra would have to produce a test katana with the chosen effects. This way he would be able to check how the weapon would react. Once the sword was stable, he could finally move on to the second stage.


    Thest process would be to make sure to fix any errors that had happened in the test katana. In this way Ezra would solve the problems that might have appeared during the production of the weapon.


    He would first create a weapon that was notpletely perfect, and then produce a better sword, a work of art.


    Once this masterpiece wasplete, it would only be necessary to finish the finishing touches. Create a quality handle and sharpen the weapon.


    This production process was long, so Ezra figured it should take at least two weeks. But once he put down on paper everything that would be needed toplete that weapon, he finally understood that much more time was needed, at worst a month and a half.


    But obviously, Ezra was going to do his utmost toplete that weapon in the shortest time possible. That was his focus, his goal.


    The boy was looking at that gigantic amount of paper, wondering how he could solve it. Until Hephaestus came through the door. She had an apprehensive face, something that was not verymon for this woman.


    She was always confident, funny, domineering, and capable. But this time she was visibly confused, it was a sight Ezra had never had before.


    "Master! Is everything all right?" Ezra said.


    The forge master was holding a wooden box with her hands, this box possessed an amazing beauty. It was carefully decorated with blue details, while the wood had a beautiful white color.


    Hephaestus then raised his head and looked Ezra in the eye. The face of that powerful cksmith was full of tears, which streamed down her delicate face.


    "I kept this from you for a long time, but it was on a promise. I always promised to take care of you, to teach you. I know it took me too long, but now it''s time" Hephaestus said.


    She then slowly approached Ezra, who was visibly confused by the situation. Until he finally understood what had happened, once his mistress was close enough, he was able to understand what that box meant.


    On the front of the box was a coat of arms that Ezra knew very well. The mark of the blue moon, the forging crest that his mother used.


    "That box, that crest. What does that mean master?!" Ezra cried out, confused.


    "That is thest request from my best friend, from the most amazing woman I have ever met" Hephaestus said, as he opened that box.


    "Who?! And why does this have to do with me. Wait, my mom!" Ezra said, shaking his head. Everything had finally made sense to him.

 Chapter 394: Welcome Back

    Hephaestus then raised his head and looked Ezra in the eye. The face of that mighty smith was full of tears, which streamed down her delicate face.


    "I kept this from you for a long time, but it was on a promise. I always promised to take care of you, to teach you. I know it took me too long, but now it''s time" Hephaestus said.


    She then slowly approached Ezra, who was visibly confused by the situation. Until he finally understood what had happened, once his mistress was close enough, he was able to understand what that box meant.


    On the front of the box was a coat of arms that Ezra knew very well. The mark of the blue moon, the forging crest that his mother used.


    "That box, that crest. What does that mean master?!" Ezra cried out, confused.


    "That is thest request from my best friend, from the most amazing woman I have ever met" Hephaestus said, as he opened that box.


    "Who?! And why does this have to do with me. Wait, my mom!" Ezra said, shaking his head. Everything had finally made sense to him.


    Hephaestus'' eyes were shining, with the light reflecting in the tears. It was an emotion difficult to exin, a strong feeling of duty fulfilled. His heart was at peace as he watched this scene.


    Ezra took the hammer from inside the box, the moment he touched this item, it was already possible to feel the difference between it and anything else he had seen before. It was a different feeling, it was easy to tell that it was an item made by his mother.


    This feeling made Ezra''s heart flutter, he was confused, but happy. This gift left by his much admired mother was something he could not even imagine existed. The little blue-haired cksmith then rushed off, he was determined to use this item. The boy hadn''t said anything, he just felt the need to get to work.


    "Hey! Don''t go away, brat!" Hephaestus shouted, however, that was not enough to stop the little cksmith.


    Ezra''s head waspletely filled with thoughts, he was analyzing every detail of that hammer. At the same time, his heart was confused about how to react to this gift. A gigantic storm of questions was raging through the blue-haired young man''s mind.


    Hephaestus followed Ezra, but she didn''t bother to run. She just watched from afar as the boy ran through the corridors of the forge.


    Ezra passed a few rooms in the forge, collecting everything he would need to start work. In one of the rooms he took a bag of iron ore, in the other, some crystals. On a counter, he picked up another bag of coal.


    His body, even though thin, is capable of lifting a lot of weight. Finally, he had everything he needed. Hephaestus was a bit distant, she was following Ezra, who entered her room carrying that huge amount of materials.


    She was hiding from her apprentice, hiding her tears that slowly flowed as she watched her masterpiece, Ezra. An apprentice that she had forged and refined with care for years.


    With each step Hephaestus took, a memory of her former master passed through her head. After crossing the few meters that led to the door of Ezra''s workshop, the master forger was able to observe the boy now standing in front of the anvil.


    The charcoal was already positioned near the fire, the materials wereid out on a table nearby. Ezra was now holding that hammer, watching it intently. He was like a child holding his favorite toy.


    The young cksmith''s eyes were determined, but at the same time, a little shaken by the situation.


    "The iron will take too long to boil like this" Ezra thought aloud.


    The boy then rushed over to the table where the bag of crystals was. And after rummaging around for a few seconds, he found a fire crystal. Ezra then fed the coal with that fire crystal.


    A gigantic me started, now the fire was strong, and in seconds it was able to melt the piece of iron that was above the furnace. This intense fire was transforming the metal into a red color, and after a few moments, Ezra took that iron beam to the anvil.


    Hephaestus was watching Ezra from the doorway, her feet seemed to be feeling pressured to stay outside. Now she didn''t want to go in and bother the boy. This indecision eventually made her tired, and since she is a busy woman, she preferred to just get out of there.


    The moment she turned around to go back to her office, the first sound of the beating of metal echoed throughout the forge.


    It was that same iron sound, however, it had a different timbre. It was not a high-pitched or ufortable sound. It was precise, and somehow soothing.


    Turning sharply, Hephaestus had a startling sight.


    Ezra was channeling his mana into the hammer. Behind that boy, there was no blue water golem. Who was holding the hammer, was not a creation of magic, but the cksmith himself, who wanted to use that item with his own hands.


    What was behind Ezra was a blue statue of Ezra''s mother.


    The boy''s thoughts were so conflicted, that uniting some of his memories with his master''s descriptions, the moment he channeled his mana, his mother appeared behind him.


    Hephaestus couldn''t hold back his tears, now, with a smile on his face she watched the two of them working.


    Ezra didn''t notice the presence of that statue, a few momentster it eventually disappeared. But this made it clear to his master, how that blue-haired girl was always giving strength to take care of the little cksmith.


    The boy was smiling as he produced, his body was sweating much more than usual, he was panting, running from one side of the forge to the other for no real reason. Still, he was having fun making the item.


    It had been a few years since Ezra had produced a weapon using the hammer directly. After Hepha taught him how to use a golem, forging had be easier. However, this time he wanted to have that contact with iron. He wanted to know what his mother expected him to feel when he hit it with that hammer.


    The production process took hours, Ezra was creating a dagger with wind control. One of the ideas Luke had be interested in. Hepha was now drawing in one of the corners of Ezra''s workshop, which ended up surprising the boy.


    He was so focused on forging that hepletely forgot to notice his surroundings, so he was startled to fall backwards when he saw his master.


    "How long have you been here?"


    "Quite a while, and a dagger was a good choice. But your fire crystal energy is running out, now is the time to energize the de with the wind crystal before tempering."


    As soon as Hepha finished his guidance, Ezra''s eyes became even more determined. He got up and rushed off to solve the problems. Until he remembered why he had gone to the other side of the room.


    The young cksmith then ran back to Hephaestus, and from the wall, picked up a thick leather glove.


    The boy then hurried back and finished making the de. Heating the iron and putting a wind crystal inside the sword, he then put more coal in the furnace.


    Now the boy heated the depletely, being careful with the crystal. If the temperature of the crystal became too high, it might explode in front of him.


    Channeling water magic, Ezra went about cing small drops of water on top of the crystal, keeping its temperature a little lower than that of the weapon. Until the process was finished, he moved on to tempering.


    Putting the depletely into a bucket of water. A gigantic amount of smoke wasing out, while the water inside the bucket was bubbling non-stop.


    Until finally, Ezra pulled that dagger out of the water. It was a different weapon than the one he had recently created. After all, this de was madepletely by his hands.


    Ezra''s body was too weak to withstand producing a sword, but a small weapon, it was possible.


    The hammer that Ezra received was the game-changer. In fact, the biggest factor that defined the exuberant quality of this dagger was the use of that hammer. It was light, and at the same time it had a good bnce.


    It was hard to understand how an item could be so well made, but it was something possible for Ezra''s mother.


    ''You really were amazing, thanks for the gift mom''


    The little cksmith then ran off again, to his mistress. Bowing as she held out her hands, Ezera handed the dagger to Hephaestus.


    The forge master''s eyes widened at the sight of that de. It was something else, she never saw any de that even resembled it.

 Chapter 395: Mana Inspect & Strange Waves

    On the other side of the academy, Megan and Alice Bloodstone were arguing in front of a circr table. That vast board of beautiful ck wood held a huge amount of papers.


    "Do you think this could work?" Alice said, as she stretched her arms out, stretching herself.


    "It has no reason to be a problem, you know that" Megan replied, as she flipped through a pile of hand made scribbles.


    "We''re going to need to fully map Luke''s mana, no one has ever done that at the academy" Alice pointed out, sighing.


    Before Megan was able to answer her sister, a blond boy entered the room, it was Adrian abruptly interrupting the conversation.


    "You''ve already mapped out half of one of the assistant professors'' energy. It shouldn''t be thatplicated toplete the rest of a map"


    "You know it wasn''t exactly mapping, Zhahid had alreadymented on that in the hospital" Alice said as she scratched her neck.


    *Cof Cof. Megan cleared her throat to enter the conversation and finally be able to speak.


    "Even though I said it''s possible, that doesn''t mean it would be easy. Adrian knows how vast Luke''s mana is, I''m a little worried about how this is going to go next."


    "I forgot that point..." Said Adrian, while scratching the back of his neck, with a worried smile.


    The idea that Zhahid proposed in the hospital was a n that even in theory did not appear to be simple. To solve the problem of Luke''s unstable mana, it would be necessary to create a piece of equipment capable ofpletely modifying the half-wolf''s mana flow.


    To begin this project, Alice and Megan were selected to create a piece of equipment topletely analyze the young man''s mana flow.


    Early in the morning, Megan went around the library selecting books that would be interesting to use for research. In addition to several books, Megan selected some manuscripts of research rted to the use of mana.


    As much as research for mana analysis already existed, mapping every inch of the flow was a novel and extremely challenging proposition. It was as if it was necessary to understand every inch of a swimming pool, in order to understand where the water goes, which path it follows. With the ultimate goal of making the water follow the desired course.


    The only difference is that the pool did not have calm waters, but constant gigantic waves.


    This was the analogy Megan used to exin to the group what she could visualize from Luke''s mana. The girl known as the living library had a very great magical sensitivity, enough to be able to understand Luke''s own mana.


    However, all this insight was not enough to find out where this power came from. Nobody in that group would even imagine that all that magical energy had been collected from hundreds of thousands of souls.


    This was a topic that was making Luke a little worried, after all, how could he exin to everyone in that room that he was a gene user. Even with the half-wolf''s growing confidence for his new allies, it was still challenging to imagine that this group of Melki residents could ept his real powers.


    Looking out to sea a few miles from the group, Luke thought about how to deal with his skills.


    "Do you believe that I would be able to beat this professor without my gene skills?" Luke asked, while looking at the distant waves on the horizon.


    [I imagine so, but I can''t be absolutely sure]


    "I really am weaker..."


    The small reduction in Luke''sbat strength was already enough to make him ufortable. The half-wolf had gotten used to his fighting power constantly growing, however obvious it was to Bnce that Luke''s power was amazing.


    "A" Luke cried out, as he closed his eyes.


    The Goddess that resided in Luke''s soul was surprised at his name being called out.


    "Yes Luke?"


    "Don''t feel guilty about my situation. I am grateful to you, I promise I will free you."


    Those words echoed in the Goddess'' feelings.


    "Don''t worry Luke, both about me and your strength. You are much more powerful than you know."


    Opening his eyes, Luke''s face was with a feature ofplete hatred and fury.


    "But I don''t have enough power, not yet"


    The half-wolf then stood up, and looking towards the horizon, he threw a punch into the wind. Concentrating his energypletely into his fists, the impact of the fist echoed through the air, creating a gigantic wave of wind.


    The boom went out cutting the horizon, a stream of wind creating circles as it went. Distancing itself from the sands of the beach. In the center of the energying from the punch, there was a huge amount of mana that had been emanated by the contact of the half-wolf''s fist with the wind.


    Extending his arm, Luke with a snap of his fingers caused that wave of wind to burst into me in the middle of the water. The steam then rose with the fire falling under the waters of the sea.


    "I need more strength, much more" The half-wolf''s voice echoed across the beach, beyond his voice only the sound of water vapor remained constant.


    Inside the half-wolf''s soul, Bnce remained speechless at the young man''s disy of strength. Wondering ''How strong this beast intends to be''


    *


    Luke continued walking along the beach, the sound of the sea waterpping on the beach sand was somehow rxing now. Sometimes, closing his eyes, it was possible to remember the very breeze from the ports of Oukiwa.


    As Luke progressed along the sands of the beach, an unusual sight appeared. At a distance of at least 30 meters, there was a blue-haired young man practicingbat with a spear, and he decided to move closer to get a closer look. As he got closer, he could see that man''s surprising skill with the spear.


    "His fighting style reminds me a little of her"


    [Maybe in some of his thrusts]


    "Yes, his skill is on apletely higher level"


    The blue-haired Man noticed Luke''s presence, interrupted his training and gave him a warm smile, inviting the half-wolf toe closer.


    "The name is Erwin, Erwin ckdraco"


    "Luke Lange, I''m new to the academy"


    Erwin then extended his hand to Luke. He hesitated a little to shake it.


    The man was a little taller than Luke. He had long blue hair and a strong physique, with muscles not as defined as Shiro''s, but as strong and agile as the half-wolf''s. His clothes showed that he was a new man.


    His clothes showed that he was a student at the academy, his pants were part of his uniform. His shirt was made of a slightly thinner fabric, it was sleeveless. In the center of that white shirt was a dark blue pendant. A golden heart that passed through the warrior''s neck.


    Erwin''s spear was made of steel, with a light blue color that resembled the hair of its bearer. It had a single de at the tip that formed a kind of triangle, and at the side there were two extra tips, which gave the spear a kind of trident appearance.


    "It''s unusual to see anyone walking around this part of the beach. Most of them end up avoiding me hahaha" Erwin said as he scratched the back of his own head.


    ''That''s not the kind of thing to talk about on a first impression''


    [Do you think we should run away?]


    ''I''m not sensing any assasin intent, either he''s a thief with the same ability as me, or he''s just a weird guy''


    "What do you mean?" Luke questioned.


    "Ah! So you haven''t heard any stories about me?" Erwin said.


    cing his hand on his chin, while looking down at the sand the warrior continued to think aloud.


    "Well, that makes sense. You''re new to the academy."


    Sighing, Erwin gave a smile and looked at Luke.


    "I can''t control my strengthpletely, so students avoid that part of the beach so they don''t get hurt hahahaha"


    This line surprised Luke, who was interested to know Erwin''s power.


    "Could you give me a demonstration?"


    "Well, it''s not really a problem. Just take care of yourself hahahaha"


    "Sure" Luke spoke, as he took a few steps back.


    "I had already finished my warm up anyway" Erwin said, as he stuck his spear in front of him, into the sand on the beach.


    Erwin closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh. When he opened his eyes, suddenly his al¨¦gre demeanor changed to a serious face of determination. His eyes were now closed, staring at the spear in front of him.


    Again, Erwin pulled all the air in front of him into his lungs. Then he grabbed the spear. His body began to glow with a faint blue light. Facing the sea with determination, the young man lifted the spear and began to rotate it with one hand.


    With each movement of the young man, the sea moved. As if the boy''s dance directly influenced the waves in front of him. With each swing he made with the spear, the waters moved with increasing intensity. Until with onestplete turn all the waves came together to form a gigantic wall of water in front of Erwin.

 Chapter 396: Azure Sea Lord

    "Ah! So you haven''t heard any stories about me?" Erwin said.


    cing his hand on his chin as he looked down at the sand the warrior continued to think aloud.


    "Well, that makes sense. You''re new to the academy."


    Sighing, Erwin gave a smile and looked at Luke.


    "I can''t control my strengthpletely, so students avoid that part of the beach so they don''t get hurt hahahaha"


    This line surprised Luke, who was interested to know Erwin''s power.


    "Could you give me a demonstration?"


    "Well, it''s not really a problem. Just take care of yourself hahahaha"


    "Sure" Luke spoke, as he took a few steps back.


    "I had already finished my warm up anyway" Erwin said, as he stuck his spear in front of him, into the sand on the beach.


    Erwin closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh. When he opened his eyes, suddenly his al¨¦gre demeanor changed to a serious face of determination. His eyes were now closed, staring at the spear in front of him.


    Again, Erwin pulled all the air in front of him into his lungs. Then he grabbed the spear. His body began to glow with a faint blue light. Facing the sea with determination, the young man lifted the spear and began to rotate it with one hand.


    With each movement of the young man, the sea moved. As if the boy''s dance directly influenced the waves in front of him. With each swing he made with the spear, the waters moved with increasing intensity.


    Until, with onestplete spin, all the waves joined together to form a gigantic wall of water in front of Erwin. Luke took a step back, surprised by the blue-haired wizard''s disy of power.


    Erwin looked at the huge wall of water in front of him, knowing that he was the one responsible for keeping it intact. He concentrated, channeling his magic to strengthen the structure of the wave.


    Erwin then spun his spear around his body with amazing speed. A part of the wave came flying in a jet towards the warrior, who controlled that water using his spear. A ring of water appeared around Erwin.


    He began to spin the spear harder, and the water followed the movement, creating a spiral of water that rose into the sky. Suddenly, the spiral exploded into thousands of water jets, which flew in all directions. Luke was forced to duck to avoid being hit, but when he raised his head, he saw that Erwin had controlled all the water and had turned it into a fine rain that fell over the beach.


    Erwin then put away his spear and turned to Luke, who was still in awe of the warrior''s skill. "I''m still warming up," Erwin said with a smile.


    [He''s certainly the best water wizard we''ve encountered so far.]


    ''I still don''t understand waterbending very well, it will be helpful to know him''


    "You really are good at water magic" Luke said, pping his hands together.


    "Every mage in the academy has a focus, I''m just a wave lover" Erwin shouted, giving a smile.


    The blue haired Mage then turned and looked again at the sea, where that wall of water was still up. Concentrating, the magician''s eyes became sharper


    Then, in an instant the magician stopped all his movements. He closed his eyes and held his spear in one hand, as if preparing to throw his spear.


    At that moment, Erwin made a lunge and flew out into the wave. His spear guided him to that giant block of water, that wave remained high in the middle of the sea, but when the warrior came into contact with it, a gigantic hole appeared in its middle.


    Out of that hole, the water took a backward course into a smaller wave that surged behind it. Luke and Bnce were amazed to see Erwin being carried by that wave, he was smiling at them both.


    The waves of the sea had held the back of the wizard, who was floating below the sun as if he were flying alone. A pair of wings made of seawater appeared on the back of the warrior, who leaned over and flew out below the water. Erwin dived with high speed and then used the propulsion of the water to return to the surface.


    The tidal wave then crashed into the water, causing the sea to increase in intensity. Within seconds, Erwin was hurtling down to the sand. He came in with a strike from his spear, getting it into a rock that was close to Luke.


    That rock was cut in half and the very sand Erwin was standing on turned to ss due to the heat of the impact. All the water around the blue-haired wizard''s body evaporated in seconds, he then pushed his hair back, using his hand.


    "Hahaha, it''s very good to ride a wave" Erwin said, until his face changed abruptly into a worried one.


    The Wizard turned to Luke, with a confused face.


    "You didn''t get hurt, did you? Wolf Boy, are you okay?" Erwin said, running toward Luke.


    "Don''t worry, nothing flew at me. But now it makes sense why they avoid that part of the beach" Lukemented.


    "Yeah, it''s my special corner. I''m always blowing the sand into ss, so you better watch where you step hahaha" Erwin said.


    At that moment, Luke already knew that that mage was not just any person. His skill and mastery with water were too amazing. But soon it all made sense.


    "Are you a golden pendant?"


    "Ah! So you know that!" Erwin replied.


    "Yes, Erwin ckdraco. Also known as the Azure Sea Lord."


    This made a bit of sense to Luke, just as proficiency in wind or mastery of academy knowledge were ways to earn a golden pendant, it was clear that there would be other students with focuses in other elemental fields.


    For someone with as little time as Luke, getting stronger in these arts was ideal. Using magic was in Luke''s opinion, a valid form and perhaps the best he could do to hit head on in the final battle with the state of Melki.


    "Can you teach me a little?" Luke questioned.


    "Hmm, I''ve never met anyone capable of mastering seawater like me." Erwin said.


    Mastering seawater was a slightly more challenging task than simply controlling the humidity to create balls of water. When dealing with seawater, not only salt interferes but the very existence of waves, making controlling arge amount an extremely challenging task.


    The blue-haired mage exined this phenomenon to Luke, who listened attentively.


    "My way of controlling the water and simply feeling it. It''s impossible to describe... My spear, the wavebreaker, it has a fluid mastery spell. But it''s not only by it that I can control the waves" Erwin said, while pointing at his weapon that was still stuck inside the stone.


    "I see, so you can control it even without your spear" Luke said, cing one of his hands on his chin.


    Erwin then turned to Luke, and raising one of his arms, he pped it away.


    "Aqua Grip" The Blue mage said.


    Again a current of water held Erwin, lifting him up. The mage began to move as if he were on a surfboard, up a spiral of water. Until again he was flying through the waters.


    "Aqua Lord"


    The water then changed into a kind of sea serpent, with a transparent light blue color. You could see how theyer of water formed a kind of water scale, along with thorns and even teeth in the mouth of that spell. On Erwin''s head, a crown of water formed. That crown was spinning on top of his head, following a flow, it seemed to be alive.


    On the back of the water mage was an amazing pair of wings, and several rings of water flowed around the mage''s body. Protecting him as if he were an armor.


    "Many speak here in this academy that the strongest field of magic is fire, or maybe air. But controlling the sea gives you powers far more impressive than any other line here. Powers that rival even the broteforge genes" Erwin said.


    "Not only am I the Azure Sea Lord, I am also a master of salt" Extending his arms, the mage pped his hands together, joining both hands.


    That snake in secondspletely changed from that transparent appearance, to a white color. It was taking on a solid form, as if the entire surface was slowly connecting. Until finally, that magic, that creature, waspletely made of salt.


    The magician then snapped one of his hands out, and reached out creating a salt sword.


    ...


    Edited by: DrHitsuji


    If you want to see original illustrations of My Girlfriend is a S-ss Adventurer characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa /NandoFalske


    More character images in:


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    Don''t forget to vote with Powerstone to support the book if you like it...

 Chapter 397: Water control

    The water then turned into a kind of sea serpent, with a transparent light blue color. It was possible to see how theyer of water formed a kind of water scale, along with spines and even teeth in the mouth of that spell. On Erwin''s head, a crown of water formed. That crown was spinning on top of his head, following a flow, it seemed to be alive.


    On the back of the water wizard was an amazing pair of wings, and several rings of water flowed around the wizard''s body. Protecting him as if he were an armor.


    "Many speak here in this academy that the strongest field of magic is fire, or maybe air. But controlling the sea gives you powers far more impressive than any other line here. Powers that rival even the broteforge genes" Erwin said.


    "Not only am I the Azure Sea Lord, I am also a master of salt" Extending his arms, the mage pped his hands together, joining both hands.


    That snake in secondspletely changed from that transparent appearance, to a white color. It was taking on a solid form, as if the entire surface was slowly connecting. Until finally, that magic, that creature, waspletely made of salt.


    The magician then snapped out one of his hands, and reached out creating a sword of salt.


    Watching Luke from above, Erwin gave a smile and started tough. Quickly, the whole thing fell apart, bringing all the water to the ground, as well as the salt that piled up on the sand.


    "That''s a nice skill, isn''t it?" Erwin said, with anotherugh.


    [This guy seems a little strange to me].


    No doubt he''s not normal at all.


    The mage then crossed both arms and began to look at the horizon, while continuing to chat with Luke. Erwin''s face was filled with a giant smile, it was as if he was grateful to have someone to talk to.


    "I learned this trick a few weeks ago, well it''s not very nice to just show off.


    [He only realized this now?]


    ''I won''t deny that the presentation was interesting''


    In Erwin''s mind, having a visitor on his beach was a moment to demonstrate his skills. Since the mage hardly ever weed spectators, at the same time, where he was interested in exining to Luke how his wave control magic worked, he wanted to demonstrate his powers.


    "When you are controlling salt water, you need to understand it as a living organism. In the ocean, anything different canpletely ruin the life of a region. That goes for controlling the waves, imagine every movement the sea makes, but not only that, you also need to be


    aware of how the salt and otherponents of the water behave" Erwin went on to exin, turning to Luke.


    The mage''s eyes were sharp, as if he was interested in the reaction the half-wolf would have to that conversation. For the Azure Sea Lord, this was the moment to realize whether Luke was a skilled mage or not.


    The conclusions that the half-wolf would draw would easily define for Erwin whether he was a promising novice or just innocent enough to expose himself to the danger of seeing the tests on his beach.


    "That means I should keep an eye on even the fish that are moving around within the area I''m controlling, right? After all, any irregrity could end up influencing the flow of the sea" Luke questioned.


    Erwin''s eyes widened, and soon after a smile appeared.


    In the Azure Mage''s head, a shower of thoughts were passing. ''Who is this half-wolf? When did he enter the academy? Is his skill on the same level magicprehension as his? Should I test him?'' All this in a millisecond. As much as his actions and the way Erwin behaved showed that he was a carefree person, the truth was that the way he thought showed the exact opposite.


    Luke knew that it was always necessary to be suspicious of someone, so it didn''t take long for him to realize with his trained eye how that mage''s behavior wasn''t just strange by nature.


    "Exactly! Hahahaha usually nobody understands that fast. Why don''t you try to control the waves a bit?"


    "No problem, I still have a bit of free time. It will be interesting to train a little with you. I''m really not very good with water magic.


    Erwin''s friendly eyes returned to that critical tone, he was watching Luke''s decisions.


    That sudden change in the wizard''s gaze was enough for Luke to realize the truth.


    ''He is more interesting than I imagined''


    [Yes, his behavior is a little strange]


    ''I''m not sensing any hostility, but no doubt he has a habit of ying dumb.


    [It''s simpler to deal with people when they diminish you. Not only is his skill amazing but his behavior and nning, he is undoubtedly a dangerous mage]


    Bnce and Luke had this brief conversation as the half-wolf approached the sandy beach. His steps, which were getting closer and closer to that gigantic sea, left the mark of his shoes on the soft white sand, the sea was now calm, with small waves crashing on the beach. The turbulent waves that were guing the sea were the result of Erwin''s training.


    Once the magician stopped his training, the sea became calm and serene again, but this would notst long. The air was cool and salty, causing Luke to take a deep breath. He reached the edge of the water, where he stayed for a few moments concentrating and trying to go over everything that had happened.


    The half-wolf began to focus on Erwin''s disy of strength, trying to remember how the wizard had moved. Controlling an element without an incantation was no doubt an amazing task, but he imagined it would be possible to recreate this.


    Luke began to concentrate his magical power, feeling the energy flow through his body. His mana concentrated from inside his chest to his arms, following it like a current that flowed into the palms of his hands. He visualized the waves of the sea transforming into a solid force and concentrated all his attention on this vision.


    His goal was to at least be able to connect those calm waves, making them take the shape he was interested in. With each wave that kept flowing, closer to the sand, Luke wasmanding them. Causing the water to flow and group together.


    Inside Luke''s head there was a single idea in mind, to form a pir of water in the middle of that sea. A simple way, just to train his idea of manipting the waves of the sea.


    Inside the half-wolf''s head, he was visualizing the flow of the water. His hands slowly managed to feel where the sea was going, so that moving it was not different from breathing. It was an automatic act, but at the same time an extremely challenging task.


    Slowly, the pir began to take shape, growing from the churning surface of the sea. With eachyer of waves that hit that magic, Luke grabbed the wave and connected it to the pir of water, which was increasing in size with rtive speed.


    Soon that spell had grown taller than thergest of the waves. Luke kept his focus, concentrating his energy on the spell, even as the waves began to crash against the pir. The water around the pir seemed to glow with a brilliant light, and Luke felt that his magical power was intensifying by the second.


    It was an invigorating feeling of mastery over that new method. However, this task was much more challenging than he had imagined. In a few seconds he already realized how there are different factors modifying the flow of the water, such as fish, algae, wind, and even the moon in the sky.


    These were different points that made controlling the water much moreplex than wind magic itself, something the half-wolf had not even imagined possible. However, his search for new ways to be stronger was real, and in a way, this challenge made him even more focused. With an amazing disy of strength, Luke began to charge even more energy into that pir of water.


    This was causing the waves to connect more easily, attracting the water so that the pir grew even faster. The glow of the energy Luke had concentrated in the pir made the water look like some kind of glowing crystal, surprising Erwin.


    The blue-haired magician then began to p his hands behind Luke. He was in awe of the half-wolf''s power.


    "Hahaha my intuition wasn''t wrong" Erwin said.


    Little by little, the half-wolf was losing control, until there came a time when he could no longer hold that gigantic amount of water. It was a task that, as much as it didn''t use up the half-wolf''s mana, it still made him tired.


    The moment Luke lost control of that pir of water, Erwin took control of the feat.


    With a snap of his right hand, the blue-haired wizard made that pir of water grow muchrger. It flew upwards at a gigantic speed. Quickly the pir surpassed the size of the academy''s forge, and then it went higher and higher until it reached the clouds.


    After that, with a second p, Erwin made the entire pir disappear, turning it into a strange mist. A cloud ended up forming in the clear sky of that beach, at the same time a gigantic amount of salt was falling to the top of the sea.


    "You did very well for a beginner boy, very well..." Erwin said, giving Luke a gentle smile.

 Chapter 398: Black Dagger

    Little by little, the half-wolf was losing control, until there came a time when he could no longer hold that gigantic amount of water. It was a task that, as much as it didn''t use up the half-wolf''s mana, it still made him tired.


    The moment Luke lost control of that pir of water, Erwin took control of the feat.


    With a snap of his right hand, the blue-haired wizard made that pir of water grow muchrger. It flew upwards at a gigantic speed. Quickly the pir surpassed the size of the academy''s forge, and then it went higher and higher until it reached the clouds.


    After that, with a second p, Erwin made the entire pir disappear, turning it into a strange mist. A cloud ended up forming in the clear sky of that beach, at the same time a gigantic amount of salt was falling to the top of the sea.


    "You did very well for a beginner boy, very well..." Erwin said, giving Luke a gentle smile.


    "It''s so confusing, I don''t know if we can really call this a sess or a failure" Luke said.


    "You said you just walked in here. Just the fact that you were able tomand the waves to take shape, that already shows that your amazing ability"


    "How did youmand the salt? Now that was surprising.


    "It''s something like, imagine the water and visualize what''s inside the water. When you think like that you can even remove all the fish from an area."


    "Your skill would be quite useful in the harbor I was born in, the smell of spoiled fish is horrible for a half-wolf"


    "I imagine, I imagine hahahaha"


    Luke and Erwin continued talking for some time regarding sea control magic. This kind of power was something that the half-wolf had not imagined existed and in a way, that thought made sense.


    In Broteforge, only an S ss skill could do this kind of control over materials. Whereas in Melki''s farthest camp, the academy, control by means of magic was possible.


    However, a growing doubt appeared in Luke''s mind. How did magic develop? When the half-wolf questioned Erwin, the blue-haired wizard only denied it with his head, iming that he did not know the answer to this question.


    Luke then kept this doubt in his chest, after all, there was one person in that ce who would have this answer easily. The half-wolf decided to go visit Megan.


    **


    On the other side of the academy, a small boy with blue hair a little lighter than Erwin''s worked incessantly. Using his new tool, Ezra was much more dedicated to his goal of producing the weapons Luke requested.


    The small cksmith was, like Erwin, a wizard specialized in the use of water. For Ezra, manipting water was the only possibility he had to keep himself in the forge of the academy. With the heat and the gigantic effort required to work in that ce, it was necessary for the little cksmith to rethink how he could continue working without suffering too much physical and psychological wear.


    The way Ezra came up with was a bit unusual. Using arge bucket of water, Ezra manipted the water within that container to be a kind of Golem. At the beginning of his journey, the young man used the water as a sort of armor around his body, however, over the years he realized that the best way was to simplymand the water to create a water golem.


    As much as manipting pure water is lessplex than controlling seawater, the skill required to keep that golem standing for several hours while working with the forge was something as amazing as Erwin''s sea serpent. When the heat inside Ezra''s workroom reached a temperature that he could no longer stand, the boy, in order not to have to stop working, would pour water over his head.


    This caused his body temperature to drop a little while he continued to work.


    When Ezra was younger, there were countless times that Hephaestus found him lying on the ground, passed out after working for so long. This caused the forge master to form a somewhat unusual habit. Even when busy, she stayed up to the present day checking every three hours how her favorite pupil was doing.


    That was exactly what was happening now.


    "Ezra, how''s your work with the new tool going?" Hephaestus said as he entered the forge room, only to see the boy sitting in a chair.


    On Ezra''sp was his hammer. But his arms were loose, and his head was hanging downwards. It was as if the boy''s body waspletely lifeless. The cksmith''s blue hair was wet with sweat and water, and because of the way it was down it was impossible to see the boy''s face.


    "Stupid brat..." Hephaestus ran out when she spotted this scene, but this was already a routine sight for her.


    The forge master knelt down, and with one hand lifted the boy''s bangs. So she could see his face, and surprisingly, this time he had not fainted from heat or exertion. He was just sleeping, tired.


    His closed eyes had a serene countenance, he was sleeping peacefully despite the heat and noise of the forge. Ezra''s mouth had a small smile on it, and it was possible to see his heavy breathing through the warm air of the room he was in.


    "You really gave it your all, your mother would be so proud of you"


    Getting up, Hepha continued to observe the rest of the state of that room. With surprise, she widened her eyes as she observed Ezra''s desk, taking a step back with fright.


    "How? How did you do that?"


    Walking over to the desk, the vision became clearer and clearer. On top of that table was apletely ck dagger, with red details. To Hephaestus'' trained eyes, it was evident the superior quality that that weapon possessed, but what surprised her most was another detail.


    "That de..." Hephaestus turned to Ezra, the forge master was sporting a confused countenance.


    It wasmon for cksmiths to have coats of arms, symbols that show that a piece of equipment was made by a family or a specific forge master. However, among the proper cksmiths, there was a unique kind of coat of arms.


    When working every day manipting metal, it ismon to recognize patterns and even create customs that are carried over to your weapon. This makes it so that one craftsman can be recognized by the skilled eyes of another craftsman.


    The de that Ezra possessed was extremely simr to the patterns of histe mother. This was something that Hephaestus, in the several years he had guided Ezra, had never observed. He possessed a unique style of producing equipment, but in that particr dagger, everything showed the patterns of Ezra''s mother, Hephaestus'' master.


    Hepha began to slowly twist that dagger, checking every detail, from the handle to the edge of the de. Gradually, she realized how it was still possible to see the details of Ezra''s unique style.


    ''Watching this is almost like seeing a ghost...'' Hephaestus thought, as she turned to the little cksmith who remained asleep in that wooden chair.


    "How did you manage to produce a perfect item in such a short time?" She thought. With memories of her former master running through her head, a bigger doubt arose for that powerful cksmith.


    ''How far would you be able to go, if she were still among us''


    In Hephaestus'' heart, she knew that she never reached the same level of skill as her master. But watching that dagger, she felt that it was possible for Ezra to reach that level of skill.


    Maybe because of the mysterious contact between mother and son, maybe because of the blood itself. Something inside that boy made him a prodigy, and watching that dagger gave Hephaestus the final answer.


    ''That is one of the best weapons I have ever seen. It''s amazing to think that it''s only been a few days since I came to correct it.


    Slowly opening his eyes, Ezra realized the presence of his master.


    "Master Hepha... Good morning" The boy spoke, yawning and scratching his eyes he rose from his chair.


    "I have to get back to work. Thanks for the guidance, I managed to make a test dagger and the result was very good... Oh you have it in your hand, do you like it?" The boy seemed not to be fully awake yet.


    Giving a loudugh, Hephaestus dropped the dagger on the table and approached Ezra.


    The forge master pped the boy hard on the back, waking him up instantly.


    "Of course it''s good! You are my student! Hahaha. I''ll want to forge with you all day tomorrow, brat!" Hephaestus shouted.


    "Y-yes ma''am!" Ezra shouted in shame.


    Hepha then said goodbye and walked out the door of Ezra''s room.


    "How far will this boy get?" she said to herself.

 Chapter 399: Energy

    "I have to get back to work. Thanks for the guidance, I managed to make a test dagger and the result was very good... Oh you have it in your hand, do you like it?" The boy seemed not to be fully awake yet.


    Giving a loudugh, Hephaestus dropped the dagger on the table and approached Ezra.


    The forge master pped the boy hard on the back, waking him up instantly.


    "Of course it was good! You are my student! Hahaha. I''ll want to forge with you all day tomorrow brat!" Hephaestus shouted.


    "Y-yes ma''am!" Ezra shouted in shame.


    Hepha then said goodbye and walked out the door of Ezra''s room.


    "How far will this boy get?" she said to herself.


    ***


    The conversation between Luke and Erwin was extremely fruitful for the half-wolf. He now possessed a new idea for his next confrontation, although he did not know where the duels would be allocated, Luke remembered what he heard Megan talking about during a brief strategy conversation.


    "Your duel against Max will probably be held in one of the training coliseums"


    "And how many are there?" Luke questioned.


    "There are five coliseums in the melki academy. Two are on the beach, one in the center of town, and two others near the elevation of Crystal Mountain." Megan said, cing one of her hands on his chin.


    "Is there a problem that location can cause? Something like a territory advantage?" Luke questioned.


    "Yes... The dueling centers in the mountains are favored by the time of day. If you use light magic on the crystals, it is possible to blind the enemy" Megan then stopped talking for a moment, as she looked up with a face that showed annoyance.


    "I think the biggest challenge you will face will be in the case of the duel on the beach. One of the battle centers is in a region with little wind movement, which would weaken you since that is your main magic... The other is in a ce with too much wind, which would be to your advantage, but Max is a very efficient fire mage, so he can use that to his advantage."


    "Then the best I can do is duel using water..." Luke concluded.


    His training with water magic was already a necessity, but it was surprising how he somehow managed to resolve this situation by this stroke of luck.


    All this made life much easier for the half-wolf, who now only needed to continue training in water maniption. Now that he still had the advantage of understanding how to use the sea to his advantage, the duel against Mr. Max was a little less challenging. At least that''s what he thought at the time.


    *


    As soon as Luke finished his conversation with Erwin, the half-wolf moved again to the center of the academy. Meredith was taking magic sses along with the beginner ss, so, because of the proximity to Luke''s destination, he decided to pay a visit.


    Walking through the academy was without a doubt a rxing task for the half-wolf, the way the ce was quiet and at the same time well organized made Luke feel calm, even though his senses were active all the time, his worry was not constant.


    It was as if he were on enemy soil, and at the same time, was in a peaceful region where there was no war. This fact made him even a little confused about the situation, after all, that ce was undoubtedly within Melki''s territory, but it didn''t seem to have such a great influence from his government.


    As much as Luke could now fly off to whatever destination he wanted, the half-wolf chose to just walk. Looking from side to side, he checked to see if there was anyone watching him, closing his eyes, Luke tried to scan for enemies or other people in the area.


    He had left a concrete road and entered the middle of a not very dense forest, with a light green coloring, which showed the natural beauty of that archipgo. After confirming that he was the only one there, Luke put away his flying sword into his inventory.


    ''It''s been a while since I opened it. This is such a useful gene that it even bothers me a little not to be able to use it freely.''


    [Isn''t it a little dangerous to do that here?]


    You know I checked the area, there''s nothing around.


    [You''re right, but try to do it only indoors now]


    ''Yeah, I also don''t want to use genes and end up exposing myself in enemy territory.


    Luke continued walking down that concrete road, while reflecting on what he and Erwin had talked about. But there was one thing that that blue-haired wizard said that left the half-wolf confused, that line made him think.


    Controlling the sea gives you powers far more impressive than any other line here. Powers that rival even the broteforge genes''.


    This was not the first time someone had mentioned the use of genes within Melki''s academy, but it was clear to Luke howmenting on this kind of ability was not encouraged within this ce either.


    It was as if magic had a direct sh with the use of genes, just as Melki''s empire does not support that kind of power. This drove up a doubt in the half-wolf.


    ''Bnce, exin to me, how does magic work? Where did ite from? And what are genes?''


    [You are asking too many questions, each of these doubts has an answer that could take hours. Maybe even days]


    ''I have plenty of time with you''


    Bnce then sighed, and began to exin the half-wolf''s doubts.


    [Do you remember the runes Alexis used?]


    ''Yes, I remember''


    [Do you remember the statuses that some weapons had?]


    ''Yes Bnce, you are pulling from my memories, of course I will remember''


    [Yeah... you''re right. Anyway, I think it''s better to exin this. Maybe you will end up bing the only human who knows this information]


    As Luke walked down that concrete path, Bnce''s exnations increased his understanding of the very world he lives in. It was a bit like when Nathalia taught him to read, after all, his worldview was expanding.


    [I can''t exactly exin how Luke''s gene power came about, that kind of historical knowledge shouldn''t be passed on to someone so young. I believe it is a part of history that has already been lost by the people inhabiting this world, so I don''t imagine it is safe for you to contain this information.


    Genes use a kind of energy of the individual, connected with an external energy. This energy rules over the world we live in in various ways, what you can imagine is just that the civilizations that have inhabited this world have cultivated the power in different ways. Through talismans, through the use of genes, through the use of magic, and even through writing.


    If I tell you more than that, I''m afraid you will evene into danger].


    ''Danger? But how would I be affected by that?


    [There are enemies that you can''t even imagine the level of power.]


    This line left Luke surprised, but with a smile on his face he just continued his walk to the center of the academy.


    Several thoughts were swirling around in his head as he recalled some of what Megan had exined to him. Now Megan''s research into the connection between the different types of energy maniption that existed within that world made more sense. This was a confusing question to understand.


    What surprised Luke the most was undoubtedly the fact that Megan was able to connect this information by herself. A knowledge that for Luke had been given by a goddess, came to Megan only through her reasoning and intelligence.


    She was able to understand, even if in a small way, how that mystical energy manipted the real world. By studying several different peoples she was able to understand and make connections to how magic behaves.


    Now, Luke created a greater interest about Megan''s knowledge. He became even more interested in learning about magic and developing within this discipline, not only because of his need to be stronger, but also because of the sheer desire to learn and understand more.


    [Hahaha you are an interesting boy Luke.]


    ''What do you mean?''


    [It''s just fun to see what you''re thinking, your feelings are too sincere.]


    Bnce realized that in the end, the feeling the boy was feeling was no different than when he first became interested in learning to read. He is driven with this constant fury to evolve, to be stronger fit.


    Both learning and fighting, it is something in his nature, something instinctive within his essence. Luke was getting closer and closer to reaching the apex of power in the world he lives in.


    **


    A few miles ahead, in another part of that archipgo, a group of girls were trying to help a friend with rabbit ears.


    "Does she always look like that?" Meredith said.


    "Don''t worry, it''s just part of her rabbit instinct" Ruby, the girl with red hair, replied.


    "What does that mean?" Meredith questioned.


    "This airhead is entering ovtion season, she is having a very strong sex drive. I think you better watch out, contact with a half-bunny''s hormones can be an aphrodisiac."


    That sentence gave Meredith a rather dangerous idea.

 Chapter 400: The Dangerous Idea

    After a few minutes of walking, Luke decided to fly off. Channeling his energy, passing it from the center of his chest to his entire body, as his mana reached his legs he felt his strength increase and his speed increase even more.


    Suddenly two vortexes of wind arose around Luke''s legs,


    He rose from the ground, like a feather, and began to fly at an incredible speed. The wind whipped in his face, but he didn''t care, he was free and felt more alive than ever, watching thendscape below and feeling the freedom of flying.


    His mana was flowing, keeping him in the air and flying.


    But he knew he needed to be careful, as much as his mana reservoir was infinite, and he wasn''t going to run out of power halfway through, there was still the problem of how to improve the expenditure of that power, after all, it was all a matter of manipting it correctly in order to harness the power efficiently.


    So he concentrated on controlling his energy consumption and flew with elegance and propriety. Once the forest was speeding past him, Luke realized how busy the academy was.


    Even in the farthest part of the ind, it was still possible to observe students walking back and forth, searching forbs, sses, checking experiments, or simply taking advantage of the distance from the quiet center to chat a little louder.


    After a few minutes, he finally arrived at the center of the ind, the trip was rtively fast, if we don''t consider the minutes Luke spent reflecting and talking to Bnce. Just as it was possible to see several students walking through the woods of the ind, it was alsomon for other students toe flying out with swords.


    However, Luke would again be the subject of rumors around the academy, after all, it was an extremely rare sight to see a student flying in the open air without a weapon. Not only was the mana expenditure too high for the average person, but the difficulty of controlling wind magic made it an almost impossible task.


    To see a student flying at high speed without a piece of equipment to help him maintain his flight was something simply frightening and worrying for most, after all, if he fell forck of mana death would be the only answer.


    This news would spread again, and the rumor about the surprising neer half-wolf would spread even further. This information moving back and forth would reach the ears of everyone, including Mr. Max, who with his arrogance did not care about this.


    The entire top of Melki''s academy had already received information from Zhanid''s new pupil, and as a pupil of the most powerful wizard in the academy, Luke was safe. However, the half-wolf was taking a risk by aplishing so many amazing feats in a short time.


    That was exactly the worry that Bnce ended up having.


    [Don''t you worry about the rumors about you? You haven''t been at the academy long and you''ve already performed some amazing feats].


    I don''t know if this is all surprising, I''m just trying hard.


    [Well, you saw how everyone reacted to your amount of energy, as well as the little feats you did]


    ''Well, I don''t worry about that. If more people know about me, more people will be interested in allying with me. In the end, I won''t stay here long anyway, so the best thing is to make a big impact and then leave.''


    [Yes, that makes sense, it makes a lot of sense actually]


    In the end, that was really the most efficient way to recruit members. That was the next step in Luke''s n, he was going to start a study group of his own after the victory against Mr.Max Willford, thus attracting several new members interested in evolving their skills.


    It was a simple n that Luke was creating, this was more than enough to get a group together for his return to the Melki empire. It was these feelings and worries that ended up making Luke''s chest somewhat confused. He was sure of what needed to be done and with each day that he spent away from his wives, his hatred for the Melki empire only increased.


    **


    "Now that you''vemented, I really am smelling something differenting from Yuzii" Meredith said.


    "Yes, these hormones are quite effective on other half-beasts. Even humans can feel these effects" Ruby exined.


    Meredith was managing to approach that group with ease, unlike girls. Ruby was a tall, redheaded woman who was the same age as Meredith, and she had a strong energy, as if she were the leader of this group.


    Ainz, the blonde and slightly angry girl was a really intelligent and funny person, however hard it was to understand her sometimes.


    Ellen, a young girl with green hair was surprisingly beautiful. In fact, all the girls in that group were surprisingly good-looking. Ellen''s long green hair did many twists and turns, while often hiding her red face. She was the smartest girl in the group, but at the same time, she was the shyest.


    "I wonder why this happens..." Ainz questioned.


    Then Ellen with her face flushed almost to the same intensity as Yuuzi began to exin about it "All half-beasts have this to tell you the truth, the only difference is the intensity. Even Meredith as a half-fox has periods when her libido increases. It''s natural, just as humans and elves also have it...


    But in the case of half-rabbits it''s a bit moreplicated" The moment Ellen finished her speech, all the girls in the group turned to Yuzii who was drinking water while breathing heavily.


    "What''s so special about half-rabbits?" Meredith questioned.


    Ellen however embarrassed, promptly put away her red sses and began her exnation.


    "Half-rabbits have a higher libido by nature, thises mainly from the beast part of their blood. The original half-rabbit people had up to one pregnancy a year, that''s how they remained thergest poption of half-humans" Ellen concluded.


    "So this libido was a natural way for them to reproduce faster. That also exins the hormones, since females need to attract males and vice versa" Ruby replied, cing one of her hands on her chin.


    "Yes, but it''s interesting how hormones end up working in both humans and half-beasts. After all, there is no specific way to attract only half-rabbits" Ellen Ruby replied, finishing her exnation.


    Now that Meredith understood the situation Yuzii was in, she had a rather interesting idea. A small smile broke out on Meredith''s face.


    Just like Yuzii, the pink-haired rabbit girl, Meredith was also high on libido. Her desire to receive Luke''s power inside her body was gigantic. So the half-fox had a rather unusual idea.


    ''If I wipe Yuzii''s sweat with a cloth, the hormones in the cloth will have an effect on Luke''s sense of smell. His sense of smell is even better than mine, so it''s almost certain that with this. I will be able to aplish what I want so much...'' The half-fox thought.


    Yuzii was really having a bad time, all the girls were gathered in a sort of rest area of the academy. It was outside that overlooked the forest, a ce full of concrete benches and wooden tables.


    The group decided to leave the optional afternoon sses to help their friend in distress. Yuzii was sweating, her face red and panting, the symptoms resembling that of an ordinary fever. But when someone approached her, it was possible to smell a strange sweet odor.


    Ainz was shaking the girl with a book, while Ruby was talking to Ellen. Meredith, taking advantage of the situation, approached Yuzii to chat a little. Since the two were half-beast girls, there was a certain natural closeness between them.


    "I''ve never had a problem like this" Meredith said,ughing a little.


    "I always suffer from it, ever since I had my first moon party, umu" Yuzii replied.


    "What''s a moon party?" Meredith questioned, as she picked up Ainz''s book to shake the rabbit girl.


    "Oh yeah... Moon party is an event that urs when members of the moonlight n reach adulthood. Mine urred a year ago, since I''m 19 years old" Yuzii said, soon after giving another gasping sigh.


    "I''ve never done... breeding. I wonder what it must be like umu"


    "I imagine that must make you more apprehensive" Meredith said.


    In her head, that bold, even dangerous idea wouldn''t go away. She was going to do anything to have her beloved. With that, Meredith decided that during the next night, she would use a cloth with Yuzii''s scent to encourage Luke. The only problem was that Luke didn''t go to the dorm that day.


    Yuzii was really getting sick, all the girls were gathered in a sort of resting ce of the academy. It was outside overlooking the forest, a ce full of concrete benches and wooden tables.


    The group decided to leave the optional afternoon sses to help their friend in distress. Yuzii was sweating, her face red and panting, the symptoms resembling that of an ordinary fever. But when someone approached her, it was possible to smell a strangely sweet odor.

 Chapter 401: A Strange Place

    Yuzii was really getting sick, all the girls were gathered in a sort of resting ce of the academy. It was outside overlooking the forest, a ce full of concrete benches and wooden tables.


    The group decided to leave the optional afternoon sses to help their friend in distress. Yuzii was sweating, her face red and panting, the symptoms resembling that of an ordinary fever. But when someone approached her, it was possible to smell a strangely sweet odor.


    Ainz was shaking the girl with a book, while Ruby was chatting with Ellen. Meredith, taking advantage of the situation, approached Yuzii to chat a bit. Since the two were half-beast girls, there was a certain natural closeness between them.


    "I''ve never had a problem like this" Meredith said,ughing a little.


    "I always suffer from it, ever since I had my first moon party, umu" Yuzii replied.


    "What''s a moon party?" Meredith questioned, as she picked up Ainz''s book to shake the rabbit girl.


    "Oh yeah... Moon party is an event that urs when members of the moonlight n reach adulthood. Mine urred a year ago, since I''m 19 years old" Yuzii said, soon after giving another gasping sigh.


    "I''ve never done... breeding. I wonder what it must be like umu"


    "I imagine that must make you more apprehensive" Meredith said.


    In her head, that bold, even dangerous idea wouldn''t go away. She was going to do anything to have her beloved. With that, Meredith decided that during the next night, she would use a cloth with Yuzii''s scent to encourage Luke. The only problem was that Luke didn''t go to the dorm that day.


    **


    The moment Luke arrived in the center of the academy, surrounded by several students walking back and forth. A figure came up behind him, before this person could touch Luke, the half-wolf turned around, keeping his murderous desire low.


    As soon as he turned around, that student with blond hair raised both hands. Startled. The figure was Adrian Hortfield, who just wanted to surprise Luke with a greeting. Luke''s quick movement, even if without the intention to kill still frightened Adrian, causing the boy to widen his eyes and give two pessums back with surprise.


    "Wow, but you can react really fast hahaha" Adrian said, feeling a little ufortable with the situation. He didn''t know how to react.


    Luke just pointed to one of his ears. "I can hear very well, even in this busy ce."


    "I can imagine, half-beasts really are amazing" Adrian replied.


    Luke then crossed his arms, remaining silent. This simple gesture already made Adrian start to exin what he wanted, even without Luke speaking a single word.


    "I managed to get myself signed up within the team that is going to do the battle management for the next realbat event. But I don''t have very good news for you Luke..." the moment Adrian spoke this, Luke raised one of his eyebrows. Suspecting that it would not be possible to duel with Max Willford.


    "So I won''t be able to challenge a member of the academy?" Luke said, cutting off Adrian''s speech.


    "Actually, it''s just the opposite. You can challenge teachers without any problem, but this year, themittee decided to hold a tournament. Only students in the tournament will have the right to propose challenges.


    [You can never get away from tournaments, Luke, they will always chase you.]


    I can''t help it, they are fun. Another win for my list.


    "All right, do you know when registration will start?" the half-wolf asked, scratching the back of his ears.


    "Today," Adrian said with a smile.


    "Then take me to themittee" Luke replied, releasing some of his bloodlust.


    Themittee building was not far from the square where Luke and Adrian were standing, the center of Melki''s academy of magic was extremely well nned. The entire institution was built from mathematical calctions, in order to make a ce that was not only perfect, but also efficient.


    No other city on the continent had been nned in this way. For example, Melki''s forge was close to the beach and had a harbor nearby, to facilitate the transportation of materials and heavy iron from the boats to the craftsmen. Theboratories that performed the most intensive tests were in the farthest parts of the ind, so that there was no noise in the center at night.


    The botanicalboratories were in buildings within the forest, so that basic studies could be carried out on local nts.


    But the most amazing thing about the ce was undoubtedly the center of the archipgo, the central square was divided in such a way that the streets were all equally distributed. As much as the buildings had their differences in architecture, in general the size was proportional.


    It was easy to move from one ce to another, the centers were divided efficiently, making it almost impossible to bete. Add this to the students'' and professors'' habit of flying with swords, and the city was probably the busiest and at the same time leastplex ce in the world.


    Luke would never have a problem finding himself in that ce, even if he was still illiterate. All the buildings had wood, stone, and metal carvings showing what they were intended for. Even though these symbols were sometimes a bit confusing, they made it easier to understand.


    For example, three books lined up together symbolizes a library. A book and a quill means the desk. A book and a sword means the ce ofbat art studies. And so on, that city was perfect.


    These were some of the many details that were put there by the great thinkers and mages who developed that paradise hundreds of years ago. ording to some sources, the academy of melki actually existed even before the current empire. Which exined the independence and sovereignty of the teachers.


    This kind of information was what Adrian exined to Luke whenever they walked. As the two young men were walking towards the student council building, the blond-haired boy was pointing to each of the buildings and again, giving the half-wolf a tour of the city.


    As annoying as it was to hear Adrian babbling, this kind of information was crucial for Luke. It was a way to quickly learn the details of that institution, its history, origin, customs.


    Plus all this knowledge of running a city, however specific was useful.


    ''It''s good to write that down, in case someday I be king''


    [You don''t n that, so why bother?]


    ''Look, I kind of find it interesting to reign. I''d probably be a fairer leader than the eltie of broteforge and the melki empire.


    [Luke, the Howling King]


    ''I don''t howl Bnce, what a stupid name''


    [Ok. I''m sorry, until you rule the Melki Empire I''ll think of a better name.]


    After 10 minutes of walking, Adrian and Luke arrived at the student council building. Adending that ce, Luke was reminded again of the Stroguehers'' mansions, leaving the half-wolf feeling a bit like going back to Ayumi.


    The building was somewhat reminiscent of the other buildings in Melki''s academy, however, the student council building was also the center of much of the administrative meetings of the other groups in Melki''s academy.


    Every student group had a meeting room within that location, including the ethics council, the student group that managed the library, as well as most of the student groups that organized research groups. So that even though the ce was extravagant and grand, it still had a good use of space, it was efficient.


    With its architectural style based on the use of marble and the glittering crystals of the academy. The Student Council building was one of the buildings that had already caught Luke''s eye; it was an eye-catcher within the academy''sndscape. The marble columns in front, with their smooth, gleaming parts, reflected a part of the grandeur of the ce.


    The building was built more than two centuries ago and is one of the academy''s newest buildings, second only to the forge, with intricate details and sculptures of magicians and important students on its walls. The main entrance to the building is adorned by a columned portico, leading to arge center with a polished marble floor.


    Here visitors are greeted by a wide, elegant staircase leading to the upper floor where the meeting rooms and Student Council offices are located. The meeting rooms are spacious and well-lit, decorated with antique carpets from different parts of the continent, and on the walls, oil paintings of former professors and prominent students mark the corridors.


    All the rooms havefortable chairs and circr conference tables, which allow the academy''s students to discuss important matters for hours infort.


    The offices in the Student Council building are cozy and well-organized, providing a quiet and productive working environment for the members. Here, they can focus on their daily tasks and ensure that the needs of the students are effectively met.


    In addition, the Student Council building has a resource-rich library, which houses the only collection of books that are not focused on magical study, and is a ce with archives and data on the happenings of the academy. Soon, Luke''s name would be filled in on several new books.

 Chapter 402: [Bonus chapter]The Events Office

    Every student group had a meeting room within that location, including the ethics council, the student group that managed the library, as well as most of the student groups that organized research groups. So that even though the ce was extravagant and grand, it still had a good use of space, and it was efficient.


    With its architectural style based on the use of marble and the glittering crystals of the academy. The Student Council building was one of the buildings that had already caught Luke''s eye; it was an eye-catcher within the academy''sndscape. The marble columns in front, with their smooth, gleaming parts, reflected a part of the grandeur of the ce.


    The building was built more than two centuries ago and is one of the academy''s newest buildings, second only to the forge, with intricate details and sculptures of magicians and important students on its walls. The main entrance to the building is adorned by a columned portico, leading to arge center with a polished marble floor.


    Here visitors are greeted by a wide, elegant staircase leading to the upper floor where the meeting rooms and Student Council offices are located. The meeting rooms are spacious and well-lit, decorated with antique carpets from different parts of the continent, and on the walls, oil paintings of former professors and prominent students mark the corridors.


    All the rooms havefortable chairs and circr conference tables, which allow the academy''s students to discuss important matters for hours infort.


    The offices in the Student Council building are cozy and well-organized, providing a quiet and productive working environment for the members. Here, they can focus on their daily tasks and ensure that the needs of the students are effectively met.


    In addition, the Student Council building has a resource-rich library, which houses the only collection of books that are not focused on magical study, and is a ce with archives and data on the happenings of the academy. Soon, Luke''s name would be filled in on several new books.


    The moment Adrian and Luke entered the door of the building, a curious fact appeared. That ce, unlike the secretary''s office, did not have a secretary. All the maintenance of that ce was done by students.


    So, when the two of them arrived there, the only thing they had to do was to get a map with the directions to each room. The building had four floors, all full of rooms for the organization of student groups, and in the basement was the library with several archives of documents rted to the study groups, the history of the academy, and other important points of that ce.


    Even though Adrian already knew which room he should arrive in, the two students took the map. This way Luke would be able to read it and see howrge the building was, by the way, none of the rooms were totally unused, since the free rooms were free for students to study and use as a research ce.


    Adrian and Luke started up the stairs, the main eventsmittee room was on the top floor, next to the student council.


    "So our research group is entitled to a room here?" Luke questioned, as he looked at the map in his hands. That piece of paper wasn''t veryrge, but no doubt the number of over eighty different study rooms made that map a bit confusing.


    "Part of Zhanid''s staff studies here, theoretically they are also part of the Magical Unification Study Group, but Megan prefers to give ess to theb only to students who are direct pupils of Zhanid... But if for example you are without time to revise documents, the staff here does an excellent job" Adrianmented, while walking through the corridors.


    The golden-haired young man was a little apprehensive, but it was nothing too worrying. Luke could tell by the sound of Adrian''s heartbeat, which quickened a little, how ufortable the young man was.


    It was not unusual for a person to have his heart rate increase when he was walking and climbing stairs like the two of them, but Adrian was still a young boy. It made no sense for his body to respond in this way. Everything indicated a certain nervousness, probably because of what they were about to face.


    Inside Adrian''s head, an image was fixed, a man he hated and who undoubtedly did not want Luke to have to battle. A student that everyone at the academy avoided precisely because of his rude and offensive attitude, but the worst part of all, was that he was on the eventsmittee.


    After Luke and Adrian arrived on the third floor, there was only one more flight of stairs to get to themittee. The blond-haired boy then stopped and looked Luke in the eye, he had a worried look on his face, like someone who knew that the half-wolf''s reaction would not be very good.


    "I just ask you to please not make an abrupt decision. Inside that room will be someone you will definitely not like" Adrianmented.


    Luke nodded, confirming that he would do his best not to get angry. But it was hard to give a conclusive answer without knowing who this person was and what they would say.


    Then Luke and Adrian arrived on the fourth floor. The atmosphere there was different from the others, the whole building itself had luxurious and elegant corridors. But this corridor was different, it had several statues of magicians, dressed in robes that Luke had never seen in his life.


    Adrian was apprehensive, in front of the stairs was a gigantic double door made of ck oak wood. At the top was written "Student Council", this was not the room the two of them were supposed to enter. However, a statue next to the room caught Luke''s attention.


    "That statue looks a bit like Zhanid doesn''t it?" Luke questioned.


    As soon as the half-wolf approached, he realized that in fact, it not only looked like but was exactly the mage. However, he was eternalized with a much younger appearance in that statue. Below the statue was a block of marble supporting it, with a golden que engraved on it.


    On the que was written:


    ''''Zhanid Mortrinded, first student council president to attain the rank of Supreme Mage during his performance as a student. It is with great honor that we leave your legacy within the heroes hall of our institution" Luke read aloud, surprised by this.


    "What is a supreme wizard?" the half-wolf questioned.


    Adrian gestured with his hands, asking Luke to keep walking. As the half-wolf followed him, the boy began to speak "Sorcerer supreme is a title, to achieve it you must have one of the highest skill rankings in the academy. Few teachers have this title, Zhanid got this statue precisely because he earned this title as a student.


    It was somewhat interesting to wonder what Zhanid''s story was, but that was a question the half-wolf would look into another time. Finally Adrian and Luke were in the correct room, the corridor led around the student council room, so when the two made the turn, it was possible to see the sign for the eventsmittee.


    One of the doors was open, while the other remained closed. That gate, when locked, had an engraving in the wood, which was now cut in half. However, it was possible to see four stars around a sword.


    Luke immediately noticed how Adrian''s heartbeat had elerated, the boy was much more nervous than before. With each step the blond boy took, his heart beat five times, his breathing was heavy, but the young man tried to keep up with his gentle smile.


    Until both students hear shouting, it was an argument.


    "You know! I don''t want any wimps in the main event! We need to make a stricter entry process!" A male voice said.


    "That''s why the event will have a qualifying round its airhead! Is it really so absurd to leave qualifying battles before the main event?" A woman shouted


    As soon as Luke and Adrian approached the door, it was possible to see the full view of the room. Sitting in an armchair in front of the main window that illuminated that room was a beautiful dark blue haired elf with a serious look and apletely neutral face. In front of her was a desk.


    The elf was watching an argument in front of her, a small girl with short green hair arguing with a tall muscr boy with red hair. Both were dressed in academy uniforms, but only the elf had a gold pendant on her uniform.


    "Silence," said the elf.


    The moment those simple words were spoken, the two stopped talking at the same instant. They turned to the head of themittee and behaved like two soldiers responding to a general. The atmosphere in that ce changed in seconds.


    Inside that room there were still othermittee members, most of whom were girls. All the other members were focused on their respective tasks, each of them reading, some reviewing long piles of sheets and others writing on equally staggering amounts of paper.

 Chapter 403: Brand new Trouble

    One of the doors was open, while the other remained closed. That gate, when locked, had an engraving in the wood, which was now cut in half. However, it was possible to see four stars around a sword.


    Luke immediately noticed how Adrian''s heartbeat had elerated, the boy was much more nervous than before. With each step the blond boy took, his heart beat five times, his breathing was heavy, but the young man tried to keep up with his gentle smile.


    Until both students hear shouting, it was an argument.


    "You know! I don''t want any wimps in the main event! We need to make a stricter entry process!" A male voice said.


    "That''s why the event will have a qualifying round its airhead! Is it really so absurd to leave qualifying battles before the main event?" A woman shouted


    As soon as Luke and Adrian approached the door, it was possible to see the full view of the room. Sitting in an armchair in front of the main window that illuminated that room was a beautiful dark blue haired elf with a serious look and apletely neutral face. In front of her was a desk.


    The elf was watching an argument in front of her, a small girl with short green hair arguing with a tall muscr boy with red hair. Both were dressed in academy uniforms, but only the elf had a gold pendant on her uniform.


    "Silence," said the elf.


    The moment those simple words were spoken, the two stopped talking at the same instant. They turned to the head of themittee and behaved like two soldiers responding to a general. The atmosphere in that ce changed in seconds.


    Inside that room, there were still othermittee members, most of whom were girls. All the other members were focused on their respective tasks, each of them reading, some reviewing long piles of sheets and others writing on equally staggering amounts of paper.


    "You know this project has already been approved Hawk" The elf said, looking into the eyes of that muscr young man, the man''s face showed a fright at the same instant. Feeling threatened by that elegant and cold posture.


    "The battles will take ce in two phases, we have already decided that. And Kaori, I don''t want any arguments in this group, if you two keep fighting..." The elf then ced both hands on the table, giving them both a frosty look before continuing with her sentence. "I will remove both of you, and make sure to notify you of this unbing behavior" the two students were in a cold sweat.


    "Now, what do you two need?" The elf said, as she turned her face to Adrian and Luke, who were waiting at the door.


    [I wonder if this was the person who was scaring Adrian].


    ''I imagine not, Adrian is not that bothered by Megan, even if she has that same kind of attitude''


    As soon as the Elf turned to the two students in the doorway, Hawk frowned and snorted. His gaze was fixed on the half-wolf, analyzing Luke from head to toe. That look gave Luke the answer on the spot, it was evident how that red-haired boy was just another person with a prejudice against half-beasts.


    Luke was already used to that disgusted expression, clenched eyes, a upturned nose. It was a ridiculous face that several times the half-wolf had already received.


    "No matter what they want, that institution has really decayed..." Hawk said in a low voice, yet Luke''s ears picked up the information.


    [Get a grip Luke].


    ''Don''t worry, I''ll be quiet''


    "Good morning Miss Aoi, everything okay?" Adrian said, trying to keep with his animated posture normally. Although it was noticeable how that boy''s voice was a little shaky, showing how he was evidently annoyed.


    "It is a pleasure to see you again Adrian Hortfield, but be to the point, what brings you the visitor?" The head of the executivemittee replied, as cold as her attitude was, she did not show a grudge or anger against Luke. Just an icy posture.


    "That''s Luke! He is a new student, Zhanid recruited him not long ago. He''s going to sign up for the dueling event" Adrian said.


    "Good luck in the challenge Luke. Kaori, get the registration papers." As soon as Aoi said this, the green haired girl turned and went to a list of papers, selecting four papers. When she returned, Aoi ced the papers beside her desk, and called Luke to sign them.


    When Luke approached, he received an interesting surprise. It was a quiet voice, so low that no one in that room could hear.


    "Don''t worry about Hawk Vermillion. He will participate in the duel, if you can beat him, you will have my support in the academy."


    That voice was undoubtedly Aoi''s, the blue-haired elf who was sitting in front of everyone. However, she had spoken so softly that no one in that room had heard. All the others did not react and did not even seem to notice her speech; in the end, there were no other elves or half-beasts in that office.


    Elves also have amazing hearing, so it was not impossible for an elf to speak at such a low volume that it was imperceptible to human sound. But this was strange behavior for the head of the eventsmittee, after all, asking Luke to purposely defeat one of his teammates was an odd thing to do.


    In Aoi''s mind, all the pieces of that board were already falling into ce.


    ''I heard about the demonstrations of strength from a half-beast student of Zhanid. He was spotted flying without a piece of support equipment, so his mana reserve must be interesting. ording to the third oracle, a half-wolf had created an explosion on the eastern beach of the archipgo, with an energy level of intensity five.


    I checked the entry history on the ind and there is no other half-wolf that has entered the archipgo in thest 12 months, and the half-fox that arrived along with Zhanid has not shownparative efficiency inbat magic sses. Luke Lange could be a very useful pawn''


    Aoi Wintergift was an astute woman, besides being the head of the eventsmittee, in a few weeks she was going to take over the post of student council president. As the only member of the old team to be nominated for the position, she was the first student to have an outright victory in the elections for council president.


    All this made that elf the most influential student in the academy, a status that exactly represented her elegant and determined attitude.


    [This girl... she reminds me]


    ''Ayumi''


    Aoi''s noble attitude was somewhat simr to Ayumi''s, and this simrity made Luke more interested in discovering Aoi''s ns.


    The half-wolf and the elf then exchanged nces, and within seconds they both understood the deal. Luke nodded, while the elf just closed her eyes in response, also bowing slightly. With that, Luke''s goal now was also to defeat Hawk Vermillion, a mage he did not yet know the skills of.


    Luke took the paper given to him by Aoi and signed it. It was a four-page document with the regtions of the battle, the only action prevented was the death of the opponent. However, serious injuries were limited in the early stages of the event, the ranking phase before therger performances.


    Once the document had been signed, Adrian and Luke left the room. In the pocket of the half-wolf''s uniform was a note that Aoi had ced next to the documents he had signed, there the information about the mission was described in detail.


    As soon as Luke and Adrian reached the third floor of the building, walking down that first flight of stairs, the blond-haired boy copsed.


    "Luke that was so stressful, I thought I was going to die" Adrian said, breaking into tears.


    "What made you so nervous?" Luke questioned.


    "Aoi''s presence is overwhelming on its own, but there is going to be amittee meeting today. So I was sure the bastard Hawk would be there" Adrian exined, "Hawk Vermillion is one of the most prominent fire mages in the academy, but not only is he extremely prejudiced against half-beasts but he has ties to Melki''s empire.


    I heard that he has been licking Miss Aoi''s boots for a few months now, trying to gain an influential position in the student council.


    Everything had now fallen into ce in Luke''s head, if Hawk was connected with the empire, maybe he was helping Max, that alone was a reason to be eliminated. But surely Aoi doesn''t want a political connection between Melki''s academy and Melki''s empire, which no doubt exins the need to remove Hawk from themittee team.


    ''So she wants me to leave him unable to work on the student council. I see...''


    [What are you going to do?]


    ''I imagine he can''t write papers if he loses one of his hands.''


    [Luke].

 Chapter 404: Gathering Info

    One of the doors was open, while the other remained closed. That gate, when locked, had an engraving in the wood, which was now cut in half. However, it was possible to see four stars around a sword.


    Luke immediately noticed how Adrian''s heartbeat had elerated, the boy was much more nervous than before. With each step the blond boy took, his heart beat five times, his breathing was heavy, but the young man tried to keep up with his gentle smile.


    Until both students hear shouting, it was an argument.


    "You know! I don''t want any wimps in the main event! We need to make a stricter entry process!" A male voice said.


    "That''s why the event will have a qualifying round its airhead! Is it really so absurd to leave qualifying battles before the main event?" A woman shouted


    As soon as Luke and Adrian approached the door, it was possible to see the full view of the room. Sitting in an armchair in front of the main window that illuminated that room was a beautiful dark blue haired elf with a serious look and apletely neutral face. In front of her was a desk.


    The elf was watching an argument in front of her, a small girl with short green hair arguing with a tall muscr boy with red hair. Both were dressed in academy uniforms, but only the elf had a gold pendant on her uniform.


    "Silence," said the elf.


    The moment those simple words were spoken, the two stopped talking at the same instant. They turned to the head of themittee and behaved like two soldiers responding to a general. The atmosphere in that ce changed in seconds.


    Inside that room, there were still othermittee members, most of whom were girls. All the other members were focused on their respective tasks, each of them reading, some reviewing long piles of sheets and others writing on equally staggering amounts of paper.


    "You know this project has already been approved Hawk" The elf said, looking into the eyes of that muscr young man, the man''s face showed a fright at the same instant. Feeling threatened by that elegant and cold posture.


    "The battles will take ce in two phases, we have already decided that. And Kaori, I don''t want any arguments in this group, if you two keep fighting..." The elf then ced both hands on the table, giving them both a frosty look before continuing with her sentence. "I will remove both of you, and make sure to notify you of this unbing behavior" the two students were in a cold sweat.


    "Now, what do you two need?" The elf said, as she turned her face to Adrian and Luke, who were waiting at the door.


    [I wonder if this was the person who was scaring Adrian].


    ''I imagine not, Adrian is not that bothered by Megan, even if she has that same kind of attitude''


    As soon as the Elf turned to the two students in the doorway, Hawk frowned and snorted. His gaze was fixed on the half-wolf, analyzing Luke from head to toe. That look gave Luke the answer on the spot, it was evident how that red-haired boy was just another person with a prejudice against half-beasts.


    Luke was already used to that disgusted expression, clenched eyes, a upturned nose. It was a ridiculous face that several times the half-wolf had already received.


    "No matter what they want, that institution has really decayed..." Hawk said in a low voice, yet Luke''s ears picked up the information.


    [Get a grip Luke]


    ''Don''t worry, I''ll be quiet''


    "Good morning Miss Aoi, everything okay?" Adrian said, trying to keep with his animated posture normally. Although it was noticeable how that boy''s voice was a little shaky, showing how he was evidently annoyed.


    "It is a pleasure to see you again Adrian Hortfield, but be to the point, what brings you the visitor?" The head of the executivemittee replied, as cold as her attitude was, she did not show a grudge or anger against Luke. Just an icy posture.


    "That''s Luke! He is a new student, Zhanid recruited him not long ago. He''s going to sign up for the dueling event" Adrian said.


    "Good luck in the challenge Luke. Kaori, get the registration papers" As soon as Aoi said this, the green haired girl turned and went to a list of papers, selecting four papers. When she returned, Aoi ced the papers beside her desk, and called Luke to sign them.


    When Luke approached, he received an interesting surprise. It was a quiet voice, so low that no one in that room could hear.


    "Don''t worry about Hawk Vermillion. He will participate in the duel, if you can beat him, you will have my support in the academy."


    That voice was undoubtedly Aoi''s, the blue-haired elf who was sitting in front of everyone. However, she had spoken so softly that no one in that room had heard. All the others did not react and did not even seem to notice her speech; in the end, there were no other elves or half-beasts in that office.


    Elves also have amazing hearing, so it was not impossible for an elf to speak at such a low volume that it was imperceptible to human sound. But this was strange behavior for the head of the eventsmittee, after all, asking Luke to purposely defeat one of his teammates was an odd thing to do.


    In Aoi''s mind, all the pieces of that board were already falling into ce.


    ''I heard about the demonstrations of strength from a half-beast student of Zhanid. He was spotted flying without a piece of support equipment, so his mana reserve must be interesting. ording to the third oracle, a half-wolf had created an explosion on the eastern beach of the archipgo, with an energy level of intensity five.


    I checked the entry history on the ind and there is no other half-wolf that has entered the archipgo in thest 12 months, and the half-fox that arrived along with Zhanid has not shownparative efficiency inbat magic sses. Luke Lange could be a very useful pawn''


    Aoi Wintergift was an astute woman, besides being the head of the eventsmittee, in a few weeks she was going to take over the post of student council president. As the only member of the old team to be nominated for the position, she was the first student to have an outright victory in the elections for council president.


    All this made that elf the most influential student in the academy, a status that exactly represented her elegant and determined attitude.


    [This girl... she reminds me]


    ''Ayumi''


    Aoi''s noble attitude was somewhat simr to Ayumi''s, and this simrity made Luke more interested in discovering Aoi''s ns.


    The half-wolf and the elf then exchanged nces, and within seconds they both understood the deal. Luke nodded, while the elf just closed her eyes in response, also bowing slightly. With that, Luke''s goal now was also to defeat Hawk Vermillion, a mage he did not yet know the skills of.


    Luke took the paper given to him by Aoi and signed it. It was a four-page document with the regtions of the battle, the only action prevented was the death of the opponent. However, serious injuries were limited in the early stages of the event, the ranking phase before therger performances.


    Once the document had been signed, Adrian and Luke left the room. In the pocket of the half-wolf''s uniform was a note that Aoi had ced next to the documents he had signed, there the information about the mission was described in detail.


    As soon as Luke and Adrian reached the third floor of the building, walking down that first flight of stairs, the blond-haired boy copsed.


    "Luke that was so stressful, I thought I was going to die" Adrian said, breaking into tears.


    "What made you so nervous?" Luke questioned.


    "Aoi''s presence is overwhelming on its own, but there is going to be amittee meeting today. So I was sure the bastard Hawk would be there" Adrian exined, "Hawk Vermillion is one of the most prominent fire mages in the academy, but not only is he extremely prejudiced against half-beasts but he has ties to Melki''s empire.


    I heard that he has been licking Miss Aoi''s boots for a few months now, trying to gain an influential position in the student council.


    Everything had now fallen into ce in Luke''s head, if Hawk was connected with the empire, maybe he was helping Max, that alone was a reason to be eliminated. But surely Aoi doesn''t want a political connection between Melki''s academy and Melki''s empire, which no doubt exins the need to remove Hawk from themittee team.


    ''So she wants me to leave him unable to work on the student council. I see...''


    [What are you going to do?]


    ''I imagine he can''t write papers if he loses one of his hands.''


    [Luke.]

 Chapter 405: The Winter Princess

    That voice was undoubtedly Aoi''s, the blue-haired elf who was sitting in front of everyone. However, she had spoken so softly that no one in that room had heard. All the others did not react and did not even seem to notice her speech; in the end, there were no other elves or half-beasts in that office.


    Elves also have amazing hearing, so it was not impossible for an elf to speak at such a low volume that it was imperceptible to human sound. But this was strange behavior for the head of the eventsmittee, after all, asking Luke to purposely defeat one of his teammates was an odd thing to do.


    In Aoi''s mind, all the pieces of that board were already falling into ce.


    ''I heard about the demonstrations of strength from a half-beast student of Zhanid. He was spotted flying without a piece of support equipment, so his mana reserve must be interesting. ording to the third oracle, a half-wolf had created an explosion on the eastern beach of the archipgo, with an energy level of intensity five.


    I checked the entry history on the ind and there is no other half-wolf that has entered the archipgo in thest 12 months, and the half-fox that arrived along with Zhanid has not shownparative efficiency inbat magic sses. Luke Lange could be a very useful pawn''


    Aoi Wintergift was an astute woman, besides being the head of the eventsmittee, in a few weeks she was going to take over the post of student council president. As the only member of the old team to be nominated for the position, she was the first student to have an outright victory in the elections for council president.


    All this made that elf the most influential student in the academy, a status that exactly represented her elegant and determined attitude.


    [This girl... she reminds me]


    ''Ayumi''


    Aoi''s noble attitude was somewhat simr to Ayumi''s, and this simrity made Luke more interested in discovering Aoi''s ns.


    The half-wolf and the elf then exchanged nces, and within seconds they both understood the deal. Luke nodded, while the elf just closed her eyes in response, also bowing slightly. With that, Luke''s goal now was also to defeat Hawk Vermillion, a mage he did not yet know the skills of.


    Luke took the paper given to him by Aoi and signed it. It was a four-page document with the regtions of the battle, the only action prevented was the death of the opponent. However, serious injuries were limited in the early stages of the event, the ranking phase before therger performances.


    Once the document had been signed, Adrian and Luke left the room. In the pocket of the half-wolf''s uniform was a note that Aoi had ced next to the documents he had signed, there the information about the mission was described in detail.


    As soon as Luke and Adrian reached the third floor of the building, walking down that first flight of stairs, the blond-haired boy copsed.


    "Luke that was so stressful, I thought I was going to die" Adrian said, breaking into tears.


    "What made you so nervous?" Luke questioned.


    "Aoi''s presence is overwhelming on its own, but there is going to be amittee meeting today. So I was sure the bastard Hawk would be there" Adrian exined, "Hawk Vermillion is one of the most prominent fire mages in the academy, but not only is he extremely prejudiced against half-beasts but he has ties to Melki''s empire.


    I heard that he has been licking Miss Aoi''s boots for a few months now, trying to gain an influential position in the student council.


    Everything had now fallen into ce in Luke''s head, if Hawk was connected with the empire, maybe he was helping Max, that alone was a reason to be eliminated. But surely Aoi doesn''t want a political connection between Melki''s academy and Melki''s empire, which no doubt exins the need to remove Hawk from themittee team.


    ''So she wants me to leave him unable to work on the student council. I see...''


    Adrian and Luke left the student council building. As the half-wolf walked, feeling the sun beating down on his ears, Adrian continued to exin why he was so upset.


    "But the worst part was that I figured you would fight with Hawk. I don''t know if creating a duel with him would be very smart" Adrianmented, while scratching the back of his neck.


    "What do you mean by that?" Lukemented.


    "Well... He is influential with the Melki empire, since he hates half-beasts I thought he would pick on you. I mean, maybe he did. Miss Aoi managed to lighten the moods in that room a bit but I''m sure he would pick a fight with you" Adrian exined, crossing his arms.


    "Hmm... Well, I wonder if he''s strong. Maybe it wouldn''t be so hard to stand up to him" Lukemented.


    "Oh, even his sister is friends with Meredith" Adrian said, raising his voice, as if he had just remembered that.


    "Does Meredith have any friends here? To tell you the truth... I haven''t talked to her much thest few days" Luke said, crossing his arms.


    "Well, I saw her hanging out with Ruby Vermillion''s group. Anyway, you haven''t mastered fire magic that well, I think the best decision would be to avoid approaching Hawk" Adrian exined, as he walked.


    [That''s going to be a bit tricky]


    ''Maybe, but I don''t care''


    As Adrian moved forward, Luke took the piece of paper, following the blond boy. The two were crossing one of the main streets of the academy. Although busy, each person was going their separate ways, students moving from one ce to another and staff members checking their assignments.


    The Melki Academy was a lush and lively city, perhaps it was this energy of an organized city that made the ce so rxing. A center for study and development, an ind in the middle of a tumultuous sea.


    Pulling out the piece of paper, Luke saw that there was no text, but a rune of some kind. Energizing that piece of paper, a stream of wind arose, following from the center of that rune to Luke''s ears.


    It was a kind of sigh, an extremely low voice, whispering in Luke''s ear. So that no one else would be able to hear what was being said. The voice was Aoi''s, it was a letter read by her, recorded on that piece of paper.


    "Hello, to tell you the truth. I already knew you woulde here, I have many eyes on this academy. Luke Lange... My goal is simple Luke, Melki''s influence is increasing within this institution, there are already suspicions of professors connected to the empire, as well as students.


    One of my eyes already knows about Max Willford. I can help you with this, if you are willing to support me in this. I have some functions for you, this alliance will be reciprocal for both of us.


    My eyes go beyond the academy, I am your only way tomunicate with the outside world. Burn this paper to signal that you have epted the contract."


    The moment the voice finished speaking, all wind flow returned to zero. That little breeze of air stopped flowing through Luke''s arms. Before even thinking of any possibility or consequence, the half-wolf snapped his fingers with the piece of paper. Creating a small amount of me in his hand,pletely burning the contents.


    With that, the half-wolf had epted the contact.


    *


    Inside the student council room, sitting in her chair, Aoi Wintergift gave a small smile at that very moment.


    ''I got an interesting piece for my board...'' she thought.


    With that, she closed her eyes for a few seconds. Once her eyes were closed, Aoi activated her gene skill.


    <The Grand Keeper>


    Within seconds, every corner of Melki''s academy shed past the elf''s eyes. Every millimeter of the ind was checked in seconds, so she confirmed Luke''s support.


    The Grand Keeper is a skill of legendary quality, which allows the user to check a given area in seconds. Coupling this gene with her extensive mana and magic mastery, Aoi Wintergift was the most powerful and well-informed woman in the archipgo.


    No one could escape her gaze and her influence, but her skill was far from perfect. That was a clear fact.


    *


    *


    [You didn''t mind that girl? She knew a lot about you]


    ''She spoke to me directly only to get my respect. If Melki''s empire already knew of my presence, they would have attacked. I don''t imagine she has an informationwork, I haven''t felt any presence around in thest few days...''


    [Which means she knows about it by other means]


    ''Exactly, maybe it''s some magic like that scroll, or even an artifactwork. But I don''t imagine that kind of information about me is circting''


    [That''s an interesting analysis Luke. I got curious now with that thought... Anyway, the best thing now is to look more into that girl]


    ''Yes, if she has information about me, the ideal is to level the ying field.''

 Chapter 406: Investigation

    Luke followed Adrian to theboratory, where the two would n how to proceed with their ns. Adrian chose to find out more information about Aoi Wintergift, and it was also necessary to know more about the dueling system, something that Adrian had information about.


    When the two arrived at theboratory, Adrian and Luke sat down in a break room with wooden armchairs and tables. Alice and Megan were not in the building yet, so in a way, that building was looking a little empty. The sun was a little lower now, so that the light hitting the windows was already causing the shadows to cast in a different way.


    The sunlight gave an orange tint to the room, and the sea breeze wasing in through the windows, keeping the ce cool andfortable. The smell of the seawater was faint, but also somewhat rxing.


    "Luke, like I said... Now the event system will be a battle royal. I''m a little worried about it..." Adrian said, while holding a mug of tea.


    "Why? Are you going to duel?" Luke questioned, while scratching the back of his ears.


    "I won''t... But even with these mock battles, it''s possible that some ill-intentioned participants could end up hurting other students. And since the tournament is now open, many first year students will be participating, I don''t like to see other people getting hurt" The blond boy said, while looking at the window, as if his head was remembering an old moment.


    "What bothers you about it? Do you have someone you like who is going to participate in the duels?" Luke questioned, confused.


    "No... Just... The memories of when my city was taken, since I came to the academy I don''t see many people getting hurt. In a way it bothers me, I don''t like to see others suffer" Adrian said.


    "Well, I don''t like to see it either, but I''m not too bothered by it. Well, I have an idea" Luke said.


    "What''s your suggestion?"


    "How about if you guys broadcast the first duels too? That way, I can be one of the first fights and demonstrate my strength, so a lot of the less skilled students will drop out, afraid to face an opponent on the same level as mine" Luke said.


    Adrian''s eyes widened in surprise at the suggestion. That idea made a lot of sense, after all, if people had the wrong idea about the power level of the academy, the fights would not only be more interesting, they wouldn''t attract people with more ambition than power.


    Adrian nodded, stood up from his chair excitedly.


    "I''ll give this suggestion to Aoi! I''m sure she''ll find that idea interesting! It will even be better for the event!" Said the blond boy, ted.


    [What made you think of that?]


    ''If I beat Hawk in the first duel, most of the academy will react with surprise. If he really is a skilled warrior, and it''s only the first phase of the event, not only will this attract more interesting warriors, it will show my power to the academy''


    [Interesting... So you get more supporters and it even makes it harder for Max Willford to avoid the duel]


    ''Exactly!''


    Adrian wrote down the idea and sat back in his chair, in a much more rxed way. His anxiety had subsided greatly, which made the conversation flow much better again.


    "Could you tell me a little more about Aoi Wintergift?" Luke questioned.


    "She... She''s a scary girl, I can''t really exin how, but it''s like she always knows everything. Nothing can get away from her... Normally a candidate for the presidency of the council takes almost ten years to prove himself as a capable person in the academy, she got that approval in less than two years.


    Not only is this surprising, it''s the first time it has ever happened, the worst thing is that there was no other case like this, even Zhanid had a hard time getting into the council, and Zhanid is one of the greatest geniuses that ever came around here." Adrian spoke up, just pausing to take some tea.


    "So she is stronger than Zhanid during her youth?" Luke questioned.


    "No... Being stronger than Zhanid, even in youth, is almost impossible. She''s not that strong, it''s more something like, she knows everything" Adrian said.


    ''So she really has a way of verifying the information, how is she doing that...?''


    "Then she must have good connections, does she have any connection with Melki or Broteforge?" The half-wolf said.


    "No... To tell you the truth, I don''t think anyone in the academy has any concrete information about who the ice princess is. Some say she is a noblewoman, others say she is the daughter of a professor and with that she has ess to confidential information. But nothing is clear about her" Adrian said, leaving his cup on the table.


    "No... To tell you the truth, I don''t think anyone in the academy has concrete information about who the ice princess is. Some say she is a noblewoman, others say she is the daughter of a professor and with that she has ess to confidential information. But nothing is clear about her" Adrian said, leaving his cup on the table.


    "So there is no way to get information about her" Luke said.


    "Actually, it is possible..." The moment he said that, the half-wolf and the blond boy exchanged nces, both were serious about the situation. "The only way to get information about her would be to check the academy''s files"


    "Where are those files?" Luke questioned.


    "One part is inside the student council building, another is inside the registrar''s office, where we did her registration that other day" Adrian said.


    Luke nodded, and said he would look up Hawk Vermillion and Aoi Wintergift within the academy documents.


    "I need to find information on those two, thanks for the tip"


    "But, what are you going to do Luke, I told you not to get into a direct confrontation with Hawk"


    "Don''t worry, everything will be fine. I just need to check these documents, it won''t take long. And I don''t think it''s likely that anyone will find me."


    *


    Luke then decided to break into both buildings, and for him. It was not such a difficult task, after all, the half-wolf was a thief, a murderer. As night fell on the archipgo, Luke put on a cloak and flew out to the building where the documentation was, the first was therge student council building.


    ording to Adrian, no students are allowed to enter those rooms after midnight. This reassured Luke that the task would not be as confusing as he had imagined, and that the investigation was actually much simpler than he had imagined.


    The first thing Luke did when he arrived at themittee building was to fly up to one of the windows on the third floor; he used wind maniption magic to open the lock. By controlling the wind from inside the building, he was able to open the window with ease. With that he entered the building.


    Using his ears, Luke scanned the entire building. He noticed how there was no one inside the ce, no sign of breathing or echoes, with that, he went down to the bottom floor, where the building''s archives were.


    Luke used his <Vind> skill along with wind magic to muffle his steps, so that he could walk without worrying about noise. Meanwhile, the half-wolf was using the wind flow of the ce to check if there were any other people around.


    The whole building seemed to be really closed, so, slowly descending the stairs, the half-wolf reached the lower floor, where the archives were.


    The room where the archives were located waspletely filled with papers and boxes, each organized in a huge number of drawers. On the walls were a few shelves of books, which appeared to be handwritten.


    In the aisles of the archive were the drawers, separated by names.


    With falicity, Luke found the shelf where the books were with the female students who had enrolled the year Aoi appeared at the academy. With that, he had an interesting idea.


    ''Bnce, I need you to pay attention to this book''


    [Sure Luke, but what do you mean?]


    ''I''ll flip through it, please. Pay attention, you have ess to my memories, so if I ask you to check my memories. I will be able to read this book at any time without having to read it now.


    [Yes, what an interesting idea].


    Luke and Bnce then took the book with all the data from Aoi Wintergift, so that Bnce could save all the information forter. Once this task waspleted, they went to Hawk and Ruby Vermillion, the brothers connected with Melki''s empire.


    After this, Luke took the books from Zhanid, Megan and Adrian.


    There was on one of the main shelves a book about the achievements and aplishments of the wizard Zhanid. Something that in a way, again surprised Luke, after all, that gentleman did not appear to be as amazing a magician as he is. As much as his magical abilities were amazing, it''s not as if he showed himself to have all that strength.


    Maybe Zhanid was more interesting than Luke imagined, maybe he would follow the same advice that Luke always chose to take as his course. "Never show your strength, after all, being belittled is the best way to surprise the enemy"


    Luke continued his search, until he found a metal shelf, with a physical lock in the middle.

 Chapter 407: Investigation (Part 2)

    ''A physical lock? how strange''


    That made no sense, after all, why would a lock be physical in melki''s academy of magic, the normal one would obviously be a magic chest.


    [If you think about it, it makes sense Luke. After all, within the academy there are several skilled mages... So a physical lock avoids that problem]


    Luke then tried to open the safe, using a piece of metal that was inside his inventory. The young man tried to make lock pick on the safe, but realized that this task was a bit moreplex than it should normally be.


    ''That lock is different, I have never seen something like this''


    [So... It must be some extremely important document]


    ''It probably is''


    It took Luke a few minutes to think of a solution, after all, how to deal with how to open a safe without using lock picking, until an interesting idea popped into the half-wolf''s head. He was able to figure out using the wire that that key has eight different pins that need to be activated simultaneously to open it. After that, it would be necessary to turn the key four times.


    Luke noticed these details only with his sharp hearing, something that gave him a much bigger bonuspared to anyone else attempting this same task. With that, the half-wolf decided to create a key.


    Luke channeled the moisture in the room, along with some of his mana to create a ball of water. Slowly a transparent sphere appeared around one of the half-wolf''s hands. Charging it with his mana, Luke ced that sphere of water inside the lock.


    The water was getting inside the vault, so Luke moved it to activate all the locks at the same time. This idea was efficient, once he had activated all the pins, Luke froze the water to be able to turn the lock.


    * Tec... Tec... Tec...Tec...Tec...Tec...Tec...Tec...Tec.


    After four spins, the vault door opened.


    ''That was simpler than I imagined'' Luke thought.


    As soon as the door opened, Luke heated the ice until it was just a bead of water again. With a snap of his fingers, he turned all the water into value, which disappeared along with the humidity in that room.


    Inside that door was a series of books. All connected to the student council.


    ''List of prodigal students, list of golden pendants, rapid teaching methods''


    All the books were just ordinary academy documents, it made no sense that they were locked inside a metal box.


    ''Why?''


    [What a strange decision, keeping that kind of list inside a box]


    ''This book here, this one makes more sense to be here.


    The half-wolf then reached out and took a brown leather book, on the cover was a gold te where the name of the book was written. Expenses and sponsors of the council. There were noted all the incentives that students had given directly to their groups, including the amount that Hawk sent, the vermillion family alone gave over fourteen thousand gold bars to Melki''s academy.


    ''They are funding the academy to create a power link...''


    [They are trying to buy a high position for Hawk]


    ''Write down the names on that list Bnce, we''ll checkter which ones are connected with the empire''


    [Got it!]


    As soon as Luke closed the lock, his hearing picked up the sound of someone walking through the building. The half-wolf was in the basement and had no quick way out of there. Approaching the stairs, Luke began trying to listen to who was in the building.


    "I can''t take this Aoi anymore, she thinks she''s too much just because she has influence in the student council" The voice was Hawk''s.


    "Don''t worry kid, just follow the instructions" A woman said.


    The woman''s voice was somewhat demonic, it didn''t sound human, it was something monstrous. The sound of footsteps confirmed that Hawk was talking to her from a distance, he was walking alone.


    ''It must be the same demon woman that Meredith had saidmented on, that''s makes sense...''


    [He is acting together with Max Willford...]


    Luke waited for Hawk to leave the second floor, waiting intently as the boy climbed the stairs. From the echo of the sound of Hawk''s footsteps, Luke could get an idea of where the boy was going and where he was. The moment the red-headed boy was far away from the second floor, Luke walked nimbly out of the building.


    Climbing up to the second floor, the half-wolf stepped away from the stairs, following one of the corridors until he found a window. Luke''s footsteps were muffled in sound, as the half-wolf kept using magic to keep the sound from propagating through the air.


    As soon as Luke found a window, he opened it using wind magic and jumped out of the building, flying into the night sky. The half-wolf swooped to the top of the sky, touching the clouds. Once in the air, Luke used his <Vind> skill along with his wind magic to move at high speed. Luke used the air itself to propel himself forward, as if he were doing a jump, creating a small explosion behind his feet.


    The moon was shining brightly that night. There were few clouds in the sky, which made several stars appear in the night, but the stars, distributed across the night sky, made the vision even more exuberant. The half-wolf flew off to Zhanid''sboratory, where he decided to wait to check the secretariat building.


    Flying with maximum speed, Luke''s cloak was swinging, almosting off the half-wolf''s body. Before that cloak could fall, Luke stopped in mid-air and opened his inventory, the half-wolf stowed his cloak inside one of the slots and flew back at full speed. It took only two minutes for him to cross the ind and reach theboratory near the shore.


    Entering one of the two domes of the ce, Luke realized that there was someone else inside the building. He could tell by the lights on and some books cluttered in the hall, approaching one of the doors, the half-wolf slowly walked around trying to find who it could be, until he had a sight that surprised him.


    Inside the study office, on the second floor, he saw the two sisters having a brief moment alone, they were breathing slowly, with their hearts calm and their faces peaceful.


    Alice and Megan were asleep, lying on a circr wooden table, one of three that upied that room. In front of Megan were several books, randomly distributed around the table. Some were open, others had marked pages. Not only were there books under the table, but also spread across the other tables, and there were even stacks of books on the floor.


    In Alice''s case, the girl was still holding a pencil, and in front of her was arge piece of paper, with drawings hand drawn by the girl. When Luke entered the room, the cold night wind caused the door to close quickly, out of the half-wolf''s control.


    [You were pretty clumsy for an assassin.]


    I''m not acting like an assassin now.


    [Until 30 seconds ago you were]


    The noise had little effect on Alice, who continued to sleep peacefully. Luke could hear the breathing of both girls, and with that, he realized that Megan had changed her flow with the noise. The girl slowly raised her face, Megan''s beautiful eyes were still closed, she slowly opened them both, blinking.


    Megan''s beautiful brown hair was messy, but still elegant as usual, the girl was showing that she was still sleepy, and that she hadn''t really woken up yet. As soon as she lifted her head from the table, the girl looked deep into Luke''s eyes, she yawned, and stretched.


    Luke and Megan exchanged nces, but she was still disconnected. After stretching, the girl blinked twice and scratched her eyes a little, until she looked again at the half-wolf. Even though they had already exchanged nces, and even though the half-wolf had been there the whole time, Megan''s face had turned red; she was flushed with embarrassment.


    Making a look of irritation, the girl stood up from her chair quickly, taking heavy steps until she reached Luke''s side.


    "Did you see me sleeping?" Megan questioned.


    "Yes, but I just got here. I''m sorry if I woke you up" Luke replied.


    The girl lowered her head a little, her messy hair covered her red face, preventing Luke from seeing her face.


    "You can''t watch ady sleep, it''s rude..." She said, in a low tone of voice.


    "It was not my intention, I apologize." Luke said, as he walked forward to one of the armchairs in that office.


    Before Megan took another step and left the room, the girl againined, this time in a tone that only the half-wolf could hear.


    "I''m not even dressed... Why did you have to see me like this..."


    For the girl, it was impossible that Luke had heard this sentence, since he was already distant from her. Perhaps if Megan was already awake, this problem would not ur. After all, she amon fact as half-beasts can hear much better than anyone else.


    But since Megan was still disconnected, she let this slip, causing Luke to discover a little more of her personality. Megan liked to maintain a wless appearance whenever possible.

 Chapter 408: The Traveler

    After Megan left, Luke sat down in an armchair, picked up a book, and began to pretend he was reading. In fact, his head was taking in all the information that Bnce had acquired. Keeping his eyes open, Luke began to concentrate to get inside his soul.


    Luke and Bnce then met again, they were both in that white, brightly lit, confusing room. Now the feeling of being there was a little less ufortable as if understanding that energy made that ce more stable. Luke now didn''t feel guilty about that gigantic energy, which came from the death of hundreds of innocent people.


    It was not ack of empathy, but an understanding that he could not do anything about the catalyst of that flow of power. Something he also realized was how his mana did not decrease but rather increased over time. Which made him understand that these souls just started a process, like a spark that started a me that only increases.


    Therefore, cursed items are much more powerful than one can imagine.


    "How interesting, you being able to see me even with your eyes open" Bnce said, giving a gentle smile.


    "It''s not much different than sleeping with your eyes open" Luke replied.


    "Well, here is everything that I saw...that you actually saw" Bnce said, as he held out one of his hands.


    A small square began to show all the memories on the pages, as Bnce has full ess to Luke''s soul, it was possible for the Goddess to explore his memories as well. Although it was impossible for Luke to memorize each page, the Goddess could capture those memories in the half-wolf''s soul and transmit them back to the young man.


    Bnce gave ess to one of these windows to Luke, who went about controlling the memories with his hand, moving forward and back as he wished. The Goddess did the same, the two of them would search together for what was interesting in those memories.


    "I see... It doesn''t look like there is any really dangerous information, just student grade reports.... My God" Bnce said, as he watched


    Luke turned to Bnce confused, "What did you see?" he said.


    "Oh... Megan has had perfect grades since she entered the academy, she has never received a grade lower than the maximum. That''s a little impressive" the Goddess said. Luke gave a small smile, "Yes she really is an impressive girl" the half-wolf replied.


    Bnce gave a small smile and interested questioned the wolf. "Aren''t you thinking of adding her to your harem?" She said, letting out a smallugh. Luke lifted his head, scratched one of his ears and turned to Bnce, "I don''t imagine she likes me. But sometimes I think about getting more wives, it would depend on whether Ayumi or Alexis have a problem with that.


    It''s been hard to resist Meredith" he said.


    "Isn''t it easier to just ept them? I mean. Nathalia and Meredith..." Bnce questioned, as he crossed his arms.


    "Well, Ayumi was not against Alexis joining, and since Alexis is the second wife I don''t imagine she willin. It might be interesting to increase my harem... But Nathalia is a bit moreplicated situation" The half-wolf was thoughtful, scratching the back of his ears.


    "Anyway, let''s get back to analyzing the books" Luke concluded, while shaking his head as if trying to change his thoughts.


    In the real world, Alice was still sleeping peacefully, but if for some reason the girl ended up waking up, she would have the sight of a half-wolf staring at a book, with her body motionless and blinking a few times.


    "I found something a bit worrying Luke" Bnce said, the half-wolf then asked "Any information from Melki?". A certain silence remained in the air, until Bnce returned to exin, "Adrian''s family was killed by the empire"


    This news surprised Luke a little, after all, that blond haired boy was too cheerful a person to have such a tragic past. He showed no anger against the empire, but this past exins a little of the boy''s aversion to conflict.


    "I wonder if Megan knows, would that make her fight less with him?" Bnce questioned. "Really, sometimes Megan is a little too cruel," Luke concluded.


    The two were having a quiet conversation, but checking the memories was not as simple a task, both the lighting and the very time it took Luke to flip through the pages were factors that made that situation difficult.


    "How did you manage to shake so much when it came time to flip through the pages?" Bnce said.


    "It''s easier to see now, I was trying to maintain a certain speed while checking the files" Luke replied, irritated.


    Most of those documents didn''t have anything very interesting, they were just histories of the grades and a little of the general background of each student. Data like whether the parents were alive or where the person came from, the only strange situation was the case of Megan and Alice, both had no parents on their transcripts, the only mention of family members was from one sister to the other.


    "So, shall we go straight to Hawk''s content?" Bnce said, as he approached Luke. The half-wolf nodded, crossing his arms.


    Bnce then held out both arms and opened a window of memories. The two were attentive, watching as Luke went through Hawk Vermillion''s files. The folders had aplete description of the person, hair color, date of birth, gender, species. But one thing was confusing in that document, Hawk''s father was not listed within the documents.


    Only his mother was mentioned, a woman named Katharina Vermillion. This caught the attention of the two, who began to theorize the answer to this. They quickly came to a conclusion


    Bnce crossed her arms as she thought, "They are trying to hide Hawk''s family... But it is amon fact that he is connected to Melki''s empire," Luke turned to her, with a look that showed suspicion. "There is a possibility that Hawk''s connection to the empire is just a rumor, but maybe... Maybe Hawk''s father is an important figure in the empire" Luke concluded.


    That made sense, after all, Aoi Wintergift had confirmed to Luke the connection between the empire and Hawk. It was obvious then that Hawk''s father was someone high up in Melki''s empire.


    "Well... Aoi probably has ess to those documents... It all makes sense now" Bnce said, as he stretched.


    "Yes, so he''s not just a member of the nobility, he''s an important member of the nobility..." Luke concluded.


    This made the understanding of the academy''s political situation a little clearer for Luke. The demons were connected directly with the aristocracy of Melki, and in the interest of taking advantage of the academy, an istednd, they were using children of nobles to enter the academy and gain influence. The question that remained now was how many nobles were working for the empire.


    Luke and Bnce decided to go ahead with the project of investigating the secretariat another day, for now, they needed more answers. But checking the documents was not such an efficient way, like a fisherman looking for a specific fish in the middle of a gigantic sea, finding answers in these documents would not be such an easy task.


    The night was already turning into dawn, when Luke''s body fell asleep, without his control. However, Luke and Bnce continued to focus on their studies, not realizing that the half-wolf was already at rest.


    Luke and Bnce began to check the documents regarding Zhanid, and the quantity was vast. In fact, just the folder from his time as a student was already amazing. Zhanid in his student days had made many contributions to the academy, having created several systems, as had Alice and Megan.


    Much of the material for sses, research, and evenboratories had been nned with the mage''s support, before his twenties. When Zhanid turned twenty-one, he left his student council position and wandered the world for a while. Exploring ways to develop his magic and his knowledge of magic crafting.


    Even this task was not yetpleted, after all, Zhanid had recruited Luke when he was returning from a trip to the continent of Zhao.


    All this made Luke more interested in the old magician''s support. But with each piece of information that the half-wolf got about Zhanid''s deeds, a greater doubt arose in his mind, after all, why did Zhanid recruit him? Why did he ept Luke and Meredith''s request to bring them to the academy?


    These were all questions that Luke was interested in resolving, but as the sun dawned again, a piece of news surprised everyone.


    Luke awoke to Megan calling him; the girl was now dressed. Alice remained lying on her desk, in the same position Luke hadst seen her.


    "Zhanid has left for a trip, but don''t worry, Alice and I have already made enough progress in our research." The girl said.


    Zhanid had left on a quick trip out of the academy. But what the significance of this was was something that was still unclear to Luke or anyone else.

 Chapter 409: One Day at a Time

    Zhanid had left on a quick trip out of the academy. But what the significance of this was was something that was not yet clear to Luke or anyone else.


    Megan exined to Luke that these trips were routine, and this connected well with Zhanid''s record on the student council. As much as not having Zhanid''s support in developing the research could slow down the development of the half-wolf, this situation didn''t make Luke ufortable, after all, he had enough evidence from Megan and Alice to prove the sisters'' abilities.


    Megan walked over to Alice, who remained peacefully sleeping, and with a surprise attack, the girl woke her sleepy sister. Alice got up with a startled gasp, confused at what was happening, looking everywhere in surprise, until she observed Megan who was standing behind her.


    "Why did you wake me up? I just wanted to sleep some more..." Alice said, her cheeks filled with air, it was the girl''s angry face. Megan crossed her arms, looking into her sister''s eyes "You''ve slept all night, if sleeping at a table wasn''t sofortable you should have gone to one of the dorms!", Megan followed walking to the door, making a gesture with her hands calling out to the two.


    "Come with me, let''s eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," the girl said as she walked through the door.


    Megan, Luke and Alice followed to another room in theb, where there was only one wooden table, the table was circr in shape and on top of it was a basket of food. With breads, honey, jam, peanut butter, fruit and cheese. Megan had a proud face, and with one hand on her chest she called out proudly "I went to the cafeteria and got this food for you, but try not to sleep in theb"


    ''I don''t think she has the right to say that''


    [She certainly doesn''t]


    But she''s cute when she sleeps


    [You think any woman is cute when she sleeps]


    ''Maybe''


    Alice moved voraciously to the table, sitting down on a wooden chair and picking up two slices of bread. She then took a knife that was nearby and began to spread jam and peanut butter. In a few moments, she was already eating a huge sandwich.


    Luke turned to Megan and thanked her for her kindness, sitting down at the same time as Megan. They both started to eat together with Alice. This was a quiet moment, which returned good memories to the half-wolf.


    ***


    On the other side of the academy, Meredith was lying on her bed in the special dormitory. The half-fox was staring at the ceiling, reflectively. Next to her head was a cloth with Yuzii''s sweat and some hair on it, the idea, was to use this cloth with half-bunny hormones to stimte Luke.


    The problem was that this n can''t even be tested, Luke was out all night and Meredith didn''t know what to do. "He must be busy with research, next night I''ll be sure to capture him..." The girl''s eyes were clenched, full of energy, with a fire and desire to capture the young man.


    Meredith got up from the bed, she was in ck underwear. Advancing to a closet, where she put on her uniform. Starting with the skirt, then the shirt and the jacket thatpleted the uniform. The girl then made her way to the cafeteria, ate her breakfast, and met her ssmates in the central square of the academy.


    The girls were chatting, and they all greeted Meredith, and the conversation went smoothly, until Ruby approached the half-fox, touching her shoulder.


    Ruby Vermillion was a shrewd girl, so she noticed when Meredith put away a cloth with Yuzii''s scent, along with a piece of hair.


    Ruby brought her face closer to Meredith, and whispering, she questioned the half-fox "Did you manage to win over your roommate?" she said, letting out a small gentle smile. Meredith looked Ruby in the eye, as much as the foxdy had the energy to try again, this defeat was still weighing on her.


    "He didn''t sleep in the dorm today..." Meredith said, in a voice of defeat.


    "I see... But you really had a cunning idea, never would I have thought of that, seducing a boy with the scent of a half-rabbit. Really very clever." Ruby said, as she crossed her arms.


    "Do you think Yuzii would bother with that?" Meredith questioned.


    "I don''t think it would be a problem, she won''t mind it" Ruby concluded.


    The two friends then made their way to the study hall, for another day of magic training at Melki''s academy.


    ***


    When Luke, Megan and Alice finished eating, it was impossible not to talk about Zhanid''s trip.


    "Zhanid has traveled again" Megan said, as Alice still didn''t know the news.


    "How annoying, well, I''ve already removed my doubts about the prototype. I don''t think his absence will make that much difference" Alicemented. "Yeah, I think he postponed the trip until after the project was half done" Megan added.


    "Does he have this habit of traveling unannounced?" Luke questioned.


    "Yes" Megan and Alice replied at the same time.


    *sigh*


    "That always happens, sometimes he gets some interesting information, sometimes some book of magic has been discovered" As Megan spoke she walked around the room. "There was also that time when he went out to buy a gene and came back after four months" Alice replied, before taking a bite out of a piece of bread.


    "Gene? Isn''t that forbidden at the academy?" Luke questioned


    "Ah, well, most mages avoidmenting on it. But Zhanid has some legendary genes" Alice replied, her mouth full of food.


    "My sister! You can''t juste out and talk about it, even more so casually" Megan eximed, irritated. After swallowing a piece of bread, Alice said "But why should I care? Luke already knows so many secrets"


    "Anyway, just be careful!" Megan said, crossing her arms, the girl looked Luke in the eye, "Genes are not forbidden, but most mages avoid using them, they are considered too inelegant for a mage. There is also the problem of Melki''s influence on the ind, most students avoid are against the empire, but there are supporters." Megan''s answer removed all the doubts Luke possessed.


    [Zhanid has some legendary genes... The way she spoke so casually about it is even scary]


    ''Yes, some... I wonder how strong he ispared to Alexis''


    [If it took him four months to get a gene, surely that means he is very strong]


    ''Yeah... That makes sense''


    Luke and Megan continued talking, while Alice continued eating. Once everyone was ready, Luke left for the weapons training room near the forge. Where he spent the day evolving and manipting his magic. As soon as the sun started to fall again, Luke went towards the beach to train water and fire magic.


    The half-wolf spent at least three hours casting fire spells on the water, trying to control as much as he could. As much as making a sphere of mes was an easy task, manipting the mes was a little moreplex than it seemed.


    The half-wolf''s idea was to create shapes like those of the poison dragon, but he simply couldn''t with fire. However, when Luke tried to channel his energy again, into a kind of mana sphere, like the day he trained with Megan, he could easily create any shape his head felt like.


    ''I see, so it''s like fire because it''s more vtile than mana, it''s harder to control''


    [But poison is more vtile than fire]


    ''Yes, still... Poison doesn''t need air to be controlled.


    [Why don''t you try to control fire with wind magic?]


    Bnce''s idea worked effectively, so Luke was able to improve his fire mastery a bit. He was able to create some simpler forms. Once Luke stopped training with fire magic, the half-wolf went back to training sea maniption, controlling the waves for another hour. By now Luke was able to control the sea with much more skill, the waves during the night time period were lessplex and strong.


    So it was a little easier for Luke to control those heaps of water.


    Luke returned to training his mana concentration, then wind maniption. When Luke got tired of controlling small hurricanes, the young man began to advance to the waters of the beach, turning the sea into ice as he walked, trying to recreate the power that Zhanid had done the day he arrived at the academy.


    This training reviewing his powers was something that to Luke, didn''t seem like much, after all, the only difference was that he now had a slightly more versatile ability than before. But to Bnce, this was another demonstration of how much more powerful the boy was.


    Before leaving the beach, Luke did a run and some push-ups. After that, he finally flew back on his sword to the dormitory, where he got a big surprise.

 Chapter 410: Meredith Turn

    When Luke arrived at the dormitory, he came across Meredith, without clothes, for some reason, there was another scent as sweet as the half-fox inside that room. This smell was having a strange effect on Luke, he was feeling his body reacting on its own.


    The half-wolf was going crazy, with every step he took towards Meredith''s bed, his heart was getting faster. His mouth started to salivate when he saw the look in Meredith''s eyes; she had her arms outstretched, calling to him. The moonlight was reflecting off the smooth body of the half-fox.


    Meredith''s scent was as intense as that other new one, and this feeling was taking over the half-wolf, who when he approached the bed where Meredith was,pletely followed his own desires. Meredith spread her legs and with her hand, showed the way to her sweet cave.


    Luke entered the half-fox with his sword, Meredith gave a cry of pain and satisfaction. Luke continued, elerating faster and faster. It had been months since the half-wolf had tasted this kind of sensation. The young man was hungry.


    As he went forward, Luke reached down and kissed Meredith on the mouth. Their tongues entwined and danced as the two half-beasts connected over and under each other. The half-fox was hot, both on top and in her cave.


    Meredith''s mountains bounced as Luke moved, and the girl''s peaks swayed with each thrust. The two stopped their kiss and Luke moved down to the half-fox''s neck, licking off the sweat and taking a small bite.


    "I''m going to leave a mark on you, I''m going to mark my territory" Luke said, as he punched much harder.


    ~Haaawwnn ~ Meredith cried out in pleasure, when Luke pulled his mouth away, there was a bite mark. The two exchanged deep looks, the half-fox''s face was very happy, she was feeling grateful that her n worked.


    Luke continued thrusting hard, he put a hand on the half-fox''s neck, using it to pull the girl closer to him. Meanwhile, he was moving his hips. With his other hand, he pulled hard on one of the girl''s peaks, causing it to change color from pink to purple due to the force.


    The half-wolf theny down on the bed and ced Meredith to sit on the sword, she was moving her hips, giving Luke a wonderful sensation. As the intensity increased, that strange aroma from the room made them both want it more, have more energy.


    But Meredith''s own scent was already just as effective, Luke was having a wonderful time, as he watched the half-fox working her hips. She then ced both legs on the bed for support and began to bounce up and down, using her hands for support. She went about using her spot to satisfy Luke''s sword.


    Meredith''s entrance was wet, very wet. That liquid went down on Luke''s sword, making a sound that demonstrated how soaked they both were. Every moment the half-fox fell on the sword, that wet sound came up.


    Meredith was letting out little loud screams, and Luke, was making the most of the sight of his childhood friend satisfying his sword.The half-wolf then grabbed the girl by the hip. His hands were covered in calluses from incessant training, but that only made Meredith more desirous.


    Luke used his hands to stabilize Meredith, as well as control her movement. As she moved her hips, he used his own strength to thrust inside that tight, wet cavern.


    Meredith ced one of her hands as a support on Luke''s chest. The half-wolf then stood up, and with Meredith still on hisp, they exchanged kisses again. The half-fox continued to move her hips, and Luke, focused on enjoying the tongue dance.


    "I''m-I''m already... I can''t take it anymore Luke!" Meredith said, as she let out increasingly louder sounds.


    Until she finally let out a long cry of pleasure, her cavern began to get tighter and wetter. This sensation made Luke even more eager, as Meredith''s cave tightened and shook, the half-wolf held back and kept moving.


    The water that was leaking from inside the girl was soaking Luke''s hips, whoid the girl back down on the bed and watching her deep in his eyes, the half-wolf thrust as hard as he could and released all of his white liquid inside her.


    Meredith closed her eyes, letting out a sound of pleasure with her mouth as her insides were filled with that warm sensation. Luke noticed how the girl''s cavern reacted with the sensation of the liquid he had put in. She was now giving little contractions, further stimting the half-wolf''s sword head.


    Lukey down next to Meredith, but the half-fox was not satisfied. Then the girl climbed on top of Luke, Meredith''s big mountains pressed against the half-wolf''s muscr chest. The two began to exchange kisses and within seconds, the young man''s sword was already prepared for another confrontation.


    "I want more, much more" Meredith said, as she looked into Luke''s eyes.


    The half-wolf nodded and ced his sword inside the girl, who rose to sit on Luke''sp.


    Meredith was moving again, swaying her hips while with one of her hands she stimted her own part, touching a small pearl she owned a little above her cave.


    This stimtion made the girl''s cave even tastier for Luke''s sword. The half-wolf realized that after Meredith''s explosion of pleasure, that part of her was much tastier.


    Meredith''s insides were driving the girlpletely crazy, the sensation of the heat of Luke''s liquid along with his sword prating her was making herpletely insatiable. Next to the pillow Luke was lying on, there was a cloth with Yuzii''s scent on it.


    Meredith theny down on the half-wolf''s body, and still moving her hips, she took the cloth and ced it on Luke''s face.


    [Then she used an aphrodisiac...]


    Bnce was quietly watching the situation, feeling a little jealous of Luke and Meredith.


    After putting it on Luke''s face, Meredith put the cloth on her own face. The two half-beasts were even more energized to continue the exercise. Luke turned the girl over to the other side of the bed, getting up, heid her down. The girl was holding the bed sheets, as Luke watched Meredith''s back, he went about cing his sword.


    Now, in this position, Luke could strike much harder, causing the girl to go wild. She tried to muffle some of the sounds by using the pillow, but this was useless. The sound kept flowing through the room, even with the girl''s efforts to try to be quiet.


    Both Luke and Meredith didn''t want to limit themselves, they wanted to go as far as they could. Since there were no guests in the adjoining rooms, the two kept going full force. But the truth is that even if there was someone on the other side, they wouldn''t even care, because at that moment, there was no thought in their minds.


    Nothing but this moment disturbed this couple of half-beasts. All they wanted was more, more power, and more pleasure.


    Luke then took out his sword and put it in another hole in the girl. With force he filled that other spot, causing the half-fox to scream in pain again. Luke grabbed her tail, and pulled hard, he was using her tail, along with his hips, to support himself and continue thrusting into the girl.


    This gave Meredith a strange feeling of pain and pleasure. In the end, Meredith had this kind of desire, she wanted Luke to be aggressive and energetic with her. Meredith had dreamed of this moment several times, it was a great goal being realized to have this moment with Luke.


    The half-wolf pped that soft mountain of Meredith''s, and now, next to the girl''s tail was a mark from Luke''s hand. The half-wolf then continued punching at that other hole, while Meredith screamed in pain and satisfaction.


    "Fill me, please, let it all out on me" Meredith screamed, as she held onto the sheets on the bed.


    Luke then again poured his white liquid into Meredith''s other hole, filling the girlpletely. The half-wolf withdrew his sword andy down on the bed, but just watching the half-fox''s body, his sword again rose.


    Now, Meredithy down on Luke''s waist, and used her two hilts to hold Luke''s sword, those hilts were soft, and had a small pink tip that still had the mark Luke had left.


    Meredith let out a little saliva on her own mountains, and with her hand, she was massaging the top of the head of Luke''s sword.


    The girl went up and down with her mountains, until she put her mouth on the head of the sword. Luke then enjoyed the sensation, feeling Meredith''s tongue move across the sword as that patch of soft mountains stimted his sword.


    After a few moments, Luke released it all into the girl''s mouth, who treasured every drop of that white liquid.


    She then stood up, looked into Luke''s eyes, and swallowed it all.


    Luke could hear the sound of Meredith''s throat, who then opened her mouth, showing that her mouth was empty and saying to the half-wolf


    "Thank you for the meal."

 Chapter 411: Take a Step

    Luke and Meredith continued exercising and ying together for a few hours, until the two half-beasts fell into bed, passing out from exhaustion. Meredith was grateful that the n had worked, happy that she had finally realized a dream.


    The half-fox didn''t feel bad about using the pheromones as a way to encourage Luke, after all, she knew that as much as it increased Luke''s desire, it wouldn''t cause him topletely lose control of his own body. In the end, it was nothing more and nothing less than an incentive for the half-wolf to make a decision, and she was quite grateful for Luke''s choice.


    Luke, on the other hand, had no time to think; he just copsed from exhaustion. Sleeping in the embrace of his beloved Meredith. Bnce watched the whole situation, as much as she tried not to pay attention, it was impossible for the Goddess topletely switch off her consciousness.


    [This Luke... How can he be so...]


    In a way, the Goddess was envious of Meredith and Luke, after all, she could never enjoy that kind of worldly pleasure. At least, that''s what she imagined.


    ***


    When Luke woke up he was confused about everything that had happened, after all, to him it all seemed like a dream. He was sure that the events had happened, he knew the feeling and the moment he had with Meredith, but the whole situation was so intense that it was hard to believe it had happened.


    However, just by turning to the side he could already see Meredith lying on the bed, her bodypletely exposed. This was the greatest proof of what had urred the night before. The moment Luke woke up, Meredith slowly opened her eyes and woke up as well. They had both slept a little longer than usual, and the clock in the bedroom showed that it was already two hours past their usual waking time.


    The stimting aroma that Meredith had used was no longer in the air, however, the urge to continue what had urred the day before remained. Both Luke and Meredith exchanged nces, and when Luke lowered his eyes to the half-fox''s mouth, he could not control himself and broke into a kiss.


    The two then repeated every move from the previous night.


    ***


    After another two hours of fooling around, the two half-beasts got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower together. Luke and Meredith got into the tub together and took care of every detail of the bath. That moment reminded them both of when they were younger, but somehow, there was a very different energy now.


    Both of them were already satisfied, but there was a certain kind of pleasure with bathing with someone you love, as Luke ran a bar of soap over the half-fox''s beautiful body, he noticed how smooth her skin felt with the water and how soft Meredith''s body was.


    Luke noticed every detail of Meredith''s body, details that he hadn''t paid as much attention to when he was exercising with her on the bed. The Half-fox had the same thought, running the soap down Luke''s broad back, the girl realized what a great man he really had be.


    Sometimes Meredith remembered how Luke was younger, a wild and somewhat reckless boy who couldn''t read and had only an interest in battling and stealing. But now, he was a man interested in reading, thoughtful and analytical, but all this didn''t change his interest in bing stronger. Luke was now experienced, quite experienced. Both in the arts ofbat, and in the arts of the bed.


    The half-fox was thoughtful, as shethered Luke''s back. Several moments were running through her mind, like the day she said goodbye to him and the moment she found him again.


    ''I thought I had lost you forever, but I know you would never leave me'' Meredith thought, ''You never left us...''


    These thoughts only further increased the respect, admiration and love the girl felt for Luke. Extending her arms, she hugged Luke''s back, resting his head on the half-wolf.


    "That way you''ll get your hair wet" Luke said, as he ran water over his body.


    "I don''t worry about it, I don''t need to worry about anything when I''m with you" Meredith said.


    "Well then at least wash your head, it''s full of soap right now hahaha" Luke''sughter was in a way, one of the most attractive points for the half-fox. After all, it was hard to see the half-wolfughing.


    Meredith gave a smile, and began to run the soap over her body. This was already the second happiest day of her life, second only to the night before.


    *


    The two half-beasts came out of the bathroom and started to get ready, now, without worrying whether the other would see anything or not. They were in a way acting as if they were a couple, and it was precisely this doubt that was hanging over their heads.


    While Meredith was thinking, ''Will he take me as a wife?''


    Luke was wondering how he should exin this to Alexis and Ayumi, ''I can''t imagine it would be a problem, but it''s still something that makes me a little nervous''


    Luke knew that both Alexis and Ayumi would not break up with him or fight with each other and Meredith, in fact Luke remembered Ayumi saying that it was okay for Luke to find lovers, as long as he kept giving her the attention and affection she needed.


    Anyway, the half-wolf preferred to stop thinking about it, although the thought was still frequently popping into his head.


    Luke made his way to the academy library, he was a little more interested in Zhanid''s achievements. The half-wolf wanted to know what the old wizard had created, as well as, he was in need of checking some of the books that exined fire magic.


    Meredith, on the other hand, made her way to ss, where she would again meet her friends, the group of Ruby Vermillion, Hawk Vermillion''s sister.


    As much as Luke knew that Meredith was friends with his future opponent''s sister, he preferred not to ask for support from the half-fox, not just yet, after all, he wanted Meredith to be able to have a quiet time within Melki''s academy.


    Just as Luke was evolving and resting at the academy, he wanted Meredith to have less to worry about during that time.


    *


    As Luke walked through the central square of the academy, Meredith hurried off to her ss, the two waved goodbye, and went their separate ways. Luke was feelingpletely refreshed after the previous night, the feeling of rxation that his body possessed was amazing.


    Still, the first moment Meredith moved out of his vision, Luke''s countenance turned serious again. He was going over in his head what needed to be done, his preparations and ns.


    Luke needed to return to Ezra, to check on the progress of the weapon he had requested. After that, he would need to talk with Megan and Alice to continue designing the mana stabilizer. In addition, the half-wolf would still need to investigate Max Willford, Hawk Vermillion and Ruby Vermillion. Checking the information of these three in the academy''s administration files.


    There was a lot for him to do, after all, in order to be able to challenge Max andplete his n, it was also necessary to be physically well. In the end, there were too many questions for Luke to n.


    [We need to first set a course, make a nning and a strategy to deal with these challenges]


    ''Yes... But I am epting suggestions''


    [Why don''t we start with the studies, then we''ll talk to Ezra and Megan]


    Yeah, in the end, I just need to take a step.


    Luke then went on his way to one of the academy''s libraries. He slowly made his way out of those marble buildings and into a forest, as he followed the path to the building.


    The forest was dense and calm, with the sun''s rays prating through the leaves of the trees. The concrete path made for a quiet walk, Luke enjoyed the scenery as he made his way. As he approached the library building, Luke noticed that the surrounding vegetation was more manicured, with beautiful flower beds and ornamental nts, which was a bit different from therge forest on the ind.


    The library was an imposing building, with a white marble facade that shone in the sunlight. At its entrance, tworge solid wood doors opened to reveal a spacious foyer, lit by a skylight high above the ceiling.


    The floor was marble, with colorful mosaics depicting heroic magicians. Walking through the shelves of books, Luke was surprised by the vastness of the library. The bookshelves stretched over several floors, reaching to the ceiling.


    The stairs leading from one shelf to another seemed to float in the air, magically supported by invisible supports by wind magic. The shelves were filled with books of all sizes, shapes and colors. Some were sorge they seemed to weigh a ton, while others were so small they could fit in the palm of your hand.


    Some books were old, but all were kept dust-free, some had worn leather covers and gold lettering engraved on the outside. Others were new and shiny, with brightly colored covers.

 Chapter 412: Fire Control

    The forest was dense and calm, with the sun''s rays prating through the leaves of the trees. The concrete path made for a quiet walk, and Luke enjoyed the scenery as he went along. As he approached the library building, Luke noticed that the surrounding vegetation was more manicured, with beautiful flower beds and ornamental nts, which was a bit different from therge forest on the ind.


    The library was an imposing building, with a white marble facade that shone in the sunlight. At its entrance, tworge solid wood doors opened to reveal a spacious lobby, lit by a skylight high above the ceiling.


    The floor was marble, with colorful mosaics depicting heroic magicians. Walking through the shelves of books, Luke was surprised by the vastness of the library. The bookshelves stretched over several floors, reaching to the ceiling.


    The stairs leading from one shelf to another seemed to float in the air, magically supported by invisible supports by wind magic. The shelves were filled with books of all sizes, shapes and colors. Some were sorge they seemed to weigh a ton, while others were so small they could fit in the palm of your hand.


    Some books were old, but all were kept dust-free, some had worn leather covers and gold lettering engraved on the outside. Others were new and shiny, with brightly colored covers.


    Luke walked down the aisles of the library, each shelf marked with a golden que with the name of the session. The half-wolf kept walking, looking for the te that had fire magic, his goal was to find a way, a hint, to either master fire magic or counter attack.


    The half-wolf then arrived at a part of the library focused onbat magic, several books caught Luke''s attention, but one in particr caught the young man''s eyes. On the red leather cover was written "Fundamentals of Firefighting", it was a coborative book, with several authors.


    The cover was a little worn, and on the top, a little below the name, was a drawing of a golden square with a me in the middle. Luke began flipping through the pages, looking for useful information and analyzing the quality of the text. Quickly the half-wolf was surprised by the quality of the text.


    Luke sat down at a nearby table, with the book open in front of him. He concentrated on the text, carefully reading each paragraph. The book was full of ideas for attacks using fire magic, all spells with a focus onbat, with chapters on the elemental properties of fire, conjuration techniques, the maniption of magical energy, and attack and defense spells rted to firebending.


    Each chapter seemed more interesting than thest, and the half-wolf concentrated intensely on every word written on the page. He found a chapter on fire attack spells, with tips on how to control and manipte mes to inflict damage on an enemy.


    Another chapter talked about defense against fire attacks, teaching how to create magical shields with mes, as well as effective methods against advanced level fire attacks.


    A few pages ahead, a section caught the half-wolf''s attention. It was a theoretical chapter called "Complete annulment of fire". It was a series of texts focused on defenses that, although difficult to control, were capable ofpletely annulling fire attacks.


    The first text exined about the "Annulment of mes with water and wind", following for several pages, the text exined how to create a kind of wind atmosphere with high humidity around your opponent. The idea was to use water with wind to prevent the enemy from creating mes.


    Fire magic needs a pipeline, the person needs to generate the mes. So the idea was to use the wind around it, along with the water, so the spell would stay on, putting out the fire. This magic was efficient, however, it needed a very high mana expenditure and mastery.


    The next spell was called "Annulment by means of bubbles". The idea was to use spheres of water on the opponent''s hands, locking the person with control of the water while preventing the user from channeling.


    Luke was fascinated by these defense techniques against fire magic. He left the advanced session and went back to the basic fire defenses, but the advanced methods were much more effective and interesting ways, after all, while the basic nullifications are functional and fast, the advanced onespletely incapacitate the opponent.


    He decided to study them in more detail and practice them to improve his firefighting skills, Luke knew that Hawk was a fire mage, so more attention to this aspect was needed.


    As he continued reading, he found a section on creating fire barriers. This technique was used to create a barrier of mes around the user, protecting him from physical attacks. However, the creation of these barriers was extremely difficult and required a high level of control and mastery of mana.


    Creating fire barriers was useful against arrows, rocks, and other types of physical attacks, after all, any attack is disintegrated within seconds.


    One session that particrly caught Luke''s attention was "Supreme shield against fire"


    "Fire is one of the most dangerous forms of magic, capable of causing severe damage to anyone in its path. Therefore, it is important for every mage to know how to protect themselves against fire attacks. In this chapter, we''ll discuss a very useful defense spell against fire: the Fire Protection.


    Fire Protection is a defense spell that creates a magical barrier around the user, protecting him from mes and fire. To cast this spell, the magician must be in a state of deep concentration, and visualize a sphere of white energy around his body. Once the sphere of white energy is established, the magician must focus his attention on creating a protective barrier around this sphere.


    To do this, the magician must imagine that he is manipting a fluid matter, which can be shaped and controlled at will.


    With this control, he must create a barrier that is strong enough to prevent the passage of any me or fire.Fire Protection is a very effective defense technique, but it is important to remember that it requires a significant amount of energy and concentration to perform sessfully.


    Furthermore, it is crucial that the magician maintains his concentration and continues to visualize the protective barrier around him, otherwise the protection can break down and leave him vulnerable to fire attacks.A variation of this spell is the Advanced Fire Protection, which is more powerful and efficient than the basic Fire Protection.


    To cast this spell, the magician must perform the same steps as for basic Fire Protection, but must create an even stronger and more resistant barrier.Advanced Fire Protection is particrly useful against high intensity fire attacks, such as those generated by dragons or experienced sorcerers. However, just like the basic


    However, like the basic Fire Protection, it requires a great deal of energy and concentration to perform sessfully. In conclusion, Fire Protection is an essential defense technique for any magician who wishes to protect himself against fire attacks. With practice and patience, any magician can master this technique and create strong and resistant protective barriers against mes and fire.


    However, it is important to remember that this technique requires arge amount of energy and concentration, and must be used carefully and sparingly to avoid exhaustion and physical damage."


    Another interesting section talked about fire maniption. The text exined how to manipte the me into various forms, such as turning it into a dragon or a snake, as well as tips for the fire shield.


    He knew that this technique was very advanced, but decided that it was worth a try.As Luke read further, he realized that fire magic was much moreplex than he had imagined. There was much more to be learned than he had realized.


    He decided that he would need to study and practice much more if he wanted to be a master at fire magic. After several hours of study and practice, Luke was finally able to perform a small fire barrier. He was excited about his progress and knew that he needed to continue practicing if he wanted to improve his skills.


    He decided that he would visit the library more often to continue his studies ofbat magic.


    As he walked back to his dormitory, Luke thought about how fire magic was fascinating and dangerous at the same time. He knew that he needed to be very careful when using his abilities, as he could easily injure himself or others. He promised himself that he would be responsible and use his magic only in self-defense or in emergency situations.


    ...


    Edited by: DrHitsuji


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 Chapter 413: The Next Step

    A week in the future.


    Meredith and Luke were now sleeping together, and every night, the two half-beasts practiced love. The half-wolf got up in the morning, trying not to wake Meredith, Luke left the room and went outside the dorm to do his morning workout, performing several push-ups. The half-wolf was already feeling much more energized and capable.


    His strength was at its best and his fighting power had already returned to normal. After finishing his training, Luke went to the dormitory, took a shower, and realized that there was a letter.


    It was a warning that Ezra had already finished the production of his weapon, so the young man decided to return to Melki''s forge, to check how the production of his weapons was progressing.


    Luke opened his inventory inside the room and removed the greatsword, he then left the dormitory and flew to the forge.


    With a long white beard and a shiny bald head, Mr. Zhanid looked at his wrist, which had four identical pointer watches.


    "Hohohoho! So, you are the young men who caught Hazor''s eye." Mr. Zhanid said.


    Meredith was showing her typical surprised face, but in Luke''s case, he already imagined that the professor could be someone entric. The half-wolf knew that every strong person carries at least a trace of strangeness. In the end, he was indeed right.


    Professor Zhanid had the typical characteristics of an old wizard. On his back he carried a wooden staff with a bell at the top. His clothes were a ssic suit and tie, and on top of it, a long cloak covered him. In the belt of his pants was a leather book with gold trim. On his left arm there were also four watches, and on his right arm fourpasses.


    All these features just showed how extravagant a man Zhanid was, something that already at first nce made Meredith worried.


    "My name is Luke Lange, and this is mypanion Meredith."


    Zhanid nodded to them, turned his back, and as he walked out of the room they were in, he began to chatter:


    "This here is the Melki Academy of Magic''s Teleportation Area. This ce isn''t used much, but it''s really something quite useful, isn''t it? Do you guys know why this magic circle is more special than the others?"


    Luke and Meredith just denied with their heads.


    "Well... The magic circle present in this magic circuit is different from those you might be used to seeing. This one has an activator and a microcontroller that can destroy it in case of a mana destabilization. If you think about it, this kind of technology is something crucial when we think about a hypothetical war scenario.


    Zhanid continued talking non-stop for a few minutes. His voice echoed through the stone room the three of them were in.


    The temperature in New Yukiat was not so cold, but you could still feel the humidity in the air of that empty and dusty room.


    The old man then guided the two of them to a sofa in what appeared to be a lounge on the first floor of arge tower a few corridors after leaving the Teleportation Area. In the tower were bookshelves that stretched to the top of the circr ceiling. At the end of the tower a stained ss window with a book and a golden eagle could be seen.


    "Regarding this library, this is the transition center for the archives collected for the Diamond teau region. To put it simply, here is like a secondary library where we stock some books that are to be added to the academy''s book system in the future. This process is quite tiresome, after all we have a reputation to look after.


    I imagine Hazor has already mentioned therge collection of content aboutbat magic. Zhanid asked, looking the half-beads in the eye.


    The old professor wouldn''t stop talking at all, Luke was visibly annoyed, but since Meredith was holding his hand at all times, he managed to keep himself quiet.


    "Mr. Zhanid, I am looking for some way to mitigate the effects of curses without healing. You know, like a way to control the coteral damage of a curse." Luke just ignored everything the old man was saying and got right to the point.


    At that moment, the old mage''s eyes began to glow with excitement.


    Zhanid made a gesture with his left index finger and a tray of tea flew at him out of nowhere. The old man then began to prepare some tea while answering the boy''s question.


    "There are millions of types of curses, countless to say the least. However, you are right, when ites to curses with no cure, the side effects are even worse than normal. When ites to curses of that kind, the best way is through a magical artifact."


    This was not news to Luke, who had already talked about this issue with the Scales, but even the deity did not know how to do this. Besides most of her powers having been sucked away, the near omniscience knowledge she once had was no more than a spark these days.


    "This would require a warlock and someone who specializes in the area of curses, I believe the Living Library can help you with that when we get to the Academy." Zhanid continued.


    Meredith and Luke then exchanged confused looks. "A Living Library? What is that?" Luke asked.


    "Hohohoho! Yes, you don''t know then, forgive me. Well, the Academy adopted an incredibly talented baby fifteen years ago. Since she practically grew up in the Living Library, she remembers all the books of our academy. This includes both those from this roaster, as well as those kept in our school.


    She is probably the most versatile mage in our academy, and the right person to help you with your query."


    This news shocked the two half-beasts, who again looked up to the top of the tower that waspletely packed with books, but it wasn''t even the entire collection known to the mysterious girl.


    ''Bnce, are we really going to need a cksmith?'' Luke needed to confirm.


    [What he said is correct. The use of an amulet is the best way to correct the side effects of a curse, and to forge something so delicate will require the talent that only a cksmith has. Creating an active and constant magic, this can only be achieved with the support of more than one experienced person. A good cksmith and a talented mage will be paramount].


    Luke then scratched his head, apprehensive. "Mr Zhanid, can this woman help us?"


    The old man then began tough. "Hohohoho! Megan is not a woman yet my boy, she is just a girl. Though surely her strength is much greater than mine."


    That news made Luke less worried, if she was just a girl, that meant she was probably someone with no ties to the Melki Empire, because if the case was the opposite, it would probably be harder to add her to the group.


    Now the only thing missing would be a cksmith, however, Luke could look for thatter. First, he needed to focus on recruiting this Megan woman.


    Zhanid continued chattering endlessly about the trip, while the old man finished packing some books. Soon he ced them in a cloth baggage, which began to levitate behind him, and after that the three of them left that long stone building. They walked out of the outer courtyards around the tower into an empty wood.


    When Luke looked back, longing to see howrge the tower was from the outside, the gigantic stone construction stood out in the forest, which never seemed to have been touched by human hands.


    Then Zhanid guided the two of them to a vige in the center of the forest.


    When the group arrived there, all the vigers began to apud and thank the old wizard as soon as they saw him.


    This reaction left Meredith with an expression of confusion on her face, but she didn''t dare to speak, already wondering how he would talk on and on.


    Little by little things began to make sense, Zhanid used his magic to help that vige, both for harvesting in times when there was not much rain, and even with healing magic when someone became extremely ill, in the end, the lord was a necessary support for the vige. After a few more minutes the group was facing a carriage.


    Two ck and seemingly strong horses were waiting stopped, beside it were two men in simple farmer''s attire.


    "It is a pleasure to drive you again" Said one of the men, who was muscr, perhaps from working in the fields.


    "I was already missing your stories" Said the second man, who was less muscr and thin.


    Something that surprised Luke was how no one in that vige cared about his race, he felt like he was covered. This made him wonder if it was because of being on Zhanid''s side, or if simply that humble vige didn''t have that kind of prejudice. Luke borrowed one of the books from Zhanid''s backpack, and Meredith began to try to sleep.


    The thin driver also went back to the back of the wagon and started to sleep, while the stronger one stayed in the front talking to the old wizard. The stories of that gentleman were impressive to Luke, something thatpletely changed the boy''s view of how Magic could be used. Even though Zhanid was a battle magic teacher at the academy.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!