Chapter 73: Suicide Attack

Chapter 73: Suicide Attack



At some point, the banquet was infiltrated by Fire Thieves from Cologne, who launched a suicide attack while everyone else was captivated by the speech.

The guards and the Holy Knights, who were hosting the banquet, had no time to react before the Fire Thieves rushed towards them.

As the Fire Thieves charged forward, they tore at their clothes, revealing skin that was abnormally crimson, like raging flames beneath.

It was as if...

A ball of fire was about to burst forth from within their bodies.

The next instant.

As they approached the crowd and closed in on their target, the Fire Thieves roared, their bodies exploding with a deafening blast, sending countless flames erupting from within and engulfing the area.

The intense explosion instantly shredded the nearby guests, their burning flesh flying in all directions.

Several meters away.

A Fire Thief, hidden among the crowd, went into a frenzy, looking up to the sky and shouting:

"For the Father God!"

His words were like a spark to the flames, and a surge of fanaticism erupted from within him, followed by a thunderous explosion.

"Watch out!"

Karl's figure retreated violently.

Those who couldn't dodge in time were caught in the blast, some dying on the spot, while others were thrown into the air by the shockwave, their fate uncertain.

Such power...

Karl's eyes narrowed.

Impressive!

Even a knight, if caught in the heart of the explosion, would have little chance of escaping unscathed.

Ordinary people fared even worse.

Flying limbs and burning flames turned the once peaceful and harmonious venue into a hellish scene.

Chaos!

Confusion reigned!

Screams, roars, and cries mingled, as the pampered guests, unaccustomed to such situations, scattered like headless flies.

"How dare you!"

"You're asking for death!"

Baron Baro, standing on the high platform, roared in anger, his face smeared with the blood of the attackers who had caught him off guard.

But he was a Grand Knight, always accompanied by knights, and sensing the danger, he quickly dodged, avoiding injury. However, he couldn't help but be shaken by the surprise.

As he regained his senses, anger surged within him.

"Boom!"

The platform beneath his feet shook violently, and Baron Baro leaped into the air, like a bolt of grey lightning, charging towards a Fire Thief in the crowd.

"Swish!"

His longsword unsheathed from his waist, and battle aura howled as it slashed through the air, cutting down a Fire Thief from a distance of five or six meters.

The Fire Thief didn't even have time to self-destruct.

Battle aura was just that—an aura. Once it left the body, it dissipated naturally. Only a Grand Knight could condense battle aura into a tangible form, capable of killing from a distance of several meters.

At the same time.

After a brief moment of chaos, others in the venue also regained their senses and reacted.

Princess Duna of the Sachs Kingdom, her face grim, retreated under the protection of her guards. She did not take the initiative to attack, as her noble status prioritized her own safety.

Others rushed into the battlefield.

"God, bless you!"

A priest raised his divine staff, pointing it at a Holy Knight, then turning towards the charging Fire Thieves.

"God!"

"Punish you!"

Divine Spell - Weaken!

Divine radiance fell upon the Fire Thief, causing their body to stiffen, and their charging speed suddenly became extremely slow.

A sense of extreme exhaustion emerged from within.

"Swish!"

A Holy Knight seized the opportunity to charge forward, his greatsword sweeping across and cutting a Fire Thief in half at the waist.

The area where the merchants gathered was also attacked by the Fire Thieves. Robert, hidden among the crowd, furrowed his brows, and with a slight grip of his fingers, an invisible force field appeared.

Gravity Protection!

This was not a spell he had cast but came from an enchanted artifact.

His hands held four rings, each a magical item imbued with a powerful spell.

The effect of Gravity Protection was to create a gravity field around the user, preventing others from approaching.

Even an explosion couldn't breach this defense.

So, while the Fire Thieves' suicide attack caused heavy losses to the merchants, Robert himself remained unscathed from start to finish, even assisting others in killing the attackers.

Karl witnessed this, secretly impressed and speechless, shaking his head.

Four enchanted items?

He was probably the only apprentice with such a collection.

So wealthy!

A scream came from not far away.

The band!

Karl's gaze shifted, his figure gliding low across the ground.

Combat Technique - Eagle Assault!

As he charged forward, a rapier hidden within his staff shot out with a ringing sound, piercing a Fire Thief.

"Pff!"

His movements were swift, and the rapier was sharp. With a light stab, he pierced the Fire Thief's skull through the back of the head.

He withdrew just in time before the Fire Thief self-destructed.

"Boom!"

The splattered blood and flesh carried considerable force, landing among the crowd, causing a stir of exclamations, but fortunately, there were no significant casualties.

"Are you okay?"

Karl turned to Jenny:

"Be careful."

"Karl," Jenny's eyes reddened with excitement and fear, her body trembling uncontrollably, "You... you be careful too."

"Your Excellency, Baron." At this moment, the stern-faced woman softened her tone, her eyes filled with fear, stammering, "We're all young ladies here. Could you... protect us?"

"Don't worry," Karl assured them, "They're not targeting you, and... a Grand Knight has already intervened. There's no need to panic."

Not far away.

Diana, longsword in hand, weaved through the crowd, rescuing people while engaging the charging Fire Thieves. True to the knight's code, she didn't retreat in the face of danger.

Unbeknownst to anyone, she had already become a knight and mastered the release of battle aura.

Combat Technique - Sword Dance!

A Grand Knight-level inheritance, among the many knights present, she excelled, effortlessly protecting an area with her sword aura.

The Fire Thieves feared no death, and their self-destructing power was terrifying. But this was the Holy Church's territory.

With Baron Baro and a Holy Grand Knight intervening, the remaining Fire Thieves were swiftly dealt with.

In a short time, the venue returned to calm.

However...

Many had died!

The Fire Thieves' suicide attack was well-prepared, with the first wave targeting crowded areas.

And certain noble individuals.

Most of the deaths and injuries occurred during the first wave.

The once peaceful and harmonious banquet hall was now littered with severed limbs and flesh, a gruesome scene.

"Damn it!"

"Bloody Fire Thieves!"

"Cologne scum!"

Baron Baro, covered in the blood of the Fire Thieves, patrolled the venue with his drawn sword, his face contorted with rage.

How could he not be furious? Today's banquet attendees were all influential figures in Signo City, and now many of them lay dead or injured.

The deaths of these individuals would undoubtedly impact Signo City and even the front-line battlefield to some extent.

"How did they manage to infiltrate the city?"

Turning around, Baro shouted at the Church officials:

"How could you let this happen?"

The Church officials, who usually held themselves in high regard, couldn't help but clench their fists and bow their heads, enduring the reprimand.

"Investigate!"

Baro roared:

"Even if we have to turn Signo City upside down, we must find out who else is hiding in the shadows!"

"I need an explanation!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Patrol Hall and the City Guard all responded affirmatively.

The Church officials also summoned their people to cooperate with the investigation, but it was evident that others were not optimistic about the outcome.

This attack seemed more like a well-prepared demonstration, and whether it succeeded or not, the remaining individuals were likely to have already fled Signo City, making the search effort futile.

A few people, unsure of what to make of the situation, wore worried expressions.

...

About a hundred kilometers away from Signo City, a tall and robust man stood with his arms crossed on a hillside.

He was large in stature, but compared to the hill, he was minuscule.

However, as soon as someone's gaze landed on him, they would instinctively ignore the hill beneath his feet.

His aura was like a towering mountain, standing tall and proud, as if he could tear the sky apart with a mere wave of his hand.

Tucker!

Tucker, the Vanguard's commander and wielder of the Thunder Spear.

Surprisingly, he wasn't at the front lines of the battlefield but was instead located not far from Signo City.

"No sign of him?"

Gazing at Signo City, Tucker spoke softly:

"It seems that Archbishop Antonio has indeed left, and there's no longer a high-ranking official overseeing this city."

"Yes, sir."

A man in red nodded in agreement:

"Our attack resulted in the deaths of over twenty influential individuals, yet Archbishop Antonio still hasn't made an appearance."

"If he were here, some of them wouldn't have died."

The regional archbishop's divine spell couldn't bring the dead back to life, but it could save the lives of those severely injured.

For minor injuries,

It could heal them in the blink of an eye.

"How many Grand Knights are there in the city?" Tucker asked.

"Can we open the city gates?"

"General," the man in red replied,

"There should be five Grand Knights in Signo City. Two each from the Noble Council and the Church, and one from the Gandor Royal City, Baron Baro."

"Hmm..."

"I'm not sure if Princess Duna of the Sachs Kingdom has a Grand Knight with her. If she does, then there are six."

Six?

Tucker's expression remained unchanged.

As long as the Grand Knights didn't have the divine spell of the archbishop to support them, he wasn't afraid of any of them!

Even if he faced several Grand Knights at once, as the wielder of the Thunder Spear, he still had a high chance of emerging victorious.

"This attack has taken out many of our opponents, but we don't have complete control over the city gates yet."

The man in red continued,

"Even though we have leverage over the Noble Council's Frank, he's still hesitant."

"Hmph!"

Tucker snorted in disdain:

"Useless!"

It was unclear if he was referring to Frank or his subordinates, but the man in red instinctively lowered his head.

After a moment of thought, he explained:

"This attack has dealt a heavy blow to Signo City's elite, confirming that Archbishop Antonio has indeed left."

"Such a commotion will undoubtedly provoke a counterattack from them. It will be challenging for our people to create a significant stir in the city again."

"No excuses," Tucker said expressionlessly,

"By whatever means and at whatever cost, we must open the city gates within ten days."

"As long as my army can enter Signo City, I don't care about anything else!"

"Yes, sir," the red-haired man responded in a low voice,

"I will make it happen."

Tucker glanced at him:

"If you can't do it, chop off your own head!"

The red-haired man's eyes narrowed, and his body tensed:

"Yes, sir!"

...

The store that the Dragon King Chamber of Commerce prepared for Karl was located in the south district of the Herb Market, occupying an area of over fifty square meters.

In the middle of the store, there was a partition, with goods displayed for sale in the front and a space for concocting potions in the back.

In the corner were two folding wooden beds, which could be used for temporary rest or for someone to watch over the store at night.

Aya held a cloth and wiped the counter until it gleamed, reflecting the light off its glossy surface.

She was excited.

Technically, the store belonged to Karl, but in reality, she was the true apothecary and salesperson.

Even the profits were mostly hers, with Karl only taking a small portion.

So, she was the real owner of the store.

"There's no need to wipe it so clean," Karl adjusted his clothes as he left, saying,

"The Alchemists' Priority Suppliers Guild also has to allocate some potions to other stores, so not much will be left here."

"I understand."

Aya's face showed concern:

"We should take care of our own things."

"Then you handle it," Karl shook his head:

"I'll take care of it."

"Yes, sir."

Aya continued her work.

Free Harbor was located near the Endless Sea, with abundant moisture and a humid climate. The past few days had been rainy, making the roads muddy.

Combined with the general uncleanliness of the area, various filth and waste were scattered about, and it was easy to step on something dirty if one wasn't careful on the surrounding roads.

Karl covered his mouth and nose as he walked along the street.

"Hmm?"

Something at the alley entrance caught his attention, and he paused briefly before walking over and kicking away a bamboo basket on the ground.

Underneath was a corpse.

The deceased was small in stature, with limbs curled up together, and their clothes had already been stripped clean.

Judging by their age, they were likely still a minor.

Some carrion rats and maggots crawled on the corpse, feasting on the flesh without any hesitation.

It was common to see children in Free Harbor who were barely clothed, relying on scavenging through garbage for their survival.

Very few of them could find employment.

Every day, people died in Free Harbor, whether from diseases, the water plague, or violence... Death was all too common.

Yet, the population did not decrease.

For decades, people had been migrating to the area, and the women of Free Harbor were like breeding machines.

They had no contraception, so it was common for a family to have seven or eight children, with most of them dying in infancy or not surviving to adulthood.

Even

The dead infants on the streets outnumbered the corpses of stray cats and dogs!

"Free Harbor?"

Karl shook his head lightly.

The lives of the lower class couldn't even be called lives; at most, they were merely existing, enduring bitter suffering.

Like Signo City.

Every month, female workers die in the textile factory, but who cares? Fortunately, whether in Signo City or Free Harbor, Karl lives a relatively decent life.

Rather than being alive.

"Clack-clack..."

Footsteps approached from the side, as a group of people chased and fought two young men.

This was also a common occurrence in Free Harbor. Without a powerful organization to suppress it, everything was in a state of disorder.

"What are you looking at?"

One of them noticed Karl's gaze and his expression changed. He held a machete and charged over.

Without a word, he swung his knife.

"Hmm?"

Karl frowned, raised his hand to catch the blade, and casually slapped it away.

"Smack!"

The attacker's body rolled, and he fell heavily into the mud, his cheek instantly swelling up like a pig's head.

"What are you doing?"

"How dare you attack?"

"..."

The rest of the group turned pale, and even the one who was beating the man put him aside and surrounded Karl with their weapons.

"What are you doing?"

Before Karl could react, someone nearby ran over and shouted at them:

"You're blind!"

"This gentleman is a pharmacist hired by our guild with a hefty sum. Who dares to lay a finger on him?"

"..." The group's expressions changed, and one of them immediately put away his weapon, scratching his head and laughing foolishly:

"He's one of us! It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

The newcomer slapped him in the face and angrily said:

"Open your eyes next time. And you think you're so tough, but Karl is a knight."

"Knight Sir!"

This time, their faces turned extremely ugly, and even their gazes carried a hint of fear.

Knight!

Even in Free Harbor, they were a rare sight.

"Pharmacist Karl."

The newcomer was stout and, after scolding the group, turned to Karl and wiped the sweat from his forehead:

"Sorry for the scare."

"I'm Yuri. If you need anything, just ask me. I'm in charge of this area for the guild."

The security of the Vanilla Market was jointly managed by three parties, which explained the previous group's audacity.

Because they were managers of the Dragon King Chamber.

"Yuri?"

Karl looked at him:

"I hope this kind of thing won't happen again."

The reason he chose to join a power was to avoid situations like this.

If he couldn't...

Then what's the point of joining?

"No, it won't happen again," Yuri waved his hands hurriedly. This person was someone important who was assigned to take care of.

He immediately said:

"I won't let anyone off who disrespects you!"

"Forget it this time," Karl threw away the machete in his hand and asked, "I heard that the shop recently received a batch of Illusion Scale Fish scales. I plan to buy some. Where are they?"

"Illusion Scale Fish scales?" Yuri blinked:

"I don't know much about the shop's business, but there is indeed a new batch of goods nearby."

The Illusion Scale Fish is a unique deep-sea creature. Its scales can change color for camouflage.

After its death, the scales display a colorful and beautiful array of colors, with a faint power to bewitch the mind.

...

Fragment of the Divine Domain.

Karl put down the scales and flexed his wrist.

"Spell Seals are still useful."

Whether it's a minor force field or a full-body armor that takes time to release, it's all the same.

The Steel Body Seal is different.

It's always on the body.

The reason he caught the blade with his bare hands was partly because of his strong physique and partly because of the confidence from the Steel Body Seal.

This seal made his flesh and skin more compact, making it difficult for ordinary people to break through his defense with swords and knives.

It's more convenient in emergencies.

"Illusion Scales!"

Putting aside his thoughts, Karl turned his gaze to the side.

As the master of the Fragment of the Divine Domain, he could freely modify the environment here.

For the convenience of refining potions, enchanting items, martial arts training, and meditation, Karl divided the space into a four-room, one-hall layout.

Each room served a specific purpose.

One room was dedicated to experimenting with enchanting items.

'According to the book, materials with magical attributes have dominant traits that are difficult to destroy or change.'

'Integrating these traits into weapons is relatively easier.'

"Clack... Clack..."

Karl rolled a small stone grinder, crushing the scales of the Illusion Scale Fish into powder and carefully sifting out the impurities.

The powder became transparent, but when examined under the light, it revealed a colorful and dazzling array of colors.

Staring at it for too long could easily lead to fascination.

"This must be a witchcraft material!"

Changing colors is something ordinary creatures can do, like chameleons and bamboo worms.

But affecting the mind is not so common.

It's highly likely to have some kind of magic.

"Huff!"

He pulled the bellows, and the flames rose.

Karl held a pair of tongs and placed a dagger on the forge, turning it over to heat evenly.

He was a novice blacksmith.

Fortunately, he had experience forging weapons with his father when he was younger, and with the precise control over his body from the Fragment of the Divine Domain, he quickly got the hang of it.

The sound of hammering rang out.

"I'm destined to be a laborer. Others have ready-made masters, but I have to learn everything from scratch."

"Sigh!"

Soon.

"Whoosh!"

An ordinary-looking dagger appeared in Karl's hand.

As he waved his arm, the dagger swayed, and for a moment, it seemed like a phantom fish appeared out of thin air.

Beautiful, lovely, and dangerous...

If someone were to fight with this weapon, it would be difficult to detect the dagger's true form, and they could easily get lost in the halo created by the swinging dagger.

Enchanted item!

Even with only a slight mind-affecting effect, it was undoubtedly an enchanted item he crafted himself!

"Even if it's not useful for wizards, as a unique piece of art, it could be worth dozens of gold coins."

Karl paused for a moment, then turned his gaze to the damaged broadsword and the phantom fish trident.

Aside from these.

There was also a pile of black stones.

Not ordinary black stones, but black stones from the underground of Black City, near the City of Forgotten Souls.

If refined into weapons, they could enhance durability, flexibility, and sharpness.

"Let's begin!"

Taking a deep breath, Karl stepped towards the materials.

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end