Chapter 162: Looting

Chapter 162: Looting

"Jackpot!"

As several magic traps were triggered, a hidden underground chamber revealed itself to Karl, its doors wide open.

Piles of magic stones stacked like mountains, heaps of mana crystals, and a collection of top-grade preserved meats greeted him.

The value...

At least ten thousand magic stones!

Karl, his face adorned with a full beard, burst into hearty laughter, embodying the arrogance and dominance of a legendary knight.

'It's true what they say—a horse without night grass won't grow fat, and a man without a windfall won't become rich. If I had to earn this many magic stones through hard work, who knows how long it would take.'

Shouldering the Gravity Hammer, he strode forward and collected the piles of resources, storing them in the Divine Realm Fragment.

The others, witnessing this, were at most surprised by the vast capacity of his spatial arcane tool, never suspecting anything else.

"Sir..."

The three who had been following him closely spoke up, their voices trembling:

"We've shown you the secret chamber we kept hidden. Now... can you let us go?"

"What's the rush?" Karl turned back leisurely:

"With the chaos nearby, staying with me guarantees your safety. Moreover, while there are plenty of resources here, they're not what I truly desire."

The three exchanged bitter smiles.

"Where else could there be good stuff?" Karl picked up three mana crystals and tossed them to the trio:

"These are yours!"

A single mana crystal could be exchanged for a hundred magic stones, but this was just the official rate; in reality, it was worth much more.

In private exchanges, it could fetch over a hundred and twenty magic stones.

Over a hundred magic stones were indeed a windfall for those who toiled for a month to earn a few magic stones.

Instinctively, the three caught the mana crystals, their breaths quickening, and their hearts began to race.

"If today's haul satisfies me, I'll make sure you're satisfied too." Karl grinned:

"So..."

"Where else is there?"

The three exchanged glances and quickly shared their thoughts. One of them raised his head and mumbled:

"I know a hidden place that might have what you're looking for."

"Oh!" Karl's eyes lit up:

"Lead the way!"

Not long after...

"Haha..."

Gazing at the remains of a second-rank creature, Karl couldn't help but burst into laughter. He took a step forward and collected the remains into the Divine Realm Fragment.

"Good!"

"You've done well!"

Although it was only the skeleton of a second-rank creature, far from enough for a bloodline wizard to analyze and advance their bloodline, it was still valuable. Moreover, the crucial energy core was intact, and for some reason, there were four different types of cores present.

For Karl, these resources were sufficient for him to cultivate to the third layer of the Divine Demon Transformation, with some left over.

As a 'generous' knight, he didn't hesitate to reward them, tossing out three mana crystals.

"Swoosh!"

The mana crystals, flying towards the trio, suddenly changed direction mid-air and headed elsewhere.

"Tsk tsk..."

From the darkness, a figure emerged, walking slowly:

"My friend is indeed generous, casually rewarding such things, but it's a waste to give them to these people."

Karl narrowed his eyes, focusing on the newcomer.

It was a wizard wearing a Shadow Wizard's robe, which granted him the ability to blend into the darkness, making it difficult to perceive him.

The staff in his hand resembled a hiltless longsword, and just a glance at it made one's skin crawl.

An Arcane Wizard!

"Useless!"

Retrieving the mana crystal, the Shadow Wizard turned to the person behind him, his voice cold:

"You said that apart from Vincent, only you knew about this place?"

"If I had arrived a moment later, I might have found a chamber thoroughly looted!"

"Sir." The person behind him was well-dressed, with a beast arena badge on his waist, likely one of the managers.

He quickly bowed, saying:

"This is the secret treasure trove of the Andrew Clan, and logically... no one else should know about it."

"Unless someone secretly investigated!"

He glared at the three behind Karl.

"What you say might be true." The Shadow Wizard nodded:

"But you almost ruined my plans, so..."

"Boom!"

A shadow emerged from underground, entering the manager's body and bursting out from within, tearing his flesh apart.

The scattered blood and flesh also caused the three behind Karl to turn pale, and one of them even collapsed, his legs giving way.

"Legendary Knight!"

After killing the manager, the Shadow Wizard turned to Karl, his expression indifferent:

"If you put down what you've taken, I'll let you leave this place. I'm in a good mood today."

His voice was calm, and his posture was arrogant, indicating a highly esteemed status. He was accustomed to treating knights as subordinates.

In reality, legendary knights were indeed far less powerful than wizards; even an advanced wizard apprentice could pose a threat.

By asking for his possessions, he was already showing 'mercy.'

"Hmph..." Karl sneered:

"So much talk!"

Charge!

The distance between the two was only a dozen meters, practically within reach for a legendary knight.

Karl took a step, and the air before him rippled like water, followed by a sonic boom.

His extreme speed turned him into a blur, instantly appearing in front of the wizard.

"Huff..."

The Gravity Hammer was raised high.

"Hmm?"

The Shadow Wizard looked surprised, seemingly not expecting Karl's speed to be so swift. However, no matter how fast the body moved, it couldn't match the speed of a wizard's thoughts. As the wizard's staff flashed, threads of darkness appeared in the air.

The threads were like a giant net, entangling Karl's body and the colossal hammer he held, before snapping back with tremendous force.

Theoretically, this force could easily tear apart a legendary knight.

But with a thunderous roar, Karl's battle qi materialized, shattering the threads binding him in an instant.

The shadow wizard's eyes narrowed, and before he could even cast a spell, his eyes widened in bewilderment.

A sense of dread, deeply rooted in his bloodline, surged into his mind.

Terror Aura!

"Die!"

Karl sneered, and the colossal hammer came crashing down.

The moment it made contact with the shadow wizard's body, a terrifying force exploded, shattering his flesh.

Hmm?

Karl raised an eyebrow.

The shattered body did not splatter into a mess of blood and flesh but instead transformed into shadows that scattered in various directions.

Clones?

"Stay right there!"

His eyes widened, and the power that had already reached its critical point surged again, unleashing a terrifying explosion from the hammer.

Instantly, dozens of hammer shadows appeared.

Angel's Sting!

Karl's technique, usually executed with a rapier, was now performed with a heavy hammer, transforming the stabbing motion into a devastating blow.

The combination of extreme speed and power remained the same, creating an explosive impact.

The hammer shadows relentlessly pursued and smashed the fleeing clones, unleashing an unending torrent of colossal force.

"Boom!"

The ground within a radius of several dozen meters sank, and the air around Karl suddenly condensed.

It was as if a colossal force had caused the void to collapse.

"Bang!"

A meat patty-like object fell heavily to the ground.

The shadow wizard...

...was dead.

"Pfft!"

After delivering the fatal blow, Karl showed disdain:

"A mere first-rank initial wizard dares to show off in front of me? He's asking for death!"

Even if it weren't a first-rank initial wizard but a first-rank mid-level wizard, at such close range, he still had a chance to kill them.

He searched the corpse, stripping it of its wizard's robe and other items.

"Someone has already found this place. It seems I can't continue wandering in the Beast Arena. Fortunately, I've obtained what I needed."

Turning back, he saw his three trembling 'henchmen' and smiled:

"I did pay you, but you couldn't handle it, so... don't blame me."

"See ya!"

Before the trio could react, he vanished, dashing towards the outskirts of the Beast Arena.

...

Upon leaving the arena, Karl didn't rush back to the shop but instead charged towards the dense forest outside the Leipzig Marketplace.

By now, the chaos had spread from the Beast Arena to engulf the entire Leipzig Marketplace.

"Something's not right!"

Glancing back, Karl frowned:

"The plan to target the Andrew family should've been highly secretive. How did it create such a ruckus?"

"It should've been a swift and decisive strike!"

"With such a commotion, it seems deliberate, as if luring someone out."

Shaking his head, he sprinted forward.

Regardless of the changes, they didn't concern him. For now, he needed to find a safe place to hide in the foreign world for a few days. Returning later, he would naturally understand the situation.

Hmm?

As he dashed into the forest, Karl's eyebrows rose in surprise.

Not far to his side, several figures were engaged in a fierce battle, moving at astonishing speeds.

He recognized three of them.

Vincent!

The two individuals fighting Vincent were Milly from the Cape family and Sheridan from the Monroe clan, who had a history of enmity with the Cape family. Despite this, the two had developed romantic feelings for each other.

When the Cape family faced destruction, Milly and Sam managed to escape thanks to Sheridan's assistance.

"But didn't they part ways?"

"It seems Sheridan couldn't bear to leave Milly and secretly returned to help her deal with her opponents."

"What a pity!"

Karl shook his head lightly.

In the midst of the battle were not only the three of them but also a white-haired wizard who was clearly allied with Vincent. Together, they surrounded Milly and Sam, unleashing a barrage after another.

Despite being a first-rank mid-level wizard, Vincent, even in his prime, was no match for the combined might of the white-haired wizard and his allies.

"What's going on?"

Karl's expression turned perplexed:

"Milly had made extensive preparations to deal with Vincent, including inciting a rebellion among her followers and seeking help from her companions..."

"Yet, she's the one at a disadvantage now!"

When Karl had rushed into the Beast Arena, Milly had been dominating the fight, and Vincent was on the brink of death.

How had the situation reversed so quickly?

"The survivors of the Cape family, you barely managed to stay alive, but now you're throwing your lives away."

Vincent continued his relentless wizardry assault, taunting them with his words:

"You think I'm unaware that someone's after me?"

"All your attempts to target the Andrew family will fail, including the so-called second-rank wizard you mentioned!"

As he spoke, Vincent switched between various wizardry techniques.

It was evident that Vincent had trained in a diverse range of wizardry, including nature school and bloodline magic.

However, with the mental prowess of a first-rank mid-level wizard, every technique he employed was incredibly powerful.

In contrast, Milly and Sheridan's situation was precarious as they dodged and fled.

"Thinking of running?"

Vincent's voice turned cold:

"You won't escape!"

Milly, her face pale, looked at her lover and clenched her teeth. She took out an object and said:

"I'll hold them off. You run!"

She threw the object in her hand.

"Boom!"

A Second Circle Rune—Starlight Burst!

Countless starlights rained down from the sky, like a torrential shower, pelting Vincent and his pursuer.

"Another rune!" Vincent growled, unleashing a defensive spell to withstand the assault while continuing his charge. "Let's see how many more tricks you have up your sleeve!"

"Hmm?"

Just as he finished speaking, a transparent seashell appeared in the air before them, followed by a seductive voice that echoed in their ears, captivating them with its allure.

Succubus Howl!

"Eeek!"

The piercing sound sent shivers down their spines, instantly transforming into a mesmerizing melody.

Vincent and his companion stood bewildered.

An opportunity!

Sheridan's eyes lit up.

Instead of seizing the chance to escape, he, like Milly, unleashed a spell, rushing towards the duo.

"Boom!"

"Ugh..."

The spell's light vanished.

Vincent coughed up blood and stumbled backward, but his consciousness also broke free from the succubus howl's influence.

"Looks like when the Cape family was destroyed, you managed to escape with quite a few valuables. This is even better; by killing you, everything becomes mine."

"Die!"

With a roar, Vincent's staff unleashed a barrage of residual shadows, bombarding them with First Circle spells.

Rocks shattered, vegetation crumbled, and Milly and her companion tumbled to the ground.

"Haha..."

Vincent panted heavily, taking a step forward, but a sudden sense of foreboding made him turn around abruptly.

A colossal hammer came crashing down.

"Boom!"

The terrifying force of Gigantism erupted, and a body aura appeared on Vincent, only to shatter instantly.

"Ugh!"

Vincent spat out blood and fell backward, shouting, "Gravity Hammer, you're a Bloodclaw..."

"No!"

The Gravity Hammer was originally the weapon of a Bloodline Wizard from the Bloodclaw faction, but when the customer at the Beast Arena turned the tables and killed the beasts, the weapon also disappeared without a trace.

Now it had reappeared...

"Vincent!"

Karl smirked, "When you sold me out to the Bloodclaw, did you ever think you'd end up like this?"

As he spoke, he slammed the hammer down again, the sheer force crushing any resistance.

"Friend!"

"That was a misunderstanding!"

"Don't kill me! I'm an official wizard of the Anderson family. If you kill me, you won't get away with it either!"

"I can compensate you!"

"Spare me!"

"Boom!"

His pleas for mercy went unanswered as Karl's hammer blows rained down, directly pulverizing Vincent, who was already weakened.

The shattered skull, red and white, scattered in all directions, and the headless corpse wobbled and fell to the ground.

On the other side.

Milly and Sheridan worked together to take down the white-bearded wizard. The three of them exchanged glances, and the atmosphere became tense.

"What?"

Karl smirked, "Is this how you treat the person who saved your lives?"

"..." Milly's eyes flashed, and she slightly lowered her staff, showing goodwill. "Thank you for your help, friend."

"Don't mention it. I have a grudge against Vincent too." Karl waved his hand and skillfully looted the corpse, "The body over there is mine too, no objections?"

Sheridan's expression changed, about to say something, but Milly suddenly stopped him.

"Of course."

Milly pulled Sheridan back, "If it weren't for your timely intervention, we'd be dead. It's only fair that the spoils go to you."

"Haha..." Karl laughed, "You're a sensible one!"

He strode over to the white-bearded wizard's corpse, looted it in front of the two of them, and then turned and left without a word.

"Milly."

As they watched his figure gradually disappear into the distance, Sheridan furrowed his brows, "He's just a legendary knight, even if he's First Tier, we don't need to be afraid of him."

"A legendary knight?" Milly shook her head lightly, her expression solemn, "You know the magic I practice enhances perception. This person is definitely more than just a legendary knight."

"Hmm?" Sheridan raised an eyebrow, "You mean..."

"I'm not sure either." Milly spoke up, "But I can sense a danger from him that's no less than Vincent's, not to mention he did save us. There's no need to argue with him."

"And..."

"I have a very familiar feeling about him."

"Familiar?" Sheridan shook his head lightly, deciding not to probe further, "Forget it!"

"What a pity, Sam..."

Milly's eyes reddened.

This mission had seemed foolproof, but they hadn't anticipated Vincent's ambush, and she almost lost her life if not for Sheridan's stealthy intervention.

In the end, they were saved by an outsider, narrowly avoiding a fatal outcome.

"Let's go!"

Sheridan turned to Milly, "This place isn't safe."

"Yeah."

Milly nodded, and as tears fell from her eyes, the two of them flashed into the depths of the dense forest.

After they left, Karl's figure reappeared nearby, gazing thoughtfully at their departing backs.

"Sam is dead?"

"Alas!"

"As I thought, if you're not strong enough, don't take unnecessary risks. The right thing to do is to focus on improving your strength."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end